WHY I WANT TO BE AN ASTRONAUT:

1
Nicholas Kinsman Extra Credit 7P7 April 24, 2007
WHY I WANT TO BE AN ASTRONAUT I discovered that
I want to be an astronaut when I went to NASA
Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama during spring
vacation. I learned that astronauts use computers
every day to operate all the space flight
equipment. I started my astronaut training at
NASA Space Camp. During my first mission, I was a
Mission Specialist 2, responsible for being
familiar with all Shuttle systems.
2
THE IMORTANCE OF COMPUTERS The space program
would not exist without computers. Many
advancements in computers have come about because
of needs of the space program. Astronaut training
is done in many different types of
computer-controlled flight simulators. Mission
Control is a room full of computers that control
the flight of the Space Shuttle. The Space
Shuttle could not fly without its computers.
3
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS The first astronauts
were selected in 1959. They had to be military
jet aircraft pilots with training in
engineering. Today, academic qualifications are
more important than being a military pilot.
Recently selected astronauts have had PhD degrees
in natural sciences, medicine, or engineering or
been trained as teachers. To apply to be a
Mission Specialist, I have to have a Bachelors
degree in engineering, biological science,
physical science, or mathematics plus 3 years of
related progressively responsible professional
experience. A Masters degree can substitute for
1 year of experience. A PhD can substitute for 3
years of experience
4
TRAINING TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT You must file an
application with the Federal Government at
www.usajobs.opm.gov. New candidates are selected
approximately every 2 years. Newly selected
Astronaut Candidates train for 1 to 2 years at
the Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX. After
training, if you are selected to be an Astronaut,
you become a permanent Federal employee.
Depending on your qualifications and experience,
you will earn 56,000 to 124,000 a year.
5
A TYPICAL DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ASTRONAUT At
Space Camp I learned that every day is different
for an astronaut. Through simulations of actual
missions, you are continuously training and
improving your skills towards the day you are
selected for a mission. Once selected, through
more simulations, you start training specifically
for your mission. Your training is so thorough
that the noise and vibration of launch and the
experience of weightlessness are the only new
experiences of the actual mission. Ultimately,
you fly your mission and return safely to Earth.
Then, hopefully, you get to train for another
mission.
6
REFERENCES NASA. January 2005. Astronaut Fact
Book. http//spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/factsh
eets/pdfs/astro.pdf NASA. January 2007.
Astronaut Selection. http//nasajobs.nasa.gov/astr
onauts/content/broch00.htmmsac NASA. 2007.
Astronaut Selection and Training.
http//spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/fac
tsheets/asseltrn.html Space Camp. 2007.
http//www.spacecamp.com/ U. S. Office of
Personnel Management. 2005. http//www.opm.gov/oca
/05tables/index.asp