| Astronaut Program |
How can I become an astronaut?
Any adult man or woman in excellent physical condition who meets the basic
qualifications can be selected to enter astronaut training.
For mission specialists and pilot
astronauts, the minimum requirements include a bachelor's degree in engineering,
science or mathematics from an accredited institution. Three years of
related experience must follow the degree, and an advanced degree is desirable.
Pilot astronauts must have at least 1,000 hours of experience in jet aircraft,
and they need better vision than mission specialists. Competition is extremely
keen, with an average of over 4,000 applicants for about 20 openings every
2 years. Astronaut recruiting occurs periodically. For more information,
see Astronaut Selection
and Training or write to the Astronaut Selection Office, NASA Johnson
Space Center, Houston, TX 77058.
Is it possible for a flight
controller or even a flight director to become an astronaut?
It IS possible for flight controllers to become astronauts, and this
has happened many times. A few flight controllers get to become flight
Training: How do the astronauts train using the robotic arm on Earth,
seeing there is gravity? Would the arm support its own weight on Earth?
For robotic arm training, the astronauts use several different simulators,
with each possessing its own strengths. The Shuttle Engineering Simulator
(SES) and the Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) are two computer simulators
that are used extensively. Each one has actual switches and hand controllers
to maneuver a computer model of the arm and the payload. Another heavily
used simulator is the Mission Development Facility (MDF). This simulator
utilizes real hardware, which includes a hydraulic robot arm, payload
mock-ups, and cameras. To assist EVA operations, the NASA Neutral Buoyancy
Laboratory (NBL) has an underwater robotic arm. This is used to train
the crew in joint EVA and arm operations.
What specific roles are the
commander and pilot responsible for during the mission?
The Commander is the captain of the ship, and makes all real-time
critical decisions on behalf of the crew and in coordination with the
MCC. The Commander also flies the shuttle during approach and landing,
and is trained and ready to take over from the computers and fly at all
other times. The Pilot is the Commander's understudy, and is fully trained
to do all the same tasks as required. Commanders fly at least once as
Pilots before they move into the left seat. Both participate in experiments
and on-orbit operations, with some limitations. They are not allowed to
do spacewalks, as we can't afford to have them stuck outside during an
emergency deorbit. They also don't normally operate the Canadarm, as it
is a specialized task separate from flying the vehicle.