Astronauts don’t know what new rocket tech will take them to space: NASA astronaut

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman discusses what led her to apply to become an astronaut and the space agency’s plan to return to the moon as well as space tourism.

NASA has posted a "Help Wanted" sign, opening an application window for the biggest and best minds of America to become part of its next class of space explorers.

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The space agency is calling this class astronauts the Artemis Generation, which is the name of the latest lunar program and the Greek goddess of the moon who is the twin sister of sun god Apollo. Apollo was the name of NASA's original lunar program, which first landed American astronauts on the moon in 1969.

It's an expedited training program, as NASA hopes to blast the new astronauts to the International Space Station in 2020. On the horizon is NASA's plans for missions to the moon, with a lunar landing planned for 2024, and Mars.

I think it’s a really incredibly exciting time to be part of the space program in any way.

"The latest timeline is we'll be landing the Artemis mission in the moon in 2024," NASA astronaut Zena Cardman told FOX Business' Neil Cavuto on Wednesday.

But, if rocket science is a bit intimidating, there's always the possibility of space tourism.

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SpaceX and space tourism agency Space Adventures are partnering on a mission to send four private citizens into orbit on a pioneer excursion, the companies said Tuesday.

The announcement comes after SpaceX sent their Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station for the first time in March 2019 and then successfully tested a simulated rocket failure on Jan. 19, proving its preparedness to send people into orbit with Space Adventures.

The trip will be the first space tourism experience for private citizens using entirely American-made technology, the release said.

The latest timeline is we’ll be landing the Artemis mission in the moon in 2024.

"I think it's a really incredibly exciting time to be part of the space program in any way," Cardman said during "Cavuto: Coast to Coast." "My graduating class doesn't know which vehicle we'll get to fly on with NASA, and that, to me, is just so exciting."

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Cardman conjectured her classmates could fly on a Soyuz, Boeing, SpaceX or Orion.

"It's a really incredibly diverse and exciting time to be in space," Cardman expressed.

Nobody has launched into orbit from the U.S., including NASA astronauts, since 2011 when the space shuttle program ended.

FOX Business' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.

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