Question

select the word that means people who arent members of the armed forces. the first seven americans named as astronauts in 1959 were pilots from the army, air force, or marines. the selection committee believed that their flying experience would be valuable in space flight. nowadays, though, many astronauts are civilians without military experience but with relevant degrees in science, engineering, or math.

Explanation:

The passage describes the change in the background of astronauts, from military - pilots to those without military experience. The word for people not in the armed forces is "civilians".

Answer:

civilians