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  Now hiring: 2009 NASA Astronaut class (Page 1)

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Author Topic:   Now hiring: 2009 NASA Astronaut class
Robert Pearlman
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posted 09-18-2007 10:49 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
NASA release
NASA Opens Applications for New Astronaut Class

NASA is accepting applications for the 2009 Astronaut Candidate Class. Those selected could fly to space for long-duration stays on the International Space Station and missions to the moon.

"We look forward to gathering applications and then being able to select from the largest pool possible," said Ellen Ochoa, NASA's chief of Flight Crew Operations at the Johnson Space Center. "Continuing our impressive record in successfully carrying out challenging human spaceflight missions depends on maintaining a talented and diverse astronaut corps."

To be considered, a bachelor's degree in engineering, science or math and three years of relevant professional experience are required. Typically, successful applicants have significant qualifications in engineering or science, or extensive experience flying high-performance jet aircraft.

Teaching experience, including work at the kindergarten through 12th grade level, is considered qualifying. Educators with the appropriate educational background are encouraged to apply.

After a six-month period of evaluation and interviews, NASA will announce final selections in early 2009. Astronaut candidates will report to Johnson in the summer of 2009 to begin the basic training program to prepare them for future spaceflight assignments.

NASA will accept applications through July 1, 2008. To apply visit: USAJOBS.

cspg
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posted 09-19-2007 12:39 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cspg   Click Here to Email cspg     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I guess that speaking Russian will be an tremendous advantage because in 2010, no more shuttle and no Orion until, what, 2015? So the future astronauts will only be able to go the ISS aboard Soyuz (Russia willing; and charging a hefty price?) before flying Orion (if it flies). Not really motivating.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 09-19-2007 12:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I don't know, the chance to fly to the Moon, even with the wait, seems to be a pretty good motivator to me!

With a mandatory two years of ascan basic training, the new class won't even be eligible for flight assignments until 2011, and then will be last in line to fly, so even if Orion was ready by then, it would be another 3 to 5 years before they could reasonably expect a mission (which is par for the course throughout history). With Orion currently scheduled to fly in 2015, it could put some of Class 20 in the right place and the right time for the first flights of first new U.S. manned spacecraft in nearly 35 years (just as rookies flew to the Moon as LMP for Apollo). Seems like a pretty exciting job to me!

Robert Pearlman
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posted 02-04-2008 02:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
USA Today: For NASA, 'The Right Stuff' takes on a softer tone
Social skills weren't part of the job description for America's first astronauts.

Piloting the one-man Mercury capsule was a dangerous new endeavor. A sure touch on the stick and a willingness to risk death trumped being a nice, chatty guy. And some of the first space fliers weren't.

Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard was known as the "Ice Commander" for his chilly glare. Colleagues Deke Slayton and Gus Grissom thought they'd had "a deep talk" if they exchanged 40 sentences during a cross-country flight, Tom Wolfe wrote in his book "The Right Stuff".

Now that icon -- the astronaut as a grim-faced, laconic test pilot -- is being nudged aside.

ASCAN1984
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posted 02-05-2008 04:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ASCAN1984   Click Here to Email ASCAN1984     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was just wondering if anyone on this board has or is going to apply for real? It would be amazing to follow the selection process along from the point of view of someone who has actually applied.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 02-05-2008 06:44 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
We had several members who had applied for the 2004 class and at least one reader (to remain unnamed) who was selected.

I know of a few readers who are preparing applications for the 2009 class.

You can also check out Damaris Sarria's blog, aptly titled How I Am Becoming An Astronaut.

tegwilym
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posted 02-05-2008 11:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for tegwilym   Click Here to Email tegwilym     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
They would never take me, I never got through calculus even after 5 attempts. Totally blew my goals of becoming an engineer...

