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Best path to take to become an astronaut?

D

Deleted user cNaut

Guest
This is my first post so I just want to start off by thanking all of you for your service. So, here's my dilemma. I'm 17 at a technical high school and going to be applying to Purdue Univeristy for aerospace engineering in a couple of months. I have a 2100 SAT and a 95+ GPA so I think I have a pretty good shot at admittance. I'm also planning to do NROTC or AFROTC (still undecided on which one). I know, without a doubt, that I want to help expand our presence in the cosmos. I do realize that becoming an aviator in the military and then getting a masters or a PhD is the best path to take to become an astronaut. However, I have quite a few obstacles standing in my way. For one, although I'm not scared of flying in a plane, I'm scared of roller coasters and I don't think I handle Gs too well because one time (when I was around 12) I went on a centrifuge type ride and yelled out for the employees to stop the ride before the Gs even got "bad". I don't know, maybe it's just because I was really fragile back when I was 12-14 (I was 105-113lbs and 5'9). Now, I'm 225lbs at 5'11 with a 500lb deadlift, 275lb bench, and a 405lb squat (cardio is bad though, I'll start working on that soon), so maybe since I'm bigger nowadays, I'll be able to withstand Gs better (or maybe not because my blood has a further distance to travel throughout my body). Another issue is that my eyesight is horrific (but I'll probably get LASIK sophmore year of college before I have to sign for the obligation to serve). Is anything I can do, as a civilian, to test and see if I'm really cut out to be a pilot before I dedicate my life to this? I'm also leaning more towards NROTC because if I don't get the pilot slot, I'll just serve on a submarine (but I really rather not). Thanks for reading (sorry if I'm all over the place), is this the right path for me?
 
Flash

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Traditionally there have been a few ways to become an astronaut with NASA, the backgrounds have very generally been:

- Be a military aviator and go to test pilot school, get at least one grad degree along the way.
- Become a specialized and highly educated (PhD or multiple grad degrees) scientist, doctor or engineer in a field related to something NASA is interested in at the time(geology, astrodynamics, space physiology) in the government (especially NASA), the military or private industry.

The best resource to find out what it takes to be an astronaut is their bios, the more recent ones will demonstrate what NASA is currently looking for.
 
D

Deleted user cNaut

Guest
Aye, c'mon guys. I know its a little cringey but I need some input.
 
IRfly

IRfly

Registered User
None
cosmoszealot said:
This is my first post so I just want to start off by thanking all of you for your service. So, here's my dilemma. I'm 17 at a technical high school and going to be applying to Purdue Univeristy for aerospace engineering in a couple of months. I have a 2100 SAT and a 95+ GPA so I think I have a pretty good shot at admittance. I'm also planning to do NROTC or AFROTC (still undecided on which one). I know, without a doubt, that I want to help expand our presence in the cosmos. I do realize that becoming an aviator in the military and then getting a masters or a PhD is the best path to take to become an astronaut. However, I have quite a few obstacles standing in my way. For one, although I'm not scared of flying in a plane, I'm scared of roller coasters and I don't think I handle Gs too well because one time (when I was around 12) I went on a centrifuge type ride and yelled out for the employees to stop the ride before the Gs even got "bad". I don't know, maybe it's just because I was really fragile back when I was 12-14 (I was 105-113lbs and 5'9). Now, I'm 225lbs at 5'11 with a 500lb deadlift, 275lb bench, and a 405lb squat (cardio is bad though, I'll start working on that soon), so maybe since I'm bigger nowadays, I'll be able to withstand Gs better (or maybe not because my blood has a further distance to travel throughout my body). Another issue is that my eyesight is horrific (but I'll probably get LASIK sophmore year of college before I have to sign for the obligation to serve). Is anything I can do, as a civilian, to test and see if I'm really cut out to be a pilot before I dedicate my life to this? I'm also leaning more towards NROTC because if I don't get the pilot slot, I'll just serve on a submarine (but I really rather not). Thanks for reading (sorry if I'm all over the place), is this the right path for me?
Click to expand...

I know that it doesn't seem this way when you're 17, but you're not "dedicating your life" to anything. Take the first step, i.e. see if you can get into ROTC. Then take another--IFS, or initial flight screening. Don't worry; if you're not cut out for flying/high g's/astronaut training, the Navy will help you understand that at the earliest opportunity.

Then what's the worst that could happen? You get to see the world while getting problem-solving and leadership experience as a SWO, sub, or Intel guy and at 26-27 years old you can make another decision.
 
Renegade One

Renegade One

Well-Known Member
None
cosmoszealot said:
Aye, c'mon guys. I know its a little cringey but I need some input.
Click to expand...
You need:

-A bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. This includes degrees in clinical or experimental psychology, but excludes aviation, geography and nursing.

-1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft, or 3 years of professional experience, which can include advanced degrees (master's, doctorate) and teaching at the kindergarten through high school level.

-To be at least 5 foot 2 and no taller than 6 foot 3. (There's more latitude for mission specialists, who can stand between 58.5 and 76 inches.)

-Blood pressure that does not exceed 140/90.

-To pass the NASA long-duration space flight physical, which is similar to a military physical.

You don't need:

-Perfect eyesight: 20/100 vision that has been corrected to 20/20 with glasses or Lasik or other corrective surgery is OK.

-To be any particular age; there are no age requirements and candidates have ranged from 26 to 46 years old. The average is 34.

-An advanced degree (see professional experience, above).

What you'll go through:

After initial screening and selection, applicants will be put through a weeklong process of personal interviews, medical screenings and orientation. From there, the remaining field of applicants are designated Astronaut Candidates and sent to the Johnson Space Center in Houston for a 2-year training and evaluation period that includes:

-A swim test (three lengths of a pool and 10 minutes of treading water in flight suit and tennis shoes) and SCUBA qualification to prepare for NASA's underwater training program.

-Repeated exposure to microgravity and brief periods of weightlessness (up to 40 times in a day), as well as high (hyperbaric) and low (hypobaric) atmospheric pressure.

-Graduation from the candidate program also requires completion of: International Space Station systems training, extravehicular activity skills training, robotics skills training, Russian language training and aircraft flight readiness training.

After that you may be selected as an astronaut -- NASA currently employs 47 -- or placed in another position within the agency.
 
Flash

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
cosmoszealot said:
Aye, c'mon guys. I know its a little cringey but I need some input.
Click to expand...

I did try and answer your question, take a look at the current astronaut bios to get a good idea of what is really required to be an astronaut nowadays.
 
Beans

Beans

*1. Loins... GIRD
pilot
If you don't like Gs, you won't like primary. If you don't like primary, you won't do well. If you don't do well, the pilot-y routes to becoming an astronaut (test pilot school, where even the helo bubbas have to pull Gs every once in a while) won't be up your alley either. A consideration to the academic paths skyward might be better for you. Also, even civilian 'strohs will have to pull Gs, ride the centrifuge, and be subjected to a wide assortment of vestibular and somatosensory discomforts both in training and in the work itself. I get it, the blue flightsuits are cool, but do you really want to be an Astronaut?
 
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