<p>I will be a freshman next year majoring in Aerospace Engineering. I was wondering what the chances of an internship at NASA are and where I would be most likely to get an internship.</p>
<p>any advice would be helpful</p>
<p>hhmmm - not what I would expect of a future engineer … </p>
<p>Have you ever heard of ‘google’? Try once “nasa internships summer 2011” ^^</p>
<p>This question is like saying “I am going to start learning guitar in the spring. What are the chances that I can join a rock band and which band do you think I am most likely to join?”</p>
<p>There are just WAY too many variables, especially since you haven’t started yet. Statistically speaking, your chances are very low. However, with hard work and diligence and a little luck, you can help improve those odds.</p>
<p>I’ve seen some postings for internships at NASA (I’m in Central Florida, so it’s close by). The one I saw was for Statistics, but I’m sure there are others. They target grad students or senior undergrads. They also require you (for the one I saw) to work full time during the semester. So basically you have to take a semester off, or do it over the summer. I’m sure the summer internships are much more competitive.</p>
<p>OminousRun, you are looking at Co-ops then. There are internships at NASA, though I don’t know how numerous they are in relation to co-ops.</p>
<p>It was advertised as “internship”, but it was in memo/email format. Might be some lost in translation issues there.</p>
<p>That could be. Or maybe NASA is just strange and non-conformist in their terminology.</p>
<p>Generally speakig I suppose a co-op is an internship but an internship is not a co-op, sort of like squares and circles.</p>
<p>You may want to try looking on this website for info on NASA internships. [NASA</a> Office of Education OSSI LaunchPad](<a href=“http://intern.nasa.gov/]NASA”>http://intern.nasa.gov/)</p>
<p>S did an internship at NASA after his college junior year in EE. They came to his campus to interview after he applied. I think there have been some funding cutbacks, so you may wish to have a Plan B as well. When he went to JPL to for his follow up on-site interview for a full-time job that would start after he graduated, they were frantically calling around to unsuccessfully try to locate funding so they could hire him. He did not find that to be very reassuring as to the security of the position. Just thought you may wish to keep this in mind in your planning.</p>
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<p>Actually, NASA’s budget has been INCREASED. Whether that impacts intern programs is something I don’t know.</p>
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<p>In regards to the statement above, this (unfortunate) event is likely more tied to the budget of the individual department rather than NASA as a whole.</p>
<p>All I know is that S ended up choosing one of the other 3 positions he was offered rather than take a chance on whether or not JPL would secure & retain funding for his or other positions. He had been informed that robotics budgets had been cut and the impression he got at his on-site interview was troubling.</p>
<p>He didn’t inquire about & has no knowledge about other NASA funding, as robotics was his primary interest.</p>
<p>JPL itself should be booming right now since NASA is suspending their human-based missions in the near future and instead focusing on robot missions. JPL is the mission control for all missions without humans aboard.</p>
<p>(I’m closely affiliated with a guy from JPL at the moment, and I know his section isn’t having any problems with funding. We actually just had a proposal that was moved up to flight status about two weeks after being approved for ground-based work. They want it on the space station ASAP.)</p>
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<p>I was about to say the same thing. The recent budget changes have literally poured money into robotics and other aspects of unmanned missions.</p>
<p>Oh well, something to let S know in case he decides to go job-hunting again. They should have his resume & info on file. Maybe they’ll contact him–they seemed quite interested.</p>
<p>Do a search for NASA Inspire. S is currently in the program. He participated in the Aerospace Scholar program this summer. If accepted in the Inspire program, they will sent you a Laptop if you qualify… yours to keep. I believe it is a Mac. Seniors compete for paid summer internships for 8 weeks. Good luck.</p>