How to Become an Astronaut
Be a citizen of a country with a space agency capable of sending humans to space., Be the right age., Be the right height., Pass the physical with flying colors., Speak English., Learn how to swim and swim well.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Be a citizen of a country with a space agency capable of sending humans to space.
Even if your country does have a space agency, you may be relegated to groundwork and not navigating the skies like you'd prefer.
While plenty of countries are getting into the space race in one form or another, Russia, China, EU and the USA are the front runners.The ESA (European Space Agency) collaborates with other agencies to send its astronauts aboard their rockets.
Currently, the ESA is made up of twenty countries:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.NASA has had, in the past, astronauts from countries with which they have an international agreement.
Namely, Canada, Japan, Russia, and Brazil.
For the record, each of these countries does have a space agency. -
Step 2: Be the right age.
If you're fresh out of recess or fresh out of the senior citizen's discount buffet, you're not astronaut material.
The ESA is looking for candidates who are between 27 and 37 years old.NASA is a bit less stringent; there are no age restrictions, but past astronauts have fallen between the ages of 26 and
46.
The average age is
34. , Fingers crossed for that growth spurt! The ESA accepts candidates who are between 153 and 190 centimeters (that's 5' to 6'2 1/2" for the non-metric folk).Not too tough, eh? As for NASA, they're looking for men and women between 5'2" and 6'3" (157 to
190.5 cm).
Six of one, half a dozen of another, really. , In order to become an astronaut for NASA, your near and far vision must be correctable to 20/20 in each eye.
Yep, getting LASIK is okay.
As for your physical health, your blood pressure must not be above 140/90 when in a sitting position.
Note that if you make it past the first rounds of testing, addition visual screening will be performed.
To pass this round, your distant vision refractive error must be "between +5.50 and
-5.50 diopters in any meridian" if you do not have a piloting background and "between +2.50 and
-4.00 diopters in any meridian" if you do have a piloting background.
Also notable is the fact that you may not have an astigmatism that requires more than
3.00 diopters of cylinder correction if you're without a piloting background (no more than
2.00 diopters of cylinder correction if you do have one) or an anisometropia larger than
3.5 diopters (2.5 if you have a piloting background).
The ESA has similar requirements.
They also stress the need to be psychologically sound.
After all, other people are going to be locked in a small room with you for months on end.
If you're aggressive, close-minded, or stubborn, you may not be deemed fit for travel., It's not called the International Space Station for nothin'.
Fact of the matter is, most people speak it, and you should, too if you plan on working with people of practically every nationality.
Speaking Russian is a helpful tool, too.
Second to English, there is a heavy Russian influence when it comes to space relations.
Both NASA and the ESA highly value candidates that are fluent in both languages., Because of that pesky phenomenon known as gravity, day-to-day air living isn't great for simulating the likes of the universe.
Some of your training will be done underwater.
If you can't swim, you probably won't make the cut.
NASA will put you through military water survival training and make sure you can tread water for 10 minutes in addition to swimming 75 meters (246.1 ft) in a flight suit and being SCUBA-qualified.So sign up for a pass at your local pool now. -
Step 3: Be the right height.
-
Step 4: Pass the physical with flying colors.
-
Step 5: Speak English.
-
Step 6: Learn how to swim and swim well.
Detailed Guide
Even if your country does have a space agency, you may be relegated to groundwork and not navigating the skies like you'd prefer.
While plenty of countries are getting into the space race in one form or another, Russia, China, EU and the USA are the front runners.The ESA (European Space Agency) collaborates with other agencies to send its astronauts aboard their rockets.
Currently, the ESA is made up of twenty countries:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.NASA has had, in the past, astronauts from countries with which they have an international agreement.
Namely, Canada, Japan, Russia, and Brazil.
For the record, each of these countries does have a space agency.
If you're fresh out of recess or fresh out of the senior citizen's discount buffet, you're not astronaut material.
The ESA is looking for candidates who are between 27 and 37 years old.NASA is a bit less stringent; there are no age restrictions, but past astronauts have fallen between the ages of 26 and
46.
The average age is
34. , Fingers crossed for that growth spurt! The ESA accepts candidates who are between 153 and 190 centimeters (that's 5' to 6'2 1/2" for the non-metric folk).Not too tough, eh? As for NASA, they're looking for men and women between 5'2" and 6'3" (157 to
190.5 cm).
Six of one, half a dozen of another, really. , In order to become an astronaut for NASA, your near and far vision must be correctable to 20/20 in each eye.
Yep, getting LASIK is okay.
As for your physical health, your blood pressure must not be above 140/90 when in a sitting position.
Note that if you make it past the first rounds of testing, addition visual screening will be performed.
To pass this round, your distant vision refractive error must be "between +5.50 and
-5.50 diopters in any meridian" if you do not have a piloting background and "between +2.50 and
-4.00 diopters in any meridian" if you do have a piloting background.
Also notable is the fact that you may not have an astigmatism that requires more than
3.00 diopters of cylinder correction if you're without a piloting background (no more than
2.00 diopters of cylinder correction if you do have one) or an anisometropia larger than
3.5 diopters (2.5 if you have a piloting background).
The ESA has similar requirements.
They also stress the need to be psychologically sound.
After all, other people are going to be locked in a small room with you for months on end.
If you're aggressive, close-minded, or stubborn, you may not be deemed fit for travel., It's not called the International Space Station for nothin'.
Fact of the matter is, most people speak it, and you should, too if you plan on working with people of practically every nationality.
Speaking Russian is a helpful tool, too.
Second to English, there is a heavy Russian influence when it comes to space relations.
Both NASA and the ESA highly value candidates that are fluent in both languages., Because of that pesky phenomenon known as gravity, day-to-day air living isn't great for simulating the likes of the universe.
Some of your training will be done underwater.
If you can't swim, you probably won't make the cut.
NASA will put you through military water survival training and make sure you can tread water for 10 minutes in addition to swimming 75 meters (246.1 ft) in a flight suit and being SCUBA-qualified.So sign up for a pass at your local pool now.
About the Author
Gregory Perry
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: