We’re sure astronaut reached your top five.
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NASA on Friday announced over 18,000 people applied for a chance to be part of the agency’s 2017 astronaut class.
According to Google Trends, the question of “How to become an astronaut?” peaked in October 2015, just two months before the astronaut application period opened. In addition to excitement about Mars, Ars Technica credits NASA’s use of social media and the portrayal of astronauts in The Martian for the record number of applications.
“A few exceptionally talented men and women will become the astronauts chosen in this group who will once again launch to space from USA soil on American-made spacecraft”, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said in a press release. Between now and then, NASA will have to reduce the list down to a handful of finalists, who will then be interviewed in person. NASA looks to fill in 14 or fewer posts for the 2017 class. The two-month timeframe was meant to give prospective astronauts enough time to prepare requirements and get ready for NASA’s evaluation.
“We have our work cut out for us with this many applications”, Brian Kelly of NASA said.
In this handout from NASA, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide, Expedition 32 flight engineer, participates in the mission’s third session of extravehicular activity, September 5, 2012 in Space.
There are a whole lot of people hoping they have the right stuff to go to space.
Qualified candidates need to be U.S. citizens and have at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, computer science or math, as well as three years of professional experience or at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft.
In the meantime, astronauts will have to settle for flying to the International Space Station, which NASA has committed to manning through 2024 and possibly 2028.
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Candidates will have to to pass the space physical, which restricts would-be astronauts to men and women no taller than 6-feet 4-inches. They can be nominated by NASA or foreign countries based on specific needs of the mission.
