![]() Not only in ideal situations, but how do you communicate with others under stress? We're really, really looking for all of that. Interpersonal skills are key: teamwork, followership, leadership, communication skills. What are some of the personality characteristics that you're looking for? And their first job was at SNASA, which was Secret NASA. Probably one of my favorite resumes I read, though-before we put in any kind of screening measures-was a creative writing application. Some of them have hobbies in the fine arts, as well as being obviously very scientific and in the STEM field. We see a lot of people pursuing high-stakes athletic endeavors. What are some of the more memorable hobbies that you've come across? We give applicants a section to tell us about their hobbies and interests, and we see people who have done all sorts of things, whether it's running 25 marathons or completing 300 scuba dives. Teamwork and leadership experience throughout their resume is also important.Īnd then I'll tell you, honestly, sometimes when you're reviewing that many resumes, it's the unique things that grab your attention. A lot of people choose to get their private pilot's license. We see a lot of people who go to the Antarctic or do wilderness rescue. Not everyone has operational experience in the course of their day job, but there are ways to get that. We tend to focus on operational experience in situations where they’re going to have to make real-time decisions in a relatively high-stress environment. What helps applicants stand out when you're reviewing 12,000 applications? We had always stated that a master's degree was preferred, but we were just more overt, because when we looked back at our last classes, we really hadn't selected anyone with just a bachelor's degree. This year, we required a master's degree. In the last selection cycle, we received over 18,000 applications. The application criteria were different this time-what changed, and why? We do some team reaction exercises, individual performance exercises, and a bunch of things to assess whether they have the competencies that we're looking for to be a good astronaut. We start doing some skills analysis and some basic medical testing, and then we end up inviting between 40 and 60 folks back for the second round of interviews.ĭuring the second round, they spend about a week with us. Ultimately, we get to the point where we invite around 120 to the first round of interviews. Then we do some reference checks as we narrow down the number. We start by reviewing the written application materials, and that's our first window into each applicant. I’d say we went in with a rough estimate of eight to 12, and the longer we push making a decision, that number may get closer to 12. We always leave ourselves some wiggle room so we can keep track of attrition-who's left the astronaut office, who's retired, who’s told us they may not want to fly again, et cetera. (Find out how the “right stuff” has changed since the early years of the space program.) How many people are you expecting to select for the next astronaut class? The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. Roemer spoke to National Geographic about how NASA chooses its astronauts, what she’s looking for in candidates, and what she thinks about being inside the current fleet of space capsules. ![]() One of the people they select could even be the first human to walk on Mars. To find the optimal candidates, Roemer and a panel of current astronauts are scrutinizing the thousands of applicants to identify a dozen or so with the right mix of characteristics and experiences to join what could be the most exclusive corps on Earth. They must possess a certain je ne sais quoi-in other words, the “right stuff.” Astronauts need to be disciplined yet flexible, adventurous yet safety-conscious, capable of leading and following. “Now we just have more time to scrutinize the applications.”Įven without a pandemic in play, choosing NASA’s professional space travelers is no simple process. ![]() The first round of on-site interviews, originally scheduled for late September or early October, has been pushed back to next spring because of the pandemic, says Anne Roemer, NASA’s astronaut selection manager. During a brief window in March, 12,040 hopefuls applied to be members of the space agency’s next class of astronauts. NASA’s next space travelers are vying for the job-by the thousands.
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