There are countless components required to become an astronaut at NASA, but you won't get very far if you don't have these four skills that the agency claims will prepare you for life and working during space missions.
Every child at some point in their life dreams of becoming an astronaut, as there are few things more exciting when you're younger than the idea of going into outer space and exploring the seemingly endless domain.
You might have just seen Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore finally return to Earth after a 286-day mission on the International Space Station (ISS) and wonder what you'd need to do in order to step into their shoes.
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Of course, you'll have to hone your physical and cognitive capabilities until you're an expert that's well equipped for the challenges and dangers of space travel, but you can first get started with four key skills that every astronaut has under their belt.
NASA breaks down these tenants into what they call 'Expeditionary Skills', and they are as follows:
- Self Care/Team Care
- Embarking on Pilgrimages
- The Challenge of the Quest
- Launching Into Orbit
Mastering all four of these skillsets will put you on the right path to success when it comes to living well on the International Space Station, as understandably it'd be tough to stay on top of everything in an enclosed low-gravity environment that you can't leave in the middle of space.
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Self Care/Team Care allows you to become mentally, physically, and emotionally ready to embark on a space mission, as learning not only how to support yourself but also your team members is vital to achieving greatness on the ISS.
Key to working with others is also the Embarking on Pilgrimages skill, which teaches you to 'understand, appreciate, and value the beliefs of others.' NASA details that achieving this is a vital part of working together on complex space tasks, allowing groundbreaking expeditions to move forward.
Imagine if you were trapped up there for 286 days like Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore - not being able to understand and appreciate your fellow astronaut's values would make the seemingly never-ending stay a nightmare!
The Challenge of the Quest let's you learn when to lead and when to follow others, outlining the importance of both roles in achieving success when in outer space. Sometimes people need a figure to step up, and being capable of leading will help a lot, but other times the best course of action is to led someone else take the reigns and support their expertise.
Finally, Launching Into Orbit deems the importance of understanding and distinguishing roles across a team, and how essential that is in the process of space travel. Everyone has a part to play when heading into space, and knowing what you're supposed to be doing allows unexpected events to be handled with far greater ease.
Once you've conquered these Expeditionary Skills you will now be on the path to becoming an astronaut, but there's far tougher tasks lying in wait ahead.
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Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield has detailed his experience with what NASA call the 'death simulator', a machine designed to prepare people for the worst case scenarios to ensure that they always know what they're doing and avoid any panic.
It's an experience that many wouldn't like to subject themselves to, but Hadfield has explained how it's allowed him to understand his weaknesses, letting him avoid falling prey to dangers when they occur.