NASA's space shuttle program is over. NASA does not have its own means of taking astronauts into space. Commercial spacecraft under development won't be ready for another four to five years. The Orion spacecraft is even more uncertain.
Yet, in the latest call for applicants to become astronauts, more than 6.300 people have applied, according to NASA. This is the second highest number of astronaut applications NASA has ever received.
Why does NASA need a new class of astronauts with the space shuttle program over?
NASA astronauts will still be needed for tours of duty on board the International Space Station. Furthermore, astronauts will be involved in the development and testing of the Orion Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle, designed to take explorers beyond low Earth orbit. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the first unmanned flight of the Orion will take place on a Delta IV heavy sometime in 2014. The Space Launch System will launch another unmanned Orion in 2017. According to NASA Space Flight, the first manned Orion flight, possibly a lunar orbital mission, is scheduled to take place in 2021, but may be ready to fly as early as 2019.
What are the requirements to be a NASA astronaut?
The requirements for being accepted as a NASA astronaut are stringent. For a pilot astronaut that means having a bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. An advanced degree is desirable. A pilot astronaut should have at least 1,000 hours of flight time with test pilot experience desirable. They should be able to pass a NASA space physical. A visual acuity of at least 20/100 correctable to 20/20 is required. Blood pressure should be, at most, 140/90 in the sitting position. A pilot astronaut should be between 62 and 75 inches.
A mission specialist needs to have a bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. They will need at least three years of related professional experience, though an advanced degree can be substituted for part or all of that experience. They should be able to pass a NASA space physical. A visual acuity of at least 20/100 correctable to 20/20 is required. Blood pressure should be, at most, 140/90 in the sitting position. A mission specialist should be between 58.5 and 75 inches.
What happens next for the astronaut applicants?
The applications will be reviewed to make certain that the applicants meet the minimal requirements for being a NASA astronaut. Then a panel consisting mainly of active astronauts will go over the applications to select applicants with higher than minimal qualifications. A number of applicants will then be invited to go to the Johnson Spaceflight Center for interviews and medical tests. In the spring of 2013, the final class of nine to 15 astronauts will be selected.
When did NASA receive the highest number of astronaut applicants.
More than 8,000 people applied in 1978, ironically in another period when NASA did not have a means of launching people into space, between the end of the Apollo program and the beginning of the space shuttle program.
Mark R. Whittington is the author of Children of Apollo and The Last Moonwalker. He has written on space subjects for a variety of periodicals, including The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, USA Today, the L.A. Times, and The Weekly Standard.
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