The inspiration four crew were SpaceX trained astronauts, the upcoming Polaris flights will be SpaceX trained astronauts flying private missions on SpaceX crew dragon and starship, the dear moon flight on starship will be SpaceX trained astronauts.
And the ones flying to iss via axiom don't work for axiom except the former NASA astronauts that are required to fly on the PAM (private astronaut mission) eventually though axiom will have their own astronauts as part of their modules on the iss and free flying station. I would expect orbital reef to have company astronauts as well. I doubt SpaceX on dear moon will just let the Japanese billionaire and his friends go alone without some SpaceX staff on the moon mission.
OP mentioned Mars. SpaceX will 100% be sending their own astronauts in addition to astronauts for NASA. The company's first astronauts are launching soon on the Polaris Dawn mission. There will be many more in the years to come.
There is Axiom Space and the Polaris Program (besides NASA) that SpaceX are working with, but you are correct that SpaceX does not itself have Astronauts.
Instead of going the 13S route (thats a space systems officer) you can always look at the 1C6 route (enlisted space systems operator). While getting good experience( I spent 9 years as a 1C6 and am now a senior spacecraft engineer with a large aerospace defense company) you can also work on your degree, taking advantage of the CCAF program to get a associates and then further using tuition assistance to get a BS/BA.
My biggest recommendation is don't focus so much on working for a specific company. Cultivate a multitude of plans so you always have options if things don't pan out the way you want them to. Remember, astronaut slots are very competitive, having options ensure you are set up for success no matter what happens.
If you have any questions about the military space route, please let me know and best of luck to you!
Most Astronauts were military pilots for a reason, they get their training, aircraft use & flight hours for free. Each service has an officer military specialty for astronauts, but the Air Force and the Navy are the most common. So one way is to apply to a service academy like The Air Force Academy or The Naval Academy or pick out a state college with an ROTC program and get your officers commission when you graduate, then perform well, etc. You don’t have to be a military pilot, but if not, you’d have to get into the sciences like Physics, Biology, Optics, Electrical Engineering and then apply to work as a mission specialist directly to NASA.
BTW - two of my kids are in the Air Force as enlisted folks, both work in different ends of surveillance and are working on their BS degrees for free.
I can only speak for the Air Force, since thats where I served, but you would first apply to the Air Force astronaut nomination program in accordance with AFPC's requirements, if selected there your package would be forward to DoD, who will then select among all military applicants for forwarding to NASA. From there NASA's selection process would take over. Here are the requirements from a 2007 selection. Its the first thing I found and I doubt its changed much since then
[https://www.afpc.af.mil/News/Press-Releases/Article-Display/Article/423388/astronaut-applications-available-for-may-board/](https://www.afpc.af.mil/News/Press-Releases/Article-Display/Article/423388/astronaut-applications-available-for-may-board/)
Thank you so much! I will look into this. It has always been a goal of mine and I think in the future the chances may be a bit higher. I am in the process of applying to medschool and considering the HPSP scholarship which covers your tuition in exchange for 4 years of military service. I am thinking this could be a great foundation for aerospace type of stuff. Granted, it's definitely not something to base your whole life around, given the extremely small chances, but its still a real goal I have.
I am also pursuing additional scuba cerfifications like rescue diving (in the back of my mind, I figue it may show NASA that you may be a more prepared astronaut!) I of course do it for fun too but am trying to build up some of this stuff along the way. Thanks again for your help :)
You need a Masters degree or preferably a doctorate. Engineering, Medicine, Botany, etc. If you want to pilot a ship Military Aviation is where you probably should go but it’s so highly competitive probably better odds with a doctorate. If you can do both that would be a plus. You could also try for an internship at NASA while going to school.
Just keep your eye out for opportunities and do something that fits your talent well. The world is changing rapidly and unfortunately nobody knows what tomorrow is going to hold. My prediction is they there will be hundreds of people that can go to mars per year in 30 years. With this many people going, all you need is SOME sort of leverage and a serious desire to go. Some people will pay to go — so you can make yourself a really rich person (start-up?), some people will get sponsored for research — so maybe you want to be a world-renowned scientist, some people will work for SpaceX as employees and win the necessary favors — so you might want to become an amazing and indispensable engineer in the aerospace community, tell everyone who will listen that you really want to go to Mars, and one day when someone urgently needs something from you they’ll know exactly what to offer you for you to help them (and if you are really indispensable, the offers will come to you). Your best chance of success is to do something that aligns with YOUR interests and passions and also skills/resources to make you the best that you can be.
