The US space agency NASA has chosen 12 new astronauts, including an Indian-American, to train them for missions into Earth orbit and to deep space. The seven men and five women comprise the 22nd class of American spaceflight trainees since 1959. This is the largest group NASA has selected in almost two decades. Lt Col Raja “Grinder” Chari, 39, is a commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and the director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California. His father is from India.