While preparing for the launch of STS-126, I answered questions from students who attended last summer's Aerospace Camp at Missouri S&T. Here's today's Q&A:
What is the process of becoming an astronaut?
-- Brandi (Team Apollo)
MAGNUS: First and foremost, you need to study hard and do well in school. Typically, any kind of science or engineering degree is OK. A medical degree is also acceptable. It is important to find something you enjoy studying because you will excel at it. It is recommended to get an advanced degree. You can go to the NASA website and read about the requirements for being an astronaut. When you are ready to apply, you can go online and apply. If you have any questions, you can call the astronaut selection office at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. They are more than happy to help.
What made you interested in the space program?
-- Sydney (Team Space Shuttle)
MAGNUS: I have always been interested in finding out why and how things work, and something about being on the edge of technology and pushing the boundaries of what we can do as humans seemed exciting to me. Also, I always dreamed of seeing our planet from space!
Nov 14
2008
what's the radiation level in space right now?
love
astronaut wannabe
Nov 15
2008
Hello! I am the actual person that designed the button that you see and help come up with the question. I have gone to the Space Camp at UMR/MST for the past two years and enjoyed it. I am also planning on going there for college and want to earn a PhD in robotics and be a robotics engineer or something like that. I think being an astronaut would be really fun. How do you think the first landing on the moon inpacted the lives of humans?