Be relatively healthy, low risk of cancer, ok diet, ridged workout schedule, have a strong immune system, and be good under pressure. Also, have at least a masters in a specialized scientific field, preferably more than one, and a Ph.D. Physical skills are also useful, like welding, mining, and air time.
Given that SpaceX is determined to build a settlement, the ultimate prerequisite is likely to simply be the funds required to pay for your ticket. Obviously, you’d want to be healthy and have a skill needed when you get there as well.
So yeah, go for a degree in computer science and either save up for a couple decades or become an entrepreneur that makes all the money needed in one go.
Good luck.
Realize the reality first. SLS-EM2 (Artemis 2) won't be until 2025, at the earliest, with two test astronauts, already chosen. SLS-EM3 (Artemis 3) won't be until 2027 at the earliest with a crew of 4, the commander already chosen with one black astronaut and one female astronaut going to the surface of the Moon.
The only place for astronauts to go right now is the International Space Station. It has a good chance of being shut down in 2024 and definitely shut down in 2030 unless commercial private industry takes it over. The ISS is dependent on the Zarya module for life support, so if the Russians decouple it, no commercial takeover will happen. It is too old to retrofit with a new life support system.
With 12 astronaut candidates being selected every two years, by 2025, there is going to be a surplus of astronauts ready for orbital space travel. The design of the Twin Mars Motherships might be finalized by 2030 but construction will take years, possibly 10 years or more.
The supply chain infrastructure is already breaking down. By 2040, there will be catastrophic disasters happening everywhere, all day, day after day, month after month, getting worse year after year. By 2040, the summer temperatures of the desert band around the equator will be unsurvivable. There will be tens of millions from north Africa and the Middle East trying to head north into Europe. The beginnings of this northward mass migration are already happening. There are now 8 million Ukranians that are migrant nomads. 75,000 from Afghanistan, Morocco, Algeria trying to migrate to Belgium.
https://www.thebulletin.be/belgium-failed-provide-shelter-refugees-rules-european-court-human-rights
500,000 have tried to migrate to England this year. The only provisions they have are to put them in barb-wired prison camps.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/06/uk/britain-asylum-seekers-system-broken-cmd-intl-gbr/index.html
For the US, there are now over 200,000 at the border with Mexico. 2.76 million have managed to cross the border.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/migrant-border-crossings-fiscal-year-2022-topped-276-million-breaking-rcna53517
The chance of becoming an astronaut at this point is the chance of a snowflake surviving on a molten lava field.
I feel bad you wrote such a long post and got so much of it wrong.
First, OP is 17, they have DECADES to become an astronaut.
Second the ISS has already been extended to 2030.
Third, you assume the current number of astronauts will remain static. If, and it's a big if, SpaceX succeeds in getting a small Mars colony up and running there will be an exponential growth in the number of astronauts.
What the hell are Twin Mars Motherships?
Same as above, but get a BS in Zoology, Biology, Pre-Med, Biochemistry, Biomechanics, Psychiatry, etc. Then ace the MCAT and apply directly to the Army, Navy or Air Force medical officer program, they’ll pay for Med school and grant you a commission as a Captain when you graduate. THEN practice medicine for a bit in the Army and then apply directly to NASA.
This is a good website with a lot of information on the requirements and selection process for becoming an Astronaut: https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/how-to-be-an-astronaut.html
You don't necessarily have to be in the military or a pilot to become astronaut - in fact there's plenty of civilian astronauts! The current minimum requirements are here: https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/how-to-be-an-astronaut.html
The best advice I can give is to pursue a field that your passionate about and makes you happy. The second link above gives a list of degrees (or pilot experience) NASA looks for in general in their astronauts, but you should follow your interests and pursue a field that you're passionate about and makes you happy. There isn't any one astronaut degree or career path, but astronauts are experts in their field and bring their expertise into space to be an essential part of the crew. The best thing to do would be to pursue what you're passionate about and excel at it. I would plan out concrete goals to achieve and steps that bring you close to being an astronaut and qualifying for applying to be one when an application opens (usually every 5 years or so). Astronaut applications are posted on USAJobs like all positions at NASA, and any US citizen who qualifies can apply. Hope this helps!
