Astronauts

Students who wish to become astronauts may find it helpful to contact various organizations concerned with space flights. There are lots of books available on space exploration, both in your school and city library.

The Internet also has several excellent sites on space exploration. NASA's Web site (https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/become-an-astronaut) is user-friendly, with biographies of astronauts, advice on becoming an astronaut, and news about current NASA projects. Other interesting sites include Ask an Earth and Space Scientist (https://askanearthspacescientist.asu.edu/top-questions), in which scientists at Arizona State University answer questions about the field, and space image libraries such as those found at NASA's National Space Science Data Center (https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery).

The National Air and Space Museum (https://airandspace.si.edu) at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., is an excellent way to learn about space exploration history. There are also several NASA-run space, research, and flight centers all over the country. Most have visitor centers and offer tours.

There are also space camps for high school students and older people all over the nation. These camps are not owned or operated by NASA, so the quality of their programs can vary greatly. Your high school counselor can help you find more information on space camps in your area.

Visit the Web sites of SpaceX, Boeing, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and other aerospace companies to learn about their spacecrafts and other information.