Candidates should have a STEM degree.
AB Wire
If you like being alone in the dark, gazing at the hemisphere glistened with stars or if you already have a degree in interplanetary botany or STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), you could be NASA’s next generation astronaut.
According to NASA, the space agency is looking for aspiring candidates to man their future missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and other interplanetary expeditions like the Orion deep-space exploration mission, which aims at putting a man on Mars.
According to a video posted by NASA administrator Charles Bolden, the space agency is “on the lookout for the next generation of space pioneers.â€
The video also says that the selected candidates will be announced in the mid-2017 and could replace the older generation astronauts to man ISS, a commercial spacecraft or the future manned Mars missions.
Dream to #BeAnAstronaut? Applications for the next NASA astronaut class opens Dec. 14! https://t.co/lzRVZ9E4UZhttps://t.co/9xbHdKjjjA
— NASA Astronauts (@NASA_Astronauts) November 4, 2015
“This next group of American space explorers will inspire the Mars generation to reach new heights, and help us realize the goal of putting boot prints on the Red Planet,†Bolden said in a statement.
Interested candidates are requested to apply for the astronaut job with NASA by visiting http://www.usajobs.gov.
The job of an astronaut is not something that comes as a freebie and no matter how ambitious one is about seeing stars up close he/she has to pass a few criteria’s set by NASA. Also, one should take into notice that till now only 300 Americans have become astronauts.
Want to #BeAnAstronaut, but not sure you’re qualified? We’ve debunked a few myths for you: https://t.co/FV9QG7xuUF pic.twitter.com/ivqdZe1VNZ
— NASA (@NASA) November 4, 2015
A degree in engineering, biological sciences, physical science or mathematics is the minimum eligibility criterion set for getting selected into the preliminary round of becoming a future NASA astronaut. An advanced degree — meaning a masters or doctorate — is preferred, and the candidate need to have at least three years of related professional experience.
The candidate must have 20/20 vision, but it’s okay if they have done a corrective surgical procedures of the eye (PRK and LASIK). The candidate must have a height in between 5-foot-2 and 6-foot-3.
Candidates who pass all these criteria will have to go through an intense interview session, medical examination, and orientation before they get a final call letter from NASA to attend their two-year training.
NASA’s salary package for astronauts is quite impressive. An astronaut will get an annual salary of $66,026 and $158,700.
For further questions regarding the job opening for NASA Astronaut, astronaut Anne McClain will hold a live interview session on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST.