Key Takeaways
- Nasa’s new astronaut class will be revealed on Sept. 22 during a live event at the Johnson Space Center.
- From 8,000 applicants, selectees will undergo two years of training to become certified astronauts.
- Media briefings on Artemis 2 will follow the announcement, with astronauts set to orbit the moon in April 2026.
Astronaut Class Announcement
NASA is set to unveil its new astronaut class on September 22, 2023, at 12:30 p.m. EDT during a live-streamed event from the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The event will be accessible via various platforms, including NASA+, Netflix, Amazon Prime, NASA’s YouTube channel, and its X account.
The candidates for the 2025 astronaut class were chosen from a total of 8,000 applicants. Following their selection, the new astronaut candidates will enter a rigorous two-year training program at NASA, preparing them for future space missions.
Artemis 2 Media Briefings
On September 23 and 24, NASA will also host media briefings focused on the upcoming Artemis 2 mission, which plans to send four astronauts around the moon no earlier than April 2026. These briefings will be live-streamed on NASA’s YouTube channel and X account, as well as on Space.com if feasible.
The Artemis 2 mission will feature NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist), along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist). Glover will notably become the first Black astronaut to participate in a moon mission, while Koch will be the first woman, and Hansen will be the first non-American astronaut in this capacity.
Scheduled Briefings for Artemis 2
The Artemis 2 briefings are scheduled as follows:
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September 23, 11 a.m. EDT: Mission overview with participants including Lakiesha Hawkins and NASA launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson.
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September 23, 1 p.m. EDT: Science and technology discussion featuring key NASA personnel such as Matt Ramsey and Debbie Korth.
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September 24, 10 a.m. EDT: Crew news conference with all four Artemis 2 astronauts.
These events will provide critical insights into NASA’s future missions and advancements in space exploration, marking significant progress as the agency continues its commitment to returning humans to the moon and beyond.
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