Brushing up on your spelling might be a good place to start. One must be able to communicate clearly first.

This is a great question. I have a few answers for you, so I may edit this answer a few times, to get it all on here.   This is a link to NASA's " astronaut candidate program brochure. http://www.nasajobs.nasa.gov/astronauts/content/AstroCandbro_sm.pdf very helpful info there, including requirements, responsibilities, pay, and so on...   You could also contact NASA , here is the address. NASA Johnson Space Center Mail Code AHX 2101 NASA Parkway Houston, TX 77058-3696 astronaut.selection@mail.nasa.gov 281-483-5907 This site was last updated in 01, but Im sure it will still be helpful as well. http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/facts/faq12.html HOW TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT There is a mailing list for those interested in sharing information on the astronaut-selection process. If you would like to join, send mail to astronaut-candidates-request@camis.stanford.edu (contact geoff@hisnext.Stanford.EDU (Geoffrey Rutledge)). First the short form, authored by Henry Spencer, then an official NASA announcement. Q. How do I become an astronaut? A. We will assume you mean a NASA astronaut, since it's probably impossible for a non-Russian to get into the cosmonaut corps (paying passengers are not professional cosmonauts), and the other nations have so few astronauts (and fly even fewer) that you're better off hoping to win a lottery. Becoming a shuttle pilot requires lots of fast-jet experience, which means a military flying career; forget that unless you want to do it anyway. So you want to become a shuttle "mission specialist". If you aren't a US citizen, become one; that is a must. After that, the crucial thing to remember is that the demand for such jobs vastly exceeds the supply. NASA's problem is not finding qualified people, but thinning the lineup down to manageable length. It is not enough to be qualified; you must avoid being *dis*qualified for any reason, many of them in principle quite irrelevant to the job. Get a Ph.D. Specialize in something that involves getting your hands dirty with equipment, not just paper and pencil. Forget computer programming entirely; it will be done from the ground for the fore- seeable future. Degree(s) in one field plus work experience in another seems to be a frequent winner. Be in good physical condition, with good eyesight. (DO NOT get a radial keratomy or similar hack to improve your vision; nobody knows what sudden pressure changes would do to RKed eyes, and long-term effects are poorly understood. For that matter, avoid any other significant medical unknowns.) If you can pass a jet-pilot physical, you should be okay; if you can't, your chances are poor. Practise public speaking, and be conservative and conformist in appearance and actions; you've got a tough selling job ahead, trying to convince a cautious, conservative selection committee that you are better than hundreds of other applicants. (And, also, that you will be a credit to NASA after you are hired: public relations is a significant part of the job, and NASA's image is very prim and proper.) The image you want is squeaky-clean workaholic yuppie. Remember also that you will need a security clearance at some point, and Security considers everybody guilty until proven innocent. Keep your nose clean. Get a pilot's license and make flying your number one hobby; experienced pilots are known to be favored even for non-pilot jobs. Work for NASA; of 45 astronauts selected between 1984 and 1988, 43 were military or NASA employees, and the remaining two were a NASA consultant and Mae Jemison (the first black female astronaut). If you apply from outside NASA and miss, but they offer you a job at NASA, ***TAKE IT***; sometimes in the past this has meant "you do look interesting but we want to know you a bit better first". Think space: they want highly motivated people, so lose no chance to demonstrate motivation. Keep trying. Many astronauts didn't make it the first time. NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas Announcement for Mission Specialist and Pilot Astronaut Candidates ================================================================== Astronaut Candidate Program --------------------------- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a need for Pilot Astronaut Candidates and Mission Specialist Astronaut Candidates to support the Space Shuttle Program. NASA is now accepting on a continuous basis and plans to select astronaut candidates as needed. Persons from both the civilian sector and the military services will be considered. All positions are located at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and will involved a 1-year training and evaluation program. Space Shuttle Program Description --------------------------------- The numerous successful flights of the Space Shuttle have demonstrated that operation and experimental investigations in space are becoming routine. The Space Shuttle Orbiter is launched into, and maneuvers in the Earth orbit performing missions lastling up to 30 days. It then returns to earth and is ready for another flight with payloads and flight crew. The Orbiter performs a variety of orbital missions including deployment and