By Adityan, Editor, Soch Se
This week, NASA introduced the world to 10 individuals who carry the weight of our future on their shoulders. Selected from a pool of over 8,000 applicants, these are the new faces of human exploration, the pioneers who will write the next chapter of our journey to the stars. The announcement of the NASA 2025 astronaut candidates, the agency’s 24th class, is a major milestone. These are the men and women who will fly on Artemis missions to the Moon, conduct critical research on commercial space stations, and perhaps, be the first humans to set foot on Mars.
But from my perspective as the editor of Soch Se, this isn’t just another milestone for the United States. This announcement represents humanity’s next great leap into what acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy has rightly called a new “Golden Age of Exploration.”
Instead of just celebrating the news, I want to focus on how these 10 individuals embody the future of global space exploration—and why this matters profoundly to people outside the U.S., especially in countries like India that are also aiming for lunar and interplanetary milestones. How does this new class reflect the changing face of space travel? And most importantly, what lessons can ambitious young students in India take from this moment to aim for similar futures in ISRO or other international space programs? Let’s dive in.
The Chosen Few: Who Are the New Pioneers?
Before we analyze the broader implications, it’s essential to understand the caliber of individuals selected. This isn’t a group of identical test pilots. They are a diverse team of scientists, pilots, engineers, and doctors who represent the multifaceted challenges of modern space exploration.
LIVE: Learn all about the innovative science and tech flying aboard the Artemis II mission.
Scientific investigations will fly alongside the four astronauts around the Moon, including ways to monitor astronaut health. https://t.co/j7wAq8RiI1
— NASA (@NASA) September 23, 2025
The 10 candidates—Ben Bailey, Lauren Edgar, Adam Fuhrmann, Cameron Jones, Yuri Kubo, Rebecca Lawler, Anna Menon, Imelda Muller, Erin Overcash, and Katherine Spies—will now embark on an intense two-year training program at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Their curriculum is a testament to the complexities of space travel, covering everything from robotics and simulated spacewalks to geology, foreign languages, and advanced space medicine.
After they graduate, they will join the ranks of NASA’s active astronaut corps, a group that is already conducting vital science aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and preparing for humanity’s return to the Moon. To understand our commitment to factual reporting, you can review our editorial policy.
In-Depth Analysis: The Real Story Behind the Announcement
From my editor’s chair, the selection of this class reveals several critical trends that are shaping the future of space exploration for everyone, including India.
The Changing Face of the Astronaut: Beyond Just Pilots
The most striking aspect of this new class is its diversity of expertise. From my perspective, this shift indicates that future astronauts will be multi-disciplinary specialists, not just pilots. Unlike the Apollo era, which was dominated by white, male, military test pilots, this class includes geologists, biomedical engineers, and doctors alongside seasoned aviators.
Take Dr. Lauren Edgar, for example. With a doctorate in geology and over 17 years of experience supporting Mars rover missions, her selection is a clear signal that science will be at the forefront of the Artemis missions to the Moon. We are not just going back to plant a flag; we are going back to conduct serious scientific research, and we need field scientists on the ground to do it. This move away from a pilot-only mindset opens the door for a new generation of specialists—scientists, doctors, and engineers—to dream of a career in space.
The Next Frontier: Why Space Medicine is Crucial for Mars
One of the most fascinating selections is Anna Menon, a senior engineer from SpaceX who has already been to space on the private Polaris Dawn mission. During her introduction, she focused on her background in biomedical engineering. This, for me, is a powerful signal. My analysis of the space medicine angle is this: astronaut Anna Menon’s emphasis on biomedical research reflects a growing recognition that space medicine is the next great frontier—not just rocket engineering.
As more people venture into space—including tourists, private researchers, and astronauts on long-duration missions—the challenge of keeping humans healthy in zero gravity will define the sustainability of our presence on the Moon and our future missions to Mars. We were born into Earth’s gravity, and the physiological changes in space are immense. Menon’s expertise highlights that the heroes of the next space age won’t just be the ones who fly the rockets, but also the ones who ensure we can survive the journey.
An Economic Giant Awakens: The Trillion-Dollar Space Career
It’s easy to get lost in the romance and glory of space exploration, but we must also look at the numbers. My economic insight is that with astronaut salaries starting at over $152,000 per year, these jobs are not just about a noble quest—they are a highly visible part of a booming space economy, projected to be worth trillions of dollars by 2040.
