Today, astronauts and cosmonauts come from many countries of the world. But it is not easy to qualify to work in space. You must have a college degree in subjects related to space travel, such as maths or science. There is no age limit, but to become an astronaut, you must pass the space flight physical given by the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A physical is a test or series of tests that determines a person’s health.
There are two kinds of astronauts trained by NASA as space-crew members: pilots and mission specialists. Either trainee must be between 1.63 and 1.93 metres tall. If you want to pilot a spacecraft, you need to have spent at least 1,000 hours piloting a special type of jet aircraft.
Mission specialists must have spent at least three years doing the kind of work they will do on a mission. Some mission specialists operate and repair machinery and instruments in space. Others carry out experiments and tests to find out how things work in space. Others study the stars.
Russian astronauts are called cosmonauts. The first cosmonauts were military pilots and flight instructors. Most were in their early 20’s.
Since Valentina Tereshkova’s 1963 flight, crews of cosmonauts have included scientists and doctors. The first cosmonauts spent less than two years in training. Today, cosmonauts spend 8 to 10 years preparing for space flight. They train at the Y. A. Gagarin Centre, also called “Star Town”, near Moscow.