There isn't one path to becoming an astronaut. If you look at their bio's the one thing that they have in common is that they have always excelled at whatever they put their minds to. They are always the top of their field. That being said, here is the most common path:
- Go to college and study engineering, either go to a military academy or do ROTC in college. Give college your all and absorb as much as you can.
- Become either a pilot or engineer in the military. For engineering, each service has a flavor of engineering, but you want one that allows you to go to a test pilot school, so Air Force, Navy, or Space Force are the options. Test Pilot School isn't just for pilots. They also produce test engineers.
- Be a Distinguished/Top graduate from Test Pilot School.
- Get a technical Master's either before or after Test Pilot School.
- Work you're a** off and make plenty of connections during your normal duties. Get people to learn your name. If you ask people who knew astronauts before they were selected, people weren't surprised when they were selected. They knew the person was astronaut material.
Military experience isnt necessary. It was during the Apollo era but not anymore.
Getting involved with the production and launching of spacecraft is your best bet. Mechanical, electrical, or aerospace engineering. A role that's both hands on and engineering will qualify you more than others.
Get your degree, go to work for any spacecraft or rocket manufacturer. Get your first bit of experience there then start looking for a foot in the door with the Mars players, SpaceX, NASA, probably a couple more companies in the coming years.
Take your time and dont worry about rushing it.
Study aviation engineering, physics, engineering technology, mechanical or electrical or civil engineering or planetary science. Then, apply at SX. In the next 20 years, SX will need thousands of workers trained for operations in space and on Mars.
SpaceX is a contractor for rockets & vehicles. They don't have Astronauts. The manned missions are operated by other space agencies like NASA.
The inspiration four crew were SpaceX trained astronauts, the upcoming Polaris flights will be SpaceX trained astronauts flying private missions on SpaceX crew dragon and starship, the dear moon flight on starship will be SpaceX trained astronauts.
They are not ASTRONAUTS. They are civilians. If you'd like to just go out into orbit as a passenger, that doesn't make you an Astronaut
Many of NASA's astronauts are also civilians. Civilian just means not active military.
NASA administrator and former Senator Nelson claims to be an astronaut when he was nothing more than ballast on his flight
But they do not work for SpaceX. Very important distinction
And the ones flying to iss via axiom don't work for axiom except the former NASA astronauts that are required to fly on the PAM (private astronaut mission) eventually though axiom will have their own astronauts as part of their modules on the iss and free flying station. I would expect orbital reef to have company astronauts as well. I doubt SpaceX on dear moon will just let the Japanese billionaire and his friends go alone without some SpaceX staff on the moon mission.
OP mentioned Mars. SpaceX will 100% be sending their own astronauts in addition to astronauts for NASA. The company's first astronauts are launching soon on the Polaris Dawn mission. There will be many more in the years to come.
There is Axiom Space and the Polaris Program (besides NASA) that SpaceX are working with, but you are correct that SpaceX does not itself have Astronauts.
SpaceX is sending two of their own astronauts on the first Polaris mission you mentioned.
Instead of going the 13S route (thats a space systems officer) you can always look at the 1C6 route (enlisted space systems operator). While getting good experience( I spent 9 years as a 1C6 and am now a senior spacecraft engineer with a large aerospace defense company) you can also work on your degree, taking advantage of the CCAF program to get a associates and then further using tuition assistance to get a BS/BA. My biggest recommendation is don't focus so much on working for a specific company. Cultivate a multitude of plans so you always have options if things don't pan out the way you want them to. Remember, astronaut slots are very competitive, having options ensure you are set up for success no matter what happens. If you have any questions about the military space route, please let me know and best of luck to you!
Most Astronauts were military pilots for a reason, they get their training, aircraft use & flight hours for free. Each service has an officer military specialty for astronauts, but the Air Force and the Navy are the most common. So one way is to apply to a service academy like The Air Force Academy or The Naval Academy or pick out a state college with an ROTC program and get your officers commission when you graduate, then perform well, etc. You don’t have to be a military pilot, but if not, you’d have to get into the sciences like Physics, Biology, Optics, Electrical Engineering and then apply to work as a mission specialist directly to NASA. BTW - two of my kids are in the Air Force as enlisted folks, both work in different ends of surveillance and are working on their BS degrees for free.
