Ty Govorish Po-Russki? NASA is Looking for A New Breed of Astronaut

Orlando Sentinel writer Mark Matthews wrote about NASA's nine month search for its next 10-15 new astronauts. It may seem strange that they are doing a call for a new class now with only a dozen or so shuttle flights remaining and a multi-year gap before the Ares V rocket will be launching people. NASA, however, is thinking ahead.

With only 91 astronauts currently in the corp and seven expected to leave every year due to attrition, NASA needs to find a new crop of astronauts to keep the Space Station flying from 2010 to 2014. These are people with top notch science and engineering skills, people who are extremely dedicated, people who would relish an opportunity to work with our international partners, even to train for months at a time in Russia and stay in space (and away from family) for months on end as well, people who can stand years of training with no flying and, best case, stick around the 10 years until their lunar flight.

Do you have the right stuff? See what else NASA will be looking for after the jump.

Matthews also wrote:

The reputation of NASA astronauts took a beating this year, between the arrest of former flier Lisa Marie Nowak and allegations that a handful drank excessively before flights. The search for a next generation could help mend that public image.

In part because of these controversies, NASA's newest class will be among the most scrutinized in history. NASA plans to add behavioral-health assessments to annual physicals and is looking at implementing an astronaut code of conduct.

So far, though, none of this seems to have hurt recruiting. Since notice was posted last month, agency officials said they have received about 1,000 resumes. That's a third of NASA's average starting pool of about 3,000 applicants, and the application period won't end until July.

So if you are in great health, have correctable eyesight (see Lasik post), are top notch technically (and have a degree in science or engineering), love to fly, are very patient, work well with others, are good with languages, don't mind being away from home for months at a time, are not too tall, and are willing to live in the biggest glass house ever (in Houston, Texas)- drop NASA a line.

We need people who are willing to be heroes, and take the responsibility that comes with that. It's not just an outpost we are building out there, it is a blueprint for the next phase of human civilization.

Wanted: Top-flight recruits for elite astronaut corps [Orlando Sentinel]