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NASA Astronaut Group 23

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}

{{Short description|2022 human spaceflight selection}}

{{Infobox NASA Astronaut Group

|name=The Flies

|image=Group 23 ("The Flies") Portrait (b).jpg

|caption=

|alt=

|year=2021

|number=12

|prev=22 (2017)

|next=24 (2025)

}}

NASA Astronaut Group 23 (nicknamed The Flies) was announced on December 6, 2021, with the class reporting for duty in January 2022. Twelve astronaut candidates were selected, including seven men and five women.

History

File:NASA Group 23 Patch.jpg

NASA announced the creation of this astronaut group in February 2020 and accepted applications for astronaut hires during the month of March 2020. For this class, the educational requirements increased to be at minimum a master's degree in a STEM field (engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science, or mathematics) from an accredited institution; in classes prior to this, a bachelor's degree was all that was required. Additionally, a 2-hour online assessment was required for the first time.{{cite web |last1=Schierholz |first1=Stephanie |title=Explorers Wanted: NASA to Hire More Artemis Generation Astronauts |url=https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/explorers-wanted-nasa-to-hire-more-artemis-generation-astronauts |website=nasa.gov |publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration |access-date=February 14, 2020}} Over 12,000 applications were received by NASA, coming from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories.{{cite web |last1=Leinfelder |first1=Andrea |title=More than 12,000 apply to be NASA's next class of astronauts |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/article/More-than-12-000-apply-to-be-NASA-astronaut-15171649.php |publisher=Houston Chronicle |access-date=April 2, 2020}}

The Group 23 astronaut candidates were originally planned to arrive at the Johnson Space Center in Houston for training in the summer of 2021, and with the completion of their approximately two-year-long training program, they would become available for future missions to the International Space Station in low Earth orbit aboard NASA or commercial crew vehicles, the Moon via the Artemis program, and Mars. However, due to complications with interviewing potential applicants in person due to COVID-19 restrictions at JSC, the announcement of the new class was pushed back twice:

  • In August 2020, the agency revised the timetable, pushing the final announcement date from summer to late 2021.{{cite web |last1=Pearlman |first1=Robert |title=NASA delays new astronaut selection due to coronavirus constraints |url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-082620a-nasa-astronaut-selection-coronavirus-delay.html |website=collectspace.com |publisher=collectSpace |access-date=August 29, 2020}} As of the August 2020 revision, several rounds of interviews were to have been conducted in Houston between February and September 2021, with the announcement of the Class of 2021 in October or November and their arrival at JSC for training in December.{{cite web |last1=Blodgett |first1=Rachael |title=Astronaut Selection Timeline |url=https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/astronaut-selection-timeline |website=NASA.gov |publisher=National Aeronautics & Space Administration |access-date=August 29, 2020}}
  • In March 2021, the agency again revised the timetable: on-site interviews scheduled for summer 2021, with the new class announcement in late 2021 and the new class reporting in 2022.{{cite web |last1=Blodgett |first1=Rachael |title=Astronaut Selection Timeline |url=https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/astronaut-selection-timeline |website=NASA.gov |publisher=National Aeronautics & Space Administration |access-date=March 19, 2021}}{{Needs update|date=November 2021}}

The selection of Group 23 was announced on December 6, 2021, with training to commence in January 2022.{{Cite web|last=Margetta|first=Robert|date=December 6, 2021|title=NASA Selects New Astronaut Recruits to Train for Future Missions|url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-new-astronaut-recruits-to-train-for-future-missions|access-date=December 6, 2021|website=NASA}}

Two Emirati candidates, Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammad Al Mulla, selected by the MBRSC, took part in training as international partner astronauts. Hazza Al Mansouri – who already went to space on board Soyuz MS-15 – and candidate Sultan Al Neyadi were already training at NASA since before the 23rd group was chosen, but only Nora and Mohammad are considered part of the group 23.{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/science/mbrsc-announces-final-14-candidates-for-the-uae-astronaut-programme-1.76083807|title=MBRSC announces final 14 candidates for the UAE Astronaut Programme|website=gulfnews.com}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-041021a-uae-astronaut-selection-almatrooshi-almulla.html|title=UAE names two new astronauts, including first woman candidate | collectSPACE|website=collectSPACE.com}}

Group 23, including the two Emirati candidates, graduated NASA's astronaut training program on March 5, 2024, becoming eligible for assignment to future missions.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIwG9b1z4C8 |title=NASA's 2024 Astronaut Graduation |date=2024-03-05 |last=NASA |access-date=2024-08-31 |via=YouTube}}

Group members

{{External video|float=right|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGpZxV9AJKM Astronaut Class of 2021 Official Announcement] December 6, 2021}}

{{External video|float=right|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIwG9b1z4C8 NASA's Astronaut Graduation 2024] March 5, 2024}}

United Arab Emirates partner astronauts

The U.S. astronauts trained alongside two astronaut candidates from the United Arab Emirates:{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/06/science/nasa-astronaut-class.html|title=NASA Introduces Class of 10 New Astronaut Candidates|date=December 6, 2021|accessdate=December 9, 2021|quote=Mr. Nelson also announced that two people from the United Arab Emirates, Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammad Al Mulla, will train with the NASA astronaut candidates.}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-120621a-nasa-astronaut-candidate-class-2021.html|title= NASA names 10 new astronaut candidates for future space missions|date=December 6, 2021|access-date=December 9, 2021|quote=The new astronaut candidates will be joined in their training by two United Arab Emirates (UAE) candidates, Nora AlMatrooshi, a 28-year-old mechanical engineer, and Mohammad AlMulla, a 33-year-old pilot for the Dubai Police, who were selected by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) in Dubai in April.}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{NASA Astronaut Group 23}}

Category:Lists of astronauts

Category:NASA Astronaut Corps

Category:2021 in spaceflight

Category:2021 establishments in the United States