Why NASA thinks hobbies matter as much as résumés for future astronauts

NASA’s astronaut selection process doesn’t stop at reviewing technical credentials and flight experience. Evaluators also consider applicants’ broader life experiences, hobbies and situations that demonstrate resilience, sound judgment and the ability to learn from challenges.

Speaking on NASA’s Houston We Have a Podcast, astronaut selection manager April Jordan said the agency looks for people who know when to lead, when to follow, and how to function as part of a team — qualities that go beyond a strong résumé. She advises prospective candidates to think holistically about what makes them suitable for the role, including experiences outside traditional careers that demonstrate leadership, adaptability and teamwork.

The approach reflects the unpredictable nature of space missions. Future Artemis missions and eventual expeditions to Mars will place astronauts in environments where communication delays, isolation and unexpected technical problems may require crews to solve challenges independently, making adaptability just as important as academic and professional achievements.

NASA’s selection process takes roughly two years and involves multiple rounds of reviews, interviews, medical evaluations and team exercises designed to understand applicants as complete individuals — a process that produced just 10 selected candidates from more than 12,000 applications in its last recruitment cycle.