How many years does an astronaut have to train in order to become an astronaut?

Question

Specifically not counting the years of studying

Answer 1

To become an astronaut, you must either be a test pilot, a scientist, or an engineer. Commanders and pilots for the space shuttle are test pilots who have graduated from either the Air Force or the Navy and have at least 1,000 hours of jet aircraft experience.

Scientists, doctors, and engineers who become mission specialists or payload specialists have at least a bachelor's degree in engineering, science, or mathematics from an accredited institution (although most have master’s degrees or PhDs) and at least 3 years' experience in their field.

Astronauts are selected approximately every 2 years. From about 4,000 applicants, only about 20 are accepted at one time. Many astronauts have applied several times before being selected. Any adult man or woman in excellent physical condition who meets the basic qualifications can be selected to enter astronaut training. Pilot astronauts need better vision than mission specialists.


For the first year after being selected, you are considered an astronaut candidate. After 1 year of school and basic training, you graduate to become a full-fledged astronaut.

Astronauts spend most of their time on the ground, working in their field and supporting the space program. Astronauts continue taking classes and training while they are waiting to be assigned to a flight. After assignment to a flight, astronauts participate in mission-specific training with the other members of their onboard and ground control teams.

The commander, the captain of the spacecraft, makes all the critical decisions on behalf of the crew and in coordination with the ground control team. The commander flies the shuttle during approach and landing, and is trained and ready to take over from the computers and fly at all other times.

The pilot is the commander's backup and is trained to do all the same tasks as the commander. Commanders fly at least once (and usually twice) as pilots before they become commanders. Both participate in experiments and on-orbit operations, with some limitations. For safety reasons, they are not allowed to do spacewalks except in an emergency.

Mission specialists are responsible for coordinating all onboard operations. Mission specialists perform onboard experiments, and spacewalks, and they handle the payload. Payload specialists are professionals from the physical or life sciences field, or they are highly skilled technicians who can operate the shuttle payload equipment.

Payload specialists are chosen from outside NASA by the payload sponsor or customer. Training for a payload specialist may begin as much as 2 years ahead of the scheduled flight, depending on the task the specialist must perform.

Answer 2

Training To Become An Astronaut

Answer 3

2 years

Answer 4

I believe the training is just a month or shorter. That is if you have 20 million dollars. They will be happy to give you a seat on a rocket and you better have something planed todo while you are stuck on the IS till the return flight.

But to go with nasa I'm sure it is years and years.

Answer 5

it only takes half a year to do it and a couple of million . . .

if you got the cash, you have space waiting for you