Archive-name: space/astronaut Last-modified: $Date: 93/04/01 14:39:02 $  HOW TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT      First the short form, authored by Henry Spencer, then an official NASA     announcement.      Q. How do I become an astronaut?      A. We will assume you mean a NASA astronaut, since it's probably     impossible for a non-Russian to get into the cosmonaut corps (paying     passengers are not professional cosmonauts), and the other nations have     so few astronauts (and fly even fewer) that you're better off hoping to     win a lottery. Becoming a shuttle pilot requires lots of fast-jet     experience, which means a military flying career; forget that unless you     want to do it anyway. So you want to become a shuttle "mission     specialist".      If you aren't a US citizen, become one; that is a must.  After that,     the crucial thing to remember is that the demand for such jobs vastly     exceeds the supply.  NASA's problem is not finding qualified people,     but thinning the lineup down to manageable length.	It is not enough     to be qualified; you must avoid being *dis*qualified for any reason,     many of them in principle quite irrelevant to the job.      Get a Ph.D.  Specialize in something that involves getting your hands     dirty with equipment, not just paper and pencil.  Forget computer     programming entirely; it will be done from the ground for the fore-     seeable future.  Degree(s) in one field plus work experience in     another seems to be a frequent winner.      Be in good physical condition, with good eyesight.	(DO NOT get a     radial keratomy or similar hack to improve your vision; nobody knows     what sudden pressure changes would do to RKed eyes, and long-term     effects are poorly understood.  For that matter, avoid any other     significant medical unknowns.)  If you can pass a jet-pilot physical,     you should be okay; if you can't, your chances are poor.      Practise public speaking, and be conservative and conformist in     appearance and actions; you've got a tough selling job ahead, trying     to convince a cautious, conservative selection committee that you     are better than hundreds of other applicants.  (And, also, that you     will be a credit to NASA after you are hired:  public relations is     a significant part of the job, and NASA's image is very prim and     proper.)  The image you want is squeaky-clean workaholic yuppie.     Remember also that you will need a security clearance at some point,     and Security considers everybody guilty until proven innocent.     Keep your nose clean.      Get a pilot's license and make flying your number one hobby;     experienced pilots are known to be favored even for non-pilot jobs.      Work for NASA; of 45 astronauts selected between 1984 and 1988,     43 were military or NASA employees, and the remaining two were     a NASA consultant and Mae Jemison (the first black female astronaut).     If you apply from outside NASA and miss, but they offer you a job     at NASA, ***TAKE IT***; sometimes in the past this has meant "you     do look interesting but we want to know you a bit better first".      Think space:  they want highly motivated people, so lose no chance     to demonstrate motivation.      Keep trying.  Many astronauts didn't make it the first time.         NASA     National Aeronautics and Space Administration     Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center     Houston, Texas      Announcement for Mission Specialist and Pilot Astronaut Candidates     ==================================================================      Astronaut Candidate Program     ---------------------------      The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a need for     Pilot Astronaut Candidates and Mission Specialist Astronaut Candidates     to support the Space Shuttle Program. NASA is now accepting on a     continuous basis and plans to select astronaut candidates as needed.      Persons from both the civilian sector and the military services will be     considered.      All positions are located at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in     Houston, Texas, and will involved a 1-year training and evaluation     program.      Space Shuttle Program Description     ---------------------------------      The numerous successful flights of the Space Shuttle have demonstrated     that operation and experimental investigations in space are becoming     routine. The Space Shuttle Orbiter is launched into, and maneuvers in     the Earth orbit performing missions lastling up to 30 days. It then     returns to earth and is ready for another flight with payloads and     flight crew.      The Orbiter performs a variety of orbital missions including deployment     and retrieval of satellites, service of existing satellites, operation     of specialized laboratories (astronomy, earth sciences, materials     processing, manufacturing), and other operations. These missions will     eventually include the development and servicing of a permanent space     station. The Orbiter also provides a staging capability for using higher     orbits than can be achieved by the Orbiter itself. Users of the Space     Shuttle's capabilities are both domestic and foreign and include     government agencies and private industries.      The crew normally consists of five people - the commander, the pilot,     and three mission specialists. On occasion additional crew members are     assigned. The commander, pilot, and mission specialists are NASA     astronauts.      Pilot Astronaut      Pilot astronauts server as both Space Shuttle commanders and pilots.     During flight the commander has onboard responsibility for the vehicle,     crew, mission success and safety in flight. The pilot assists the     commander in controlling and operating the vehicle. In addition, the     pilot may assist in the deployment and retrieval of satellites utilizing     the remote manipulator system, in extra-vehicular activities, and other     payload operations.      Mission Specialist Astronaut      Mission specialist astronauts, working with the commander and pilot,     have overall responsibility for the coordination of Shuttle operations     in the areas of crew activity planning, consumables usage, and     experiment and payload operations. Mission specialists are required to     have a detailed knowledge of Shuttle systems, as well as detailed     knowledge of the operational characteristics, mission requirements and     objectives, and supporting systems and equipment for each of the     experiments to be conducted on their assigned missions. Mission     specialists will perform extra-vehicular activities, payload handling     using the remote manipulator system, and perform or assist in specific     experimental operations.      Astronaut Candidate Program     ===========================      Basic Qualification Requirements     --------------------------------      Applicants MUST meet the following minimum requirements prior to     submitting an application.      