SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

Astronaut wannabes for NASA set record

NASA has received a record number of applicants - some 18,300 - for its next astronaut class.

NASA television astronaut Terry Virts installs an antenna and boom during the third spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
NASA television astronaut Terry Virts installs an antenna and boom during the third spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Source: AAP

1 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

Space travel never looked so good.

NASA announced on Friday that it had received a record number of applicants - some 18,300 - for its next astronaut class.

That's more than double the previous record of 8000 for the first space shuttle astronaut class in 1978.

This time, NASA hit social media hard to promote the openings.

The odds of getting picked are small; only eight to 14 Americans will be chosen.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

NASA expects it will take one and a half years to whittle down the list.

Like the eight-member class of 2013, the future astronauts will train to fly to the International Space Station on capsules under development by SpaceX and Boeing, as well as on NASA's Orion spacecraft intended for deep-space exploration.

The two-month application period closed on Thursday.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world