Would I work for NASA as an astronaut with a course in Aerospace Engineering?

[JRHawking]

Hey,
I'm interested in studying Aerospace Engineering when I leave high school. I have still 2 more years to go before I leave, but I'm really interested in space exploration, rockets, etc. The ultimate goal would be to work for NASA as an astronaut. At this moment, I'm taking Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, English and Music.

I have a couple of questions:
1. Would I be able to work for NASA as an astroanut with a course in Aerospace engineering?

2. As an aerospace engineer, where would I be able to work? (job options)

3. Is it easy to get a job as an aerospace engineer in today's job market?

Thanks

 

[fss]

I have a couple of questions:
1. Would I be able to work for NASA as an astroanut with a course in Aerospace engineering?

Look at the PDF linked here:

http://nasajobs.nasa.gov/astronauts/

2. As an aerospace engineer, where would I be able to work? (job options)

Any industry that demands your skill set. Obviously the aerospace industry, but I have AEs working on car design, submarine hull design, as well as simulation modeling for EA.

3. Is it easy to get a job as an aerospace engineer in today's job market?

There will always be a market for highly skilled engineers.

 

[D H]

1. Would I be able to work for NASA as an astroanut with a course in Aerospace engineering?

Look at the PDF linked here:
http://nasajobs.nasa.gov/astronauts/

Also be sure to check out the "How to become an astronaut 101" page.

From the FAQ page at the site to which fss provided a link,

What is the best degree field to choose?
Among the academic fields considered qualifying for Astronaut Candidate positions, we would not recommend one over another or specify which might be more appropriate in the future. You should choose a field of study that is of interest to you; this will ensure that, whatever course your career takes, you will be prepared to do something that is personally satisfying. You can obtain information on the backgrounds of the current and past astronauts at the following website:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/​

NASA is reluctant to recommend one field over another for several reasons. One reason is that the fields from which NASA currently selects its astronaut candidates may not be the fields they choose from in the decade or so when you apply. Another reason is you. Suppose NASA did recommend one field over another and you forced yourself to get a degree in such a field despite a lack of interest or skills in that field. You would find yourself not being selected as an astronaut (that lack of interest or skills would certainly show itself) and you would find yourself being trained in a field you don't like or can't do well. You need to find something that suits you.

That said, if you look at those astronaut bios you will see that NASA does tend to have a long-standing preference for aerospace engineers and medical doctors over other disciplines. There are however plenty of engineers and scientists from a variety of other amongst NASA's astronaut corp. Not one film major that I know of, however.

If you do want to be an astronaut, high school or even earlier is a good place to start. Even earlier because, for example, if you aren't well on your way right now to obtaining Eagle in the Boy Scouts or a Gold Award in the Girl Scouts, high school is too late to start. The percentage of astronauts who have obtained the highest rank in the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts is well out of proportion compared to the general population. Then again, so is the proportion of astronauts who were class president, headed some student charity group, was the student lead of some group research project, ... Whether they were Eagle scouts or something else, being a standout outside of academic concerns and having proven leadership skills are two things that most of the astronauts have in common.

Another thing that will help is what you choose to do after your education is complete. NASA rarely chooses people fresh out of college as astronaut candidates. If you look at those bios you will see that NASA preferentially picks from the military, NASA civil servants, and NASA contractors.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Hey,
I'm interested in studying Aerospace Engineering when I leave high school. I have still 2 more years to go before I leave, but I'm really interested in space exploration, rockets, etc. The ultimate goal would be to work for NASA as an astronaut. At this moment, I'm taking Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, English and Music.

I have a couple of questions:
1. Would I be able to work for NASA as an astroanut with a course in Aerospace engineering?

2. As an aerospace engineer, where would I be able to work? (job options)

3. Is it easy to get a job as an aerospace engineer in today's job market?

Thanks

Whatever degree you earn is a small part of what NASA considers for astronaut candidates. A critical skill is being multi-lingual. Russian for sure, but also Chinese and Indian. And while there are civilian astronauts, the overwhelming majority come from military backgrounds, especially those with flight training. That goes for the civilians, too- most of them have pilot's licenses as well.

Then there's the physical and psychological components- good health is important, but good *mental* health is even more important, due to the enormous stress and responsibilities they have during a mission. And during mission preparations.

