<p>Guys ever since a child I was always fascinated by the grand celestial objects. I would always go the library and pick out books on asteroids, the planets, stars and black holes. Pretty much any book on space! Also as I young child maybe around 1st and 2nd grade my parents bought me a telescope and everyday I would go out and look at the moon. I am a fanatic about space. I love math and science as well! (Especially science). Currently I am a senor in high school and I would love to be an Astronaut and scientific research in Space! But the problem, I believe, is that NASA prefers people who have been in the military because they have experience with aeronautic equipment and such. I don't want to go into the military at all. Due to that fact I have planned to go into medicine, but I really would love to become an astronaut. I need help guys on how this process works. Are their certain colleges that I have to go to? Some please help me achieve my child hood dream!</p>
<p>There are not any certain colleges you have to go to.
The vast majority of astronauts were test pilots., but not necessarily from the military. You do realize that not even most NASA engineers go into space.</p>
<p>Even with the advent of commercial, private spaceflight (SpaceShipOne in 2004), the first two commercial astronauts were former test pilots (one from the Navy, the other as a private test pilot).</p>
<p>Honestly, if you ask me, there’s really nothing special about what an astronaut actually physically does. </p>
<p>If your dream is not necessarily to become an astronaut as a profession, but simply to go into space, your could just become a multi-millionaire and then pay $20 million to the Russians to fly you to the ISS (at current prices).</p>
<p>In 15-20 years (the earliest you could probably become a professional astronaut), that price will likely have fallen to $50,000 (seeing as how Virgin Galactic only charges $200k for 2.5 hours in space).</p>
<p>If you don’t want to go the military route, then you should at least be some sort of pilot or get your SCUBA certification (this is actually one of their alternatives). Also, if you don’t want to be in the military, you should try to be involved in sports in some form or another since they typically want the people they’re putting into space to be in top physical condition.</p>
<p>The space program has not been eliminated, as JPL is still sending plenty of unmanned probes into space. The space shuttle program has been discontinued (well after schedule, actually) and will be supplanted by another reusable reentry vehicle before, I believe, 2020. In the mean time we still do have astronauts. The only difference is that when America wants to get humans into space we’ll be hitching a ride on someone else’s rocket.</p>
<p>Hi, I work at JPL! We are still conducting missions, and the Mars Rover will be landing in August! If you are at all interested, please follow our progress.</p>
<p>JPL’s funding was cut to 500 million I think? NASA still has budget of 18 billion I believe.</p>
<p>I can speak, to an extent on the internship portion. </p>
<p>I was recently on a tour of NASA Ames. Mind you, first and foremost, I am not a science person, neither am I too heavily interested in NASA. I was recruited to write a blog for a local program which included taking students to NASA Ames, and focusing on STEM careers. However, after being immersed in the field for the program and being around tons of high schools students who want internships at NASA I learned a few things: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Research: Figure out where in NASA interests you, especially which location. You have NASA Ames, NASA Langley, NASA Goddard, among others. Figure out which one best suits you, and then start checking into their internships. I saw multiple high school students while I was there, and many college students, interning. It is possible to get in there. </p></li>
<li><p>There is a health division to, at least NASA Ames. I’d start there. While online it states you have to have achieved college junior status to be an intern at NASA Ames, DO NOT let that stop you. Start emailing who ever you can find that fits what you want to do there as an intern. Explain your situation and your interests. There are high school students there. It is possible. </p></li>
<li><p>It looks like the NASA Ames internships are separate from a lot of other NASA internships. Check this site out: [Undergraduate</a> Student Research Program](<a href=“http://usrp.usra.edu/]Undergraduate”>http://usrp.usra.edu/). </p></li>
</ol>
<p>In all, just keep pushing it and find scientists and others there that fit your interests and talk to them about it. The worst they could do is say no. If you end up with someone that says they can’t help, ask if they know of anyone who could.</p>
<p>Actually NASA Ames has a community college internship program: <a href=“http://accedp.usra.edu/[/url]”>http://accedp.usra.edu/</a> so it seems weird to me that theyld require you to at least be a college junior. Something that I do now is that STEM robotics (a high school program) really helps your resume.</p>
<p>I recently(fathers day weekend) heard Christopher Ferguson, the commander of the last Atlantis mission, speak at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He said most astronauts either have a military background, or a Ph.D in science field. He now works with Boeing on developing the next flight vehicles that will take paying customers up into space. Very interesting to listen to.</p>
<p>Yeah ^, that seems almost obvious thst yould need a PhD in a field of science, I mean~ dont you need one to get any sort of a vaguely decent job in science xP. Im just kidding, but go to the science majors page and youll know what Im getting at</p>