---
title: "For first time in decades, astronaut quits NASA training"
description: "For the first time in five decades, a NASA astronaut candidate has resigned from training, the US space agency said Tuesday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "AFP"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/afp/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-08-29-for-first-time-in-decades-astronaut-quits-nasa-training/"
published: "2018-08-29T05:17:56"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 61
---

# For first time in decades, astronaut quits NASA training

> For the first time in five decades, a NASA astronaut candidate has resigned from training, the US space agency said Tuesday.

By AFP · Published 29 August 2018, 07:17 SAST

## Content

Robb Kulin resigned from NASA effective August 31 for personal reasons, spokeswoman Brandi Dean said, declining to provide further details.

It's not an easy gig to get -- some 18,000 people routinely seek the 12 spots that open each year.

Kulin, who joined his class sounding upbeat, is the first would-be astronaut to leave training since a resignation in 1968. **DM**