NASA on Wednesday named 12 Americans as its new class of astronaut candidates after a selection process that's way more competitive than admittance to Harvard. (fortune.com)
The committee wants a mix of professional backgrounds as well as gender, racial, and ethnic diversity, says Duane Ross, the folksy, white - haired head of astronaut candidate selection and training who has helped pick rocket jockeys for 34 years. (discovermagazine.com)
Private space companies are signing up astronaut candidates for trips to Mars. (sciencemag.org)