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/sci/ - Science & Math

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3272862 No.3272862 [Reply] [Original]

Guys, I wanna be an astronaut, but my teacher said that means you need to know a lot of math. Math is so pointless... how much math could an astronaut REALLY need?

>> No.3272889

Some astronauts have backgrounds as pilots in the air force and I'm not sure how much math these learn.

>> No.3272895

Physics, bitch.

>> No.3272896

>>3272862
Depends on the job you're doing up there. Usually they double up on both pilots and scientists, with some redundancy so one could take over for another. The main reason any one gets sent up is to build/maintain/repair things. But if you get any funding for research that needs to be done in space, there's that too.

So I'd imagine right now shuttle pilot would probably be the way to go if you wanted less math (even then, they go through some decently intensive schooling).

Who knows though, if we ever start expanding space travel and have longer-term trips or even colonization, they're going to need a wider variety of laborers to send up.

There's also the potential space tourism I suppose.

>> No.3272904

In any case - the men and women that go to space are people of immense ability.

>> No.3272907

You only need sciences etc to become a mission specialist and only need to be a pilot to become a pilot astronaut. If you have a valid reason outside of those two for going to space you can be an astronaut if you're in good physical condition

>> No.3272910

Just buckle down OP, study hard and put on your coolface.jpg

>> No.3272913

You need a strong scientific or mathematical background, so subjects like maths, physics, engineering and biology are what you're looking for. You also need to be very physically fit, and if you're looking to fly, you'll one crapload of flight experience.

For US see www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/features/F_Astronaut_Requirements.html

>> No.3272927

I was under the impression that in general only engineers got to be astronauts.

>> No.3272949

>>3272927
It's lonely in space...

>> No.3272967

>>3272927

Nope.
After all, it's hard to take a shot in the mouth in zero g.

>> No.3272975

>>3272927
Not true. Look up the background of astronauts. A lot of them did sciences as well. I would say mech/aero eng is the most common though.

Also you guys are underestimating the education of air force pilots. You need at least a bachelors and it almost always has to be in sci/eng, then you are expected to pursue grad studies when you have been in for a while. Also if you look at hte pilot astronauts they all have masters or phds. In fact, you would be hard to find any astronaut with only a bachelors, pilot or not.

>> No.3272982

Accoring to his NASA site:
"1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. An advanced degree is desirable. Quality of academic preparation is important."
So, unless you go for biology, you will have loads of advanced math.

>> No.3272985
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3272985

Download Orbiter 2010, try piloting the space shuttle.

It's crazy.

And besides, do you want to be stuck hundreds of kilometers above the Earth or any object traveling at speeds a dozen times the speed of sound without a good grounding in physics and mathematics? I certainly wouldn't.

>> No.3273003

I would like to be the first guy who gets stoned in space.

>> No.3273016

My school has had a fairly decent number of astronauts come from it. I think most have had aerospace engineering backgrounds, and that is heavy in math.

Astronauts, I feel, are intended to be top of their game. i.e. smart, sharp and fit.

I overhead someone talking about how they were looking at USAjobs.gov and were going to apply to be an astronaut until they saw that the description said "Please limit your resume to 7 pages". That'd be a major turn-off for me, too.

>> No.3273033
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3273033

>>3273003
Smuggle brownies onto the manned mission to Mars.

>> No.3273048

i'm sure they are going to need subjects for 'fat people in zero-g' study some day, so we can apply.

>> No.3275126

Is this why /sci/ has such a boner for colonization? So they can get to be sent into space without having to work very hard for it?

>> No.3275148

>>3275126
Because everyone has a drive to explore but everywhere on earth has already been explored, inb4 ocean, space is the next step.

>> No.3275153
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3275153

>>3275126
Nerds want to goto space because they think it'll solve their social anxiety disorder.

>> No.3275160
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3275160

>>3275148
>everythings been explored
>except the major harbor of life
mfw you're a antisocial nerd.

>> No.3275162

>>3273048
>>3275153
>projection

>> No.3275177

>check NASA
>too tall to be an astronaut
Well fuck me

>> No.3275183

>>3272896
This.

It's expensive to send up 1 person into space so they train them to be BOTH pilots and scientists. If you're just a regular dime a dozen dumb pilot they won't bother.

>> No.3275197

How much math do you NEED? none
How much math do they require? basic calculus

Its not like in movies where something happens and then they do some mind blowing math to fix it, everything is rehersed a dozen times and when something goes wrong everyone dies.

>> No.3275583

>>3275197

More like when something goes wrong the 100 engineers/ mathematicians/ physicist supporting your mission on earth do mind blowing math to fix it.

>Apollo 13

>> No.3275595

>>3275583
>Implying that wasn't a staged publicity stunt for the purpose of proving America can solve any problem with duct tape.

>> No.3275605

>>3275595

>implying any conspiracy theory is not a mockery of the word theory even in the colloquial meaning of the term.

Let me guess the moon landings were fake too?

>> No.3276005

>>3273016
>I overhead someone talking about how they were looking at USAjobs.gov and were going to apply to be an astronaut until they saw that the description said "Please limit your resume to 7 pages". That'd be a major turn-off for me, too.

I think that would apply to people with Ph.Ds such as profs, post-docs, researchers, etc. I've seen the CVs of some of my profs which are 15 pages long because they include every single publication, talks, conference, seminar, courses taught, etc. It's very impressive when you read those CVs!

>> No.3276022

>>3272862
>Math is so pointless
allmyrage etc etc

>> No.3276025

MATH IS YOUR BEST FRIEND