Here's How:

1.Begin your preparation as early as possible. Learn the basics especially math and science. Read everything you can get your hands on about astronauts, space, and whatever field you want to work in.

2.Learn how to work effectively in a team environment. Also, don't forget the world around you. NASA does not exist in a vacuum, and you shouldn't either. Astronauts are team players.

3.Since a college degree is a necessity, it is imperative you do well in high school first. Study hard, make good grades, especially on the SAT or ACT. Make a good decision on the course of study you wish to pursue, whether it be engineering, biological or physical science, or mathematics.

4.NASA's "minimum degree requirement" for an astronaut is a bachelor's from an accredited institution, so work hard in your chosen classes. Your grades should allow you to enroll in a good Master of Science program.

5.After college, you'll need 3 years of related increasingly responsible professional experience in your field. You should start preparing for this by choosing wisely when it comes to internships and coop positions in college.

6.Communication plays a very vital role, not only verbally, but written as well. In addition, the Space industry is now a global enterprise. It's a good idea to be bilingual as well.

7.Once you've got your degree and some work experience, it's time to apply for those astronauts positions. Fill out a Standard Form 171 (government employment application) and send it to Astronaut Selection Office, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058.

8.The astronaut application will be reviewed and ranked by various criteria, including: height, experience and expertise. NASA receives an average of 4,015 pllications to fill around 20 slots every 2 years.

9.Next, another screening process, and about 118 from the original 4,015 will be invited to Johnson Space Center for a week of interviews, medical exams and orientation. The ASB interviews each astronaut candidate and assigns them a rating based on: experience and potential, motivation, ability to function as a team member, communicative abilities, and adaptability. You can fail due to interpersonal skills.

10.If you are interested in a pilot/commander position, instead of mission specialist, you will also be required to log in at least 1,000 hours of flight time in command of a jet aircraft. During training all crew members train aboard a T-38 jet, in which the controls are identical to the Space Shuttle and therefore, can be used as a flight simulator either on the ground or in actual flight.

11.Many applicants do not meet medical standards while others withdraw after learning all that the job entails. After collecting significant information,the Astronaut Selection Board will choose its final candidates and pass that recommendation on the NASA Administrator who will make the final pick for employment.

12.Once selected, astronaut candidates begin a rigorous training program. Expect many long days, even after your training ends. Being an astronaut can be hard on family life.

TIPS:

Tips:

1.An interesting fact is that out of 195 former and present astronauts, 123 have taken part in Scouting. It seems that scouting is a great place to learn many of the skills required to be an astronaut.
Don't approach your college career concerned with how it will appear on a resume. Make sure you have a real interest in your course of study.

2.As soon as you arrive on campus, go to the co-operative and recruitment offices to explore the possibilities of an internship or work/study position to gain vital experience necessary to be marketable. If you wait till your senior year, or even after graduation, you've missed a golden opportunity.

3.Don't rest on your laurels. Most astronauts to date have continued with career and/or education to the post-graduate levels and were able to substitute education for all or part of their work experience requirement. Still, the application process is a long one, and you still need to eat in the meantime.

4.The Astronaut Selection Board (ASB) is looking for people who have done very well in a technical field. Make sure you have sterling recommendations, especially from undergraduate and graduate school professors that can attest to your problem solving abilities, communicability with others and your ability to work well in a team.

What You Need:

*Height 64 and 76 inches

*20/70 Corrected to 20/20

*Blood Pressure-140/90

*Bachelor's Degree

*3 Years Experience

Too much focus on the military route. Getting into test pilot school alone is incredibly difficult. Only a percentage of pilots make it into the school. From there only a percentage stay a test pilot for any significant time. While you can certainly go that route, the civilian route is certainly possible.

Here are my two cents.

Keep physically fit. Ensure that you maintain a high standard of fitness. The only caution is not to go to an extreme. You don’t need to be huge and you don’t have to be a mega marathoner.

Pick a field of study that is useful for the goals of the current space program. If Mars is the current goal then you want to align your studies with this. It can be geological, medical, technical, etc. If the goals are more towards research related items (Earth observations, astronomy, aeronautics, etc) then pick that.

