For anyone interested in ditching their desk job for an office in the cosmos, former Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has some insider advice: be special.
Speaking to 愛污传媒 Channel from his Sarnia, Ont. home on Saturday, the retired International Space Station commander outlined what Canada鈥檚 Space Agency is looking for in its next two astronauts.
He said 鈥渢he ability to learn complicated things鈥� is important, as is being in tip-top physical shape. But there鈥檚 a third essential quality that Hadfield says is 鈥渄ifficult to define.鈥�
鈥淚t really comes down to what sort of person you are,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ho would you want to spend six months with in a tiny little spaceship, or on the surface of the moon with? What type of person? What sort of skills 鈥� not just math and science and engineering and (being) physically fit 鈥� but what sort of other nuances would you want?鈥�
The application deadline for the once-in-a-lifetime job closes Monday at midnight Pacific Time, and the Canadian Space Agency said it has already been flooded with thousands of applications.
According to the , the two successful applicants will help support current projects and undergo rigorous training for future space missions. The astronauts will mainly work out of NASA鈥檚 Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, but will regularly return to Canada for various responsibilities.
As for physical qualifications, applicants must have:
- a height between between 149.5 cm and 190.5 cm (or between 4-foot-11 and 6-foot-3);
- a weight between 110 to 209 pounds; and
- 20/20 vision (those who鈥檝e undergone eye correction surgery are eligible, but the CSA warns against getting the procedure solely for the application).
- a bachelor's degree in engineering or science (physics, chemistry, biology, geology, etc.), or a doctorate in medicine or dentistry
How Hadfield got in
Hadfield was a test pilot with several degrees under his belt when he applied to be one of Canada鈥檚 next astronauts, and he recalled the experience as 鈥渧ery nerve-wracking.鈥�
鈥淚t was probably the most unsettled six months of my life waiting for that next phone call or to hear if I was going to make it to the next level. Pursuing something that is fantastic but also extremely improbable, it鈥檚 a very difficult chase 鈥� but one where the prize is magnificently worth it.鈥�
The list of applicants will be whittled down through several rounds based on qualifications. The real challenge, Hadfield says, begins when the Space Agency confirms its top two choices.
鈥淲ell, it鈥檚 crazy,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have come over sort of a hilltop in life 鈥� that you never actually let yourself believe would happen. So it鈥檚 surreal, but also, it鈥檚 a little bit daunting.鈥�
The two successful applicants go from being fairly accomplished in their fields to being small fish among an elite team of space experts 鈥� or, as Hadfield puts it, 鈥渂aby astronauts.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 both thrilling (and) very, very humbling,鈥� he said.
Hadfield said it takes 鈥渢he better part of a year鈥� before applicants know whether they鈥檙e in the running for the job.
Hansen: 鈥業t can take a long time鈥� before lift-off
Canada鈥檚 next two astronauts won鈥檛 be headed straight to outer space. In fact, many wait years before they ever reach lift-off.
鈥淚t can take a long time, I鈥檝e already been training seven years,鈥� Canadian astronaut Lt.-Col. Jeremy Hansen told 愛污传媒 Channel on Sunday.
鈥淲e have to wait for our opportunities.鈥�
That in mind, recent technological advancements have brought new hope for more space travel. Hansen points to the , which have successfully landed back on Earth after trips to space. SpaceX has said its eventual plan is to re-use those rockets, which the organization says will slash costs.
鈥淭hat is a huge indicator that technology is changing rapidly, it鈥檚 driving the cost of access to space down, and what does that mean for Canadians? It means we鈥檙e going to be doing more research in space, we鈥檙e going to be flying more people to space, and we鈥檙e going to be able to go at a cheaper cost. And I think that鈥檚 really exciting, I鈥檓 really excited about it,鈥� Hansen said.
Hansen underwent the Space Agency鈥檚 intensive interview process in 2008 and was officially plucked for the job in 2009. He said this year鈥檚 applicants should be prepared for a highly personal experience.
鈥淲e鈥檒l really know what kind of people they are: how they react under pressure, whether they have resilience, whether they鈥檙e real team players, whether they have emotional intelligence and they can take care of a team, help lead and follow in that team,鈥� he said.
But the payoff is worth it for anyone looking to push their limits and experience a rare and coveted journey, Hadfield says.
鈥�(It) is just the start of a whole new part of life, a whole new adventure in life, of what is probably going to be decades of work 鈥� really interesting work 鈥� but in pursuit of something right on the edge of magic,鈥� he said.
