NASA’s 2013 Astronaut Candidate Program

http://www.usajobs.gov/SpotlightsAll/SpotlightDetails?contentID=80
NASA’s 2013 Astronaut Candidate Program


If you have dreamed of joining the Astronaut Corps, now is the time to apply. NASA is continuing space exploration programs that will include missions beyond low Earth orbit

NASA is seeking applicants for its next class of astronaut candidates who will support long-duration missions to the International Space Station and future deep space exploration activities.

The first U.S. astronauts were selected in 1959, before human spaceflight operations began. NASA asked the military services to provide a list of personnel who met specific qualifications. After stringent screening, NASA announced its selection of seven men, all pilots, as the first American astronauts. NASA has selected 20 more groups of astronauts since the “Original Seven.” The backgrounds of NASA’s previous groups of astronaut candidates include schoolteachers, doctors, scientist, and engineers.

NASA selects astronauts from a diverse pool of applicants with a wide variety of backgrounds. From the thousands of applications received, only a few are chosen for the intensive Astronaut Candidate training program. Including the “Original Seven”, only 330 astronauts have been selected to date.