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Common misconceptions of astronauts?

I'm a 7th grader who hopes to pursue a career in aerospace and eventually become an astronaut. I am aware that millions of students find space cool, but very few build the profile that space agencies look for. What misconceptions do ambitious students have about becoming astronauts that can actually hurt their chances in the long run?

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Philip’s Answer

Looking at the history of astronauts, many of them have advanced degrees and many of them are engineers. I believe NASA requires a master's degree in a STEM field at minimum. Being a Pilot helps a lot but there's a lot more that needs to happen in space than flying the craft alone. Many of the American astronauts that have been in space are former military and in excellent physical condition. The amount of stress space travel puts on the body means you need to be physically strong as well as mentally strong. In fact, all Astronauts have to pass a flight physical.

Don't let anyone dissuade you from what you want to do. Make sure you set clear goals and understand that becoming an astronaut will take immense discipline, education and may require you to sacrifice your personal time to achieve your goals. You will also likely have to geographically relocate to a place/city where a space agency or government works, and you will be away from family often (Astronauts are often sequestered for weeks prior to a mission).

I recommend researching Engineering and Science majors and see which one will likely get you closest to becoming an astronaut. I do have a friend that works for NASA building satellites, and he is an Electrical Engineer with a background in nuclear power.

Hope this Helps! Best of luck!
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