Record number of astronaut wannabes apply to NASA

According to NASA’s statement, there are a couple of reasons why the space agency received so many applications this year.

By way of comparison Harvard accepted 5.9% of applicants in 2014.

At the middles of December 2015, NASA opened 8 to 14 astronaut positions.

Before that, the previous record was set in 1978 when the agency got 8,000 applications. Only 6,300 people applied to become a NASA astronaut in 2012, and that was the second largest number in history. NASA promoted the opportunity on social media platforms such as Reddit.

They also must have vision correctable to 20/20 (that means you can use glasses), plus the ability to physically fit into the space suit and space vehicles.

The only sole destination for USA astronauts is the International Space Station, which NASA is committed to flying through 2024 and possibly 2028. NASA’s current number of active astronauts is historically low thanks to the retirement of the Space Shuttle program in 2011.

There is more information about the program on the NASA website.

Before a final selection of applicants is made mid-next year, NASA’s Astronaut Selection Board will review all submitted applications and then select the most qualified candidates after vetting each candidate’s background and qualification. The timing is intriguing due to rumors that the first manned mission to Mars could launch in the early 2030s. This doubles the amount of crew time available to conduct the important research and technology demonstrations that are advancing NASA’s knowledge for the journey to Mars, while also returning benefits to Earth. With NASA’s preparations for a manned mission to Mars fully underway, it is not a surprise that more people than usual are interested in becoming an astronaut. This intake could be the first humans to walk on Mars.

By Kenneth Chang More people than ever are hoping they have “The Right Stuff”, and more people than ever will be disappointed that they do not.

Surprisingly enough, after posting their announcement of the web, the space agency received no less than 18.300 applications from all over the country.

Lots of applicants will be filtered out before around 500 applications are checked. After their selection, the new astronauts will be asked to report to the Johnsons Space Center for training.