retrieval of satellites, service of existing satellites, operation of specialized laboratories (astronomy, earth sciences, materials processing, manufacturing), and other operations. These missions will eventually include the development and servicing of a permanent space station. The Orbiter also provides a staging capability for using higher orbits than can be achieved by the Orbiter itself. Users of the Space Shuttle's capabilities are both domestic and foreign and include government agencies and private industries. The crew normally consists of five people - the commander, the pilot, and three mission specialists. On occasion additional crew members are assigned. The commander, pilot, and mission specialists are NASA astronauts. Pilot Astronaut Pilot astronauts server as both Space Shuttle commanders and pilots. During flight the commander has onboard responsibility for the vehicle, crew, mission success and safety in flight. The pilot assists the commander in controlling and operating the vehicle. In addition, the pilot may assist in the deployment and retrieval of satellites utilizing the remote manipulator system, in extra-vehicular activities, and other payload operations. Mission Specialist Astronaut Mission specialist astronauts, working with the commander and pilot, have overall responsibility for the coordination of Shuttle operations in the areas of crew activity planning, consumables usage, and experiment and payload operations. Mission specialists are required to have a detailed knowledge of Shuttle systems, as well as detailed knowledge of the operational characteristics, mission requirements and objectives, and supporting systems and equipment for each of the experiments to be conducted on their assigned missions. Mission specialists will perform extra-vehicular activities, payload handling using the remote manipulator system, and perform or assist in specific experimental operations. Astronaut Candidate Program =========================== Basic Qualification Requirements -------------------------------- Applicants MUST meet the following minimum requirements prior to submitting an application. Mission Specialist Astronaut Candidate: 1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Degree must be followed by at least three years of related progressively responsible, professional experience. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for part or all of the experience requirement (master's degree = 1 year, doctoral degree = 3 years). Quality of academic preparation is important. 2. Ability to pass a NASA class II space physical, which is similar to a civilian or military class II flight physical and includes the following specific standards: Distant visual acuity: 20/150 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20, each eye. Blood pressure: 140/90 measured in sitting position. 3. Height between 58.5 and 76 inches. Pilot Astronaut Candidate: 1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Degree must be followed by at least three years of related progressively responsible, professional experience. An advanced degree is desirable. Quality of academic preparation is important. 2. At least 1000 hours pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Flight test experience highly desirable. 3. Ability to pass a NASA Class I space physical which is similar to a military or civilian Class I flight physical and includes the following specific standards: Distant visual acuity: 20/50 or better uncorrected correctable to 20/20, each eye. Blood pressure: 140/90 measured in sitting position. 4. Height between 64 and 76 inches. Citizenship Requirements Applications for the Astronaut Candidate Program must be citizens of the United States. Note on Academic Requirements Applicants for the Astronaut Candidate Program must meet the basic education requirements for NASA engineering and scientific positions -- specifically: successful completion of standard professional curriculum in an accredited college or university leading to at least a bachelor's degree with major study in an appropriate field of engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. The following degree fields, while related to engineering and the sciences, are not considered qualifying: - Degrees in technology (Engineering Technology, Aviation Technology, Medical Technology, etc.) - Degrees in Psychology (except for Clinical Psychology, Physiological Psychology, or Experimental Psychology which are qualifying). - Degrees in Nursing. - Degrees in social sciences (Geography, Anthropology, Archaeology, etc.) - Degrees in Aviation, Aviation Management or similar fields. Application Procedures ---------------------- Civilian The application package may be obtained by writing to: NASA Johnson Space Center Astronaut Selection Office ATTN: AHX Houston, TX 77058 Civilian applications will be accepted on a continuous basis. When NASA decides to select additional astronaut candidates, consideration will be given only to those applications on hand on the date of decision is made. Applications received after that date will be retained and considered for the next selection. Applicants will be notified annually of the opportunity to update their applications and to indicate continued interest in being considered for the program. Those applicants