NASA Seeks a Softer, Gentler "Right Stuff"

USAToday reported that NASA top brass is looking for better ways to select astronauts. The agency is preparing for the onslaught of astronaut applicants this summer for the first new class to be selected in four years.

After the arrest of former astronaut Lisa Nowak and reports from some crew of the difficulties adjusting to the isolation and stresses of a six month space station assignment, NASA is looking at how to recruit people who are more easy-going-diplomat-scientist and less Type-A-steely-test pilot. To start with finalists will be invited down to Houston twice instead of just once. Brent Jett, chief of flight crew operations says officials want to see, "how people deal with situations outside their comfort zone."

Given that the new Orion spaceship will be mostly automated and not require the demanding piloting that that Space Shuttle does, NASA can select for the skill mixes that this new era of exploration will call for. According to the article, that would be someone who is diplomatic, good with languages (the Space Station will soon have Japanese, European, Americans and Russian crews), an experienced scientist, and a very handy repair technician.

Before flying a shuttle mission, "you're taught that … you have to (give) 110% all the time," Bowersox says. "That's a great mind-set for a shuttle flight. But it's a terrible mind-set for six months."

An astronaut unprepared or ill-suited for a long stay in space is likely to be miserable. Astronaut John Blaha enjoyed his time on the shuttle, but when he flew on the Russian station Mir in
1996-97 he felt so isolated from Earth and his Russian crewmates that he became clinically depressed, he told reporters at the time.

People who do beat the odds and get selected as the less then a dozen or so future astronauts selected (down from likely over 3,000 applications) will still have a long road ahead of them. After a year and a half of training they will likely be send overseas to train more, often involving a lot of time away from their families.

Gregory Chamitoff, a space rookie, is training now for a five month mission on the International Space Station that starts in April. He had to miss his twin daughters first and second birthdays while training in Russia.

All of this for a starting salary of $60,000 and a chance at riding the next spaceship in 2015 and possibly even a trip to the moon after 2019.

For NASA, the 'Right Stuff' takes on a softer tone [USAToday]

See Also:

• Ty Govorish Po-Russki? NASA is Looking for A New Breed of Astronaut
• Yeast With the "Right Stuff" Brew First Space Beer

Image: NASA