Dream job/Possibility of becoming an Astronaut?
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As far as I know most astronauts (for NASA and the ESA anyway) have a) quite extensive careers as fast-jet pilots in the air force, and b) pretty rigorous engineering backgrounds, prior to going into space.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Michel Foucault
As far as I know most astronauts (for NASA and the ESA anyway) have a) quite extensive careers as fast-jet pilots in the air force, and b) pretty rigorous engineering backgrounds, prior to going into space.
Neither of these things are necessary for becoming an astronaut.
Few changes to your points -
A) This is the case for pilots of the spacecraft, you need to have a certain amount of hours flying jets, doesn't necessarily have to be within the air force though. However I'm not interested in becoming one of the pilots. I'm interested in becoming part of the research team of astronauts.
B) A lot of astronauts do have engineering backgrounds, but NASA accept most Scientific, Mathematical, Engineering or IT backgrounds, including Medicine. In fact, a lot of Astronauts have been physicians.
So I am on the right track.
Original post by lsaul95
Neither of these things are necessary for becoming an astronaut.
Few changes to your points -
A) This is the case for pilots of the spacecraft, you need to have a certain amount of hours flying jets, doesn't necessarily have to be within the air force though. However I'm not interested in becoming one of the pilots. I'm interested in becoming part of the research team of astronauts.
B) A lot of astronauts do have engineering backgrounds, but NASA accept most Scientific, Mathematical, Engineering or IT backgrounds, including Medicine. In fact, a lot of Astronauts have been physicians.
So I am on the right track.
Few changes to your points -
A) This is the case for pilots of the spacecraft, you need to have a certain amount of hours flying jets, doesn't necessarily have to be within the air force though. However I'm not interested in becoming one of the pilots. I'm interested in becoming part of the research team of astronauts.
B) A lot of astronauts do have engineering backgrounds, but NASA accept most Scientific, Mathematical, Engineering or IT backgrounds, including Medicine. In fact, a lot of Astronauts have been physicians.
So I am on the right track.
Yep, it all changed when they did the recruitment for the shuttle programme. Lots of civilian scientists and engineers were recruited.
Original post by lsaul95
Neither of these things are necessary for becoming an astronaut.
Few changes to your points -
A) This is the case for pilots of the spacecraft, you need to have a certain amount of hours flying jets, doesn't necessarily have to be within the air force though. However I'm not interested in becoming one of the pilots. I'm interested in becoming part of the research team of astronauts.
B) A lot of astronauts do have engineering backgrounds, but NASA accept most Scientific, Mathematical, Engineering or IT backgrounds, including Medicine. In fact, a lot of Astronauts have been physicians.
So I am on the right track.
Few changes to your points -
A) This is the case for pilots of the spacecraft, you need to have a certain amount of hours flying jets, doesn't necessarily have to be within the air force though. However I'm not interested in becoming one of the pilots. I'm interested in becoming part of the research team of astronauts.
B) A lot of astronauts do have engineering backgrounds, but NASA accept most Scientific, Mathematical, Engineering or IT backgrounds, including Medicine. In fact, a lot of Astronauts have been physicians.
So I am on the right track.
Fair enough, I wasn't actually aware that they had 'non-pilot' astronauts. I was basically just repeating what I learned from a conversation about it with an air force test pilot with relevant experience.
Original post by Michel Foucault
Fair enough, I wasn't actually aware that they had 'non-pilot' astronauts. I was basically just repeating what I learned from a conversation about it with an air force test pilot with relevant experience.
One of the reasons the 'must be a pilot' criteria was changed by NASA in the 70s was to allow women a chance to get on the programme in reasonable numbers. Even before the US manned programme began there was a big argument in NASA over whether astronauts should be test pilots or scientists. The pilot lobby won out and in retrospect it was probably the right decision as early space flight was dicey and test pilots would of course be far more used to working in such risky environments.
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