Astronomy and Space Professions for Spacemen

The astronaut trade is open to all academics specializing in astronomy, applied physics,
biology, medicine, and the amount of new science based on telecommunications and
computing, to name only remote sensing.

It is called “astronaut” in Europe and “cosmonaut” in Russia but these words mean the
same thing. The job of astronaut is certainly the most dreaming of young people and many
adults. It is also one of the riskiest trades in the world with that of submarine diver in extreme
environment.

Many astronauts are researchers in civil life who wrote to ESA or NASA to become an
astronaut. After passing the entrance exams, they followed for a few years a physical training
and advanced technical courses to know the astronautics and the mission that was going to be
entrusted to them.

Because of these difficulties many astronauts are military pilots with a lot of experience,
sometimes even test pilots.

Then, in turn, they were lucky to be able to board a rocket or space shuttle to accomplish
their mission. On their return some remain astronauts, others return to civilian life in their
laboratory.