LCDR Scott Schneeweis
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posted 02-08-2008 02:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for LCDR Scott Schneeweis   Click Here to Email LCDR Scott Schneeweis     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
For those interested in the process, this announcement was received today in our message traffic soliciting Navy candidates for the FY09 ASCAN board...
UNCLASSIFIED//
R 062208Z FEB 08
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
UNCLAS //N01401//
NAVADMIN 036/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/FEB//
SUBJ/NAVY ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE SELECTION BOARD//
REF/A/DOC/BUPERS/26NOV07// AMPN/REF A IS BUPERSINST 1401.4C, ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE SELECTION PROGRAM.//

Rmks/1. This navadmin announces the Navy astronaut candidate (ascan) selection board (board #295), scheduled to convene 5 May 08. Applications and endorsements must be received by comnavperscom (pers-45e) not later than 1 Mar 08. The five astronaut candidates selected by this board will be nominated to the NASA ascan board. If selected by NASA, candidates can expect orders to NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX for the ascan class convening Aug 09.

2. Applications will not be accepted from the following communities due to critical inventory shortfalls and/or priority global war on terrorism skill set requirements: naval special warfare (113x, 615x), engineering duty officer (144x), permanent military professor (1200), explosive ordnance disposal (114x), information professional (1600), intelligence (1630), public affairs officer (165x), judge advocate general's corps (250x), supply corps (310x), and civil engineering corps (510x).

3. Navy ascan program details, selection criteria and application procedures are contained in Ref A. Note new application procedures for this selection cycle: all Navy applicants must apply for selection to both comnavperscom (pers-45e) and to NASA. Updated information may be obtained on-line from the NASA ascan website or via the NASA astronaut candidate link on the Navy personnel command homepage. NASA will advertise ascan positions on the USA Jobs website. All forms filled out on the USA Jobs website must be included with application packages submitted to comnavperscom (pers-45e).

4. Medical screening documents required by Ref A must be forwarded to the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute (NAMI) for review not later than 1 Mar 08. Send to:

Naval Aerospace Medical Institute
Attn: Nami Code 342
340 Hulse Rd
Pensacola, Fl 32508-1071

Packages submitted via fax or e-mail should use the following information:

FAX: (850) 452-2957/DSN 922
Email attachment: physquals-nomi@med.navy.mil

5. Copies of all medical screening documents must also be included with application packages submitted to comnavperscom not later than 1 Mar 08.

6. Point of contact is Cdr Jerry Stokes, Asst Space Cadre Advisor, comnavperscom (pers-45e) at (901) 874-4058/dsn 882, or email at jerry.k.stokes(at)navy.mil.

7. Released by VAdm J. C. Harvey, Jr., N1.//

BT
NNNN

medaris
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posted 02-09-2008 11:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for medaris   Click Here to Email medaris     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Would the US Navy really be paralysed by a shortage of 'permanent military professors'? I'll sleep less well tonight!

I agree with Robert re: timing - NASA history suggests that it's really, really difficult to judge the 'right' time to apply - programme cancellations, accidents, technical problems - dates have shifted hugely from those expected. If I was on NASA's list (which, sadly, seems to lack a requirement for little fat middle aged men - they'll realise their error one day) I'd take a chance.

Delta7
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posted 02-09-2008 02:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Only 5 candidates will be presented to the NASA selection board? Seems like kind of a small number. I wonder how that compares to previous selections.

Is there any info on how many individuals NASA's looking to select in all?

NavySpaceFan
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posted 02-28-2008 10:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for NavySpaceFan   Click Here to Email NavySpaceFan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This number is standard for service candidates. I'm helping a young Lieutenant (a submarine officer) in my office apply. Of those 5 Navy candidates, 2-3 may be selected by NASA.

Delta7
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posted 02-28-2008 12:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It's interesting to see how this compares with previous selections of the Shuttle & ISS era. By my count, the number of Astronauts actually selected from the Navy and Air Force since 1978:

1978: Navy 9 ; Air Force 10.
1980: Navy 3; Air Force 6.
1984: Navy 5; Air Force 5.
1985: Navy 3; Air Force 3.
1987: Navy 3; Air Force 4.
1990: Navy 1; Air Force 7.
1992: Navy 6; Air Force 2.
1995: Navy 5; Air Force 5.
1996: Navy 10; Air Force 5.
1998: Navy 7; Air Force 2.
2000: Navy 3; Air Force 7.
2004: Navy 1; Air Force 1.

