Astronauts are the brave explorers who risk their lives for the mission.
NASA’s astronauts currently work as scientists on the International Space Station. Astronauts on Space Station conduct scientific experiments such as innovative cancer research and research on the human body and living in space.
The military selected the first astronauts in 1959. The first astronauts were military personnel who had experience flying jet aircraft and backgrounds in engineering. They also had to be shorter than 5 feet 11 inches—to fit in the Mercury spacecraft.
In addition to flight and engineering expertise, space exploration requires scientific knowledge and the ability to apply it. So, in 1964, NASA began searching for scientists to be astronauts.