NASA recruited four women to become candidates, the highest percentage yet selected ever.
One of the lucky candidates is the first female fighter pilot to become an astronaut in almost twenty years. Another, a female helicopter pilot is included in the group. As a matter of fact, four of the eight candidates are women; this is said to be the highest percentage of women astronaut candidates to be chosen by the agency.
It was made public on the night of the 30th anniversary of the launch of the first ever American woman to be sent to space, Sally Ride. It was unfortunate that the astronaut died last year.
The eight candidates were filtered from more than 6,000 applicants that were received last year; this is the second highest number of applicants in the history of the organization. They will start reporting for duty at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston in August, joining the other 49 astronauts who are currently training and working for the agency.
The amount of astronauts has decreased since the space shuttle stopped flying in 2011, many decided to quit the program rather than wait long for a few slots available for missions on board the International Space Station (ISS).
The eight candidates who were chosen are: Tyler Hague, 37, from the US Air Force; Victor Glover, 37, and Josh Cassada, 39, both are naval aviators; Christina Hammock, 34, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; a former US Marines and helicopter pilot, Anne McClain, 34; Jessica Meir, 35, has a PhD and works as a professor at Harvard University; Andrew Morgan, 37, a graduate from the West Point and an emergency surgeon from the Army, and, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Christina Hammock, 34.
