Japanese Aerospace Agency Starts Recruiting Astronauts First Time In 13 Years

Japanese Aerospace Agency Starts Recruiting Astronauts First Time in 13 Years

The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Monday started its competitive process of recruiting potential astronauts to select successful candidates for participation in US lunar exploration project, marking the first such intake in 13 years

TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th December, 2021) The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Monday started its competitive process of recruiting potential astronauts to select successful candidates for participation in US lunar exploration project, marking the first such intake in 13 years.

"Change jobs - become an astronaut," JAXA said on its website.

Applications would be running until March 4, 2022, the announcement said. The recruitment results would be announced in February 2023 after a four stage-competition.

Only Japanese citizens with normal vision, hearing and color perception are allowed to participate in the competition, according to the announcement. Height restrictions were 4.9 feet through 6.2 feet. Convicted offenders or those associated with extremist groups and parties are not allowed to participate in the competition. For the first time, restrictions on educational level were lifted but the applicants are required to have at least three years of work experience. Before, applicants had to have a higher technical or biological education.

The recruitment of the new astronauts are taking place due to the nation's plan to participate in the US lunar exploration project. Astronauts are likely to participate in the project of a space station that will circle around the moon, and possibly land on it, the announcement said.

Astronaut recruitment in Japan has been carried out five times so far, 11 people have passed the competition, seven of them are on active duty. The competition was last held in 2008, when three out of 963 candidates were shortlisted.