Remember that an Astronaut is stable. Your psychological profile will have have a huge impact on whether or not you are selected. Astronauts have been very creative and intelligent, but the one factor that is common is emotional and intellectual stability. I’m reminded of a story about Neil Armstrong about his EEG during the moon landing. The anecdote is that his heartbeat never spiked during the moon landing. It takes a special individual who can experience a stressful situation and remain calm while making excellent decisions. That should be your model and goal.

Today, this message was distributed across NASA by the Charlie Bolden, the head of NASA.

Seeking the Best Astronaut Candidates

NASA is on a journey to Mars, and it’s hard to imagine a more exciting time to be part of our team. Scientific exploration and technology development has brought us closer to the Red Planet than we ever have been, and there are many ways for talented and enthusiastic people to join us on that journey. One of those opportunities begins today, as we open a new call for the next class of astronauts.

At NASA, we’re working every day to advance the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket that will make take humans farther into space than ever before. At the same time, our industry partners The Boeing Company and SpaceX are developing new commercial crew spacecraft to return crewed launches to the International Space Station from Florida’s Space Coast. These new astronauts will fly on American-made spacecraft and help us reach an asteroid in cis-lunar space and Mars in the 2030s. It’s the biggest thing human beings have ever done, and so we’re understandably excited about the many facets of this work.

The agency needs the most talented and qualified astronauts to fly on those missions, and for the next couple of months, we need the leaders of tomorrow to send us their credentials and let us know what they can bring to the table for the next giant leaps in exploration.

Last week, I was proud to announce that NASA has been named the Best Place to Work in government in the large agency category for the fourth year in a row, thanks to your hard work. We have a compelling mission, carried out every day by the best workforce in the federal government – and our astronauts are a very public face of that workforce.

If you want to apply, among the credentials you’ll need are a bachelor’s degree in engineering, biological, physical or computer science or mathematics and at least three years of related professional experience, or at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. To apply, you’ll need to go to USAJobs.gov and search for the keyword astronaut.

We want this next class to be our most diverse group of candidates yet. If you know someone who you think might like to join our team, please encourage them to apply. And whether you aspire to fly in space or prefer to keep your feet anchored here on Earth, thank you for your ongoing contributions to our mission and for keeping the United States the world’s leader in science, aeronautics and space exploration.

OK, this is not the easiest path. There is no easy path. It's unbelievably difficult. However, if you managed to actually DO the things I lay out here, your odds would be better then just about anyone else's:

1. Join the Armed Forces as an officer. Especially the Air Force or Navy. (The Marines can also work). You can do this via ROTC or though attending a service academy. Major in Engineering. Aeronautical, computer, mechanical are all fine.
2. Apply for and be accepted for flight school. Be the top graduate of your class.
3. After obtaining the required number of flight hours, apply for and be accepted to Military Test Pilot school. Again, graduate at the top of your class.
4. Successfully execute your responsibilities as a test pilot for 2-3 years. Ideally work on experimental, complex jet-turbine aircraft.
5. Along the way earn a Masters degree (or better a PhD) in another engineering field. If you have some spare time pick up a second master's degree in an unrelated Science like Microbiology or Astrophysics.
6. Apply for Astronaut Training, be accepted and pass the physical exam.
7. Enjoy your military salary as a member of the astronaut corps!

The right educational background is hugely important. All U.S. Astronauts (gov't) have a minimum of a Master's degree in physical sciences, engineering, or related disciplines. Developing and maintaining good physical conditioning is a requirement, although one does not have to be a top athlete in order to apply or to be selected. A dedication to excellence in everything you do is expected, together with professional experience that brings something to the table for space exploration, NASA and the Astronaut Office - so merely having a good academic record and a track record of hard work is not sufficient.

