For the first time, NASA ’s astronaut candidate class is made up of mostly women and includes someone who has already been to orbit, as the space agency focuses on its goals to send humans back to the Moon and on to Mars.

NASA announced the 2025 class of American astronaut candidates in Houston on Monday, revealing the names and impressive skill sets of 10 individuals.

Since 2013, all NASA astronaut classes have been half men and women. With this class, more than half of the candidates are women. This includes Anna Menon, 39, a Houston native and a member of the SpaceX Polaris Dawn crew. NASA confirmed she is the first astronaut candidate who has already been to orbit.

In 2024, Menon was a mission specialist and medical officer on Polaris Dawn. The mission launched by SpaceX, and comman

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