4 ms·

How to Become an Astronaut 101

48 points by motxilo 11y ago

bobbles 11y ago
TL;DR: School > Air Force > 'selected' by NASA. I thought this was going to be an inspiring 'to do' list of candidates & application processes. Just being selected with no mention of reasoning or criteria was kind of a let down.
- rdtsc 11y ago
  Moreover. Astronaut != go into space necessarily. That is, being selected and trained doesn't mean you get to fly. An acquintance of an acquintance was an astronaut for a decade (I heard of him in early 2000s) and never got to fly anywhere until then.
- cpayne 11y ago
  Have you read "An Astronaut's guide to life on earth"[1] by Chris Hadfield? Its written in a little more informal context than a to-do list, but it does describe what he (and his family!!!) had to go through. Brilliant read! [1] http://www.amazon.com/Astronauts-Guide-Life-Earth-Determination/dp/0316253030 http://www.amazon.com/Astronauts-Guide-Life-Earth-Determinat...
drew-y 11y ago
I find it easier to just play Kerbal Space Program.
Animats 11y ago
This is decades old. Look at the date. It's about someone who was selected in 1992. "With the space station currently under construction...". This dates from the early Shuttle era. NASA has far too many astronauts now; they've been laying them off. They're now down to 42 active astronauts[1], from a peak of around 130. One ex-astronaut was grumbling publicly that his pass to NASA Houston had been pulled. Ex-astronauts used to be allowed in for life. Not any more. After all, NASA has nothing for them to pilot. Space-X, though... [1] http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio.html http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio.html
caminante 11y ago
Also, don't be a midget (<5'2") or a giant (>6'3"). [1] [1]http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/features/F_Astronaut_Requirements.html http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/featu...
omegant 11y ago
I applied to ESA Astronaut selection 6 or 7 years ago. I´m airline pilot but with no military or engineering experience, only reading quite a lot about the space race all my live (great resume huh?). I knew I didn't have a chance, because they mostly were asking for a scientific curriculum, Ph.D.'s that had a good number of publications under their belts, that and a good public speaking capacity were the more important characteristics. Piloting skills were in the nice to have but not important by any means zone. I guess that astronauts this days are mostly researchers in a very high and fast laboratory, but above all they are PR's for the 95% of their career, at least in Europe. Obviously with my laughable resume I was weeded out in the first screening.
AndrewKemendo 11y ago
When I started my doolie (freshman) year at the USAF Academy, one of my classmates stated that his mission in life was to become an astronaut. He had been planning it out since he was like 10 years old. He told us that this was his plan: First he had to get into the Academy, then major in engineering - ideally aeronautical engineering, then become a fighter pilot then become a test pilot and finally apply and become a NASA astronaut. I challenged him to be the first one in space, except I said that I would pay for a ride there as a tourist. He ended up being the #1 grad from our class with his degree in aero engineering, went on to get his doctorate from Oxford and is now flying the B-1B. Still a few steps to go. HOWEVER - there is almost no chance of him ever piloting a US spacecraft based largely on where the manned space program is. So while I am a little sad for him, given how hard he has been trying - it also makes our wager look more promising in my favor!
- DominikR 11y ago
  Once travel into space is viable for average tourists (not only tourists willing to pay 100 million dollars) it'll probably also require more pilots than today, so I'll say that he still has a better chance being there before you.
  - AndrewKemendo 11y ago
    When I made the bet with my friends, predators/reapers were just starting to come online and it was clear to me that they would be the wave of the future and eventually pilots would be out of the loop. We certainly aren't there yet but my long term bet is that humans will be pushed further out of the loop for all things transportation - space travel being one of the main ones I would expect to transition first as it's basically there today anyway.
    - DominikR 11y ago
      At some point in the future: Yes. But there's no way that this will start without at least human backup pilots on board. And then there's the testing phase where many pilots will be needed to validate the safety of such flights. Even when you look at various private space travel companies you'll find that they plan to use human pilots. (Virgin Galactic and others)
AYBABTME 11y ago
Seems to me one's most probable mean to get into space is to get rich and buy yourself a seat. Getting rich is something much more into your control than getting selected and having the will of a government decide of your faith.
- VLM 11y ago
  Don't both situations boil down to win the genetic lottery, be born to the correct parents, be born in a good school district, get accepted into an ivy (not necessarily graduate, but at least get in), by survivorship bias be the lucky one who rises up the management ranks/levels the fastest, operate in the system in a government controlled org, either economic like our highly regulated centrally controlled economy or join the .mil... Its pretty much the same path with some minor scenery differences.
  - rdudek 11y ago
    Not really a genetic lottery, though some places in the world make it a lot easier to succeed and become rich. Being born or move to any of the western nations will greatly increase your chances. But the person also has to have a will to do so too.
    - Retric 11y ago
      But the person also has to have a will to do so too. Unless they inherit wealth or connections. My understanding is it’s about a 50:50 split between make or inherit worldwide depending on what you call weath.
  - AYBABTME 11y ago
    Still pretty sure that the probability that you get rich enough to get into space is higher, than the probability that you be luckily selected by NASA. Assume that 1M$ is what you will need to get into space. It takes some flair and some favorable conditions, but I think that ~0.1 to 1% of the population can get 1M$. Much less than 0.1% of the population is selected by NASA to go to space.
dugmartin 11y ago
Its fun to see Cady on here. She lives in my little village of Shelburne Falls, MA and sometimes plays in a free Sunday morning celtic jam session in a town. Here is Cady doing a duet in space with a member of Jethro Tull: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeC4nqBB5BM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeC4nqBB5BM
def_illiterate 11y ago
Step 1: get into MIT... Looks like that train has sailed. :-)

