NASA Astronaut Group 21 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The 8 Balls |
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Group 21 astronauts. Back row, L-R: Meir, Cassada, Glover, Morgan and Koch. Front row, L-R: McClain, Hague and Mann
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| Year selected | 2013 |
| Number selected | 8 |
NASA Astronaut Group 21 is a special team of eight astronauts chosen by NASA in 2013. They were picked after a long search that lasted a year and a half. This group was unique because it had four men and four women. This was the highest number of women ever chosen for a NASA astronaut class at that time!
NASA got over 6,300 applications for this group. That's a lot of people wanting to go to space! The group that came before them, the "Chumps," gave this new group a fun nickname: the "Eight Balls." This was because there were eight astronauts in the group. It also meant they hoped these new astronauts would get their space missions after the older group had flown.
The eight members of this amazing team are Jessica Meir, Nicole Mann, Josh Cassada, Tyler Hague, Christina Koch, Andrew Morgan, Victor Glover, and Anne McClain.
Many of these astronauts have already flown in space. Some of them even set new records! For example, Christina Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. Jessica Meir and Christina Koch also made history by doing the first-ever spacewalk with only women.
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A Brief History of Astronauts
On April 9, 1959, NASA announced its very first group of astronauts. They were called the "Original Seven" or the "Mercury Seven." These brave astronauts were part of the first human spaceflight program, called Project Mercury.
Since then, NASA has chosen many more groups of astronauts. By 2017, there were 22 different astronaut groups! Group 21 joined 47 other active NASA astronauts who were ready for space missions.
How Astronauts Are Chosen and Trained
To become a NASA astronaut, you need to be a United States citizen. You also need a degree in science, engineering, or math. If you're not a pilot, you need three years of professional experience. If you are a pilot, you need at least 1,000 hours of flying a jet.
It also helps if you have done community service. All applicants must pass a tough NASA flight physical exam. The whole process of choosing new astronauts takes about 18 months.
Once chosen, astronaut candidates go through two years of intense training. They learn about engineering, Earth and space science, and how space station systems work. They also do survival training, like learning to scuba dive and passing swim tests.
After this, they work with experienced astronauts who guide them. In the final stage, astronauts focus on what they need to know for their specific space mission.
Meet the Group 21 Astronauts
Here are the amazing people who make up NASA Astronaut Group 21:
- Josh A. Cassada: Born July 18, 1973, in San Diego, California.
- He is set to be the pilot for SpaceX Crew-5 in October 2022.
- Victor J. Glover: Born April 30, 1976, in Pomona, California.
- He was the pilot for SpaceX Crew-1, which launched on November 16, 2020.
- Tyler N. "Nick" Hague: Born September 24, 1975, in Belleville, Kansas.
- He was a Flight Engineer on Soyuz MS-10 (October 11, 2018), but the launch was aborted.
- He flew again as a Flight Engineer on Soyuz MS-12 on March 14, 2019.
- Christina Hammock Koch: Born January 29, 1979, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
- She was a Flight Engineer on Soyuz MS-12, launching on March 14, 2019.
- Nicole Aunapu Mann: Born June 27, 1977, in Petaluma, California.
- She is set to be the commander for SpaceX Crew-5 in October 2022.
- Anne C. McClain: Born June 7, 1979, in Spokane, Washington.
- She was a Flight Engineer on Soyuz MS-11, launching on December 3, 2018.
- Jessica U. Meir: Born July 1, 1977, in Caribou, Maine.
- She was a Flight Engineer on Soyuz MS-15, launching on September 25, 2019.
- Andrew R. Morgan: Born February 5, 1976, in Morgantown, West Virginia.
- He was a Flight Engineer on Soyuz MS-13, launching on July 20, 2019.
What Are Their Missions?
The 2013 astronaut class was once thought to be the first group trained for missions beyond Earth's orbit since the Apollo era. Their first big goal was to visit a near-Earth asteroid. This would have helped them prepare for a future mission to Mars. However, NASA's plans have changed, and an asteroid mission is not currently a goal.
All eight members of Group 21 have finished their training. They have either already flown in space or are assigned to future missions. Many of them flew on Soyuz rockets to the International Space Station (ISS). Nick Hague was the first to be assigned a flight, but his launch was aborted. He later flew successfully.
Other members of the group were assigned to Commercial Crew missions. These missions use new spacecraft built by private companies. Victor Glover flew on SpaceX Crew-1. Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada are scheduled to fly on SpaceX Crew-5 in 2022.
