(Newser)
–
Bust out your resume, space cadets, because NASA wants you! Yes, despite the recent end of the space shuttle program, and the fact that everyone and their brother once dreamed of being an astronaut, a September report concluded that the space agency needed to recruit fresh astronauts or face a shortage in the next five years, the Washington Post reports. So for the first time since 2007, they’re accepting applications.
NASA currently has just 59 astronauts on hand, compared to 150 a decade ago. According to the job posting, applicants not only need a degree in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics and consummate work experience, they must meet the “anthropometric requirements” to fit in Russia’s none-too-spacious Soyuz capsule. (“So no extra Happy Meals,” the Post translates.) Of course, even if you get selected, you’ll need to complete two to three years of training, and will have to wait five years between spaceflights.
