NASA has opened the application period to select its next generation of astronauts. Those chosen will join the agency as the United States prepares to return to the Moon, build a lunar base and carry out the first crewed missions to Mars.

The call comes as the US space programme is being redirected towards deep human exploration. Following the Artemis missions to lunar orbit and the surface, the agency envisions a permanent presence on the Moon as a stepping stone toward crewed travel to the red planet.

Astronaut selection is a lengthy and highly competitive process: candidates who pass the initial qualification tests must then complete extensive training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston before they can fly.