Women outnumber men in NASA's newest astronaut class. And this week, the first woman will orbit the moon

NASA's New Astronaut Class Makes History

In September 2025, NASA announced its 10 newest astronauts. These individuals were chosen for future missions to space stations, the moon, and possibly Mars. For the first time ever, six of the 10 selected astronauts are women. This marks a historic moment since NASA began accepting applications in 1959.

Sean Duffy, NASA's acting administrator, spoke at the ceremony for the new class. He noted that one of these 10 astronauts could be among the first Americans to walk on Mars. Duffy also highlighted that over 8,000 people applied, including scientists, pilots, engineers, and dreamers from across the nation. He emphasized that in America, there's no limit to what a determined dreamer can achieve, even going to space.

The application process for this group started during the Biden administration. While the new class appears to have less racial diversity than previous groups, officials are pleased with the gender diversity.

One of the new recruits, Anna Menon, has already achieved a space record. As part of SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn crew, she and her crewmate reached the highest altitude ever by a female astronaut. Menon described space exploration as the "ultimate team sport," requiring people from diverse cultures and areas of expertise to work together.

Christina Koch to Orbit the Moon

Christina Koch, an experienced NASA astronaut, is part of the four-person crew for the Artemis II launch, set for early April. Koch became an astronaut in 2013. She has served as a flight engineer on the International Space Station for three expeditions. She also holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending 328 days in space. Koch also participated in the first all-female spacewalk.

This week, Koch will make history again. The Artemis II mission will be the first time in 54 years that NASA astronauts travel to the moon. They will embark on a 10-day journey around the moon, known as a lunar fly-by. This 685,000-mile trip will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It could pave the way for future Artemis missions and potentially a permanent lunar base.

Photo courtesy of NASA

Koch will become the first woman to orbit the moon. She will be joined by three male astronauts: Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman from NASA, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.

Koch told Space.com that she feels an "incredible privilege and responsibility" for the Artemis II mission. However, she noted that this milestone is not just her own. She believes the accomplishment is something everyone can celebrate together, showing that decades of good decisions have led to a diverse astronaut corps capable of solving tough problems.