HOUSTON – About every two years, Duane Ross and his crew are awash in file folders, papers and resumes.
Would-be astronauts from around the world send applications to the Astronaut Selection Office at Johnson Space Center in hopes of becoming a pilot or mission specialist aboard the space shuttle or the International Space Station.
This year the office is reviewing 3,015 applications that arrived before the July 1 deadline. Usually the office receives about 2,500 to 2,600 applications.
About 20 will be selected for astronaut training.
Ross, who manages the selection office, said the increase in applications might be due to publicity from Sen. John Glenn’s flight aboard space shuttle Discovery in November.
He also takes the mountain of paperwork in stride.
"It’s workable," Ross said. "We wouldn’t be happy if people weren’t interested. We’re in the narrowing down process right now."
Later this month, the candidate list whittles down to 400 and then to about 120 who visit the space center for personal interviews and medical examinations.
"It’s a fun time," he said of the interviews held at JSC. "We get to meet a lot of interesting people who are doing outstanding work."
By early spring 2000, the final astronaut candidates will be named and start training in the summer.
Ross said the selection process isn’t as daunting as it seems because about 500 of the candidates aren’t suitable for various reasons.
"We get kids and people from foreign countries who apply," he said. "They’ll see the foreign astronauts and send in an application."
Foreign astronauts are sent from the space agencies of their respective countries to work with NASA. Kids probably need to add a few years and some high-performance flying experience and college education.
Minimum requirements for mission specialists are having a bachelor’s degree in a scientific field with experience and passing NASA’s flight physical. Pilots need at least 1,000 hours jet aircraft pilot-in-command time along with a bachelor’s degree in a scientific field.
A prospective candidate who passes muster will see Ross again, because he’s in charge of astronaut basic training.
For those that don’t make it, Ross advises perseverance.
"We encourage them to apply again," Ross said. "Most folks applied and interviewed more than once before being accepted."
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