who do not update their applications annually will be dropped from consideration, and their applications will not be retained. After the preliminary screening of applications, additional information may be requested for some applicants, and person listed on the application as supervisors and references may be contacted. Active Duty Military Active duty military personnel must submit applications to their respective military service and not directly to NASA. Application procedures will be disseminated by each service. Selection --------- Personal interviews and thorough medical evaluations will be required for both civilian and military applicants under final consideration. Once final selections have been made, all applicants who were considered will be notified of the outcome of the process. Selection rosters established through this process may be used for the selection of additional candidates during a one year period following their establishment. General Program Requirements Selected applicants will be designated Astronaut Candidates and will be assigned to the Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. The astronaut candidates will undergo a 1 year training and evaluation period during which time they will be assigned technical or scientific responsibilities allowing them to contribute substantially to ongoing programs. They will also participate in the basic astronaut training program which is designed to develop the knowledge and skills required for formal mission training upon selection for a flight. Pilot astronaut candidates will maintain proficiency in NASA aircraft during their candidate period. Applicants should be aware that selection as an astronaut candidate does not insure selection as an astronaut. Final selection as an astronaut will depend on satisfactory completion of the 1 year training and evaluation period. Civilian candidates who successfully complete the training and evaluation and are selected as astronauts will become permanent Federal employees and will be expected to remain with NASA for a period of at least five years. Civilian candidates who are not selected as astronauts may be placed in other positions within NASA depending upon Agency requirements and manpower constraints at that time. Successful military candidates will be detailed to NASA for a specified tour of duty. NASA has an affirmative action program goal of having qualified minorities and women among those qualified as astronaut candidates. Therefore, qualified minorities and women are encouraged to apply. Pay and Benefits ---------------- Civilians Salaries for civilian astronaut candidates are based on the Federal Governments General Schedule pay scales for grades GS-11 through GS-14, and are set in accordance with each individuals academic achievements and experience. Other benefits include vacation and sick leave, a retirement plan, and participation in group health and life insurance plans. Military Selected military personnel will be detailed to the Johnson Space Center but will remain in an active duty status for pay, benefits, leave, and other similar military matters. ------------------ ------------------ Here is a link to the ESA ( European Space Agency ) http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESA1RMGBCLC_astronauts_0.html Astronauts of the European Space Agency (ESA) The European Astronaut Corps In 1998, ESA Member States participating in the International Space Station (ISS) programme decided to unite their respective astronaut teams with the existing ESA core team to form a single European Astronaut Corps. This integration process was completed in 2002. The Corps currently consists of eight members from Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The European Astronaut Centre's (EAC) Astronaut Division, under the leadership of management astronaut Gerhard Thiele, assumes responsibility for all individual astronauts. One of the Corps' aims is to afford ESA astronauts as much training as possible with the goal of accumulating as much expertise as possible for its astronauts thus making them valuable assets for space missions. This not only enhances ESA’s human spaceflight reputation but also increases the probability of ESA astronauts being assigned to a mission. The experience gained by ESA astronauts in spaceflight operations is not only valued by their involvement during missions with on board operations, but also when not assigned to a mission. In this case, astronauts take up their duty supporting the mission from ground, e.g. taking charge of the communications with the space crews. When not assigned to a training or mission support, astronauts provide support to the development of ESA technology programmes, so-called collateral duties, as in the case of the development of Columbus and the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). Moreover, the members of the European Astronaut Corps are ambassadors for the benefits of spaceflight. The astronauts participate in countless public relations activities, conferences and scientific lectures, sharing their unique experience with the audience and thus shaping the overall attitude towards science in general and spaceflight in particular. Last update: 10 April 2008

Have good grades and education, be in good physical condition, etc.

