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SpaceBecoming a NASA Astronaut
Twenty flashcards on NASA astronaut requirements, the selection board and the candidate training: swim test, NBL, T-38 jets.
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20 cards
- What degree does NASA require of astronaut applicants today?
- A master's degree in a STEM field (engineering, biological or physical science, computer science or math) from an accredited institution.
- How much experience must applicants have?
- At least three years of related professional experience after the degree, or 1,000 pilot-in-command hours with at least 850 in high performance jets.
- Which physical exam must applicants pass?
- The NASA long-duration flight astronaut physical.
- What can replace the master's degree requirement?
- Two years toward a STEM doctorate, a completed medical degree (MD, DO or related), or a nationally recognized test pilot school.
- Which citizenship must applicants have?
- They must be U.S. citizens.
- Besides degrees, which skills must candidates show?
- Leadership, teamwork and communications.
- How does the Astronaut Selection Board pick candidates?
- It reviews applications, interviews the most qualified at Johnson Space Center in Houston, and invites about half back for second interviews.
- How long is astronaut candidate training, and what do they learn?
- Two years: spacewalking, operating the space station, flying T-38 jets and controlling a robotic arm.
- How many astronaut candidates has NASA selected to date?
- 370.
- Who were the first U.S. astronauts?
- Seven men, all pilots, selected in 1959 (the "Original Seven"); NASA has selected 23 more groups since.
- In NASA's astronaut fact sheet, what vision standard does the physical set?
- Distant and near visual acuity correctable to 20/20 in each eye.
- What blood pressure limit does the physical set?
- Not over 140/90, measured sitting.
- What standing height range does the physical require?
- Between 62 and 75 inches.
- What swim test must candidates pass in their first month?
- Swim 3 lengths of a 25-meter pool without stopping, then 3 lengths in a flight suit and tennis shoes with no time limit.
- How long must candidates tread water in a flight suit?
- 10 minutes, continuously.
- What must candidates complete before their flying syllabus and spacewalk training?
- Military water survival, and they become SCUBA qualified.
- How do candidates experience weightlessness in an aircraft?
- Parabolic flights give about 20 seconds of weightlessness each, repeated up to 40 times a day.
- What is the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) used for?
- A water tank that simulates weightlessness, used to train for spacewalks.
- How many hours do astronauts fly the T-38 jet each month?
- Pilots fly 15 hours per month; non-pilots fly a minimum of 4 hours.
- How long is training for a long-duration space station mission?
- About 2 to 3 years beyond the initial training; such missions generally last 3 to 6 months.
Official sources
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Become an Astronaut
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
NASA Facts: Astronaut Selection and Training (FS-2011-11-057-JSC)
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