How to Become an Astronaut?
Becoming an astronaut, traveling to space in a spacecraft, looking down on Earth from space… These are things that many people dream of. So, how do you become an astronaut? Being an astronaut is actually a secondary profession. Most astronauts are chosen from among scientists, engineers, and sometimes pilots.
Countries that conduct space projects have institutions called “space agencies.” Examples include the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Agency, or the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration. When a space agency launches an astronaut program, there are usually thousands of applications. However, very few applicants are accepted into the program.
Astronaut candidates undergo several years of intensive training. They learn to control the systems in spacecraft. They need to learn many things related to communication, navigation, meteorology, and space exploration. They acquire various skills that will enable them to survive on land and in water, such as parachuting and scuba diving! Pilots trained to operate spacecraft perform a wide variety of exercises to improve their flying skills and learn to take off and land the spacecraft. At the end of the training, it is determined when and on what mission the astronauts will work and who will be in their teams. Teamwork is very important in space! The mission given to the astronauts might be to go to Earth’s orbit in a space shuttle to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. One of the tasks assigned to astronauts is to conduct various scientific experiments on the International Space Station in Earth orbit. Additionally, transporting and installing new components to the station via space shuttle is another important mission. Once their mission is determined, astronauts begin specialized training for that task, which can last for several years.
Astronauts also undergo special training to adapt to the weightless environment of space. Part of this training takes place in a very large pool. Wearing their special spacesuits, they practice underwater as if they were working in a weightless environment.
Another method used to prepare astronauts for weightlessness in space is “parabolic flight.” During this flight, a special jet aircraft begins to ascend at a very high speed and at a specific angle. Then, it descends in the same manner. During the descent, everything inside the plane begins to float in the air! During flights conducted in this manner, a weightless environment, similar to space, is created inside the aircraft for 25 seconds. While inside a spacecraft in Earth orbit, astronauts move around in their daily routines, just as they would on Earth. Sometimes they need to go outside the spacecraft to perform repairs. During these tasks, called “space travel,” they must wear special suits equipped with systems that protect their bodies from the harsh effects of space and allow them to breathe.
