Questions tagged [astronaut-recruitment]

Questions regarding how astronauts are selected, and their required qualifications

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6 votes
2 answers
179 views

Are there any pictures of the Qualifications for Astronauts hearing for the House of Representatives?

On July 17th and 18th, 1962, a hearing was organized in front of Congress for the special subcommittee on the selection of astronauts. This hearing was organized to ascertain whether women could be ...
3 votes
4 answers
4k views

Are there any atheist or agnostic American astronauts, past or present?

Are there any atheist or agnostic American astronauts, past or present? If no was this policy? (If no how did that happen and is there a policy going forward?) Yes these are three questions but they ...
12 votes
1 answer
4k views

How many left handed astronauts have there been?

One kind of 'popular science' fun facts that is very popular is to show how many of the individuals belonging to a notable group of people that are left handed, often showing a large disproportionally ...
5 votes
1 answer
200 views

High elbow carrying angle and becoming an astronaut

Would having a high carrying angle (cubitus valgus) disqualify a person from becoming an astronaut?
5 votes
1 answer
4k views

Could Chuck Yeager ever have qualified as an astronaut?

Chuck Yeager was a legendary U.S. Air Force test pilot and the first person to break the sound barrier. He never earned a college degree, although he did finish one year at the Air War College. This ...
9 votes
1 answer
392 views

Does a persons weight affect their potential selection to be an astronaut?

Every extra bit of weight cost extra to send to orbit. Presumably it also impacts the possible payload. Assuming a generally healthy build, and otherwise physically able and fit person. In ...
4 votes
1 answer
214 views

Can you become an astronaut with Strabismus?

When I was 2 years old, I had eye surgery and got diagnosed with strabismus. Strabismus is an eye condition where both eyes don’t look at exactly the same spot. Would I still be able to become an ...
35 votes
4 answers
61k views

How tall do you have to be to be an astronaut?

Currently I am 13 years old and the thought of space amazes me. I am 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 m) tall. I researched how tall you had to be to be an astronaut. Sites agreed and disagreed, throwing out a ...
2 votes
1 answer
163 views

How long did the Mercury astronauts have to stay in the isolation tank?

Among the many things Mercury astronaut candidates had to go through, they had to go through a sensory deprivation experiment and spend some time in a sensory isolation tank. How long did they have to ...
5 votes
1 answer
594 views

Did the "don't ask don't tell" policy affect American astronauts?

Until very recently, no astronauts were known to be LGBT. Only after her death did we discover that Sally Ride was a lesbian. And Anne McClain became an astronaut after the repeal of DADT. Don't ask ...
5 votes
1 answer
708 views

Why must passengers in Blue Origin flights be able to climb seven flights of stairs at the launch tower in less than 90 seconds?

https://amp.theguardian.com/science/2021/jun/12/jeff-bezos-space-auction-28m-spare-seat-blue-origin states: Passengers, the company has said, must be between 5ft and 6ft 4in tall, weighing 110-223lb. ...
38 votes
3 answers
13k views

Can I be a NASA astronaut as a 5 feet 6 inches 16-year-old Bangladeshi girl with eyesight problems?

I'm a 16-year-old Bangladeshi girl. I want to be a NASA astronaut. Currently my height is 5 feet 6 inches and weight is 40 kg. I have eyesight problem. Does that matter for becoming an astronaut?
13 votes
4 answers
2k views

What was the reason for an odd number of astronauts in almost every group of the early US space program?

We are familiar with the first groups of NASA astronauts, like the Mercury Seven and the New Nine. Something about that struck me as (literary) odd; All the first twelve astronaut groups had an odd ...
2 votes
2 answers
441 views

What are the opportunities for moving into Space Science & Exploration for Software Engineer [closed]

I am a Computer Science Engineer with 3 years working as a Software Developer from India. Space Exploration and its knowledge ...
32 votes
8 answers
12k views

How can I, a high school student in Bucharest, go on to become an ISS astronaut?

I study at a High School in Bucharest, and I want to know what kind of education or subjects I need so that I can work in an International Space Station and stay there for 6 months. In the high ...
2 votes
2 answers
3k views

From commercial pilot to astronaut

With enough work and effort, is it possible for a commercial pilot to become a NASA astronaut? If a candidate astronaut who is a commercial pilot met all of the requirement apart from a type rating ...
1 vote
0 answers
189 views

Is it possible for a petroleum engineering graduate to become an astronaut? If not, why so? If I can, what should I learn or do then? [closed]

So the question pretty much says it all. I would really appreciate it if you guys can give some detailed explanations here for why I might or might not be able to become an astronaut. And also, feel ...
1 vote
1 answer
898 views

What psychiatric and psychological tests do people need to pass to become astronauts?

I am writing a short film about an astronaut during re-entry to earth. Part of the conflict I wrote is that the astronaut could not pass the mental tests required. Could anyone tell me any tests ...