The American space agency announced this week (Tuesday) that it wishes to reopen the astronaut candidate course in 2009
Astronauts hoping to be part of the elite team will now have a fresh chance to get to the International Space Station and maybe even the moon, thanks to NASA's new search for new candidates.
The American space agency announced this week (Tuesday) that it wishes to reopen the astronaut candidate course in 2009, and those who wish to participate in it will be able to register until July 1, 2008.
"They will begin their duties at the Johnson Space Center in Houston in August 2009," NASA spokeswoman Catherine Trinidad said. The Houston Space Center is home to the astronauts and the shuttle control centers and the International Space Station.
After completing basic training, those suitable for long-term missions will be assigned to the space station, or to the moon aboard the new Orion spacecraft.
According to Trinidad, NASA currently has 91 active astronauts training for spaceflight or performing technical roles. In addition, 15 astronauts from around the world are also on active duty.
In order for NASA to consider a candidate joining the Astronaut Corps, he must have a bachelor's degree in engineering, science or mathematics and have at least three years of relevant professional experience.
While most successful applicants are engineers, scientists and pilots of large, powerful jets, NASA is also urging teachers and educators to join the astronaut classes. Experienced teachers from Kindergarten to XNUMXth grade will also be considered suitable, NASA officials said.
Currently, NASA has four teacher astronauts - the most famous of all - the former teacher from Idaho, Barbara Morgan completed her first flight in space last month aboard the Endeavour.
Morgan joined the construction of the International Space Station during mission STS-118 in August and previously served as backup to the first teacher in space - Christa McAuliffe, who was killed in the Challenger disaster.
NASA will announce the final selection of candidates for the new astronaut class in early 2009, after six months of interviews and evaluation processes.
"We look at it as an analogy for collecting applications so that we can select the best from as large a pool as possible," says retired astronaut Ellen Ochoa, director of manned flights at the Johnson Space Center.
Candidates for the astronaut class of 2009 will be the first students since 2004, when 11 new astronauts joined NASA, including three teachers, and that class also included three astronauts sent by the Japanese space agency.
To register for the astronaut class of 2009, go to this website. It is intended only for American citizens. In an interview recently published in Yedioth Ahronoth, the director of the Israel Space Agency, Zvi Kaplan, said that Israel does not plan to launch a second astronaut after the tragic death of Ilan Ramon, and this for budgetary reasons.
