Photo: NASA (Public domain)
Job description
Getting to a mission means years of physical, technical, and mission-specific training covering spacecraft systems, spacewalk procedures, and emergency protocols, since selection itself is one of the most competitive processes in any career, with only a handful of astronauts chosen every couple of years. Once in space, the work shifts to conducting scientific experiments in microgravity, operating and troubleshooting station or spacecraft systems, and documenting everything for mission control and research teams back on Earth. Missions mean weeks or months of isolation in a confined space far from family, with essentially zero room for error since mistakes can be life-threatening.
Pros
- Unparalleled opportunity to conduct scientific research and operate spacecraft systems in space
- High upside earning potential, up to $155k, for one of the most selective career paths that exists
- Years of rigorous, world-class training across engineering, science, and emergency procedures
Cons
- Long, demanding hours are common, especially during active mission training and flight
- Missions mean extended isolation from family in a small, confined space for extended periods
- Only a handful of new astronauts are selected every couple of years, making entry extremely competitive
A typical day
Aboard the station, the day is scheduled to five-minute resolution by mission control. After a 6am wake-up and exercise on the resistive device that fights bone loss, the morning might hold a protein-crystal experiment in the glovebox — an astronaut is chiefly a scientist's hands in orbit — then maintenance on a balky CO2 scrubber, because plumbing exists in space too. The afternoon's highlight is robotics: flying the station's arm to grapple an arriving cargo craft while a crewmate backs up on procedures. Training years on Earth look different but no easier — neutral-buoyancy pool runs in a 300-pound suit, Russian language drills, T-38 flights, geology field camps. Two hours of daily exercise is non-negotiable in orbit; so is looking out the window when the schedule allows.
Tasks at the job
- Train for years on spacecraft systems, spacewalk procedures, and emergency protocols before a mission.
- Conduct scientific experiments in microgravity aboard a spacecraft or space station.
- Operate, monitor, and troubleshoot spacecraft or station systems during a mission.
- Perform spacewalks to conduct repairs, maintenance, or external experiments.
- Document mission activities and communicate findings to mission control and research teams.
- Represent the space program through public outreach, media, and educational events.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens in extreme and tightly controlled environments -- classrooms and simulators during training, and a spacecraft or orbiting station during a mission, with no ability to leave until the mission ends.
The stakes are as high as they get, with mistakes carrying life-or-death consequences, so procedures are followed exactly and precision is non-negotiable. Missions mean extended isolation from family in a confined space, and the training pipeline itself takes years of sustained commitment before a first flight.
Education necessary or common
Master's degree in a STEM field (or equivalent flight experience) plus years of specialized training after an extremely competitive selection process
Common college majors
Licenses & certifications
- Advanced STEM degree or test-pilot credentials (selection prerequisites)
- Private pilot certificate and SCUBA (strengthen applications)
Career path
Related fields
Courses to take
- AP Physics C — orbital mechanics starts here
- AP Calculus BC
- AP Biology and AP Chemistry — flight experiments span all sciences
- AP Computer Science A
- Russian or another language — international crews are the norm
Clubs, activities & competitions
- Civil Air Patrol — flight experience is heavily represented in astronaut classes
- FIRST Robotics
- Science Olympiad
- Varsity athletics or serious endurance sport — fitness is screened hard
- Scouting (an outsized share of astronauts were Scouts)
First steps you can take now
- Pick the real career first — astronaut is a mid-career selection from pilots, engineers, physicians, and scientists, so choose which of those you'd love even if NASA never calls
- Apply to space-focused summer programs and camps
- Get SCUBA certified — it's the closest terrestrial analog to spacewalk training
- Follow a current ISS crew's timeline and read what they actually do each week
