NASA astronaut class appears to be first without Black recruits in 40 years

When NASA announced its 10 newest astronaut trainees during a recent ceremony, the women on stage outnumbered the men for the first time in the space agency's history: Six of the recruits who will train for future missions to the moon — and potentially Mars — are female.

But with that milestone apparently came another: the first astronaut class in 40 years without any Black candidates. The most recent class to not include any Black men or women was group 11 in 1985, NASA's history office confirmed for Mashable.

Since President Donald Trump took office, his administration has ended federal diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives by executive order , including at the U.S. space agency, calling them "illegal and immoral discrimination programs."