NASA's 2009 Astronaut Class Selection Timeline and Stats
There was recently a flurry of emails among Astronaut Hopefuls Group members on NASA's progress so far in in the 2009 astronaut class selection. I've modified the NASA timeline with what we know or expect so far:
Also, check out Damaris Sarria's related post, which includes more details on the two interview periods.
In summary, NASA received 3535 applicants and expects to choose 120 interviewees with a target class of 15-20 astronaut candidates. Assuming 15 are selected, the selectivity of this NASA class would be 15/3535 = 0.4% (120/3535 = 3.4% interviewed, 15/120 = 12.5% of interviewees selected). Compare that to past astronaut classes in the figure below:
Also, based on past selections, we can expect the 2009 class to consist of about 12 male and 3 female with 9 military and 6 civilian.
Although it's extremely difficult to be selected as a NASA astronaut, it's even harder in Canada and Europe, where there are also current astronaut selection processes underway. Canada's CSA had 5352 applicants for only 2 spots, while Europe's ESA had 8413 applicants from 17 countries for only 4 spots. Japan's JAXA also received 963 applicants this year for only 3 spots. (Thanks for the info, Curt and Takashi.). Added together, this means there were 18,263 applicants from the US, Canada, Europe, and Japan for only about 24 spots (0.1%).
Update 10/17/2008:
Thanks to an email from Curt on the Astronaut Hopefuls listserv, we learned that there were over 700 people disqualified due to medical, educational, or professional reasons. Thus, the pool of Qualified Applicants is approximately 2800.
Update 11/7/2008:
Again, an email on the Astronaut Hopefuls listserv sheds some light on the process. Instead of 400 Highly Qualified appplicants, NASA chose 450. NASA apparently broke the applicants up into groups based on discipline and had selection committees choose the Highly Qualified people within each disciplinary pool. We have learned that pilots are last in this sequence, so their reference and medical pre-screening letters have yet to go out.
Update 04/08/2009:
Reports are that the total number of applicants was 3564 rather than 3535.
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Also, check out Damaris Sarria's related post, which includes more details on the two interview periods.
In summary, NASA received 3535 applicants and expects to choose 120 interviewees with a target class of 15-20 astronaut candidates. Assuming 15 are selected, the selectivity of this NASA class would be 15/3535 = 0.4% (120/3535 = 3.4% interviewed, 15/120 = 12.5% of interviewees selected). Compare that to past astronaut classes in the figure below:
Also, based on past selections, we can expect the 2009 class to consist of about 12 male and 3 female with 9 military and 6 civilian.
Although it's extremely difficult to be selected as a NASA astronaut, it's even harder in Canada and Europe, where there are also current astronaut selection processes underway. Canada's CSA had 5352 applicants for only 2 spots, while Europe's ESA had 8413 applicants from 17 countries for only 4 spots. Japan's JAXA also received 963 applicants this year for only 3 spots. (Thanks for the info, Curt and Takashi.). Added together, this means there were 18,263 applicants from the US, Canada, Europe, and Japan for only about 24 spots (0.1%).
Update 10/17/2008:
Thanks to an email from Curt on the Astronaut Hopefuls listserv, we learned that there were over 700 people disqualified due to medical, educational, or professional reasons. Thus, the pool of Qualified Applicants is approximately 2800.
Update 11/7/2008:
Again, an email on the Astronaut Hopefuls listserv sheds some light on the process. Instead of 400 Highly Qualified appplicants, NASA chose 450. NASA apparently broke the applicants up into groups based on discipline and had selection committees choose the Highly Qualified people within each disciplinary pool. We have learned that pilots are last in this sequence, so their reference and medical pre-screening letters have yet to go out.
Update 04/08/2009:
Reports are that the total number of applicants was 3564 rather than 3535.
Comments
Dan.
By the way, I'll be posting another set of stats soon (whenever I can find the time). That post will deal with age, education level, military branch, number of career spaceflights, and a few more things.
My references are being checked, hooty hoo,
#399/400 ?
