Career Astronauts

Career NASA astronauts are those individuals selected by NASA to be members of the NASA astronaut corps. Individuals in this category make up the Space Shuttle crew positions, such as commander, pilot, or mission specialist, or International Space Station crew positions, such as commander or flight engineer. 

Career astronauts are divided into four categories as follows.

Active astronauts are U.S. astronauts who are currently eligible for flight assignment, including those who are assigned to crews.

Management astronauts are former flown or unflown astronauts who now have new management responsibilities. They are not eligible for space flight assignment, nor do they train or maintain proficiency for such assignment.

Former astronauts are those who have left NASA after a career in the Astronaut Corps, including those who are deceased.

International astronauts are those individuals from international space agencies who have trained at Johnson Space Center and serve as mission specialists with NASA.

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Biography Page Curator: Kim Dismukes Responsible NASA Official: Bernadette Hajek, Technical Assistant to the Chief, Astronaut Office Web Accessibility and Policy Notices Last Update: December 3, 2008