48 points by motxilo 11y ago

TL;DR: School > Air Force > 'selected' by NASA. I thought this was going to be an inspiring 'to do' list of candidates & application processes. Just being selected with no mention of reasoning or criteria was kind of a let down.

rdtsc 11y ago
Moreover. Astronaut != go into space necessarily. That is, being selected and trained doesn't mean you get to fly. An acquintance of an acquintance was an astronaut for a decade (I heard of him in early 2000s) and never got to fly anywhere until then.
cpayne 11y ago
Have you read "An Astronaut's guide to life on earth"[1] by Chris Hadfield? Its written in a little more informal context than a to-do list, but it does describe what he (and his family!!!) had to go through. Brilliant read! [1] http://www.amazon.com/Astronauts-Guide-Life-Earth-Determination/dp/0316253030 http://www.amazon.com/Astronauts-Guide-Life-Earth-Determinat...

drew-y 11y ago

I find it easier to just play Kerbal Space Program.

Animats 11y ago

This is decades old. Look at the date. It's about someone who was selected in 1992. "With the space station currently under construction...". This dates from the early Shuttle era. NASA has far too many astronauts now; they've been laying them off. They're now down to 42 active astronauts[1], from a peak of around 130. One ex-astronaut was grumbling publicly that his pass to NASA Houston had been pulled. Ex-astronauts used to be allowed in for life. Not any more. After all, NASA has nothing for them to pilot. Space-X, though... [1] http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio.html http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio.html

caminante 11y ago

Also, don't be a midget (<5'2") or a giant (>6'3"). [1] [1]http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/features/F_Astronaut_Requirements.html http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/featu...

omegant 11y ago

I applied to ESA Astronaut selection 6 or 7 years ago. I´m airline pilot but with no military or engineering experience, only reading quite a lot about the space race all my live (great resume huh?). I knew I didn't have a chance, because they mostly were asking for a scientific curriculum, Ph.D.'s that had a good number of publications under their belts, that and a good public speaking capacity were the more important characteristics. Piloting skills were in the nice to have but not important by any means zone. I guess that astronauts this days are mostly researchers in a very high and fast laboratory, but above all they are PR's for the 95% of their career, at least in Europe. Obviously with my laughable resume I was weeded out in the first screening.

AndrewKemendo 11y ago

When I started my doolie (freshman) year at the USAF Academy, one of my classmates stated that his mission in life was to become an astronaut. He had been planning it out since he was like 10 years old. He told us that this was his plan: First he had to get into the Academy, then major in engineering - ideally aeronautical engineering, then become a fighter pilot then become a test pilot and finally apply and become a NASA astronaut. I challenged him to be the first one in space, except I said that I would pay for a ride there as a tourist. He ended up being the #1 grad from our class with his degree in aero engineering, went on to get his doctorate from Oxford and is now flying the B-1B. Still a few steps to go. HOWEVER - there is almost no chance of him ever piloting a US spacecraft based largely on where the manned space program is. So while I am a little sad for him, given how hard he has been trying - it also makes our wager look more promising in my favor!

DominikR 11y ago
Once travel into space is viable for average tourists (not only tourists willing to pay 100 million dollars) it'll probably also require more pilots than today, so I'll say that he still has a better chance being there before you.
- AndrewKemendo 11y ago
  When I made the bet with my friends, predators/reapers were just starting to come online and it was clear to me that they would be the wave of the future and eventually pilots would be out of the loop. We certainly aren't there yet but my long term bet is that humans will be pushed further out of the loop for all things transportation - space travel being one of the main ones I would expect to transition first as it's basically there today anyway.
  - DominikR 11y ago
    At some point in the future: Yes. But there's no way that this will start without at least human backup pilots on board. And then there's the testing phase where many pilots will be needed to validate the safety of such flights. Even when you look at various private space travel companies you'll find that they plan to use human pilots. (Virgin Galactic and others)

AYBABTME 11y ago

Seems to me one's most probable mean to get into space is to get rich and buy yourself a seat. Getting rich is something much more into your control than getting selected and having the will of a government decide of your faith.

VLM 11y ago
Don't both situations boil down to win the genetic lottery, be born to the correct parents, be born in a good school district, get accepted into an ivy (not necessarily graduate, but at least get in), by survivorship bias be the lucky one who rises up the management ranks/levels the fastest, operate in the system in a government controlled org, either economic like our highly regulated centrally controlled economy or join the .mil... Its pretty much the same path with some minor scenery differences.
- rdudek 11y ago
  Not really a genetic lottery, though some places in the world make it a lot easier to succeed and become rich. Being born or move to any of the western nations will greatly increase your chances. But the person also has to have a will to do so too.
  - Retric 11y ago
    But the person also has to have a will to do so too. Unless they inherit wealth or connections. My understanding is it’s about a 50:50 split between make or inherit worldwide depending on what you call weath.
- AYBABTME 11y ago
  Still pretty sure that the probability that you get rich enough to get into space is higher, than the probability that you be luckily selected by NASA. Assume that 1M$ is what you will need to get into space. It takes some flair and some favorable conditions, but I think that ~0.1 to 1% of the population can get 1M$. Much less than 0.1% of the population is selected by NASA to go to space.

dugmartin 11y ago

Its fun to see Cady on here. She lives in my little village of Shelburne Falls, MA and sometimes plays in a free Sunday morning celtic jam session in a town. Here is Cady doing a duet in space with a member of Jethro Tull: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeC4nqBB5BM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeC4nqBB5BM

def_illiterate 11y ago

Step 1: get into MIT... Looks like that train has sailed. :-)