Should I try to become an astronaut? - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

JC · 2006-02-21, 08:55 PM

It's something I've always thought would be cool, but I'm a little hesitant about NASA's future these days. I have the educational background to be a mission specialist, I would just need the work experience. At this point in my career/education I'm kind of at a cross-roads where I need to decide if I want to move more toward management type work or stick with more of the dedicated engineering type work. Ideally I'd like to do sometype of management in the space systems field which would lend itself to being an astronaut, but realistically I'll end up in some type of commercial aviation which would quash that. I'm mostly just thinking out loud, but any opinions? Astronaut just doesn't seem like as good of a job as it used to be.

JC

sperry · 2006-02-21, 09:02 PM

Doooo eeeeiiit!!!

Really, how many people have the smarts and opportunity to give it a shot?

Double Phister · 2006-02-21, 10:20 PM

My wife says I'm not allowed to go into space. If you have the opportunity then take it.

Kevin M · 2006-02-21, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

Astronaut just doesn't seem like as good of a job as it used to be.

JC

So what if it's not? After you're an astronaut, if it sucks, you go someplace you want to work and say "I'm an astronaut, bitch. Gimme a job."

Dumbass, you think any of us average citizens are gonna tell you that being an astronaut is a poor career move?

sp00ln · 2006-02-21, 11:52 PM

I've always thought that if I had the opportunity to go back into time, I'd like to go back during the time of the dinosaurs because it an era in which NO MAN has ever seen. Being that's not possible, I believe it would be a wise choice to have the possible opportunity that only a handful of man in the history of man kind has had a chance to do, see and experiance that no one else will ever even fathom of experiancing. I say go astronaunt.

tysonK · 2006-02-22, 07:08 AM

Yeah and as an added bonus when the meteor comes at us you'll be the one pulling the trigger to stop it while floating in space, and bannging a hot brunette on the side.

JC · 2006-02-22, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sp00ln

I've always thought that if I had the opportunity to go back into time, I'd like to go back during the time of the dinosaurs because it an era in which NO MAN has ever seen. Being that's not possible, I believe it would be a wise choice to have the possible opportunity that only a handful of man in the history of man kind has had a chance to do, see and experiance that no one else will ever even fathom of experiancing. I say go astronaunt.

So what you are saying is that I should become a time traveler instead? haha I mean my feeling is that astronauts don't really explore anything anymore and fairly soon anyone will be able to take a trip into space. Will being an astronaut really be anything special?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tysonK

Yeah and as an added bonus when the meteor comes at us you'll be the one pulling the trigger to stop it while floating in space, and bannging a hot brunette on the side.

One of the groups here at Tech is working on space defense against meteors. I've seen the current stuff we have, I can assure you we are fairly screwed at this point.

MPREZIV · 2006-02-22, 07:56 AM

Astronaut dude! Go for it! Going into space would be AWESOME! And the chicks would dig it! Shit, I could probably pull some "association ass" just by knowing you!

"Hey baby, I've got a friend who's an astronaut!" [panties dropping]

Bob Danger · 2006-02-22, 09:24 AM

Buy a VW Van and become a Surf Bum!

Just joking, Astronauts get all the free tang they want!

sp00ln · 2006-02-22, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

So what you are saying is that I should become a time traveler instead? haha I mean my feeling is that astronauts don't really explore anything anymore and fairly soon anyone will be able to take a trip into space. Will being an astronaut really be anything special?

Do you think that we'll ever go to Mars? That would be cool.

Ezdno · 2006-02-24, 11:02 PM

If you have the opportunity to do it, then you should. I think your mistaken about the future of the NASA program, I think in the near future with the added pressure from the two private companies putting space travel in the grasp of the general "RICH" public, the NASA program will be looking to raise the bar and move towards deep space. New Galaxies. Alien Tang!

oh and in the classic prose of mr miyagi.....there is no try....you either do or you don't!

Kevin M · 2006-02-25, 12:30 AM

dude, that was yoda.

Ezdno · 2006-02-25, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

dude, that was yoda.

Well I knew it was a short dude with very little hair and a speech impediment

"wax on......wax off"

Duckie · 2006-02-25, 07:51 AM

LOL@yoda vs miyogi

Thats a fight I would watch.

