U.S. Space Academy

I went to Space Academy when I was in Sec.4 (that's 10th grade). I have to admit that it was the most exciting adventure of my life, first of all because I was going beyond NY and also because I always had a thing for the Stars...
I wanted to become an astronaut at one point in my life without realizing how hard it is to become one. I thought the only requirement was to love the stars.
Then I went to the Space Academy and realized that there's more to it then that. In this page I will tell you, what it takes to become an Astronaut, the different kinds of Astronauts and the trainings that I got when I went there.

10 days of Great Adventure.

It was really great! This is the place where I first learned to SCUBA dive and where I first felt as if I were flying.
They've got sooo many simulators that we can't even start to count.
There's one known as "Moon Walk" simulator and you really feel as if you were walking on the moon and is soo much fun that you wouldn't want to miss it for the world...
There is a shuttle simulator as well, and it's got sooo many buttons. And during your "mission" if you make a slightest mistake, red lights start flashing from every corner of the cockpit. And if you don't think fast, the shuttle blows up... (At least, that's what it says on the screen.) Thank Goodness I wasn't in Aerospace to blow up any shuttle. I was in Engineering. So whenever the Shuttle blew up, the blame didn't fall upon my lap. Except when I almost broke the CANADARM. (It was rusty, that thing, I swear!!)

We had series of 2-hour missions (AlphaI, BravoI, Charlie, DeltaI, BravoII, AlphaII and DeltaII) and the 24-hour mission at the last day.
We worked at different places each time. We either worked in MOCR (Mission Operation Control Room), Space Station or Space Shuttle Orbiter. At our 24-hout mission, we went through each places, 6 hours at a time. (Wondering where we spent the other 6 hours? Well, in our room sleeping.) We didn't go to sleep all at the same time. There was always someone taking care of something, while some of us got to rest.

We also got to watch movies at the SpaceDome. It's basically an Imax With a Planetarium design. The screen is unimaginably BIG and you will get motion sickness every now and then.
They showed us all the experiements done in the space and also the stars and various planets in our solar system...
The image was soo clear and at one point when they showed us the Earth, I felt as if I was way up there myself.

We visited The Marshall Spaace Flight Center (MSFC) as well.
We had a VIP tour of three Marshall's lab :
- Spacelab mission control/Huntsville Operations Support Center.
- Boeing Space Station Construction Facility.
- Boeing Space Staation Module Tour.

Aside from SCUBA diving, we took classes for Water Survival.
(One man and seven man raft training and parachute escape training.)

I can honestly say that everything was really awsome aside from 5-hour conference a day (sometimes 5-hour STRAIGHT!!!) and the food. Their scrambled egg was really terrible. But then again, I don't enjoy eating out unless it's first class... hehehehe
For more informations on our training and our postions,
please go to :
- Aerospace.
- Engineering.
- Technology.
- Astronomy.
coming soon...
- Living in Space.
coming soon...

Educational Requirements :

Education is a critical requirement. Especially Mathematics and Science are the basis for an aerospace thechnology career. Here's some of the recommended H.S. courses :
-Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Math Analysis, Calculus, Computer Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English (duh??).
This job wouldn't have really worked out for me since I have Physics with a passion....
Wanna know if you are cut out to be an Astronaut?
The Real Training for the Real Astronaut.


There are many Aerospace Careers.
Here are some of them...

First, Pilots or Crew Member of a Space Craft :

- Pilot Astronaut.
- Mission Specialist.
- Payload Specialist.

Physical Scientist :

- Astronomer.
- Chemist.
- Geologist.
- Meteorologist.
- Physicist.
- Oceanographer.

Lift Scientist :

- Biologist.
- Medical Doctor.
- Physiologist.
- Nutritionist.
- Psychologist.

Social Scientist :

- Economist.
- Sociologist.

Mathematician :

- Computer Science.
- Mathematician.
- System Analyst.
- Statistician.

Engineers :

- Aerospace/Astronautics :
- Chemical.
- Civil.
- Biochemical.
- Computer.
- Electrical.
- Industrial.
- Environmental.
- Materials.
- Mechanical.
- Nuclear.
- Petroleum.
- Plastics.
- Safety.
- Systems.

Technicians :

- Electrical/Electronics.
- Engineering.
- Aerospace Model.
- Aircraft.
- Avionics.
- Fabrication.
- Materials.
- Pattern Maker and Molder.

Engineering Designers :

- Architectural.
- Electrical.
- Mechanical.

Technical communicators :

- Writer.
- Artist.
- Editor.
- Education Specialist.
- Public Relations.
- Audiovisual Specialist.
- Photographer.

Other Fields :

- Quality Control Inspector.
- Ground Radio Operator.
- Teletypist.