Mission Specialist Astronaut Candidate:      1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering,     biological science, physical science or mathematics. Degree must be     followed by at least three years of related progressively responsible,     professional experience. An advanced degree is desirable and may be     substituted for part or all of the experience requirement (master's     degree = 1 year, doctoral degree = 3 years). Quality of academic     preparation is important.      2. Ability to pass a NASA class II space physical, which is similar to a     civilian or military class II flight physical and includes the following     specific standards:  	 Distant visual acuity: 	      20/150 or better uncorrected, 	      correctable to 20/20, each eye.  	 Blood pressure: 	      140/90 measured in sitting position.      3. Height between 58.5 and 76 inches.      Pilot Astronaut Candidate:      1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering,     biological science, physical science or mathematics. Degree must be     followed by at least three years of related progressively responsible,     professional experience. An advanced degree is desirable. Quality of     academic preparation is important.      2. At least 1000 hours pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Flight     test experience highly desirable.      3. Ability to pass a NASA Class I space physical which is similar to a     military or civilian Class I flight physical and includes the following     specific standards:  	 Distant visual acuity: 	      20/50 or better uncorrected 	      correctable to 20/20, each eye.  	 Blood pressure: 	      140/90 measured in sitting position.      4. Height between 64 and 76 inches.      Citizenship Requirements      Applications for the Astronaut Candidate Program must be citizens of     the United States.      Note on Academic Requirements      Applicants for the Astronaut Candidate Program must meet the basic     education requirements for NASA engineering and scientific positions --     specifically: successful completion of standard professional curriculum     in an accredited college or university leading to at least a bachelor's     degree with major study in an appropriate field of engineering,     biological science, physical science, or mathematics.        The following degree fields, while related to engineering and the     sciences, are not considered qualifying:       - Degrees in technology (Engineering Technology, Aviation Technology, 	Medical Technology, etc.)       - Degrees in Psychology (except for Clinical Psychology, Physiological 	Psychology, or Experimental Psychology which are qualifying).       - Degrees in Nursing.       - Degrees in social sciences (Geography, Anthropology, Archaeology, etc.)       - Degrees in Aviation, Aviation Management or similar fields.      Application Procedures     ----------------------      Civilian      The application package may be obtained by writing to:  	NASA Johnson Space Center 	Astronaut Selection Office 	ATTN: AHX 	Houston, TX 77058      Civilian applications will be accepted on a continuous basis. When NASA     decides to select additional astronaut candidates, consideration will be     given only to those applications on hand on the date of decision is     made. Applications received after that date will be retained and     considered for the next selection. Applicants will be notified annually     of the opportunity to update their applications and to indicate     continued interest in being considered for the program. Those applicants     who do not update their applications annually will be dropped from     consideration, and their applications will not be retained. After the     preliminary screening of applications, additional information may be     requested for some applicants, and person listed on the application as     supervisors and references may be contacted.      Active Duty Military      Active duty military personnel must submit applications to their     respective military service and not directly to NASA. Application     procedures will be disseminated by each service.      Selection     ---------      Personal interviews and thorough medical evaluations will be required     for both civilian and military applicants under final consideration.     Once final selections have been made, all applicants who were considered     will be notified of the outcome of the process.      Selection rosters established through this process may be used for the     selection of additional candidates during a one year period following     their establishment.      General Program Requirements      Selected applicants will be designated Astronaut Candidates and will be     assigned to the Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center, Houston,     Texas. The astronaut candidates will undergo a 1 year training and     evaluation period during which time they will be assigned technical or     scientific responsibilities allowing them to contribute substantially to     ongoing programs. They will also participate in the basic astronaut     training program which is designed to develop the knowledge and skills     required for formal mission training upon selection for a flight. Pilot     astronaut candidates will maintain proficiency in NASA aircraft during     their candidate period.      Applicants should be aware that selection as an astronaut candidate does     not insure selection as an astronaut. Final selection as an astronaut     will depend on satisfactory completion of the 1 year training and     evaluation period. Civilian candidates who successfully complete the     training and evaluation and are selected as astronauts will become     permanent Federal employees and will be expected to remain with NASA for     a period of at least five years. Civilian candidates who are not     selected as astronauts may be placed in other positions within NASA     depending upon Agency requirements and manpower constraints at that     time. Successful military candidates will be detailed to NASA for a     specified tour of duty.      NASA has an affirmative action program goal of having qualified     minorities and women among those qualified as astronaut candidates.     Therefore, qualified minorities and women are encouraged to apply.      Pay and Benefits     ----------------      Civilians      Salaries for civilian astronaut candidates are based on the Federal     Governments General Schedule pay scales for grades GS-11 through GS-14,     and are set in accordance with each individuals academic achievements     and experience.      Other benefits include vacation and sick leave, a retirement plan, and     participation in group health and life insurance plans.      Military      Selected military personnel will be detailed to the Johnson Space Center     but will remain in an active duty status for pay, benefits, leave, and     other similar military matters.