Astrophysics?

After i get mt PhD in astrophysics where do i go from there if i want to be an astronaut?|||Today there are two basic ways to become a an astronaut. The first is to become a pilot which means becoming getting alot of flying experience (at least 5 to 10 years) in the Navy, Marines or Air Force. This also means getting at least a bachelors degree and probably a masters degree in engineering. People here mentioned that flying experience can only be from the Air force. Historically, Naval aviators have been at least as


successful as Air Force pilots in becoming astronauts.





The second way is to become a mission specialist after obtaining a doctoral degree in a physical science or engineering and hopefully also getting some aviation experience perhaps through obtaining a private pilots license. Astrophysics would be one of many possibilities for a doctoral degree and doing observational work


probably means more than doing theory since experience with instrumentation is more relevent.





This distinction between pilots and mission specialist arose with the shuttle program. However, the shuttle is being phased out and will be scrapped in a few years. NASA is aiming to go back to the Moon by 2014 so it is possible the advice above may be modified in that there may be a demand for more pilots and fewer mission specialists or mission specialists in specific fields. My guess for the latter is that a background in geology or geophysics could be useful. Afterall, the only scientist who went to the Moon in Apollo was a geologist.





My advice though is to do what really interests you since for every astronaut, there were at least hundreds of candidates. So if you don't make it, at least you got training in something you enjoy.


Note also that candidates have to be under 40.|||If you want to be an astronaut, don't bother with the astrophysics - the vast majority of astronomers never go into space. If you want to be an astronaut, join the air force - they are former military pilots.|||Space? These guys are looking for bright, courageous minds:


http://www.liftport.com/|||If you're still young you might do better being in engineering rather than astrophysics so you could be a missions/payload specialist.|||a PhD in aeronautical engineering and becoming a pilot would be more helpful the only thing a PhD in astrophysics will get you is a gig trying to explain string theory on PBS|||Well, sorry to rain on your parade as such, but astrophysics is just one of the many specialties NASA and other space agencies are looking for, but astrophysics per se is perhaps not that in heavy demand, because astronauts are not exactly studying planets and stars these days. Most astrophysicists stay on the ground, and are fed the information gathered by telescopes and space probes.


Most astronauts come from the rank of military pilots.