Anyway back on topic so I don't hijack, dude very few people follow their dreams and if you have enough drive it seems your already in a position to make it. Now just drive it home. My dream is to have a street driven 11 second SVX and to go back to school...to achieve the former I would have to forsake the later because of money issues and some BS about one being important for my futur blah blah blah. The SVX is funner(sweet, proper english ftl) but not as important. You my friend would have a lot of fun on your journey! I say go for it.

Ezdno · 2006-02-25, 08:18 AM

Oh I just heard, all the newer spacecraft have bugeyes!

JC · 2006-02-26, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPREZIV

Shit, I could probably pull some "association ass" just by knowing you! "Hey baby, I've got a friend who's an astronaut!" [panties dropping]

Ya well it would be a while, don't go dumping your chick just yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sp00ln

Do you think that we'll ever go to Mars? That would be cool.

Ya eventually, but I think space exploration will largely continue to be unmanned. It's cheaper and we get the same or more scientific benefit as manned exploration. Manned exploration is significantly cooler, but there is just no budget for it. I hate to say it, but we could explore a lot more if we just stopped the manned exploration programs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ezdno

If you have the opportunity to do it, then you should. I think your mistaken about the future of the NASA program, I think in the near future with the added pressure from the two private companies putting space travel in the grasp of the general "RICH" public, the NASA program will be looking to raise the bar and move towards deep space. New Galaxies. Alien Tang!

I doubt it, the privateers aren't really competition for NASA. They are strictly for novelty value of this point. If they start taking people on tours of the moon for example, NASA might get public pressure that they aren't doing enough, but I think that would be the extent of it.

If anyone is interested in this stuff, there is a book called Entering Space by Robert Zubrin. I highly recommend it and most of it is non-technical.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158...Fencoding=UTF8

sp00ln · 2006-02-26, 01:23 PM

Have we been to the moon JC?

JC · 2006-02-26, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sp00ln

Have we been to the moon JC?

Yes and there was nothing there.

(note there are some materials that might be worth while mining there, but we had no idea at the time)

dknv · 2006-02-26, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

One of the groups here at Tech is working on space defense against meteors. I've seen the current stuff we have, I can assure you we are fairly screwed at this point.

Anybody else a little concerned about this assessment?

Nick Koan · 2006-02-26, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dknv

Anybody else a little concerned about this assessment?

I try not to get worked up about stuff I absolutely have no control over. Hand of God or somesuch.

M3n2c3 · 2006-02-27, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nKoan

Quote:

Originally Posted by dknv

Anybody else a little concerned about this assessment?

I try not to get worked up about stuff I absolutely have no control over. Hand of God or somesuch.

And in contrast, I go in to a frothing, raging panic every time I think about it.

. . . ok, not really. I'm with Nick. "Fuhgeddabouddit"

sp00ln · 2006-02-28, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nKoan

I try not to get worked up about stuff I absolutely have no control over. Hand of God or somesuch.

2006-02-21, 08:55 PM	#1
JC Ask me about dubs! Real Name: JC Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 2,895 Car: 2013 Triumph Speed Triple R	Should I try to become an astronaut? It's something I've always thought would be cool, but I'm a little hesitant about NASA's future these days. I have the educational background to be a mission specialist, I would just need the work experience. At this point in my career/education I'm kind of at a cross-roads where I need to decide if I want to move more toward management type work or stick with more of the dedicated engineering type work. Ideally I'd like to do sometype of management in the space systems field which would lend itself to being an astronaut, but realistically I'll end up in some type of commercial aviation which would quash that. I'm mostly just thinking out loud, but any opinions? Astronaut just doesn't seem like as good of a job as it used to be. JC __________________ Actually, I am a rocket scientist.

2006-02-21, 09:02 PM	#2
sperry The Doink Real Name: Scott Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 20,335 Car: '09 OBXT, '02 WRX, '96 Miata Class: PDX/TT-6 The way out is through	Doooo eeeeiiit!!! Really, how many people have the smarts and opportunity to give it a shot? __________________ Is you is, or is you ain't, my con-stit-u-ints?

