"Looking for Talent to Work on the Moon"... NASA Begins Hiring Astronauts for Salaries of Around 200 Million Won

"Must Endure 'Extreme Isolation and Harsh Living Conditions'"
"An Opportunity to Shape Humanity's Future in Space"

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is recruiting astronaut candidates to lead lunar exploration and crewed missions to Mars. The annual salary is around 200 million won, and those selected will undergo two years of intensive training before taking part in human space exploration missions.

The official X account of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

According to the New York Post on Nov. 9 local time, NASA said it is looking for people who will write a new chapter in the history of human spaceflight. Those selected will take part in the U.S. plan to return to the Moon and build a lunar base, and will be tasked with laying the groundwork for the first crewed mission to Mars. The annual salary is $164,395 (approximately 220 million won), more than double the U.S. average annual salary of $64,220 (approximately 86 million won). Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Dec. 3.

This is the first time NASA has recruited astronaut candidates since 2024. At that time, 10 candidates were selected from more than 8,000 applicants. Since the space program began in the mid-1950s, NASA has selected a total of 370 astronaut trainees.

Those selected this time will join the active astronaut corps, which currently has 32 members. They will undergo a range of training, including lunar geology, spacewalks and piloting high-performance jets.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens and hold a master's degree in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) field, such as engineering, biology, physics or computer science, from an accredited institution. However, applicants who have completed at least two years of doctoral study may substitute that experience for the master's degree requirement.

Applicants must also have at least three years of professional experience in a related field and provide five references. They must pass NASA's long-duration spaceflight physical and demonstrate leadership, teamwork and communication skills.

U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). AFP-Yonhap

The ability to carry out long-duration space missions is also an important qualification. NASA said that missions lasting 12 months or more require astronauts to endure "extreme isolation, harsh living conditions and separation from loved ones."

Applicants who receive high scores in the application review will attend a first-round interview at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. About half of them will be selected for the second round.

Those selected in the final round will undergo two years of intensive training at the Johnson Space Center. They will learn skills required for spaceflight, including piloting T-38 jets, operating robotic arms, conducting spacewalks and operating the International Space Station.

NASA released a recruitment video on its official X account, formerly Twitter, with the message "The Universe Is Calling." The video featured NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Andre Douglas and Denise Burnham.

Scott Tingle, chief of the NASA Johnson Space Center Astronaut Office and chair of the astronaut selection committee, said, "Becoming a NASA astronaut means more than just a career opportunity. It is an opportunity to take part in a mission that will shape the future of human space exploration."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.