February 22, 2012

NASA? astronaut requirements

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If you have wondered what it takes to be an astronaut in NASA here’s some information for you. Becoming an astronaut is every child’s dream. But only a few go on and achieve it. Most astronauts confess that they never really thought they’d go to space. Or in other words, they never thought they’d become astronauts. Most of them were opened up to this possibility while working in similar professions.

As astronaut is somehow who is brilliant, sophisticated, and with superior adaptive skills. As astronaut has the innate ability to understand technology and technicalities. Astronauts need to be extremely competent in all the sciences.

An astronaut pilot needs to have a bachelor’s in engineering degree from a recognized university. It need not just be engineering. It could be biology, physics, or mathematics. Advanced degrees are seen as something that is worth considering. Typically, astronauts would have had doctoral degrees in their areas of specialization.Astronauts would need to have flying experience of at least one thousand hours in a jet aircraft. Pilots who test flight aircraft are preferred more. Test pilots know much better than pilots for some reason.

Pilots are required to pass NASA’s physical test. This is similar to the standards adopted in civil and military aviation pilot examinations. Pilots are checked for their visual capacity. Incorrect vision is a parameter for permanent disqualification. They also need to have optimum blood pressure at all times. Pilots how fail the blood pressure test are not selected. Also, pilots need to be within sixty two to seventy five inches tall.

 

Astronaut Requirements

Requirements for becoming an astronaut are numerous.  Having what it takes can be difficult; astronauts need certain personal life skills, in-the-classroom training, and personality traits.  Not everyone is designed for this profession, but here are a few requirements to keep in mind:

• American astronauts must be United States citizens.  Natural born citizens as well as those who have acquired citizenship are eligible.
• Astronauts must complete rigorous mathematics and science courses.  They also must excel in these and possess outstanding grades.  A solid understanding of science and math, as well as a post-graduate degree in one of these areas, is almost always required.  NASA provides colleges with information regarding their expectations on a regular basis.
• Today, many astronauts are required to not only fly spacecraft, but to explore and understand the land they fly to.  They should have a strong background in science.  In most cases, astronauts are actually astronomers and engineers.  They are able to take the knowledge they have learned and apply it in space.
• Most NASA associates work in research environments after graduate school.  Computer programming and similar professions actually do not fly into space anymore.  Those jobs are all done from earth, so students should keep that in mind when pursuing their degree.
• Graduates will interview with an Astronaut Selection Board.  These individuals decide who might be a good fit within their team.  Selections are based on motivation, communication skills, adaptability, and potential experience.  People with high scores in all of these areas may be considered for positions with NASA.

NASA Discovers Arsenic-Loving Bacteria

Recent research from NASA has confirmed that there are organisms on earth that can thrive and reproduce amidst the toxic chemical arsenic.  For most living things, arsenic is deadly and can cause severe health problems and genetic disruptions.  However, this organism substitutes arsenic for phosphates in their cells, and can survive in disastrous conditions as a result.

Because of this molecule, scientists believe that there may be life in space that they did not recognize before.  Since they know that not all life requires the same environmental basics, research will broaden as the search for life on other planets continues.  New devices for locating life may be developed as well.

In the past, researchers understood that there were six main components essential for all life forms:  phosphorus, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, hydrogen, and carbon.  Although scientists understood that some organisms can breathe arsenic, they had never seen one building parts of itself from this otherwise toxic chemical.  The strain of bacteria, known as GFAJ-1, is a stepping stone for scientists to uncover new life forms both on earth and in space.  The bacteria thrives in a lake in Menlo Park, California, and has been tested in numerous laboratories.  The organisms are able to grow and live even though phosphorus was only available in small amounts, and most of it was substituted with arsenic.

The lake from which the bacteria were extracted is highly alkaline and has high salinity as well.  This is contributed to its isolation from freshwater sources for many years, and scientists believe that microorganisms have adapted to it despite high arsenic levels as well.

Study Says Astronauts Need Harder Workouts

Astronaut U.S. Senator John Glenn
Image by NASA on The Commons via Flickr

Hard Workouts in Space

A research paper published recently says that it’s harder than ever to get a good workout in Outer Space. Taken from data gathered by astronauts spending time on the International Space Station, the paper shows that not only do muscles weaken and atrophy in microgravity environments, but their strength when measured by mass and size goes down, too. The research is expected to provide better information on how to keep astronauts fit during a space flight, as well as how to measure their physical recovery between flights.

The Orbiting Space Gym

Astronauts have now been doing cardiovascular workouts in space for 30 years; the first piece of exercise equipment in orbit was an exercise bike on the American space station ‘Skylab.’ But the recent paper shows the increased need for resistance training – weight lifting – in space. This poses a peculiar problem, since everything in orbit is essentially weightless. However, NASA has developed a device called the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device, or ARED. The ARED is kind of like those multi-purpose resistance machines advertised on television, except it can only be purchased in easy three easy installments of one million dollars. The device can be configured to provide resistance exercises for upper and lower body workouts. The research paper shows that the ARED needs to get a lot more use if astronauts want to stay healthy.

Effects of Microgravity

Though people think space is a zero-gravity environment, it’s actually one of microgravity. However, the distinction is lost on the human body, which is designed to operate under the constant resistance of Earth’s gravity. Things as easy as getting up from the sofa and grabbing a beverage are tiny workouts throughout the day. These get missed by astronauts, who literally only have to lift a finger to get themselves out of bed on the space station. The good news of the paper is that if astronauts spend two or more hours per day working out with resistance training, the effects of microgravity life are greatly reduced, even though this may make astronauts feel like they’re living on an orbiting gym.

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