Is this a good plan for becoming a NASA Astronaut?

Question

Hi. Ever since I was little, I've wanted to become an astronaut. I am going to be a senior in high school this year. In college i plan to major in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in either Physics or Mechanical Engineering. I also plan to get an M.D. (Master Degree) in both the major and minor, and possibly a Ph. D. in Aerospace Engineering or Physics at some point. I also plan to join the Air Force ROTC during college, and work as a developmental engineer in the Air Force, and possibly a Test Flight Pilot before applying to NASA. Is this a good preliminary plan to follow to become an astronaut someday? Are there any other things I should do/not do in the process?

Answer 1

That's hot!

I think its the right way to go :)

Answer 2

Know that you must be between 5 feet 4 inches and 6 feet 4 inches tall to be a pilot and between 4 feet 10 1/2 inches and 6 feet 4 inches to be a mission specialist. You also need to be in top physical condition and have great stamina.

Maintain an excellent academic record in your undergraduate and graduate studies. Many astronauts have doctoral degrees.

Choose a scientific field for your bachelor's degree that you can use if you become an astronaut. Possibilities include medicine, biology, chemistry, physics, aerospace engineering and mathematics.

Make certain you have at least 3 years of work experience in your field before applying as a mission specialist. An acceptable substitution might be a 2-year graduate degree with 1 year of experience.

Have at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft, preferably with flight-test experience, if you wish to be a mission pilot.

Send for an application package (see Tips for the address). You'll have to pass the strict NASA physical as a basic qualification.

Realize that if you're accepted as an astronaut candidate, you're committing yourself to a training period of 1 to 2 years in Houston without a guarantee that you'll ever go into space. Training will be intense and often in low-gravity conditions. It will include land and sea survival training and scuba diving.

Prepare to remain with NASA for at least 5 years if you pass the training period and are accepted as an astronaut.