Calling would-be astronauts
- September 24, 2007 4:06 PM |
- By Paul Jay
by Paul Jay, CBCNews.ca
It sounds like the perfect job: A full-time permanent position with a salary range of between $59,000 and $130,000 US. Sure, the want ad said "frequent travel may be required", but what do you expect for the title of "Astronaut Candidate."
NASA announced last week it was taking applications from scientists and engineers through July 1, 2008, and is expected to hire 10 to 15 candidates in early 2009.
"To be considered, a bachelor's degree in engineering, science or math and three years of relevant professional experience are required," according to the release. It helps to have "extensive experience flying high-performance jet aircraft."
Unfortunately for us, you must be a U.S. citizen to apply for the job.
For those looking on how to become a Canadian astronaut, the Canadian Space Agency has a page here. It also has a list of other career paths, just in case you decide to set your sights on more Earth-bound positions.
About the Authors
- Tara Kimura
is a multimedia producer for CBCNews.ca.
Categories
All News blogs
Most Commented
Most Recommended
Tech Bytes
Most Commented
Most Recommended
Recent Entries
- Universe hates Higgs boson, Chicago Cubs
- By John Bowman, CBCNews. A physicist working on the Large Hadron Collider doesn't think much of the theory that the universe is sabotaging the project to prevent the discovery of the Higgs boson. Might as well say that Nature hates... Continue reading this post
- Large Hadron Collider goes Back to the Future
- By Peter Evans, CBCNews.ca. Two respected physicists have put forward the theory that the Large Hadron Collider's stated aim of finding the Higgs boson might be so abhorrent to nature that mysterious forces are traveling back through time and sabotaging... Continue reading this post
- Multi-touch concept for desktops: 10/GUI
- By John Bowman, CBCNews.ca. I'm a fan of alternative ideas for human-computer interaction, so this video caught my attention. It shows an idea for a ten-finger touchpad interface and associated changes in the way a computer would handle multiple windows.... Continue reading this post
Comments (5)
Another Monkey sent in to space?
The astronauts aboard the shuttle know there is a 1 in 200 chance of 'failure' yet they are happy to go, as I would be also.
We have only scratched the surface of what there is to learn in space. The practicality of current missions might be questionable to some - as many no doubt questioned the enormous expense of 'exploration' five centuries ago also.
Amen, Brett. If I thought I could make a useful contribution as an astronaut, I'd be there myself. Maybe once the commercial passenger trade gets more established, I might be able to find that way.
In the meantime, I'll gladly cheer on whoever signs up with the Canadian Space Agency's astronaut corps.
And what exactly will these new astronauts be doing? Not flying in space: the shuttle retires a year after theyre hired. The ISS still only has a crew of three (with only one to two non-Russians going up every 6 months). Oh, and there are 150 trained astronauts already at NASA, with many that havent had their chance to fly.
Could this be the new astronaut corps for the Moon? That's not likely either: 2020 (as a minimum) is a long time to wait to do your job!
Too bad you have to be a US citizen.