Obviously, the standard has shifted back and forth over the years. How does the respective branch of the military determine how many of it's personnel it will make available for the selection process, and is it predicated on how many astronaut candidates NASA has told them it plans to select?

Dan Bursch was the only active Navy selectee in the class of 1990, which was a relatively large class. On the other hand, for there to have been 10 Navy selectees in the class of 1996, there were more than that who went through the interview and selection process (there were a few from the class of 1998 who didn't make the 1996 final cut). I'm curious what criteria the military use for the number of people it makes available to NASA, and with the number of potentially qualified personel at any given time, I find it hard to believe it's simply based on how many people they can spare.

Delta7
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posted 02-28-2008 01:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
And interestingly, if you total up the two columns: Navy 56; Air Force 57.

Identical for all practical purposes; I wonder if it's deliberate or just happened that way.

By the way, from the other services (since 1978): USMC: 16; Army: 14; Coast Guard: 2.

NavySpaceFan
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posted 02-28-2008 01:43 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for NavySpaceFan   Click Here to Email NavySpaceFan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Having dealt with the Navy's personnel system for 24 years now, I can say that the Navy will determine the number of candidates based on the needs of the service. If the Navy can spare 7, they'll select 7, if only 1 or 2, they'll select 1 or 2. In the message Scott posted, you see that certain designators are locked out of the selection process because the Navy needs them in their current jobs more than lending them to NASA. Fortunetly, the Lieutenant I'm helping does not fall into any of those designators.

Robonaut
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posted 04-24-2008 07:43 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robonaut   Click Here to Email Robonaut     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Further to Scott's posting about Navy ascans, the memorandum NAVADMIN 036/08 was superseded by 068/08 which allows for 50 candidates to be sent to NASA for consideration. The Navy expects 2 to 3 will be successful and join the astronaut class of 2009.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 04-26-2008 01:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
New York Times: Navy Limits Nominations to Space Program
For what may be the first time since the inception of the American space program, the Navy is restricting nominations to the astronaut corps. The move comes nearly 50 years after Alan B. Shepard, a naval aviator, became the first American in space.

The cutback, Navy officials say, comes as the service tries to retain the expertise it needs to fulfill its wartime obligations while experiencing an overall decline in its numbers. A message from Vice Admiral J. C. Harvey Jr. last month stated that applications for Navy nominations to the space program from 10 specialties would not be accepted "due to critical inventory shortfalls and/or priority global war on terrorism skill set requirements."

Those groups include the special warfare forces known as Seals, certain engineering groups and experts in explosive ordinance disposal, as well as permanent military professors and public affairs officers.

George W. S. Abbey, a former NASA official who wielded control over the astronaut office during much of his long tenure at the agency, which lasted from 1964 to 2002, said "the Navy is taking a position that adversely affects the country's ability to have a vital and ongoing space program."

Lt. Cmdr. William Marks, a Navy spokesman, said he could find no previous restriction on naval applications to the astronaut corps, but insisted that the move in no way diminished the service's commitment to NASA.

"Officially, we are a very enthusiastic supporter of the NASA program," Commander Marks said. "We always have been and still are."

...one applicant who was affected by the decision, Lt. Cmdr. Michael Runkle, executive officer of the Navy Experimental Diving Unit in Panama City Beach, Fla., said he was "a little bitter" about the new rules. Commander Runkle said he joined the Navy in part because he had hoped it would lead to a career in space, even though he knew the chances of acceptance were slim.

"It's kind of like winning the lottery," he said. "You live your life as you do, but you buy a ticket every once in a while."

He applied unsuccessfully twice before, and "I'm under no great illusion that I would have been chosen this time," though he said his application was stronger. With his expertise in ordinance disposal, however, he cannot apply again under the new rules.

