(CNN) — After more than two years of training, the first class of NASA astronaut candidates under the agency’s program to land the first woman and next man on the moon have graduated.
The candidates, selected in 2017, graduated Friday morning during a ceremony at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The 13 astronauts will be eligible for selection to participate in missions to the International Space Station, Artemis missions to the moon and even manned missions to Mars.
The group includes six women and seven men. Two candidates are from the Canadian Space Agency. The other 11 NASA candidates were selected from an initial pool of more than 18,000 applicants, the agency said.
As part of the process to become astronauts, the candidates trained in robotics; systems used aboard the space station; exercises that simulate spacewalking; flying T-38 jets; and learning the Russian language due to NASA’s partnership with Roscosmos for launches to the space station and talking to Russian astronauts aboard the ISS.
In addition to being eligible for spaceflight, the astronauts will also support those who are currently in the space station and develop spacecraft for future missions.
The official NASA biographies provided education and experience details for each of the new astronauts.
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