Rick
I received (like most everyone on the boards) the "your application has been accepted, etc..." letter and email. Can you confirm, or have you heard that the supposed 700 or so got a "you were not qualified" letter or email? I know after this point, you won't hear anything till the end, but I'm wanting to know if we really have made some "cut" at this point at least to the 2800 or if the folks who were cut in the initial swag don't know they've been cut. Hope that makes sense! Also, have you heard how far along NASA is in notifying references? Rick jokes about being 399/400, but historically there are several folks on the astronaut hopefuls board who have references contacted and quite a few who get interviewed.
Thanks!
Tanya
I'm just as much in the dark on that question as you are. Hopefully, someone on the board or a reader of this blog will reply to your question. My reading of Curt's email earlier today was that the ~735 people were or will be notified of their disqualification, but the other 2800 will just have to play the waiting game until the very end. I do know from a conversation with Teresa Gomez that all applicants will be notified if they didn't make the cut after the whole process is complete sometime around April-May 2009.
Yeah, you do find out in the end. I competed in 2004 before I had my masters...knew I wouldn't make it, but good to get your name up there. I got a nice letter at the end of the process. Hopefully we'll find out where the process stands soon w/ reference notification.
Thanks again,
Tanya
Did anyone's references actually get contacted last week. Or was it folks who said "contact me first, before contacting my supervisor" get called by Teresa G and responding because they know they are on the list of folks whose references are to be contacted. Do you know if any of the references actually got contacted. Did they receive the form letter.
Best regards.
Anyone scheduled for an interview?
This whole process has been pretty exciting!
Thanks for this blog....
Yes to the reference question. If you read through some of the comments here and on the Astronaut Hopefuls message board, you'll find that at least one person has reported being asked if NASA may contact his references. Another person has reported that the first 50 applicants' references have been contacted so far, and they expect the first interviews to begin Nov 17.
Brian, thank you for keeping us all up to date with your blog. My references were contacted today and I was asked to take a preliminary physical in my area. No interview yet but this appears to be a first step.
I just stumbled upon this blog and wish I'd connected with you all earlier. Does anyone know if a reference check actually equates to an interview?
No, a reference check does not guarantee you for an interview. About 400 will have their references checked, but only about 120 will get interviews. This probably means they primarily use the references (and also the pre-screening medical exams) to narrow the field to get the interviewees.
Brian
Hard to say,but, sadly, true.
Game over.
Sorry.
I unfortunately found out several months back that I didn't even make the highly qualified, even with having several people who were in the know looking at my extensive background in medicine, science, prior service Army helicopter pilot (qualified in three airframes), and the list goes on. It was stated I definitely should make it at least to the HQ. It was a bitter pill to swallow when I found out from the Selection Office my application burned up on re-entry and never even got to the HQ. I still can not figure it out. I have come to the conclusion, I probably have a better shot at getting into space if the U.S. and world economies collapse and we turn to space in hopes aliens show-up on our door steps to give us some guidance on next steps on how to get our act together. Then, maybe, I might have a shot. There is always hope.
Those of you who have gotten notice you have not progressed, or simply left in the dark, are not alone. We all share in each others pain. I empathize with each of you. What's that ole saying? Misery likes company;-) So, I figure I'd make my first post. I have had time to mourn sufficiently.
All the Best to those still in the running. Keep it up:-)
And then came a long wait. I didn't advertise among my friends I was doing this. At the end of the day, I didn't want it to be a major topic of discussion. And in December, I began to feel nervous about having heard nothing, so I sent in an email and learned my references should have been pinged if it was going to happen. It was a strangely alone and empty feeling combined with a dose of self doubt as to why I had the nerve to try and the expectation of at least getting to an interview. But my family reminded me of how full my life already is, and that really made a big difference. After all, they were the first ones to support my bid.
And I really had to try.
It would be easier to try again, I expect. I would, however, like some feedback on what they are looking for and where my application fit and where it fell short.
But it does help finding this blog. Thank you for setting it up.
-Rich
Thanks for sharing your story. You're not alone. To get specific feedback on your application, you might want to contact the Astronaut Selection Office in a few months after the current selection process is past. I've heard that they're usually willing to share personal feedback. You might also want to post questions on the AsHos message board, as there are many folks there who have applied multiple times. Good luck!
Brian
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