"I'm told I'm not allowed to buy a lottery ticket," he said, "just on the off chance that I win."

Robonaut
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posted 05-01-2008 12:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robonaut   Click Here to Email Robonaut     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Whilst doing some research for an article on the new astronaut selections I turned up a few pieces of information which may be of interest. Sorry, if any of this is already on the message board elsewhere.

The USN selection board will convene on 5 May 2008.

The USAF board will consider their candidates over 13 to 16 May 2008.

The USMC have already held their board, commencing 26 February 2008 and announced the results. They are nominating 31 candidates to NASA.

The US Army said they would be running a selection but I was unable to find any additional information.

Japan is looking to select three astronauts, Canada two astronauts but to also have a reserve pool of qualified candidates who can be called upon if required in the future and ESA four astronauts with, similar to Canada, a reserve list of four.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 05-18-2008 10:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Robonaut:
The USMC have already held their board, commencing 26 February 2008 and announced the results. They are nominating 31 candidates to NASA.
YumaSun: Local Marine selected as astronaut candidate
A Yuma Marine pilot has been selected as a candidate to be a NASA astronaut.

Maj. Brian Cole, AV-8B Harrier instructor and aviation safety officer assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, is competing against 30 other Marines for the NASA position in August 2009.

Are the names of the other 30 Marine candidates public information?

Robert Pearlman
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posted 06-19-2008 02:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Robonaut:
The USAF board will consider their candidates over 13 to 16 May 2008.
United States Air Force release
AF nominates 114 officers for astronaut training

The Air Force Astronaut Nomination Board has forwarded 114 nominations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for consideration in the pilot and mission specialist categories. The board was held May 13 to 15 and the medical screening panel was held May 20 to 22. More than 200 noninees were considered.

Forty-eight names were forwarded in the astronaut pilot category while 66 names were forwarded in the mission specialist category. Candidates from that pre-selection are then evaluated by NASA, with the highest-qualified individuals invited to Johnson Space Center, Houston, for interviews this fall.

Airmen selected by NASA will be detailed to the JSC astronaut office for a one-year candidacy program. They will enter the basic astronaut training program, contributing to the design, development and testing of the Ares launch and the Orion crew exploration vehicles. In addition, they will participate in planning for future human operations on the moon.

The Air Force nominees will compete with those nominated by the other services and civilian applicants. NASA selections are expected to be announced to the services in May 2009.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 06-25-2008 11:28 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Air Force Space Command release
Air Force Space Command sends six nominees to NASA astronaut candidate selection board

Six AFSPC officers have been selected by an Air Force board to have a shot at a Mission Specialist berth with NASA for the astronaut class of 2009.

The nominees are: Maj. James E. Smith, Air Force Element, Buckley Air Force Base (AFELM); Maj. Jay A. Orson, AFELM; Capt. Matthew R. Allen, AFELM; Maj. William J. Christopher, Global Positioning System Wing; Maj James P. Lake, GPS Squadron; and Maj. David J. Laird, 1st Space Launch Squadron.

"I was happy to be nominated," said Major Christopher. "I have wanted to be an astronaut since I was in high school. That is why I went to the Air Force Academy. However, I also applied for the astronaut class of 2004 and was not selected, so I am taking a wait and see attitude."

This selection is one step in a very long and often complex process. It is a huge milestone for these potential astronaut candidates. According to Howard Peterson, the point of contact for the Air Force screening board, there were 213 Air Force nominees for this astronaut class. One hundred forty-five were sent forward to NASA for medical screening, where 31 were dropped from consideration for medical reasons. The total sent forward by the Air Force is 114 for this class; 66 are for the Mission Specialist jobs.

These candidates are a diverse group.

"What they can bring to the NASA table will determine what they do for NASA," Mr. Peterson said.

Typically NASA gets about 3,000 to 4,000 applicants for an astronaut class, although they may receive as many as 6,000 for this one. Of these applicants, about 120 are chosen for interviews, and the normal class selected is 10 to 12 individuals, although some have been larger, dependent on NASA's needs.

