18.06 NASA Picks 8 Candidates for Asteroid, Mars Flights
MOSCOW, June 18 (RIA Novosti) NASA has selected eight potential astronauts, out of more than 6,100 applicants, for spaceflights outside Earths orbit, including to asteroids and Mars.
"These new space explorers asked to join NASA because they know were doing big, bold things here developing missions to go farther into space than ever before," said NASA chief Charles Bolden.
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) culled the applicants over the past year and a half.
"Theyre excited about the science were doing on the International Space Station and our plan to launch from US soil to there on spacecraft built by American companies. And theyre ready to help lead the first human mission to an asteroid and then on to Mars."
