Blasting off into space has been romanticized over the years with entertaining movies and television shows, but the danger involved does not stop humankind from pushing farther than ever before. Children and adults from around the world dream of becoming an astronaut and many see this dream come true. This extraordinary job sometimes needs extraordinary skill. At the same time, there is a need for common sense and the ability to dream big.
There are foreign, commercial, educational, international, and private organizations worldwide contributing to space travel. In the US, NASA has two types of astronauts, which are pilots and mission specialists. You must be a US citizen to apply for the Astronaut Candidate Program. Currently there are no age restrictions but the average age is 34, nor does NASA prefer one degree field over another, but engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics are minimum. Extensive backgrounds in the fields of research, medicine, or teaching will increase your chances. Advanced degrees can be very helpful.
Jet aircraft flying experience is a requirement for pilots and flying experience, either military or private is highly recommend for mission specialists. Military experience is not a requirement and civilian applicants may apply as well as military personnel. Active duty personnel should apply through their branch of service. A candidate must be in good health with a standing height of between 62 and 75 inches. There are vision and blood pressure requirements and no medical waivers are allowed.
Once you have applied, your application is reviewed to determine if you are a highly qualified applicant. If so, your application is again reviewed to see if you can become an interviewee. From that group, finalists are determined and brought to Johnson Space Center for more interviewing and medical evaluation. Finally, the candidate class is announced and those individuals will report to Johnson Space Center for a training program of about 2 to 3 years. Even after completing the training program, there is no assurance that you will be selected for space flight.
Candidates are required to complete military underwater training and be SCUBA qualified. They must be able to pass a rigorous swim test and tread water for a predetermined amount of time. After candidates are selected, they have many responsibilities, including robotics, maintenance, operations, mission requirements and many, many more. They are trained in detailed International Space Station missions and operations.
There are also international astronauts and payload specialist astronauts. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to become an international astronaut and international astronauts are chosen by several countries. NASA, universities, private sponsors, and others can nominate payload specialists, depending upon the specific needs of the payload and mission.
NASA is currently preparing for deep space flight with the development of the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle. Exploration is an ongoing process, and if you are interested in becoming a Pilot, Mission Specialist or Payload Astronaut from the US send an email to this address and see what you need to do to get started today.
