I want to work with NASA Spacecraft like Voyager

[Bumpeh]

So, I did a little searching around on these forums before I posted this, and I do see lots of threads about working for NASA but not something about my specific situation.

I'm currently attending a college working on my AA. After that, I'm probably going to transfer to a University, where I'll work on a Bachelor's Degree. I'm mainly thinking of a Computer Science degree right now. I think it's a very good fit with me, and I know there are many lucrative careers in Computer Science. I'd really like to work with NASA Spacecraft, like Voyager and New Horizons, be a part of the teams that handle those Spacecraft systems, the engineers and programmers and everyone else behind those amazing unmanned missions that allow us to learn so much about our Solar System and the Universe as a whole. My first question is whether a Computer Science degree would allow me to work on these teams and with spacecraft like these? Perhaps work on programming the systems on board the spacecraft . Also, is there any other degree that would better fit this kind of position? And finally, what else should I do besides getting very good grades in college if I want to pursue this very niche career? Thanks everyone!

PS- I'm new to the community, so hi everyone!

 

[Simon Bridge]

My first question is whether a Computer Science degree would allow me to work on these teams and with spacecraft like these?

A computer science degree would help you get a position as a programmer for robot spacecraft . You will need to specialize - many colleges offer an engineering course which covers robotics and control systems.

And finally, what else should I do besides getting very good grades in college if I want to pursue this very niche career?

You should read a lot and get a hobby along the lines of programming controllers for whatever takes your fancy. Attend conferences, write papers... network. There are a lot of people entering this field so you need to stand out from the pack. afaict people who actually work on the spacecraft do not specialize in that - they do other things and get asked to work on some small part of what the spacecraft does.
Much of the exciting work gets done by the researchers themselves.