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Selecting the Space Shuttle
- Thread starter unfUSN
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Sorry dude, they got no slots this year, Collegeguy got the last one, reapply next year, good luck.
For interest's sake, to get Pilot/commander you need jet rating, science/engineering degree and 2 years of practice, and be able to touch your toes. For mission specialist (I think they are changing this title) you just need science/engineering degree and 2 years of practice. (to actually get a slot you have to max everything, most have PHD almost all have masters) Technically the "board" meets every 2 years, but they often cancel that meeting, and they might meet every 4 years based on who is retiring. Most astronauts do their time 'ground billet' supporting human space flight program, and even fewer of those astronauts fly. For pilot after selection you have to fly 2000 practice shuttle landings in a modified business jet trainer (the shuttle has no go around capability as it is a glider on landing, so you got to get it right the first time)
More interesting is the X Prize, which I'm sure most of you know about, which is a 10M prize for the first private team to have the capability of putting 3 people up 65 some odd miles (high atmosphere, low space) and repeat the feat in 2 weeks. The guy that built the Voyager (Burt Rutan sp?) now in the Air and Space museum, has a lil company called Scaled Composites, and have built a little space program of their own to compete for the X Prize, check out scaled it's very cool.
Also, the Hazy center,(Air and Space museum) is opening up in January I believe, Enterprise will be there (the atmospheric test shuttle) as well as allot of aerospace history. (I will be there) It's where they are going to put the aerospace history that can't fit on the mall.
For interest's sake, to get Pilot/commander you need jet rating, science/engineering degree and 2 years of practice, and be able to touch your toes. For mission specialist (I think they are changing this title) you just need science/engineering degree and 2 years of practice. (to actually get a slot you have to max everything, most have PHD almost all have masters) Technically the "board" meets every 2 years, but they often cancel that meeting, and they might meet every 4 years based on who is retiring. Most astronauts do their time 'ground billet' supporting human space flight program, and even fewer of those astronauts fly. For pilot after selection you have to fly 2000 practice shuttle landings in a modified business jet trainer (the shuttle has no go around capability as it is a glider on landing, so you got to get it right the first time)
More interesting is the X Prize, which I'm sure most of you know about, which is a 10M prize for the first private team to have the capability of putting 3 people up 65 some odd miles (high atmosphere, low space) and repeat the feat in 2 weeks. The guy that built the Voyager (Burt Rutan sp?) now in the Air and Space museum, has a lil company called Scaled Composites, and have built a little space program of their own to compete for the X Prize, check out scaled it's very cool.
Also, the Hazy center,(Air and Space museum) is opening up in January I believe, Enterprise will be there (the atmospheric test shuttle) as well as allot of aerospace history. (I will be there) It's where they are going to put the aerospace history that can't fit on the mall.
Future Herc Driver
About to start Tac phase in the Herc.
Im not sure about that modified business jet. The guy I took lessons for my PPL from, worked for NASA (prior Navy) and said the shuttle pilots kept current in a T-38. He said something along the lines of, they would get as high as they could, then throw the throttles to idle and pitch down to mimic the shuttle reentering then have to land it. Think there is any truth to this?
They definitely fly T-38's but you can't get the T-38 to fall like the shuttle, the shuttle has a 'high wing loading' they use the Gulfstream II business jet, the T-38 trails the shuttle and trainer on landing. They do keep current in the T-38, but for glide landing sims they use the Gulfstream.
Future Herc Driver
About to start Tac phase in the Herc.
thats cool
AviatorMR239
Registered User
have you seen the aircraft rutan has developed for that X-prize, looks like something out of star trek. A 'mother' ship carries space vehicle up to altitude, then launches it like the X-1 from the B-29 back in the chuck yeager days. It looks like one of those nerf footballs with the foam emmpanage glued on the back. cool stuff
The normal pipeline to become an astronaut is to select jets out of primary, be one of the top pilots in your squadron, become an instructor at the FRS to build up more flight hours, apply for test pilot school, then after a tour at "Pax" River you can start the long process for application to NASA. The navy has a program now that allows you to receive your masters degree while training to become a test pilot. However the current situation with the Shuttle most likely has all applications for the space program on hold indefinetly.
They are also starting to pick people from the submarine community, not as pilots, but for ISS(International Space Station), they think its easier for them to adapt to the living environment.
They are also starting to pick people from the submarine community, not as pilots, but for ISS(International Space Station), they think its easier for them to adapt to the living environment.
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