If you ever dreamed of being an astronaut when you were a kid, you know it’s not easy – here are NASA’s requirements for the job.
the US space agency have revealed it website All the requirements that a person must meet before he has a chance to go into space.
What does an astronaut do?
Before we get into what it takes to become an astronaut, this is what an astronaut actually does.
An astronaut’s role and responsibilities can range anywhere from forming a spacecraft crew to serving as a scientist in International Space Station (ISS).
NASA astronauts specifically do a lot of research and conduct practical experiments on the International Space Station – a space laboratory orbiting the Earth.
Some of these experiments include research on cancer, the human body, and life in space.
NASA has always shared its transmission ambitions Astronauts to Marswhich will be an unimaginable experience for the chosen lucky few.
Recently, though, the aviation agency plans to send the first woman and the next man to the moon by 2024.
This next world in space might be you – if you meet the criteria, that is.
What does it take to become an astronaut
The requirements to be an astronaut at NASA have changed over the years to better align with the agency’s mission and values.
As it stands, these are the requirements.
First, the prospective candidate must be a US citizen.
They must also have a master’s degree in a STEM field from an accredited institution – accepted degrees include engineering, biological sciences, physical sciences, computer science or mathematics.
Furthermore, a prospective candidate must have at least two years of relevant professional experience after completing their degree, or “at least 1,000 hours of pilot time driving a jet aircraft,” the agency noted.
NASA has also emphasized the kinds of characteristics it looks for in astronauts, including a skilled leader, good communicator, and good collaborator.
physical requirements
It is not enough to simply be educated to be an astronaut, though, the candidate must also be able to withstand the physical stress of being in space.
On that note, the person must be in good health and able to pass a NASA long-range physical flight, which tests agility, body coordination, eye coordination, and vision.
Furthermore, NASA astronaut jobs require the candidate to be of a certain height and weight.
To be a commander or astronaut, your height must be from 158 cm to 190 cm, and to be a mission specialist, your height must be between 149 cm and 193 cm.
In general, astronauts must weigh between 50 and 95 kilograms (110 and 209 pounds) and measure between 149.5 cm and 190.5 cm.
Selection process
If someone meets all of the above requirements, their application will be sent to NASA’s Astronaut Selection Board for review.
Chances of selection are slim as the agency is flooded with tens of thousands of applications each year (it’s most people’s dream job, after all).
If selected successfully from among the public, the Board of Directors then invites you, along with a small group of the most highly qualified candidates, for interviews at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
About half of this group is invited again for a second interview, and then among these candidates a select few are welcome to return for a two-year course.
The course includes basic astronaut skills such as spacewalking, operating a space station, flying jet aircraft, and controlling a robotic arm.
After completing basic training, the astronauts then get a chance to go to where very few of them have gone: deep space.
This story originally appeared the sun It is reproduced here with permission.
