Want to be an astronaut? NASA may have to open new positions.

Being an astronaut is a childhood dream for many children, but that opportunity may be closer than you think. Read on to find out more!

What does an astronaut do?

An astronaut is a professional training for space travel, that is, a specialist who conducts human exploration in space.

This professional is also known as a taikonaut or cosmonaut. Furthermore, they can be a commander, pilot, conduct extravehicular activities, or serve as a crew member on a spacecraft.

When we decide that we want to be an astronaut In childhood, we imagined ourselves exploring other planets, fighting Martians, and routinely going on special missions to the moon, for example.

However, in real life it's a little different, because most of this professional's working life involves conducting ground training and supporting other missions.

Life as an astronaut in space is far from easy; despite being full of excitement, some moments can be tense.

This professional's routine is very tight; there's always something to do or discover in space, but with limited time, this ends up being a challenge in an astronaut's career initially.

Here's a tip: for to be a good astronaut You need to know how to manage your time and accomplish many tasks well in a short period of time.

Among the many activities that an astronaut performs in space, we find, for example:

Spacewalks to perform maintenance or inspection of some equipment;
To conduct and monitor many scientific experiments.

In their free time, they can do some physical exercise to keep their minds and bodies healthy, read a book, send emails to family members or talk to someone via amateur radio, watch or take photographs.

How much does an astronaut earn?

Before choosing any profession, it's important to know the salary ceiling for that career. to be an astronaut It's no different either.

According to OPM data, a beginner earns around US$$66,200 annually, which is approximately US$5,500 per month.

OPM ➔

What are the requirements to work at NASA?

Since the first professionals were recruited in 1959, much has changed regarding NASA's requirements.

All 7 candidates were military test pilots, and the main requirements at that time were:

Have at least 1,500 flight hours in...
To hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent.
Not to be older than 40.
To be in excellent physical condition.
To be less than 1.50m tall.

As you can see, in the past only short people could go to space, however, nowadays there are no age or height limits.

Actually, there is a height limit, but it's broad; candidates can be as tall as 1.49m or as tall as 1.93m, so as you can see, taller people can also qualify. to be astronauts now.

Aside from that, flight experience is no longer a mandatory requirement, but it was essential to have relevant experience in the field or a thousand hours of flight time piloting a jet aircraft.

The area of study largely depends on the agency's needs; however, a bachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, or biological sciences is generally required.

Although there are no longer height or age limits, candidates undergo a rigorous physical examination, and advanced age, height, and weight can even be challenging.

Finally, and obviously, the candidate needs to be fluent in English; in addition, there have been NASA selection processes where being a United States citizen was a mandatory requirement.

Certainly, the requirements have changed and may change over time; they can vary according to the era and needs of the missions, but generally, they are the same or similar to those mentioned in this topic.

What is known so far about the possibility of NASA opening new positions?

Unfortunately, information regarding potential NASA hires is still scarce, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict could disrupt some of the agency's missions and delay these hiring processes.

According to a NASA report released in January, all indications are that it will need new astronauts.

This is because the agency's astronaut corps has drastically decreased in recent years, going from 150 to 44 specialists.

This situation is a consequence of the large number of annual retirements, but also due to the grounding of the space shuttle fleet.

However, the agency reports that it will enter a new era of human spaceflight, and among the missions are the return flight to the moon and the landing of humans on Mars.

The report stated that the number of astronauts does not adequately match the number of actions taken.

Therefore, to ensure the success of these actions, it is important that this situation is well managed and resolved.

This means that your dream of to be an astronaut It may be closer than you think!

You can follow this process on NASA's website, and also check for opportunities in other sectors. Click here. here and learn about the job openings available at NASA.

CLICK HERE ➔

Conclusion

Working at NASA is certainly the dream of thousands of people around the world, and although it's not simple or easy to achieve, it's not impossible.

We Brazilians can draw inspiration from the journey of Marcos Pontes, the first Brazilian astronaut and the only one to visit the ISS (International Space Station).

If you dream of to be an astronaut, Don't miss the chance to learn about and be inspired by the story of Marcos César Pontes, the first Brazilian to go into space.

Nara Sampaio

SEO writer, digital content creator, and virtual assistant. An introvert who found in writing a way to express herself and share knowledge!

March 7, 2022

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