Though NASA just celebrated the milestone 50th anniversary of theApollo 11Moon landing , a decade earlier — in 1958 — they launchedProject Mercury , the first human - powered distance programme . NASA put potential astronaut through rigorous trials and pare the mission down to just seven men : Alan Shepard , John Glenn , Gus Grissom , Scott Carpenter , Gordon Cooper , Wally Schirra , and Deke Slayton .
Since 1959 , NASA has tender anAstronaut Candidateprogram , which presently has 338 candidate who aim at Houston ’s Johnson Space Center for two yr before becoming eligible for flight duty assignment . Clearly it ’s a competitive program : In 2017 , NASA receive 18,300 applications and take just 12 candidate .
suppose you have what it take to live out yourStar WarsorSpaceCampfantasies ? Take thisAstronaut Testto see if you ’ve got the right-hand stuff . Though it ’s not an prescribed NASA psychometric test , the questions are based on the distance agency ’s official candidate requirements as well as several psychological tests .

The Astronaut Test is consist of 15 questions that examine six criterion : physicality , spatial visualization , knowledge , education , nonfigurative logical thinking / IQ , and personality . Questions include uncomplicated thing like " how tall are you ? " and " how old are you ? " ( NASA does n’t have an age requirement , but the average candidate is 34 year old ) to " how do you handle tenseness ? " ( natural selection range from “ I think I respond well ” to “ I incline to fall apart ” ) , " do you verbalise Russian ? , " and " do you have a level in technology and/or mathematics ? " ( Buzz Aldrinhas a degree in mechanical engineering ) . Other motion involve solving optic puzzles and key the planets in parliamentary procedure ( remember your " My Very Enthusiastic Mother Just serve Us Noodles " mnemotechnic gimmick from uncomplicated school day ) .
Because it ’s an online test , it ’s easy to chouse and depend up the answer , like the parliamentary procedure of the planet . But where ’s the fun in doing that ?
Though NASA is currentlynot acceptingapplications for the Astronaut Candidate programme , that might change in the future . So it pay to be prepared . you’re able to take the Astronaut Testhere .