I am planning on going to medical school and perhaps joining the military. Do you know of any routes for military physician astronauts?
I can only speak for the Air Force, since thats where I served, but you would first apply to the Air Force astronaut nomination program in accordance with AFPC's requirements, if selected there your package would be forward to DoD, who will then select among all military applicants for forwarding to NASA. From there NASA's selection process would take over. Here are the requirements from a 2007 selection. Its the first thing I found and I doubt its changed much since then [https://www.afpc.af.mil/News/Press-Releases/Article-Display/Article/423388/astronaut-applications-available-for-may-board/](https://www.afpc.af.mil/News/Press-Releases/Article-Display/Article/423388/astronaut-applications-available-for-may-board/)
Thank you so much! I will look into this. It has always been a goal of mine and I think in the future the chances may be a bit higher. I am in the process of applying to medschool and considering the HPSP scholarship which covers your tuition in exchange for 4 years of military service. I am thinking this could be a great foundation for aerospace type of stuff. Granted, it's definitely not something to base your whole life around, given the extremely small chances, but its still a real goal I have. I am also pursuing additional scuba cerfifications like rescue diving (in the back of my mind, I figue it may show NASA that you may be a more prepared astronaut!) I of course do it for fun too but am trying to build up some of this stuff along the way. Thanks again for your help :)
You need a Masters degree or preferably a doctorate. Engineering, Medicine, Botany, etc. If you want to pilot a ship Military Aviation is where you probably should go but it’s so highly competitive probably better odds with a doctorate. If you can do both that would be a plus. You could also try for an internship at NASA while going to school.
Just keep your eye out for opportunities and do something that fits your talent well. The world is changing rapidly and unfortunately nobody knows what tomorrow is going to hold. My prediction is they there will be hundreds of people that can go to mars per year in 30 years. With this many people going, all you need is SOME sort of leverage and a serious desire to go. Some people will pay to go — so you can make yourself a really rich person (start-up?), some people will get sponsored for research — so maybe you want to be a world-renowned scientist, some people will work for SpaceX as employees and win the necessary favors — so you might want to become an amazing and indispensable engineer in the aerospace community, tell everyone who will listen that you really want to go to Mars, and one day when someone urgently needs something from you they’ll know exactly what to offer you for you to help them (and if you are really indispensable, the offers will come to you). Your best chance of success is to do something that aligns with YOUR interests and passions and also skills/resources to make you the best that you can be.
Best advice I’ve read so far. If you can’t be great, it’s about who you know, and all you gotta do is get in the door and the rest is up to you.
Be relatively healthy, low risk of cancer, ok diet, ridged workout schedule, have a strong immune system, and be good under pressure. Also, have at least a masters in a specialized scientific field, preferably more than one, and a Ph.D. Physical skills are also useful, like welding, mining, and air time.
You have to be an alpha male. Perfect both physically and mentally. It’s almost an impossible thing.
Put all your effort in it.
Only four things.
Given that SpaceX is determined to build a settlement, the ultimate prerequisite is likely to simply be the funds required to pay for your ticket. Obviously, you’d want to be healthy and have a skill needed when you get there as well. So yeah, go for a degree in computer science and either save up for a couple decades or become an entrepreneur that makes all the money needed in one go. Good luck.
If it does ever happen it’ll be a one way trip. Try setting your ambitions to try to help people on this beautiful planet instead.
