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How to be Selected into NASA
Thank you for your interest in NASA. NASA applicants have rigorous physical and educational requirements they must pass before being accepted into NASA's program. It is a long journey, but if you are motivated enough, and you have the requirements, you can make it through to your ultimate dream; becoming an astronaut. -
Physical Requirements
The physical requirement one needs to become an astronaut consists of having 20/20 vision, blood pressure under 140/90, and a height between 62 and 75 inches. The height is critical because these space shuttles are not spacious, and a tall person would not be able to complete the job in a reasonably comfortable environment. -
Educational Requirements
Educational requirements are even more rigorous than the physical standards. One must have graduated with either a bachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, physical science, or biological science, and have some sort of higher level degree as well. -
Congratulations! You have been accepted!
Congratulations! All of your hard work has paid off! NASA has accepted your application. Now your training begins. You will be dispatched to the Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) located in Houston, Texas. There you will spend approximately the next two years of your life training for space missions with some of the smartest people in the entire United States. -
Equipment Training
The first few months of training in Houston are completely devoted to studying manuals of systems. For example, your first test will be 200 questions long and take 2 hours to complete. You must pass all of these tests or else you cannot move on. This sets the tone for everything later on in training because if you do not know the systems you are operating while in space, you can possibly kill yourself and your crew. -
Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory
One piece of equipment that you will be very familiar with is called the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. This system is underwater to help you get the feel of zero gravity. It also resembles realistic controls that you will deal with up in space. The most beneficial use of this simulator is when one part of the many systems fails and you must fix it. This will help your response time and teach you the steps of how to fix certain systems. -
Simulator and Aviation Training
Most likely, only military pilots will take this part of training. It takes place in Pensacola, Florida alongside the US Navy and Marine Corps trainee pilots. You will fly the F-38 jet and practice on simulators. Once you pass this training, you will be qualified to fly and land the space shuttle on real missions. -
Scuba Training
All astronauts are taught the skill of scuba diving due to the amount of training they receive underwater. Simulators like the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory are in a pool to simulate a zero gravity environment. The last thing NASA wants to do is lose one of their candidates in a training accident. -
High and Low Atmospheric Training
Atmospheric pressure training is used to teach the astronauts how to think in an environment where there is a lack of oxygen. Some exercises you will do is play hand games with a partner or play cards. These are used to try and get your mind to get confused, but with proper training this confusion can be avoided. -
Graduation Day
Congratulations! You have finally graduated from NASA’s training program. You are now a fully fledged astronaut! You will be given a silver emblem on your chest to signify you becoming an astronaut, and when you go up to space for your first mission you will receive a gold emblem on your chest to replace the silver. Good luck in your career! -
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 is a perfect example of the necessity of astronaut training. There were several problems with their mission technically speaking, which included the decreasing rate of oxygen in the cabin, and the astronauts stayed calm and used their training to fix them the best they could which resulted in them returning home in one piece. -
International Space Station Mission
Although you will probably not be walking on the moon any time soon, the main mission of NASA astronauts as of today is to be stationed on the International Space Station. There you will be living in close quarters with other astronauts from other countries such as Russia. -
Challenger Space Shuttle
On January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger blew up a few minutes after launch. Due to a malfunction in one of the two booster's O-Ring, the space shuttle literally disintegrated with the astronauts still inside. 7 people lost their lives. -
Neil Armstrong Walking on Moon
One of NASA's claim to fame is when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon on July 21, 1969, being the first humans to do so in the history of man kind. -
Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory Video
Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTU8U7y0CUI&nomobile=1