NASA has several web pages dedicated to this but "How Stuff Works" has a pretty good page with links to some of the NASA information, application forms, etc. Find it here: http://science.howstuffworks.com/question534.htm

NASA said in Press Release 16-018 that they received 18,300 applications to the latest call for astronaut training. Out of this number approximately ten will be selected, so on the order of one in a thousand qualified applicants. NASA astronaut selection is "as needed," meaning not every year. For comparison around 2-3000 college football players graduate each year and about 200 are drafted into the NFL, on the order of one in ten. So being selected as an astronaut trainee is order of a hundred times harder than becoming a pro football player, given that one is already a college football player.

The alternative to astronaut training is buying your way into space. Wikipedia/Astronaut lists seven people who have paid the Russians for a ride into space and back, making them "cosmonauts," as in space travelers or "astronauts" as we call them.

The easiest way to become an astronaut is probably to become wealthy enough to pay one's way, as a "space tourist." There are many companies working to deliver space tourism/'the astronaut experience' at prices that many could afford. That possibility should become reality in the next few years. The companies have had some setbacks but the engineering is all achievable. It's a matter of making the systems safe and reliable.

So what are your chances of becoming wealthy? Just for grins let's say that you need a college degree to become wealthy and there are about three million new US college grads every year, according to Ask.com - What's Your Question? Say 1% of those three million become wealthy, or about 30,000, so mental math says it is a lot easier to became wealthy enough to be a space tourist than to become a NASA Astronaut.

As far as becoming a NASA Astronaut, the qualifications are on the NASA website Astronauts

But that is not the "easiest way."

You didn’t say what country you live in. NASA’s first requirement is that you must be a U.S. citizen. If you were born in the U.S., then you’ve met that requirement.

In addition, you must meet these minimum requirements:

1. Have a master’s degree in engineering, biological or physical science, or mathematics.
2. Have at least two years of experience in your field, or be a pilot with 1,000 hours of jet flight experience.
3. Be in good physical condition and able to pass the astronaut physical.

Assuming you’re currently in school, take all the science, engineering, and math classes you can, and do your best to excel in them.

As you’re planning for college, plan to get at least a masters degree in some field of science, math, or technology. Look at the current NASA astronauts for examples of what they studied. You can read their biographies here:

Flight experience helps. A large number of astronauts started as military pilots. Consider taking that route if you have an interest in flying. When I was growing up, my high school offered flight ground school as an elective class — if that class is available to you, that might be a good way to find out if you have an interest in becoming a pilot.

Keep yourself as physically fit as you possibly can.

Good luck. It’s a tough path and requires years of work. If you stay on the path, you’ll have an amazing life, whatever happens.

If you are from India, you can take inspiration from Kalpana Chawla, the US NASA Astronaut, and the first Indian woman to fly in space.

A role model for countless Indian women, and boys who dream of becoming a NASA Astronaut. Kalpana was an ordinary girl from Karnal, Haryana, whose lofty dreams and indomitable courage took her to space.

As a child, Kalpana liked to draw pictures of airplanes. After getting a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. She moved to the United States in 1982 where she obtained a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1984. Chawla went on to earn a second Masters in 1986 and a PhD in aerospace engineering in 1988 from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Chawla held a Certificated Flight Instructor rating for airplanes, gliders and Commercial Pilot licenses for single and multi-engine airplanes, seaplanes and gliders. After becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in April 1991, Chawla applied, and was selected for the NASA Astronaut Corps in March 1995.

Chawla died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster which occurred on February 1, 2003; she was killed, along with the other six crew members, when the Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107.

Chawla's remains were identified along with the rest of the crew members and were cremated and scattered at National Park in Utah in accordance with her wishes.

In 1964, NASA took scientists to become astronauts. Back then, one qualification for scientist-astronauts was a doctorate in Aeronautical Engineering, Medicine, Engineering, or a natural science such as physics, chemistry or biology.

