NASA posts job ad for new group of astronauts

2011-11-16 16:01:45 GMT+7 (ICT)

HOUSTON (BNO NEWS) -- Frequent travel may be required for a job ad posted online by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Tuesday. The agency is looking for a new group of astronauts for its future spaceflights.

From Tuesday afternoon until January 27, 2012, qualified U.S. citizens can submit their applications through the federal government's USAJobs.gov website. Those selected will eventually travel aboard the Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) and, later, on NASA's new spacecraft.

"For 50 years, American astronauts have led the exploration of our solar system," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "Today we are getting a glimpse of why that will remain true for the next half-century. Make no mistake about it, human space flight is alive and well at NASA."

The agency said those selected will be among the first to pioneer a new generation of commercial launch vehicles and travel aboard a new heavy-lift rocket to distant destinations in deep space. It is the first time ever that U.S. citizen can apply so easily to become an astronaut, which is a dream for many.

Qualifications for the job include a bachelor's degree in engineering, science or math and three years of relevant professional experience. NASA said successful applicants frequently have significant qualifications in engineering or science or extensive experience flying high-performance jet aircraft. Educators teaching kindergarten through 12th grade with these minimum degree requirements also are encouraged to apply.

According to the job ad on USAJobs.gov, the salaries for the astronauts range between $64,724 to $141,715 per year. It says candidates must undergo drug-testing and pass a pre-employment medical examination. "Frequent travel may be required," it notes.

NASA said the applicants will be evaluated by an Astronaut Rating Panel next year based on the academic and work experience qualification requirements. Eligible candidates will be placed in qualified and highly-qualified categories, after which highly-qualified applicants will be evaluated by an Astronaut Selection Board.

Following the evaluations, the best qualified applicants will be interviewed by NASA. Officials will then select the astronauts and announce the final selection in 2013, after which training will begin during the summer.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-11-16

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