Lyra Martin Science 08.19.2022 05:Aug AM EDT

NASA Has New Astronaut Trainees for Mars and Asteroid Explorations

NASA has eight space trainees who will train in space facilities and remote locations for missions to Mars, asteroids, and low-Earth orbit.

NASA has Eight Trainees to Prepare for Trips to Mars, Asteroids, and Low-Earth Orbit

NASA has a new set of possible astronauts who will assist the agency explore an asteroid and Mars. Eight individuals have been chosen as NASA's latest astronaut trainees. Since the space shuttle's demise, they want to be among the first to launch from US land on American commercial spacecraft.

It received more than 6,000 applications for astronaut candidates in 2013. This class has the most significant percentage of female astronaut applicants ever. The crew will undergo technical training at space facilities and remote areas to prepare for low-Earth orbit, an asteroid, and Mars missions.

According to Janet Kavandi, director of flight crew operations at Johnson, "this year we picked eight highly qualified candidates with exceptional intellectual, operational, and physical qualities." They provide a range of knowledge and abilities to the astronaut corps. He is confident they will do big things for NASA and the nation in terms of human exploration based on their incredible experiences so far.

NASA preserves spacewalks astronauts to maintain leadership and knowledge. It has trained 330 astronauts since 1959 and selected nine applications in 2009. Its class of 2013 was the 21st.

Additionally, it is granted access to low-Earth orbit by American commercial companies so it can study human spaceflight and resupply the space station. American astronauts will be launched from the United States via NASA's Commercial Crew Program. There are also corporate sponsors for this program.

NASA is building the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to aid in humans' exploration of Mars and asteroids.

NASA's Powerful Rocket Will Launch Sooner Than Predicted

The Artemis 1 Space Launch System (SLS) rocket was supposed to make the long journey to Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center on Thursday, August 18, in preparation for its launch on August 29. However, NASA said on August 15 that the rollout had been shifted to August 16. NASA will provide deployment coverage starting at 3 pm EDT.

The Crawler-transporter 2 from the Apollo period will roll with the Artemis 1 stack on top of it to the launch pad. According to earlier NASA comments, the journey will take eight to twelve hours, despite the crawler and rocket merely traveling four miles (6.4 kilometers).

During this week's rollout, the rocket will make its third trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to the launch pad. Following the initial rollouts in March and June, efforts were made at what NASA calls a "wet dress rehearsal," in which the crew conducts the whole launch procedure while the rocket is fuelled.

The Artemis 1 stack, made up of the SLS rocket and the Orion capsule, reversed its route to the enormous VAB for changes and preparation at the conclusion of each of those visits.

If all goes according to plan, the rocket will launch this time with a lot more suspense and go on an uncrewed test flight around the moon that NASA believes will open the door for the current astronauts to land on the moon. The first launch opportunity is on August 29; further launch possibilities are on September 2 and September 5.

According to agency officials, the Artemis 1 mission will last between 39 and 42 days, depending on the launch date. Before Artemis 2, slated to launch in 2024, NASA can assess how the Orion spacecraft performs in orbit during that period.