Re: Coordinating Sex Roles

Mark Grant (mark@unicorn.com)
Fri, 11 Apr 1997 21:01:47 +0000


On Wed, 9 Apr 1997 GeoffCobb@aol.com wrote:

> I must point out, that for those who are already there, this a natural state.
> I know a two "movie stars". ( No astronauts sorry).

AFAIR around 1% of those who apply for astronaut posts are selected. A
large fraction of those who are bounced are bounced on medical grounds, so
if you can pass the medical your odds are probably closer to one in
thirty, and even better if you've also followed the advice in the Usenet
'how to become an astronaut' FAQ (e.g. get a pilot's license, practice
public speaking, work for NASA or a contractor, have a squeaky clean
lifestyle). You can also reapply every couple of years; most of the
astronauts I've met were selected on their second or third try.

Actually the FAQ brings up an interesting point; the best way to get one
of these glamorous and unusual jobs would seem to involve finding out what
your potential employers are looking for and ensuring that you meet their
requirements. I think a lot of people who wouldn't, say, expect to be
hired as a programmer without no demonstrable programming ability think
that they can be hired as an astronaut without demonstrable astronaut
ability (not in the sense of having flown in space but, say, being able to
give pep talks to halls full of science students).

Mark

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