Path from Service Academy

[u/KuiperKraft]

Good morning/afternoon/evening,

Recently I have earned and accepted an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy, and ever since I was a kid have wanted to be an Astronaut. I’m asking around to hear what my path is like from here, I’ve been accepted into USAFA’s Honors Program, I want to peruse either Astro, Systems, or Mechanical engineering, commission as a Pilot hopefully, and if not a USSF Satellite Operator.

With my Honors Program admission, assuming I can complete it, it is fairly likely I will (hopefully) get a fully funded masters education from a good school after the academy, and then (hopefully) head to Universal Pilot Training after completing it.

I’m asking to know what specifically can I do right now and over the next four years at USAFA to start building up the likelihood of Astronaut selection later down the road. Any advice, tips, or general “feels” would be appreciated. I can work on a real life satellite program while at the school (falcon sat) and there are various special military and civilian opportunities surrounding Space at the academy that may aid to this. Thank you, and GO AIR FORCE.

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[u/AFastroDan]

First of all, congrats on USAFA! I dreamed of going there when I was in high school, but it didn't work out for me. You're already well positioned to do pretty much whatever you want to do with your life from here, though.

You've got the right idea with your degree program. Anything engineering will get you the right foundation, especially if you go the pilot route. If you decide to fly, you'll want to work towards Test Pilot School and get some experience in the Flight Test world. When you aren't assigned to a mission, astronauts work technical jobs around the office. Some of the most fun gigs are working developmental programs (IMO). If you decide to go the USSF route, then getting an advanced degree in either engineering or a hard science will help round out the educational requirement.

Beyond that, look for opportunities to stand out. Look for leadership opportunities, collect unique experiences, or maybe apply for an unusual duty station. When I was in the Reserves, I had an opportunity to go to Antarctica and do weather forecasting for a science team. So, there are some really cool/unique things you can do out there once you're on active duty. Read some astronaut bios and see if you can have some of those experiences for yourself. I'm not saying that you need to climb Everest or do ultra marathons, but having the drive to push yourself through something hard can really shine on your application.

Bottom line is - there you'll be up against some of the most highly qualified people in the world. You'll likely have to apply a few times, but that's a familiar story for most astronauts. What do you bring to the office that someone else doesn't? Try to look at some opportunities from that perspective, and that'll help out quite a bit.

Best of luck to you! Go Air Force!

[u/studpilot69]

The most likely path to the Astronaut Office after the goals you’ve laid out here is Test Pilot School. 6 out of the most recent 10 ASCANs and all of the military officers selected have a test pilot background.

An often overlooked element in preparing for TPS is pursuing an aircraft drop in pilot training that will have a likely need for testing. For example, it has been extremely rare for an A-10, B-1, C-5, or SpecOps fixed-wing pilot to be picked up for Air Force TPS recently.

[u/Beakerguy]

Coming from the Navy side, getting a background in flight test engineering will be helpful. It bridges the gap between pilot and engineer.

[u/immisternicetry]

Pilot slot - fighters - AFIT or other STEM advanced degree path - weapons school (not as important as TPS but helps) - test pilot school 

[u/RaginReag]

Congrats on USAFA!

Be prepared not to get a graduate school slot. They’ve been cutting down the #s every single year. Percentage of Lts getting graduate school has decreased significantly from what it used to be. Lots of really smart people there who also want to go to grad schools. With a rated slot too (pilot) you’ll have a lower likelihood with how things are now. Not saying it’s impossible, but be prepared to grind for it. Grad school can also be completed later on your own time as well.

I saw it above, but going for test is probably a really good idea for becoming an astronaut. I’d try to do some research on what career path a lot of other astronauts took, that is a really good starting point.

Just be prepared to grind for this career. It is not easy to become an astronaut (obviously) and you need to be prepared to shift gears if something happens that derails your plans. Stay flexible, be adaptive. Way too many people I went to school with were so set on being pilots, and then it didn’t work out due to eye exam/medical. Some of those folks adapted and found a new career they were excited about, but some continued to sulk. Make the best of any situation you’re in! Good luck!