Astronaut requirements have changed with NASA's goals and missions. A pilot's license and Aeronautical/Aerospace engineering experience is still one route a person could take to becoming an astronaut, but it’s no longer the only one. Today, to be considered for an astronaut position, you must meet the following qualifications:

1. A bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics.
2. At least three years of related professional experience obtained after degree completion OR at least 1,000 hours pilot-in-command time on jet aircraft.
3. The ability to pass the NASA long-duration astronaut physical. Distant and near visual acuity must be correctable to 20/20 for each eye. The use of glasses is acceptable.
4. Having good communication skills, leadership qualities and working in a team.

There is nothing you can specifically do to become an astronaut.

To be an astronaut, you must live your life to the fullest, learn every possible thing you can, and do things that interest you. Maybe join the military and be a pilot (although not everyone does), maybe learn to scuba dive, maybe become a pilot in your spare time, maybe be a school teacher, maybe have a PHD in a STEM field (or maybe just a bachelor's), maybe become a physician….get the idea?

The one thing that all astronauts have in common is that they excel in what they do. Other than that, live your life to the fullest, do as much as you possibly can to be special, and apply one day. Maybe you'll get lucky, maybe not.

If you aren't as fortunate as Quora User in the underwear department, you'll need at least the following:

1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. An advanced degree is desirable. Quality of academic preparation is important.
2. At least 1,000 hours pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Flight test experience is highly desirable.
3. Ability to pass a NASA space physical which is similar to a military or civilian flight physical and includes the following specific standards:

• Distant visual acuity: 20/100 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 each eye.
• Blood pressure: 140/90 measured in a sitting position.
• Height between 62 and 75 inches.

Source: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/features/F_Astronaut_Requirements.html

First off, don’t buy a T-Shirt from a site that spell “Astronaut”, ‘Astaronaut”.

Next, you are going to have to wait a while (which isn’t all that good if you are still in school/college. The applications for the next class (23) probably won’t be announced until around 2019. Besides the physical exam. Education and experience are large factors.

NASA wants, for the non-piloting background:

A Bachlor’s degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics.

The “degree must be followed by at least 3 years of related, progressively responsible, professional experience or at least 1,000 pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for experience as follows: master’s degree = 1 year of experience, doctoral degree = 3 years of experience. Teaching experience, including experience at the K - 12 levels, is considered to be qualifying experience for the Astronaut Candidate position; provided degree is in a Science, Engineering, or Mathematics field.”

This site gives a fairly good view of what you need Astronaut Selection and what degrees do NOT qualify.

Just remember, out of over 18,300 application for Group 22, only 12 were selected.

ESA, JAXA and the CSA all have their own selection criteria.

First of all now you should focus on your subject. It will be helpful for astronaut position and also for your further life if you won’t be able to astronaut. To become astronaut they have some basic requirements..like

1. You should have some certain hrs of flying hr exp that you can check. You should be a good decision maker person in complicated situation.

2. If you will see background of the most astronaut then their background is defence. They have served some year of their life respected country airforce. Even if you see the candidate selected for GAGANYAAN mission they are from Indian Airforce.

3. So, you have to apply for Indian Air force in flying Branch through CDS.

then after certain hr exp you are eligible to apply for an astronaut position.

hope this will help you.

I have already given answer of this question in detail please look at this.

If you are interested in space new then follow my page:

I am assuming that you are talking about NASA and not some other space agency. Other countries do things differently.

For NASA, believe it or not, you apply for it just like any other job at NASA. They occasionally post announcements that they are looking for new astronaut candidates.

First and foremost thing astronauts are the most highly qualified and trained professionals who know there work and what are they meant for.

So the path way to being an astronaut in NASA should start a long back after your 10th. You should have Mathematics and Physics subjects in your 11th and 12th. You have to clear all the basic concepts about physics this help in your long run. Then you go for bachelor's degree in engineering or engineering science. While pursuing degree you go through all the concepts of engineering. Gather all the knowledge how much you can, not only from Engineering but from every thing which comes to your life. Always keep a learning attitude. Because an astronaut should be able to handle each and every situation. After having bachelor's degree you have to pursue yours Master's degree in aerospace engineering or engineering science. This degree will really test your knowledge and skills which you gathered all the way back. After this you have to go for doctorate degree which you can have in your country or in US. You could have doctorate degree in astrophysics or Physics or Meta physics or any subject related to engineering science. While pursuing this you can apply for the astronaut post from NASA'S career website. Remember for applying any post you should be an US citizen. If got selected for astronaut post then good luck you have headed towards your career.