It's no accident that astronauts are not young people- typically, people submit applications over 4 or 5 years: NASA looks for trends in personal and professional growth.

Astronauts are not like the rest of us. I've been privileged to work with a few, and they literally seem 'not of this earth'.

 

[JRHawking]

... Whether they were Eagle scouts or something else, being a standout outside of academic concerns and having proven leadership skills are two things that most of the astronauts have in common.

Another thing that will help is what you choose to do after your education is complete. NASA rarely chooses people fresh out of college as astronaut candidates. If you look at those bios you will see that NASA preferentially picks from the military, NASA civil servants, and NASA contractors.

For the next two years, I need to excel at all the subjects I'm taking, and that's what I'm working for, but I didn't know they preferred people from the military. Who are the NASA servants and NASA contractors?

 

[JRHawking]

Whatever degree you earn is a small part of what NASA considers for astronaut candidates. A critical skill is being multi-lingual. Russian for sure, but also Chinese and Indian.

I don't speak Russian, Chinese or Indian.
I speak English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, but I'm still multi-lingual.

 

[D H]

For the next two years, I need to excel at all the subjects I'm taking, and that's what I'm working for

NASA wants people who do a lot more than that for their astronauts. Academics are not near enough. They want the person who obtained straight As all the way from high school to grad school, captained the baseball team, attained Eagle at 16, organized the cleanup of some polluted stream, volunteered with the elderly, speaks multiple languages, ... and he or she did all that not to look better in NASA's eyes but because they are just that guy.

but I didn't know they preferred people from the military.

Well, sure, and for the same reason the airlines do. Some astronauts are pilots. Where else are you going to get training and experience in flying touchy, high-performance vehicles other than in the military?

Who are the NASA servants and NASA contractors?

Lots of them. Look at the astronaut bios.

 

[JRHawking]

NASA wants people who do a lot more than that for their astronauts. Academics are not near enough. They want the person who obtained straight As all the way from high school to grad school, captained the baseball team, attained Eagle at 16, organized the cleanup of some polluted stream, volunteered with the elderly, speaks multiple languages, ... and he or she did all that not to look better in NASA's eyes but because they are just that guy.


Well, sure, and for the same reason the airlines do. Some astronauts are pilots. Where else are you going to get training and experience in flying touchy, high-performance vehicles other than in the military?


Lots of them. Look at the astronaut bios.

Ok then. I'm a guy with straight A's. I have soccer captain for 2 years in a row, and I will continue to be for the next two if I don't get an injury. I take active role in a Rottary Interact Club, which is a philantropic orgaization. Finally, I am a musician too. I have played shows at my school and am starting to play in bars too. This is me.

 

[D H]

Perhaps you are. You can of course adjust your planned trajectory through life to better your chances of becoming an astronaut, but it can't be forced. The selection has to fit who you are. Phonies are quickly rooted out. As Andy mentioned, the selection process takes quite a bit of time.

Remember that even if you are that guy, the odds are still stacked against you. I have worked with quite a few of those guys (gender neutral usage here; I've worked with females who fully qualify as one of those guys) who did not make the final cut for one reason or another. Most are still quite happy with their education choices, their career paths, and their extra-career activities precisely because they did not force themselves to follow the path needed to become an astronaut. They followed that path because it is something they want to do, like to do, and because that is just who they are.

 

[JRHawking]

Perhaps you are. You can of course adjust your planned trajectory through life to better your chances of becoming an astronaut, but it can't be forced. The selection has to fit who you are. Phonies are quickly rooted out. As Andy mentioned, the selection process takes quite a bit of time.

Remember that even if you are that guy, the odds are still stacked against you. I have worked with quite a few of those guys (gender neutral usage here; I've worked with females who fully qualify as one of those guys) who did not make the final cut for one reason or another. Most are still quite happy with their education choices, their career paths, and their extra-career activities precisely because they did not force themselves to follow the path needed to become an astronaut. They followed that path because it is something they want to do, like to do, and because that is just who they are.

I understand. The odds will always be against me, but still, I appreciate your input on my question.

I've been thinking about which universities I could go study to, but which universities do you believe would be the best to take the course?

 

[fss]

...which universities do you believe would be the best to take the course?

Does not matter.

 

[D H]

Does not matter.

Look at the bios. You decide.