Astronaut Training

An astronaut is a person who goes into space to accomplish a specific mission. Based on the specific tasks assigned, there are three different categories of astronauts. They are - pilots, mission specialists and payload specialists. A pilot is in command of the spacecraft. The task of a mission specialist is to carry out space-related experiments, set up satellites, walk in space etc. Payload specialists are scientists who conduct various scientific experiments in space.

Selection Criteria for Astronauts

There is no specific field from which NASA select the astronauts. People from diverse backgrounds, like scientists, engineers, doctors are eligible for its astronaut training programs. However, all of them should clear the NASA space flight training to qualify for any mission. For a pilot astronaut, flight experience of at least 1000 hours in some high-performing jet aircrafts, as a command pilot, is a must. Mission specialists should have minimum 3 years of mission-related experience. Payload specialists should have good education and training to perform their experiments in space. The astronauts must be well-conversant in English.

Training Programs for Astronauts

Training is very important for astronauts because it helps them to tackle all kinds of emergency situations in a space shuttle. It is also essential to get familiarized with the equipment that are present in a spacecraft and successfully complete their tasks once they are in space.

A vital part of the training is to train the body for weightlessness. Candidates are boarded in large planes that fly through a number of arcing climbs and dives. During this process, they undergo floating exercises within the aircraft. Another aspect of training is to float the body on the surface of water to get the feel of weightlessness.

The next phase is the mission training. Here, the candidates get accustomed with the cockpit layout, various systems related to flight controls, handling basic engineering works and managing equipment that would be available in a spacecraft. During the different phases of training, performances of the candidates are thoroughly evaluated and then it is ascertained if the person has the potential to be an astronaut or not. It is not necessary that an astronaut who has successfully completed the initial rounds of training would be sent for a mission immediately.

When a trained astronaut is picked for a specific mission, some more specialized trainings are given. One such training takes place in simulators. Simulators are devices that are designed in such a manner, that one gets the feel of a space flight inside it. The crew members spend almost eight hours a day in simulators and practice various aspects of their mission. Through this training, they learn to resolve all such problems that may occur during their stay in space. In this way, astronauts become confident to undertake any kind of unforeseen crisis.

Last session of the training is carried out inside a constructed model of a spacecraft called mock-up. Here, the astronauts get habituated to work and live within its confines. They are trained for simple daily activities like storing of items, making food etc., which are required in a real flight. They undergo the drill exercises of entering and leaving a spacecraft. A first-time astronaut has to go through this mission training for 18 months, but for experienced astronauts 6 months training is sufficient to gear up for their next flight to space.

Astronauts training is very rigorous and need a lot of time and hard work. But, it is useful for making a mission successful, which in turn would make our lives on the Earth better.