(NewsNation) — NASA has opened up applications for its next class of astronauts after the most recent class completed training and graduated.
The 10 astronaut graduates were selected from more than 12,000 applicants and went through two years of training before being declared ready to head to space.
Possible missions for astronauts include trips to the International Space Station, future commercial space stations and work on the Artemis missions to the moon, which are being done in preparation to send astronauts to Mars.
But astronaut training isn’t a walk in the park, as trainees have to go through classes on spacewalking, robotics and space stations. They must learn Russian and practice wearing spacesuits submerged in a pool and go through exercises that could include jumping into a freezing lake during a 10-day hike and hauling a 30-pound lava rock back to camp.
Future astronauts also have to be aware of occupational hazards that come with space travel, ranging from eyeballs changing shape due to microgravity to muscle atrophy that happens when there’s no gravity.
There are less dangerous challenges as well, like putting up with food that is reportedly not the greatest and the difficulties of adjusting to life back on earth upon return — like forgetting about gravity.
For those still interested, there’s also a pretty strict list of qualifications. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have a master’s degree in a STEM field with a minimum of three years of professional experience and be able to pass an astronaut physical which makes sure they are fit to withstand the physical demands of space travel. Oh, and you must be between 5’2″ and 6’3″ tall.
There are some substitutions allowed. Flight hours for pilots and medical residencies can be substituted for experience and two years of a doctoral program, a medical degree or completion of a test pilot program can count instead of a master’s degree.
Those who think they have what it takes can apply online.