"I am a very lucky guy," said Major Lake. "Most people never even get the opportunity to apply for an astronaut position.

"I have been thinking about this for as long as I can remember," he added.

Major Lake has built his life around his goal. He received his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees all in aerospace engineering. His wife and daughter are also very supportive of his efforts.

"My family has been through it all with me," he said. "My daughter was born while I was studying for my Ph.D., and this has been a part of her life ever since. They have been very supportive all the way with this process. They understand the importance of it all and are with me 100 percent."

Some of the class of 2009 astronauts will have the opportunity to be selected to return to the moon. In the history of the world, only 12 men have ever walked on the moon. These nominees are going through the selection process in order to push human exploration of space to its next logical limit. Some of those members chosen for this class will join the elite group to have walked on the moon and lead others forward to Mars, the next step on NASA's itinerary.

Jeff Ashby, former NASA liaison to AFSPC and a former astronaut himself said, "I would guess that over a ten to fifteen-year career, the astronauts of this class will have one or two and maybe as many as three opportunities to fly in space."

Air Force Space Command volunteers are stepping forward, doing their part to keep the NASA vision of space exploration an ongoing effort.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 07-03-2008 06:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The application period closed on July 1.

According to the one of the applicants, who spoke with the astronaut office, 3,500 applications were submitted (an additional 1,500 resumes were received without completing the required NASA forms and are not eligible for consideration).

If 3,500 remain eligible (their transcripts still need to be processed, which can lead to additional disqualifications) then this year's selection will be on par with the third largest recruitment of space shuttle-era astronauts:

1978
1980
1984
1985
1987
1990
1992
1995
1996
1998
2000
2004
 8,000
3,500
4,900
Used
2,100
2,400
2,300
3,100
2,600
2,600
3,000
2,900
 applications, selected:
applications, selected:
applications, selected:
1984 register, selected:
applications, selected:
applications, selected:
applications, selected:
applications, selected:
applications, selected:
applications, selected:
applications, selected:
applications, selected:
 35
19
17
13
15
23
19
19
35
25
17
11

Jay Chladek
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posted 07-03-2008 09:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
William J. Christopher should change his first name to "Shawn" if he gets selected. Then he has a shot at commanding the first Earth Saturn Probe (Star Trek reference, episode "Tomorrow is Yesterday"). Of course this assumes his middle name is "Jeffery".

Robert Pearlman
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posted 10-08-2008 03:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
NASA has assembled an ASCAN rating panel to review the approximate 2,900 candidates eligible for consideration for its 20th class of astronauts. This evaluation is expected to take three to four weeks, with the first round of interviews tentatively planned for early November 2008 through mid-January 2009.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 01-11-2009 01:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Interviews are continuing with applicants arriving each week at Johnson Space Center. The Arizona Republic recently profiled one of the interviewees prior to her arrival in Houston.
When Sian Proctor was a teenager, she found that her eyesight and the loss of her beloved father thwarted the 20/20 vision she had for life: to become an astronaut.

So, who could have guessed that two decades later, this geology faculty member of South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, would be invited to interview for an astronaut position with NASA?

...Proctor, 38, was born on Guam where her father worked at the NASA tracking station during the Gemini and Apollo missions. After Apollo 13, the family moved back to the United States.

At age 16, Proctor's then-poor vision required her to get glasses. Her father died a few years later, deepening Proctor's belief that she would never be able to fulfill her dream.

Delta7
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posted 01-12-2009 07:00 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Will any international candidates be included as part of this class? (ESA, CSA, JAXA)

Robert Pearlman
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posted 01-12-2009 08:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
There have been separate but similarly timed recruitment efforts by Japan, Canada and ESA.

Delta7
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posted 01-12-2009 08:39 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Which makes me ask if any of these individuals will go through NASA ASCAN training starting this summer.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 01-12-2009 09:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The Canadian Space Agency's timeline for the recruitment process includes "Astronaut Candidate Class of 2009 reports to the NASA Johnson Space Center" in August 2009.