Here is some more info for you.   Usually to become an astronaut you need a degree in some field of science or medicine - not necessarily astronomy but it can be astronomy. No school offers a degree relating to being an astronaut directly. Instead, NASA looks at what you've done in your chosen field of science, and selects based on your past experience. NASA then trains the astronauts for a couple years, and then allows them to be put on specific missions. Tom Jones, a former astronaut, spoke at Cornell, and I believe he said something about how NASA looks for people who have a degree in science but have had a couple different jobs - this indicates flexibility and the ability to learn new things. Another way to become an astronaut is to be the pilot. For this you need air force training because you need a lot of flight training and experience with military aircraft. However, to be an astronomer you need a physics or astronomy degree and research experience in astronomy. If you really want to be a pilot, the Air Force seems like a good choice. The Air Force Academy does have a physics major as well, so it might be possible to become a pilot and an astronomer, although I really don't know much about their physics program. Anyway, if you really want to do astronomy and be an astronaut, you should probably major in a science field in college, and then apply for the astronaut job later. I hope this helps! You might want to search around and read about the subject since I'm not an astronaut and so my response is based on what I've heard before from others. http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=426   At some point in time, you have stopped and wondered about outer space, the planets, life on other galaxies, or Astronauts, or the science of the unkown. If these topics interest you in any way, you may be interested in the field of becoming an Astronaut. I know, it is not something that you hear a lot about, or hear a lot of children saying that they want to be an Astronaut when they get older, but it is a dream for some. And it is up to you to make your dream a reality. Difficulty Level: Hard Time Required: 20 years (A lot of time, but a job with something that you love, is really never a day of work at all!) If you are in school now, here are the important things to remember and to do. It's a long hard voyage to become an astronaut, but today in the US over 200 men and women are training and traveling into space. Who knows - in 10 or 20 years, you could be one of them! In that time, we'll be working along with many other countries to build an international space station, and maybe from there go on to the Moon and Mars. So the need for people to become astronauts is only going to grow. But you do need the proper preparation. Work hard in school and get good grades. Study as much math and science as you can. Do well on your SATs and go to a good college. Study languages other than English - Russian, Japanese, Chinese, and French would all be useful. Get yourself into good physical shape - you need to have good blood pressure and good eyesight to be an astronaut. Be a good team player, and make sure that you can work well with others. Learn to fly, and get a citizen's pilot license. Attend a good graduate school, studying science or engineering. When you're out of graduate school, apply to NASA. Another good tip that would help you out is to get involved in Space camps. They will teach you many different things, and you will know for sure if being an Astronaut is something that you would like to do. NASA chooses its astronauts from an increasingly diverse pool of applicants that, "looks like America". From thousands of applications from all over the world, approximately 100 men and women are chosen for an intensive astronaut candidate training program every two years. "I cannot imagine a better career. I've done more than I could ever have imagined. I'm thankful that I've been at the right place at the right time," said Kenneth S. Reightler. The study time involved is no more lengthy than that of any other professional career requiring graduate/post-graduate study. If becoming an astronaut is a dream, held long and steadfast, than this labor will be one of love. As always, if you have a dream, you need to work towards living that dream. Being an Astronaut takes a lot of hard work and time, but in space, is there time? Go out there and live life to the fullest! http://www.essortment.com/all/howtobecome_rzid.htm   Step one Getting through the application process is even harder than, well, rocket science. For a start, if you're not a US citizen, it's time to start loading your romance profile into US speed-dating websites now. NASA only accepts applications from US citizens, which is a pretty standard requirement across all space programs. Once you're a citizen, you need to ensure you have a degree in science, medicine or engineering. Forget computer programming; all the real computer stuff