2006-02-21, 10:20 PM	#3
Double Phister EJ22 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Elk Grove, CA Posts: 450 Car: 2005 WRX STi "I'm sideways and in control... I look good."	My wife says I'm not allowed to go into space. If you have the opportunity then take it. __________________ Dan - '05 Black WRX STi. My Mods

2006-02-21, 11:52 PM	#5
sp00ln EJ205 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 1,196	I've always thought that if I had the opportunity to go back into time, I'd like to go back during the time of the dinosaurs because it an era in which NO MAN has ever seen. Being that's not possible, I believe it would be a wise choice to have the possible opportunity that only a handful of man in the history of man kind has had a chance to do, see and experiance that no one else will ever even fathom of experiancing. I say go astronaunt. __________________ Turbo is a decent with modification.

2006-02-22, 07:08 AM	#6
tysonK warehouse SECCS Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SoCal... Posts: 6,253 Car: 04 Evo 99 Cadillac Class: street de le mod	Yeah and as an added bonus when the meteor comes at us you'll be the one pulling the trigger to stop it while floating in space, and bannging a hot brunette on the side. __________________ Anjali? Anjali?

2006-02-22, 07:56 AM	#8
MPREZIV Token Real Name: Le Stig Afrique? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: sitting next to a big yellow box Posts: 3,589 Car: 2001 Impreza 2.5 RS Class: 05 TDSP No, I won't work on your car. F your car*	Astronaut dude! Go for it! Going into space would be AWESOME! And the chicks would dig it! Shit, I could probably pull some "association ass" just by knowing you! "Hey baby, I've got a friend who's an astronaut!" [panties dropping] __________________ "...these condoms have a topical anesthetic to reduce sensitivity, so you can last longer. What a paradox. You can't feel a thing, but you can f*ck for HOURS..."

2006-02-22, 09:24 AM	#9
Bob Danger Tape Terrorist Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Melmac Posts: 1,792 Car: ? Class: Retired! Warning: Prolonged eye contact may cause insanity	Buy a VW Van and become a Surf Bum! Just joking, Astronauts get all the free tang they want! __________________ A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi.

2006-02-24, 11:02 PM	#11
Ezdno EJ251 Real Name: Dean W. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: So close to hell you can see Sparks! Posts: 541 Car: 1992 F250 1T Monster Class: none They were all dead when I got here!	If you have the opportunity to do it, then you should. I think your mistaken about the future of the NASA program, I think in the near future with the added pressure from the two private companies putting space travel in the grasp of the general "RICH" public, the NASA program will be looking to raise the bar and move towards deep space. New Galaxies. Alien Tang! oh and in the classic prose of mr miyagi.....there is no try....you either do or you don't! __________________ Don't interupt me while I am ignoring you! Last edited by Ezdno; 2006-02-24 at 11:04 PM.

2006-02-25, 12:30 AM	#12
Kevin M EJ22T Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Reno Posts: 9,445 Car: '93/'01 GF6, mostly red Class: 19 FP	dude, that was yoda. __________________ FWD is the new AWD

2006-02-25, 07:51 AM	#14
Duckie EJ22 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Reno Posts: 309	LOL@yoda vs miyogi Thats a fight I would watch. Anyway back on topic so I don't hijack, dude very few people follow their dreams and if you have enough drive it seems your already in a position to make it. Now just drive it home. My dream is to have a street driven 11 second SVX and to go back to school...to achieve the former I would have to forsake the later because of money issues and some BS about one being important for my futur blah blah blah. The SVX is funner(sweet, proper english ftl) but not as important. You my friend would have a lot of fun on your journey! I say go for it. __________________ quack

2006-02-25, 08:18 AM	#15
Ezdno EJ251 Real Name: Dean W. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: So close to hell you can see Sparks! Posts: 541 Car: 1992 F250 1T Monster Class: none They were all dead when I got here!	Oh I just heard, all the newer spacecraft have bugeyes! __________________ Don't interupt me while I am ignoring you!

2006-02-26, 01:23 PM	#17
sp00ln EJ205 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 1,196	Have we been to the moon JC? __________________ Turbo is a decent with modification.