NASA Announces 2009 Astronaut Class

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA has announced the selection of it's 2009 (20th group) of Astronaut Candidates (Ascans).

There are 9 members of the group.
Beginning in August this year, the group will undergo about 2.5 years of training, before they are qualified for flight.
This group will fly long duration missions aboard the ISS, and they may also be the first to fly the new Orion CEV.

This is the first time that NASA has selected any new Astronauts since 2004.

www.nasa.gov/astronauts/ascans2009.html

---------- Post added at 18:59 ---------- Previous post was at 18:47 ----------

My personal observation:

There's quite a lot of military people in this group.

 

[ryan]

I wouldnt say theres alot 5/9 if your going to select pilot astronauts the military is the best place to look.

 

[Swampy]

Consider the mental and physical attributes needed for space flight. To find them in a civillian population would be hard but not impossible.