You should clear all training and test which are conducted by NASA with great efforts and effectively. Unless and until you clear all the tests and training you are not able to get to space easily. This may take 2–10yrs of training. After that if NASA finds you eligible then you can get to go space and ISS.

Good luck for career.

I would suggest doing extra curricular activities that have to do with engineering or robotics (piloting is also good). I would also suggest getting a degree for engineering (or something similar ) (preferably a masters or higher ) also you will need 4-5 years (the more the better) of experience other than the degree. Use some of the large sums of money most engineers get to train to be a pilot or a scuba diver (both is good also but that would be super expensive).

Here are some of my answers to similar questions:

I'm arabic, and I want become an astronaut, what should I do to become an astronaut?

I am a high school student and I want to work at NASA. What should I do?

Several of my professors were astronauts and my roommate freshman year in college (MIT) became an astronaut. He was a junior physics major.

First, it is Thirty times more difficult to be selected an US astronaut than to be admitted as a freshman to Harvard.....

There are two paths to becoming an astronaut:

1. Become an US military pilot, and the best and safest pilot you can be. Then become a test pilot and eventually a squadron commander. Always have glowing recommendations from your superior officers.
2. Get a PhD in a subject that will be necessary in which to perform research in space, or to assist in building a new space station, or a space colony. My roommate got his PhD in EE and Lasers.

e.g. there has to be a Reason for NASA to send you into space.

Of course you will be a perfect physical specimen (my roommate got his Black Belt in Karate.)

One of my professors increased his chance to become an astronaut by volunteering to conduct research in Antarctica for One Year. Nothing like a Winter isolated in Antarctica to prove you have the "Right Stuff".....

Also, an astronaut is an explorer, and as an explorer you should be prepared to die. My college roommate perished on Challenger.......

All the best.

To become a great astronaut, you First have to become an astronaut.

It is thirty times Easier to be admitted as a freshman to Harvard than it is to become a NASA astronaut……

Here is my “stock reply” having known several astronauts (including a college room mate and also one of my undergraduate visiting professors who was an Apollo astronaut):

There are two paths to becoming an astronaut:

1. Become an US military pilot, and the best and safest pilot you can be. Then become a test pilot and eventually a squadron commander. Always have glowing recommendations from your superior officers.
2. Get a PhD in a subject that will be necessary in which to perform research in space, or to assist in building a new space station, or a space colony. My roommate got his PhD in EE and Lasers.

e.g. there has to be a Reason for NASA to send you into space.

Of course you will be a perfect physical specimen (my roommate got his Black Belt in Karate.)

One of my professors increased his chance to become an astronaut by volunteering to conduct research in Antarctica for One Year. Nothing like a Winter isolated in Antarctica to prove you have the "Right Stuff".....

Also, an astronaut is an explorer, and as an explorer you should be prepared to die. My college roommate perished on Challenger.......

All the best.

(If in the United States)

Astronaut requirements have changed with NASA's goals and missions. A pilot's license and engineering experience is still one route a person could take to becoming an astronaut, but it’s no longer the only one. Today, to be considered for an astronaut position, U.S. citizens must meet the following qualifications:

1. A bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics.
2. At least three years of related professional experience obtained after degree completion OR at least 1,000 hours pilot-in-command time on jet aircraft.
3. The ability to pass the NASA long-duration astronaut physical. Distant and near visual acuity must be correctable to 20/20 for each eye. The use of glasses is acceptable.

Astronaut candidates must also have skills in leadership, teamwork and communications.

(If in Russia or Eastern Europe)

Roscosmos plans to recruit six to eight candidates to supplement the current cosmonaut corps.

Applicants will have to go through several selection stages, including complying with educational and professional fitness requirements to ensure they can complete the training programs for cosmonauts.

