An astronaut is someone who can crew a spaceship.
An astronaut is an individual who is trained to crew a spacecraft (a vehicle that can leave the Earth 's atmosphere and fly in outer space). The concept derives from the English word astronaut .
Astronauts, also known as cosmonauts , must have extensive technical knowledge, but also be in optimal physical condition and have a healthy psychological state to withstand the living conditions on aircraft and in space stations.
Examples of astronauts
The first person to travel into outer space was a Russian astronaut: Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968). This astronaut traveled on April 12, 1961 in the Vostok 1 spacecraft, making a flight of 108 minutes.
Beyond the enormous achievement of Gagarin and the Soviet authorities, it can be said that the most famous astronauts in history are three Americans: Neil Armstrong , Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins , crew members of the Apollo 11 spacecraft that allowed humans to land on the Moon . Armstrong was thus the first human to set foot on Earth 's natural satellite, followed by Aldrin ( Collins remained on the ship).
Astronauts can travel to outer space.
Adverse effects on the body
It is worth noting that the activities carried out in orbit have various effects on the bodies of astronauts. Weightlessness can cause nausea, dizziness and vomiting. When astronauts spend a long time in space, they lose muscle mass, their immune system weakens and they experience sleep disorders, among other complications.
In space, on the other hand, astronauts have difficulty executing certain movements precisely, may suffer from asthenia (fatigue or general weakness that makes it difficult or impossible to perform certain tasks that are otherwise easy) and often present a state of irritability.
Astronaut training
Many children dream of becoming astronauts. However, just like other vocations that appear during childhood, putting it into practice requires a lot of hard work and preparation that only a few can overcome.
Becoming an astronaut is not impossible, but rather very difficult: Japan, Canada , the ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA , among other countries and agencies, select their candidates very rigorously. Before deciding to undergo training, it is necessary to know that there are two categories to which we can aspire within this profession: that of pilot and that of specialist.
Broadly speaking, all candidates are required to have completed university studies, although each specialist must have specific knowledge.
In the United States , pilots working in the military have priority over civilians when applying for a similar position at NASA . They must have a minimum of 1,000 flight hours on their service record and be at least 1.63 meters tall and no more than 1.93 meters tall.
The most common degrees for specialists include engineering degrees in physics, biology, chemistry and mathematics. In addition, a doctorate is often required to ensure the highest possible academic rank.
The physical requirements to become an astronaut are perfect vision, a blood pressure of over 14 and a height of between 1.49 and 1.93 metres. The age range is very narrow, ranging from 27 to 37 years (in the case of the Shuttle programme , the maximum is 35).
Needless to say, the screening is exhaustive. However, getting through it is only the beginning: the training that aspiring astronauts must undergo can last up to eight years, and includes both a theoretical and practical part. They must learn scientific concepts that allow them to understand and operate the different devices, as well as learn how to move effectively in zero-gravity environments.