How to become an astronaut and what to study
Aspiring astronauts should study a technical field that is relevant to space travel, experts suggest.
Former NASA astronaut and alum Charles Camarda says one of the most exciting aspects of becoming an astronaut was getting to use some of the space technology he and his colleagues had designed in a laboratory.
"We very rarely get to experience how this is used in space, how it is tested in space and so, for me, this was an engineer's dream," says Camarda, a research engineer who has bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. degrees in engineering.
Researchers
Charles Camarda
BS, Aerospace Engineering 1974
Sr. Advisor for Innovation, NASA Office of Chief Engineer