is done from the ground, and you want to be heading to infinity and beyond, not stuck in front of a console on terra firma. After you complete your degree you need an additional three years of either professional experience, teaching or postgraduate study. If you take the PhD route, it's a good idea to pick a topic that gets you in the lab with equipment rather than burrowing away with a pencil and paper. Then you face a veritable circus of hoops to jump through before NASA selects the 'astronaut candidates' or trainee astronauts. This includes a week-long interview process and a medical screening, conducted to prevent medical emergencies down the track. "Being selected as an astronaut [candidate] is already a jewel in your crown," says Dr John B Charles, program scientist for NASA's Human Research Program. "To get that far, you've got to be pretty special." http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/09/11/2362184.htm   HOW CAN I BECOME AN ASTRONAUT? EDUCATION To become an astronaut, you need to do well in math, physics, astronomy, and chemistry. Biology, medicine, geology, and engineering would also be helpful. The "minimum degree requirement" for an astronaut is a bachelor's from an accredited university. Three years of related increasingly responsible professional experience must follow that degree. Most astronauts are overachievers. Some astronauts, like Mae Jemison, have graduate degrees in both engineering and medicine, for example. You should develop hobbies such as ham radio, model rocketry, and computers. Stay in top physical shape. Astronaut Sally Ride was a top-ranked junior tennis player. Other astronauts have earned black belts in karate. You should also develop a talent in a non-technical area, to be well-rounded. Ron McNair was an accomplished saxophonist, for example. Fluency in a foreign language would help, particularly Russian. American astronauts Norm Thagard and Shannon Lucid each spent several months aboard the Russian Mir space station, working with Russian cosmonauts. ASTRONAUT CLASSIFICATION Some astronauts are pilots, while others are either mission specialists or payload specialists. Most, if not all, shuttle pilots have military experience. Many of the pilots have graduated from a military academy. Mission specialists do not need aviation experience; but many, like Roberta Bondar, are pilots, anyway. Typical mission activities are growing crystals, performing biological tests, and taking pictures of stars. A mission specialists may perform several experiments in each of these areas during a flight. Thus he or she needs a diverse science background. Payload specialist retrieve and deploy satellites. They may also perform experiments with the mission specialists. APPLICATION You may receive an application package by writing directly to NASA: Astronaut Selection Office Mail Code AHX Johnson Space Center Houston, TX 77058-3696 http://www.vibrationdata.com/space/wannabe.htm   1 Know that you must be between 5 feet 4 inches and 6 feet 4 inches tall to be a pilot and between 4 feet 10 1/2 inches and 6 feet 4 inches to be a mission specialist. You also need to be in top physical condition and have great stamina. Step2 Maintain an excellent academic record in your undergraduate and graduate studies. Many astronauts have doctoral degrees. Step3 Choose a scientific field for your bachelor's degree that you can use if you become an astronaut. Possibilities include medicine, biology, chemistry, physics, aerospace engineering and mathematics. Step4 Make certain you have at least 3 years of work experience in your field before applying as a mission specialist. An acceptable substitution might be a 2-year graduate degree with 1 year of experience. Step5 Have at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft, preferably with flight-test experience, if you wish to be a mission pilot. Step6 Send for an application package (see Tips for the address). You'll have to pass the strict NASA physical as a basic qualification. Step7 Realize that if you're accepted as an astronaut candidate, you're committing yourself to a training period of 1 to 2 years in Houston without a guarantee that you'll ever go into space. Training will be intense and often in low-gravity conditions. It will include land and sea survival training and scuba diving. Step8 Prepare to remain with NASA for at least 5 years if you pass the training period and are accepted as an astronaut. Tips & Warnings * You can obtain an application package by writing to the Astronaut Selection Office, Mail Code AHX, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, 77058, or call (281) 483-5907. * If you're claustrophobic, don't apply to be an astronaut. Your problem will definitely be discovered. * Consult the NASA Web site (see Resources) for more specific information about appropriate degrees. * You must be a team player at all times. Lives will depend on you. http://www.ehow.com/how_7974_become-astronaut.html