This new class, with members from both the military and the private sector (like SpaceX and United Airlines), shows how intertwined government and commercial space efforts have become. The growth of companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and countless startups is creating a vibrant ecosystem of high-skilled, high-paying jobs. For a country like India, with its burgeoning startup culture, this is a clear sign that investing in a domestic space industry is not just a matter of national pride, but a massive economic opportunity.
India’s Space Race: A Mirror to NASA’s Milestone
As we celebrate NASA’s new class, it’s impossible not to look at it from an Indian context. What does this mean for ISRO, for our own astronauts, and for our national ambitions?
My comparative opinion is this: NASA now has 41 active astronauts, with 10 more in training, bringing the total to 51 upon graduation. In contrast, India has only just begun its human spaceflight journey with the Gaganyaan program, whose uncrewed tests are still ongoing. This highlights the significant gap that exists, but more importantly, it illuminates the immense opportunity for collaboration.
India is a signatory of the Artemis Accords, a U.S.-led international agreement for cooperation in lunar exploration. While NASA is looking to Mars, ISRO is preparing for Gaganyaan’s crewed launch and follow-up missions to Chandrayaan. Watching how NASA integrates these new astronauts into multi-national collaborations on the ISS and future Artemis missions could provide a valuable roadmap for India’s own space diplomacy and industry strategy. Can we collaborate on training? Can we share data on space medicine? These are the questions our policymakers should be asking. If you have any questions about this analysis, please feel free to contact us.
Lessons for India’s Future Explorers
This brings me to the most important point for my target audience: the young, bright minds in India who look at the stars and dream. What can you learn from the selection of these 10 individuals?
- STEM is Your Foundation: Every single candidate has a master’s degree or higher in a STEM field—engineering, geology, medicine. This is non-negotiable. A deep, specialized education is the first step.
- Go Beyond Academics: A degree is not enough. Notice how many candidates have extensive operational experience—as test pilots, medical officers, or senior engineers. You need to apply your knowledge in challenging, real-world environments.
- Become a Multi-Disciplinary Expert: The future astronaut is not a narrow specialist. They are a pilot who understands systems engineering, a doctor who understands undersea operations, an engineer who understands space medicine. You must cultivate a wide range of skills.
- Physical and Mental Resilience is Key: From land and water survival training to flying high-performance jets, the physical and mental demands are extraordinary. This is not a desk job.
This is the blueprint. For every student in India dreaming of wearing an ISRO flight suit, the path is clear: excel in your STEM field, seek out hands-on operational experience, and build a resilient, multi-disciplinary skillset. We must, of course, provide a disclaimer that this analysis is based on our interpretation of the events.
Conclusion:
The selection of the NASA 2025 astronaut candidates is a moment of immense hope and excitement. But it is not a uniquely American story. It is a human story. These 10 pioneers represent the vanguard of a new, collaborative, and scientifically driven era of exploration.
My final verdict is this: for India, this announcement should serve as both an inspiration and a call to action. It shows us the path forward—a path defined by deep scientific expertise, public-private partnership, and international collaboration. As ISRO continues to achieve incredible milestones with Gaganyaan and its other missions, we must also focus on building the human infrastructure—the scientists, doctors, engineers, and dreamers—who will carry our tricolor to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The Golden Age of Exploration is here. It’s time for India to take its rightful place in it. To learn more about our mission, please visit our about us page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the Artemis program that these astronauts will be a part of?
The Artemis program is NASA’s human spaceflight initiative with the primary goal of returning astronauts to the Moon, specifically the lunar south pole, for the first time since the Apollo missions. Its long-term objective is to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for future missions to Mars.
2. Can an Indian citizen apply to become a NASA astronaut?
No. A primary requirement to become a NASA astronaut is to be a U.S. citizen. However, Indian citizens can become astronauts through the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and may fly on NASA missions or to the International Space Station as part of collaborations between the two space agencies.
3. What is ISRO’s Gaganyaan program?
Gaganyaan is the flagship program of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. Its objective is to demonstrate indigenous capability to undertake human space flight missions to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). After successful uncrewed test flights, ISRO plans to launch a crew of Indian astronauts into orbit.