General requirements:

• Applicants must be a citizen of the Russian Federation.
• Applicants should be 35 years or younger.
• Applicants must have a degree in engineering, scientific or flight specialties and have work experience. Priority for selection will be given to those who have experience in the aviation and rocket and space industry of the Russian Federation.
• Applicants must comply with the following requirements necessary for the subsequent preparation for a spaceflight, in particular:Have the ability to study space technology (demonstrate the ability to understand the basics and principles of building technical systems, understanding their physical nature, the ability to memorize technical information, terminology and technical characteristics);
  Have knowledge of working with computer equipment;
  To know a foreign language (English) within the requirements of programs of non-linguistic high schools of the Russian Federation

(If in European Union)

The selection procedure includes:

• two stages of psychological and professional aptitude evaluation, including behavioural and cognitive skills tests
• medical evaluation: including clinical examination by aero-medical physicians and clinical specialists, laboratory screening tests, and special procedures
• a formal interview: as potential ESA staff members, the astronaut candidates will go before an ESA selection board for further professional assessment

The ideal candidates should be competent in relevant scientific disciplines, such as life sciences, physics, chemistry and medicine and/or be an engineer or experimental test pilot, and should have demonstrated outstanding abilities in research, applications or the educational field, preferably including operational skills. A good memory and reasoning ability, concentration, aptitude for spatial orientation and manual dexterity are also prerequisites. Applicants should be fluent in English (Russian being an asset) and should have high motivation, flexibility, team competence, empathy with others and emotional stability.

I’m no astronaut so I would not know. How to qualify to be an astronaut, however, I am fully aware of.

What kind of qualifications depends on your specialization or, your job during a specific mission. Here are some qualifications necessary for some kinds of astronauts.

Commander and Pilot Astronaut Duties

No, not that commander…

Pilot astronauts serve as both Space Shuttle and International Space Station commanders and pilots. During flight, the commander has onboard responsibility for the vehicle, crew, mission success and safety of flight. The pilot assists the commander in controlling and operating the vehicle. In addition, the pilot may assist in the deployment and retrieval of satellites utilizing the remote manipulator system, in extravehicular activities, and in other payload operations.

Basic requirements for an Astronaut Pilot include the following:

1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. An advanced degree is desirable. Quality of academic preparation is important.

2. At least 1,000 hours pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Flight test experience is highly desirable.

3. Ability to pass a NASA space physical which is similar to a military or civilian flight physical and includes the following specific standards:

• Distant visual acuity: 20/100 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 each eye.
• Blood pressure: 140/90 measured in a sitting position.
• Height between 62 and 75 inches.

Mission Specialist

Mission specialist astronauts, working with the commander and pilot, have overall responsibility for the coordination of Shuttle operations in the areas of crew activity planning, consumables usage, and experiment and payload operations. Mission specialists are required to have a detailed knowledge of Shuttle systems, as well as detailed knowledge of the operational characteristics, mission requirements and objectives, and supporting systems and equipment for each payload element on their assigned missions. Mission specialists will perform extravehicular activities, payload handling using the remote manipulator system, and perform or assist in specific experiment operations.

Basic requirements for a Mission Specialist include the following:

1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. Degree must be followed by at least three years of related, progressively responsible, professional experience. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for part or all of the experience requirement (master's degree = 1 year of experience, doctoral degree = 3 years of experience). Quality of academic preparation is important.

2. Ability to pass a NASA space physical, which is similar to a military or civilian flight physical and includes the following specific standards:

• Distance visual acuity: 20/200 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20, each eye.
• Blood pressure: 140/90 measured in a sitting position.

3. Height between 58.5 and 76 inches.

Payload Specialists

Jebediah Kerman thinks that being a Payload Specialist is a fun job. It isn’t.

Payload specialists are persons other than NASA astronauts (including foreign nationals) who have specialized onboard duties; they may be added to shuttle crews if activities that have unique requirements are involved and more than the minimum crew size of five is needed.

