Astronaut

Career path and progression

You'll have several years' training before you're ready for a mission. It may take you years to be selected for a space flight. Once you're selected, you'll get mission specific training. Your flight in space could last between 6 months and a year.

With experience you could:

• be selected for other missions
• move into management, teaching or research
• set up your own consultancy business

You can find out more about related career opportunities in space exploration from the European Space Agency.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
• the ability to operate and control equipment
• physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• leadership skills
• observation and recording skills
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• thinking and reasoning skills
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

• pass a medical check
• have a good level of fitness

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Physics - Astronauts need a deep understanding of physics to work in space – from orbital mechanics and microgravity to how spacecraft systems generate thrust, maintain pressure, and control temperature. They also set up and monitor physics experiments aboard the International Space Station.
• Mathematics - Astronauts use mathematics constantly, from calculating orbital trajectories and fuel consumption to interpreting scientific data from experiments. Strong mathematical reasoning also helps them solve unexpected technical problems during missions.
• Biology - Astronauts monitor their own health and take biological samples like blood to assess how the human body responds to microgravity. They also carry out life science experiments and test for bacterial growth in the spacecraft's water systems.
• Chemistry - Astronauts maintain and repair oxygen production systems and monitor air quality aboard the spacecraft, which requires understanding chemical reactions and gas composition. Many space experiments also involve chemistry, such as studying how materials behave differently in microgravity.
• Engineering - Astronauts repair, maintain, and install equipment on the spacecraft and space station, sometimes during spacewalks. Understanding how mechanical, electrical, and life-support systems work is essential for keeping everything running safely in an environment where failure is not an option.

Also relevant

• Physical Education - Astronauts must maintain exceptional physical fitness to withstand the demands of launch, spacewalks, and long-duration missions. While in space, they exercise for around two hours every day to prevent muscle and bone loss caused by microgravity.
• Computer Science - Astronauts work with complex onboard computer systems that control navigation, life support, and scientific instruments. Understanding how software and digital systems operate helps them troubleshoot problems and manage the data they collect during experiments.
• Modern Foreign Languages - Astronauts on the International Space Station work alongside crew members from different countries, and both English and Russian are used as working languages on board. Being able to communicate in more than one language is a real advantage during training and missions.
• Psychology - Astronauts spend months in a confined space with a small crew, far from family and friends, which is emotionally demanding. Understanding how people cope with stress, isolation, and group dynamics helps them maintain good mental health and work effectively as a team.