Hey NASA: Lots of People Want To Be Astronauts
Record Number of Americans Apply to #BeAnAstronaut at NASA
“More than 18,300 people applied to join NASA’s 2017 astronaut class, almost three times the number of applications received in 2012 for the most recent astronaut class, and far surpassing the previous record of 8,000 in 1978. “It’s not at all surprising to me that so many Americans from diverse backgrounds want to personally contribute to blazing the trail on our journey to Mars,” said NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, himself a former astronaut. “A few exceptionally talented men and women will become the astronauts chosen in this group who will once again launch to space from U.S. soil on American-made spacecraft.”
Keith’s note: Of the 18,300 applications NASA will pick – at most – a dozen candidates. And those new NASA astronauts that are selected can expect to wait nearly 20 years before they go on the #JourneyToMars or wherever. One has to assume that most of the people applying knew it was a long shot. Many probably did it so that they could get the rejection letter (larger image) to frame and show people that they tried. Many more, however, really, really, REALLY would like to fly in space.
NASA did a good job via social media in pumping people to apply. But what is NASA going to do with this interest once reality sets in and 99.9% of the applicants get the rejection letter? Think about it – a marketing plan (oh wait, NASA is not supposed to that) – an education and public outreach (EPO) effort – has just identified 18,300 people who want to fly in space. I suspect the real number out there has multiple zeros after it. That said, NASA now knows who these 18,300 people are. They applied for a job, so all manner of government privacy regulations kick in. As such, NASA probably can’t do a damn thing with this priceless information. Or maybe they can.
NASA has done a lot of #NASASocial stuff. It is useful, but I think it has reached the limit of its effectiveness. NASA now needs to enlist a more robust, personal, one-on-one approach to its EPO efforts. NASA has/had a “solar system ambassadors” program as well as other EPO programs that enlisted interested educators and citizens. Guess what: 18,300 potential participants just popped up on NASA’s radar screen.
Again: 18,300 citizens just said that they want to fly on a NASA rocket. What is NASA going to do with this influx of self-identified and overtly-avowed space explorers?
If only there was somewhere for them to go.
There should be a commercially leased or purchased space station option after the ISS and a manned Lunar sortie program, followed by an Outpost. Otherwise there wont be anything for them to do. Mars is a fantasy at this point.
more likely this incoming class will be retired from the astronaut corp by 2050 when NASA is realistically NET for Mars. sad to think 18,000+ got roped in by a hashtag that is a mere mirage of actually being close to going to Mars.
Mars will be nothing but boot prints and flags unless there is a very serious change in Earth politics (or, just maybe, Mr. Musk pulls a rabbit out of his hat). Costs of maintaining a lunar station are dwarfed by those of keeping a mars ‘colony’ alive.
Won’t happen and you heard it here first.
Oh. And a note to 2050: have a great time planning for Mars 2070! I’ll be growing daisies by then.
So many astronauts for so few flight opportunities.
Good luck to each of you. I hope you can all achieve your goals.
I’d always assumed SpaceX had enough in-house talent. It might be some time before they need to recruit astronauts form outside. That is assuming they are looking for what the Russians call “Flight Engineers” rather that following NASA’s tendency towards pilots.
The one thing that really struck me from the recent Orbcomm launch video was their ages. Truly a Next Gen…
Also likely some will protest their rejection notices for a different GS-11 gig and sleep away the next 20 years on NASA’s payroll.
Ode to the 2016 Astro Class
Doug Booker
Whose space is this I think I know.
MCC is in Houston though;
They will not see me stopping here
To watch the space fill up with stars.
My little Orion must think it queer
To stop without a station near
Between the Moon and frozen Mars
The darkest evening of the year.
It gives its alarm bells a clatter
To ask if there is something the matter.
The one other sound’s the sweep
Of solar wind and cosmic scatter.
The space is lovely, dark and deep,
But NASA’s promises it can’t keep,
And nowhere to go before I retire,
And nowhere to go before I retire.
Yes, I know the original by Robert Frost is much better but NASA has this push now for the arts…
It strikes me that working in space involves rather varied skill sets depending on what you are actually doing out there. As such, the recruitment channels will be at least several in number.
At one time, the recruitment path was solitary and defined as “highly skilled test pilot.” That’s no longer true. And I suspect that NASA can find all the people it needs for its various space-related jobs through a number of channels more focused than a society-wide appeal.
So this amounts to a PR stunt and little else.
Keith maybe NASA is preparing a space elevator by creating a human pyramid out of the astronaut applicants??
Here’s my suggestion Keith. (Perhaps it goes against NASA’s core rules…) but how about a ‘wannabe’ astronaut pin. Something that a “One percenter” (for space) might wear. Use this enthusiasm to start a (non-profit) grass roots campaign. One is minded of the 1950’s cereal promotions and collecting box tops and “Have Space Suit will Travel” for that matter! There is a groundswell of public approval out there that NASA should be cultivating. Perhaps by a profit making third party but I’m guessing that would be forbidden.
To be fair, I’m not sure you can count all of those applicants as potential grass roots supporters of space. I was contacted by several applicants looking for inputs on their applications – none of these folks had ANY (read: zero) background or connection with space … at all. No space camps, no space-related hobbies or interests, no background, education or skill-sets that are apropos to the sought-after job with NASA…
Maybe those were not representative of the larger numbers…but I got the feeling these folks were applying “just because they could”. Once they get their frame-able rejection letters, they’ll go back to ignoring space like they always did..
Of course, I hope I’m wrong!
The record number of applicants goes right along with what I’ve been saying for years: The “official” opinion polls on how John and Mary Doe view the space program are a bunch of garbage. Here’s the real data: Americans love our space program and we want it to be worthwhile!