JAXA also notes that "successful applicants will do two years of basic training with NASA astronaut candidates."

ESA's published schedule differs: "...four of these [candidates will be] invited to become members of the European Astronaut Corps in the summer of 2009. The chosen candidates will then begin basic training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany."

Tonyq
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posted 01-14-2009 02:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Tonyq   Click Here to Email Tonyq     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Back tracking on this thread, I don't think any links have previously been posted to detailed lists of candidates. This Russian site has been showing the Marine Corp., Navy and US Coast Guard nominees for some time.

Click NASA Group 20 link, then on the blue links towards the bottom of the next page which begin with 31,10 and 50.

parg1
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posted 01-18-2009 10:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for parg1   Click Here to Email parg1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
For the 2009 Class NASA has adopted a different approach to that of the 1978-2004 Groups; in that 110 candidates have been invited for two and a half days of interviews, with the top 40 ranked candidates being recalled for a further week of interviews in February. JSC has not reported any details of the 110 candidates as occured with previous selection groups leading one to assume that it is only the final 40 that will be considered as "real" candidates. While through this forum and that of Ascans some names of interviewees are known, are we to assume that the details of the 70 who fail the final cut will not be made public by NASA?

In a similar move the USAF has been reluctant to name the 114 candidates put forward to NASA; while the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard have no problem in naming their service candidates. Even requests direct to the USAF have failed to elicit any response.

East-Frisian
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posted 01-25-2009 07:11 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for East-Frisian     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Are there really no names of candidates who were invited? I could only find Sinan Proctor and probably Miles Smith and Chris Looper had been called for the final interviews. Any other names and dates?

Delta7
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posted 05-19-2009 08:45 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Any news of when the announcement will be made? It's supposed to be this month.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 05-23-2009 04:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
According to the public affairs spokesperson assigned to the Astronaut Office, no date has been set as of now to announce the new class.

Delta7
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posted 06-19-2009 03:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The announcement was originally due in May per the initial time-line. We're now into the second half of June. The ASCAN program is supposed to start in August (the recent CSA astronaut selection mentioned their guys will be starting training in Houston in August). I imagine an announcement must be forthcoming very soon. One would think there'd be more info coming out of NASA, like an "announcement of the announcement".

It seems to me that previous classes were given at least a couple of months to get their affairs in order and report for training, usually an April/May time frame for an August start date. What gives?

Jay Chladek
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Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007

posted 06-22-2009 05:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Well, considering this is an Apollo anniversary year, I have a feeling we will probably get the announcement sometime during July. Reason being is this class will probably be touted as having members in it who one day may walk on the moon again and possibly Mars (although looking at the astronaut class patches for the past decade or so, many of them had the Moon and Mars in them in some form or another).

East-Frisian
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From: Germany
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 06-22-2009 01:01 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for East-Frisian     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It would be fine to have a list of all semi-finalists. In the past times NASA gave already lists, but this time I missed them. Do someone have lists or names?

dcfowler1
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From: Eugene, OR
Registered: May 2006

posted 06-22-2009 10:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dcfowler1   Click Here to Email dcfowler1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The names should be out before the end of this week.

Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-25-2009 07:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A mailing list for astronaut hopefuls and others are sharing unconfirmed reports that the nine new ascans (three of them pilots) will be announced in August.

The nine were selected out of 47 hopefuls, including Dr. Karen Willcox, an Associate Professor in Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT, who was not selected.

Michael Cassutt
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Posts: 358
From: Studio City CA USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-26-2009 04:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Michael Cassutt   Click Here to Email Michael Cassutt     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The word is there will be 9 new ASCANs, yes... but the announcement will be any day now -- JSC told me last Monday it might be this week, in fact.

August is when the newest nine will report to JSC, along with the pairs from Japan and Canada.

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-26-2009 04:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks, Michael. I was only repeating what had been said, which was that the announcement planned for this week/month had been postponed until August.

That said, the STS-125 crew, during an appearance at Glenn Research Center this week, said that the announcement was forthcoming soon.


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