First consideration for additional crew members is given to qualified NASA mission specialists. When payload specialists are required they are nominated by NASA, the foreign sponsor, or the designated payload sponsor. In the case of NASA or NASA-related payloads, the nominations are based on the recommendations of the appropriate Investigator Working Group (IWG).

Although payload specialists are not part of the Astronaut Candidate Program, they must have the appropriate education and training related to the payload or experiment. All applicants must meet certain physical requirements and must pass NASA space physical examinations with varying standards depending on classification.

Answer taken directly from here: Astronaut Requirements

I was too lazy to write everything myself.

I hope this answers your question!

Yes, if they have the educational requirements. Thomas Pesquet was an Air France A320 pilot when he was selected to be an astronaut.

Go to the NASA website. I'm pretty sure there is a page there explaining the requirements of becoming an astronaut candidate, (or an “AssCan,” as they call each other) Then, study, study, study. You need a hard science degree to go to space. It helps to be a pilot too, so crack the books and learn to fly. Take flying lessons, if you can. Pour knowledge into your head.

It's a lot of hard work, and not everyone makes it. You need to be dedicated and committed to being an astronaut, and you need to be psychologically stable, with good health and 20/20 eyesight with or without glasses. So learn to control your emotions, workout, and get your eyes corrected to 20/20

Good luck!

OP: “I want to be an astronaut. What should I do?”

This is a tough job to get, just look up the number of applicants versus the number of opertunities.

The one's who get selected have good resume's several degrees with specializing and good connections.

My Dad had a co-worker who had the opertunity to join NASA in the 70's and did not and his friend did. They were pilots in the NAVY. He thought NASA would not be around very long and made fun of his friend for taking the job.

In the late 80's he was out for the evening and his wife got a call from his friend who went to NASA. When he got home his wife said that she got the call and talked for nearly two hours to the old friend and that he made sure to ask her to tell him exactly when the call came.

The call was made from the space shuttle discovery while in orbit.

Thanks for the A2A,

All the best,

Jami

[Image: A seldom-reproduced photo of the Original Seven (well, six of them, as Glenn isn’t in this shot for some reason)—the first class of astronauts selected for the Project Mercury. Anyone even remotely interested in space should be able to attach names to faces. If you don’t know the names of all seven, shame on you. They are (from left to right): Gordon Cooper, Wally Schirra, Gus Grissom, Deke Slayton, Scott Carpenter, and Alan Shepard (plus John Glenn, not pictured). Cooper, Grissom, and Slayton were Air Force, Carpenter and Shepard were Navy, and Glenn was the Clean Marine.]

“Sometimes, you’ve got to roll the hard six.” Captain Adama.

There’s no special program you have to follow. You just have to apply for what you want, get through the highly competitive selection process at each step, excel once you get there, and then reach for the next higher rung.

So, you go to college in AFROTC or the Air Force Academy and apply for flight training. Assuming you are accepted, you go through flight training and must excel. If you do, you can apply for assignment to flight test. If you are accepted you do that job exceptionally well and work your way “up the pyramid” by having more skills and doing a better job of providing good test data. Then you apply to do a rotation as a combat/fighter pilot. Excel at that for a few years and then get back into flight test at the top level. If there is a war on during that time, make sure you get some combat hours logged. Those always look good on your record. Then, when you are one of the handful (and, I do mean handful—twenty at most) best test pilots in the whole system you apply to become an astronaut.

And, along the way, you have NEVER had any kind of disciplinary infraction. You have ALWAYS received glowing FITREPS. You have NEVER done anything of any kind that tends to reflect poorly on your character or judgment in any way.

You can do everything right and never get to the top. One time, I got to meet Deke Slayton (if you want to be an astronaut and don’t know who he was, shame on you—go Wiki him right now . . . I’ll wait) and he told me that if he had 100 astronaut vacancies to fill, he could fill them by lunch tomorrow with superbly qualified candidates who would all be excellent astronauts. In other words, the number of people who are qualified to do the job greatly exceeds the number of openings.

I wish you the best of luck. You’ll need every bit of it that you can get.