The eight new astronaut candidates who will undergo two years of basic training have reported to duty at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, a former astronaut, formally welcomed and introduced the eight candidates, nicknamed as the "Eight Balls," who will play a crucial role in fulfilling ambitious goals in the near future.
"The new astronauts we're introducing today are critical to achieving our ambitious goals. They will help us continue to lead the world in exploration, and they'll become role models for boys and girls, men and women, from all over the world. Their journey begins now and the nation, as it always has, will be right beside them reaching for the stars," Bolden said during the introductory press conference, Space.com reported.
Four men - Josh Cassada, Victor Glover, Nick Hague, and Andrew Morgan - and four women - Christina Hammock, Nicole Mann, Anne McClain, and Jessica Meir - were selected from more than 6,000 applicants to form the 21st astronaut class of NASA.
Bolden said that the "Eight Balls" will train for International Space Station missions as preparation for potential Mars and asteroid missions aboard a new transportation system.
"These next generation American astronauts will have an opportunity to fly on new commercial space transportation systems that are now under development. More importantly, they will be among those who plan and perhaps carry out first-ever human missions to an asteroid and on to Mars. Of course, it all begins with preparing them for missions to the International Space Station."
Johnson Space Center chief astronaut Bob Behnken added that the new class of astronauts were named the "Eight Balls" as a sequel to the 2009 class nicknamed "The Chumps," whose astronauts are now in line for their respective first space missions.
"The eight ball in billiards or pool is played last, and the hope from the preceding class is that the 2013 astronaut candidates will be assigned after all of them fly," Behnken said.
The eight astronauts should undergo two years of training before becoming eligible for space missions. The first part of their training includes flight training at the Ellington Field in Houston, orientation about the aspects of living and working at the ISS and familiarization with the facilities that led to NASA's success throughout the years.