Wanted: Astronauts; Missing: US rocket to fly them

Nov 15, 2011 BY SETH BORENSTEIN , AP Science Writer

(AP) -- NASA is looking to hire new astronauts to fly in space. You can even apply online at a giant government jobs website.

Only one trouble: With the space shuttle fleet retired, NASA doesn't have its own spaceship to fly and is sending fewer of them into orbit.

But with veteran astronauts leaving the , NASA's flight crew chief says the agency is afraid it will not have enough astronauts. So in front of dozens of elementary school students, NASA on Tuesday unveiled its biggest ever public push to hire new astronauts.

Astronauts will fly on a Russian Soyuz spaceship to the , eventually on American-built commercial rockets and even later in a NASA crew capsule.

Explore further: Field tests in Mojave Desert pave way for human exploration of small bodies

More information: NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/flynasa

5 /5 (2 votes)
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omatumr
1 / 5 (4) Nov 15, 2011
Thanks for the story.

I deeply regret the sad state of the US space program, but I appreciate your courage in informing the public.

This appears to be the result of decisions made four decades ago between world leaders ["Video Summary of Research Career (1961-2011)"]

http://dl.dropbox...reer.pdf

With kind regards,
Oliver K. Manuel
Former NASA Principal
Investigator for Apollo
http://myprofile....anuelo09
Nerdyguy
not rated yet Nov 15, 2011
While I applaud them for giving it the old "college try", it's rather amusing to picture that recruiting pitch:

NASA: So, we're looking for some astronauts today.

KID: Um, why are you talking to little kids? Don't you want grownups.

NASA: Well, um, cough, cough, um, we don't actually have any rockets to take anyone into space.

KID: But I thought you said you needed astronauts.

NASA: Well, sure, we're always optimistic that SOMEDAY we'll be able to build a rocket and put men into space again. But, um, it may be awhile. You guys are just about the right age. Just sign this form here, and we can start training next week.
Nerdyguy
5 / 5 (4) Nov 15, 2011
Thanks for the story.

I deeply regret the sad state of the US space program, but I appreciate your courage in informing the public.

This appears to be the result of decisions made four decades ago between world leaders ["Video Summary of Research Career (1961-2011)"]

http://dl.dropbox...reer.pdf


WRONG! Wrong, wrong, wrong. You're ill-informed if you are not cognizant of the fact that bureaucratic mismanagement combined with shortsighted American leaders has resulted in the current sorry state of U.S. space exploration.

If you'd like to put it in perspective, simply look around at several other national issues facing the results of the same idiotic decision-making by the Congress.

In a nutshell, we got too big, fat, dumb and happy, to the detriment of science, investment, infrastructure, technology and education. To name a few.
hush1
not rated yet Nov 16, 2011
Dawn the thinking caps for the briefest of moments...
Not drone pilots.
Space drone pilots.
Norezar
not rated yet Nov 16, 2011
Thanks for the story.

I deeply regret the sad state of the US space program, but I appreciate your courage in informing the public.

This appears to be the result of decisions made four decades ago between world leaders ["Video Summary of Research Career (1961-2011)"]

http://dl.dropbox...reer.pdf


WRONG! Wrong, wrong, wrong. You're ill-informed if you are not cognizant of the fact that bureaucratic mismanagement combined with shortsighted American leaders has resulted in the current sorry state of U.S. space exploration.

If you'd like to put it in perspective, simply look around at several other national issues facing the results of the same idiotic decision-making by the Congress.

In a nutshell, we got too big, fat, dumb and happy, to the detriment of science, investment, infrastructure, technology and education. To name a few.


5/5 isn't high enough, we need a 10 point rating system.

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