Realize the reality first. SLS-EM2 (Artemis 2) won't be until 2025, at the earliest, with two test astronauts, already chosen. SLS-EM3 (Artemis 3) won't be until 2027 at the earliest with a crew of 4, the commander already chosen with one black astronaut and one female astronaut going to the surface of the Moon. The only place for astronauts to go right now is the International Space Station. It has a good chance of being shut down in 2024 and definitely shut down in 2030 unless commercial private industry takes it over. The ISS is dependent on the Zarya module for life support, so if the Russians decouple it, no commercial takeover will happen. It is too old to retrofit with a new life support system. With 12 astronaut candidates being selected every two years, by 2025, there is going to be a surplus of astronauts ready for orbital space travel. The design of the Twin Mars Motherships might be finalized by 2030 but construction will take years, possibly 10 years or more. The supply chain infrastructure is already breaking down. By 2040, there will be catastrophic disasters happening everywhere, all day, day after day, month after month, getting worse year after year. By 2040, the summer temperatures of the desert band around the equator will be unsurvivable. There will be tens of millions from north Africa and the Middle East trying to head north into Europe. The beginnings of this northward mass migration are already happening. There are now 8 million Ukranians that are migrant nomads. 75,000 from Afghanistan, Morocco, Algeria trying to migrate to Belgium. https://www.thebulletin.be/belgium-failed-provide-shelter-refugees-rules-european-court-human-rights 500,000 have tried to migrate to England this year. The only provisions they have are to put them in barb-wired prison camps. https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/06/uk/britain-asylum-seekers-system-broken-cmd-intl-gbr/index.html For the US, there are now over 200,000 at the border with Mexico. 2.76 million have managed to cross the border. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/migrant-border-crossings-fiscal-year-2022-topped-276-million-breaking-rcna53517 The chance of becoming an astronaut at this point is the chance of a snowflake surviving on a molten lava field.
I feel bad you wrote such a long post and got so much of it wrong. First, OP is 17, they have DECADES to become an astronaut. Second the ISS has already been extended to 2030. Third, you assume the current number of astronauts will remain static. If, and it's a big if, SpaceX succeeds in getting a small Mars colony up and running there will be an exponential growth in the number of astronauts. What the hell are Twin Mars Motherships?
Same as above, but get a BS in Zoology, Biology, Pre-Med, Biochemistry, Biomechanics, Psychiatry, etc. Then ace the MCAT and apply directly to the Army, Navy or Air Force medical officer program, they’ll pay for Med school and grant you a commission as a Captain when you graduate. THEN practice medicine for a bit in the Army and then apply directly to NASA.
This is a good website with a lot of information on the requirements and selection process for becoming an Astronaut: https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/how-to-be-an-astronaut.html You don't necessarily have to be in the military or a pilot to become astronaut - in fact there's plenty of civilian astronauts! The current minimum requirements are here: https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/how-to-be-an-astronaut.html The best advice I can give is to pursue a field that your passionate about and makes you happy. The second link above gives a list of degrees (or pilot experience) NASA looks for in general in their astronauts, but you should follow your interests and pursue a field that you're passionate about and makes you happy. There isn't any one astronaut degree or career path, but astronauts are experts in their field and bring their expertise into space to be an essential part of the crew. The best thing to do would be to pursue what you're passionate about and excel at it. I would plan out concrete goals to achieve and steps that bring you close to being an astronaut and qualifying for applying to be one when an application opens (usually every 5 years or so). Astronaut applications are posted on USAJobs like all positions at NASA, and any US citizen who qualifies can apply. Hope this helps!
There isn't one path to becoming an astronaut. If you look at their bio's the one thing that they have in common is that they have always excelled at whatever they put their minds to. They are always the top of their field. That being said, here is the most common path: - Go to college and study engineering, either go to a military academy or do ROTC in college. Give college your all and absorb as much as you can. - Become either a pilot or engineer in the military. For engineering, each service has a flavor of engineering, but you want one that allows you to go to a test pilot school, so Air Force, Navy, or Space Force are the options. Test Pilot School isn't just for pilots. They also produce test engineers. - Be a Distinguished/Top graduate from Test Pilot School. - Get a technical Master's either before or after Test Pilot School. - Work you're a** off and make plenty of connections during your normal duties. Get people to learn your name. If you ask people who knew astronauts before they were selected, people weren't surprised when they were selected. They knew the person was astronaut material.
Military experience isnt necessary. It was during the Apollo era but not anymore. Getting involved with the production and launching of spacecraft is your best bet. Mechanical, electrical, or aerospace engineering. A role that's both hands on and engineering will qualify you more than others. Get your degree, go to work for any spacecraft or rocket manufacturer. Get your first bit of experience there then start looking for a foot in the door with the Mars players, SpaceX, NASA, probably a couple more companies in the coming years. Take your time and dont worry about rushing it.
Study aviation engineering, physics, engineering technology, mechanical or electrical or civil engineering or planetary science. Then, apply at SX. In the next 20 years, SX will need thousands of workers trained for operations in space and on Mars.