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Also, be a good swimmer. You’ll be “swimming” in space in zero
gravity. People who are not good swimmers will not make good or safe
astronauts.
With so many people wanting to be astronauts, not everyone is
chosen. Engineer Michael Massimino applied four times before he was
chosen in 1996. He later flew on missions in 2002 and 2009. Persistence
pays off, even when becoming an astronaut.
Once you have passed all the tests and they have a spot for you,
you’re in. But you’re not really an astronaut until you make that first
journey into space. You’ll experience the wonder of spaceflight . . . and
then it will be time to get to work. There’s science to be done!
Text-Dependent Questions 1. What does an American need to
apply to be an astronaut?
2. Who was the first man to orbit the Earth?
3. Name one country that is part of the European Space Agency.
Research Project
Write up your own application to be an astronaut.What qualities do
you have that would make you a good one? In what science would you
want to specialize in? Look at different sciences to find your favorite.