What to study if you want to be an astronaut?

The minimum qualifications necessary to become an astronaut are listed on NASA’s website. In order to become a NASA astronaut, someone needs to be a U.S. citizen and must earn a master’s degree in biological science, physical science, computer science, engineering or math.

Can an average student become an astronaut?

Aspirants must have bachelor’s level educational qualification in the STEM field. An aspiring astronaut should be a permanent citizen of India. To meet the basic qualifications of an astronaut requires years of education and experience even then many could not make it at the first attempt.

At what age can u go to space?

Age requirements The typical age range spans 26 to 46-years-old. Astronaut John Glenn, who made history as the first American to orbit earth, returned to space at age 77 as a payload specialist on the space shuttle Discovery.

What are the requirements to become an astronaut?

Pilot astronaut candidates also must have completed at least 1,000 hours of pilot-flying time. Astronaut candidate applicants, as well as applicants in all fields, have a much better chance for selection if they are involved in a wide range of interests and academic pursuits. Image to right: The STS-114 crew poses in their space suits.

Who was the first astronaut to become an educator?

Educator Features. 1969: Neil Armstrong was the first human to set foot on the surface of the Moon. He was also the first astronaut to become an educator. (Apollo 11) 1983: Sally Ride was America’s first female astronaut to fly on the Space Shuttle. (STS-7) 1983: NASA’s first African-American astronaut was Guion Bluford.

Why did NASA start looking for astronauts in 1964?

They also had to be shorter than 5 feet 11 inches—to fit in the Mercury spacecraft. In addition to flight and engineering expertise, space exploration requires scientific knowledge and the ability to apply it. So, in 1964, NASA began searching for scientists to be astronauts.

Why do we need more astronauts?

As NASA continues to expand human exploration in our solar system, we will need more than the currently active astronauts to crew spacecraft bound for multiple deep-space destinations. NASA’s astronauts currently work as scientists on the International Space Station—a laboratory that orbits Earth approximately 240 miles above the planet’s surface.