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From: psrc@pegasus.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: A "spacey" ambition?
Summary: poor odds
Message-ID: <4191@pegasus.ATT.COM>
Date: 20 Oct 89 16:11:40 GMT
References: <3256@sage.cc.purdue.edu>
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 36

In article <3256@sage.cc.purdue.edu>, kth@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Raymond Seibert) writes:
> I am majoring in Computer Science and have a special ambition.  I would
> like very much to go into outer space.  Is this just a "spacy" ambition? 
> Or do I actually have a slight chance?

The problem with being a computer scientist is that it's far cheaper to
send up your product and leave *you* behind.

If you really want to go into orbit, you need to do one of the
following things:

1)  Get a good, broad background in engineering and the hard sciences,
and a Ph.D. with a specialization in something applicable (metallurgy,
meteorology, maybe zoology or botany; maybe astronomy?) with a *strong*
experimental emphasis; some field that requires a lot of tinkering.  (A
degree in physics will probably help here, but not many physics
experiments are done in orbit.)  Get a pilot's license in your spare
time.  Hone your public speaking skills.  Get in top physical shape.
Get married, keep your hair short, be a nice guy.  Maybe serve in the
armed forces for a while.  Then get a job with NASA, and apply to be a
mission specialist; or get a job with Rockwell or GE Astro or some such
company, (I would have included J&J in the list, but they're out of the
picture), and get involved in some project that flies a shuttle cargo
with a mission specialist, and convince them you're the man or woman
for the job.  And bear in mind that that your odds are sill lousy.

2)  Stay in computer science, become a billionaire, pass the NASA
physical, and tell the Soviets you'll pay them ten million bucks (1987
dollars, not inflated to whatever it'll be then) to ride as a
passenger.

> Raymond Seibert, kth@sage.cc.purdue.edu

Paul S. R. Chisholm, AT&T Bell Laboratories
att!pegasus!psrc, psrc@pegasus.att.com, AT&T Mail !psrchisholm
I'm not speaking for the company, I'm just speaking my mind.