The phrase ‘sky is the limit’ becomes meaningless when you are an astronaut. An astronaut is an individual who flies in outer space for research purposes and development.
The word astronaut is derived from the Greek word, where “astro” means celestial body or star and “nautis” means sailor, which together means “star sailor”, quite fancy.
The journey to space is not your ordinary travel plan. People who have flown to space have spent years studying, training, researching and whatnot.
What do astronauts do?
An astronaut is a person trained, equipped and applied by a human spaceflight programme to serve as a commander or a crew member aboard a spacecraft. They also conduct various experiments and navigate the routes to different planets and satellites.
The crew on the International space station also makes sure that the station is in top shape, they clean, check and repair equipment.
When in orbit, astronauts spend most of their time in the spacecraft or Space station but oftentimes, space work is required in situations of repairs related works or to deploy a satellite. And all these activities are done while wearing a spacesuit, or an EMU (extravehicular mobility unit) for protection.
Mostly, these missions last for 2-3 weeks, but these missions can also run as long as half a year or more. To live that long in space requires very arduous, 2 to 3 years of training. These training sessions will test all your limits because living in space comes with its own difficulties and space organisations can’t take risks.
Qualifications to become astronauts in India
Given below are the qualification criteria one must satisfy to achieve his/her dream of becoming an astronaut in India-
- An aspirant has to be a permanent citizen of India to be eligible to become an astronaut.
- Candidates who have served in the Indian Air force as pilots are preferred.
- Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognised University/college, in either computer science, engineering, physics, mathematics, chemistry or biology.
- A master’s or doctoral degree in aerospace engineering, aeronautical engineering, and science is essential for higher positions and will add up to your achievements.
Physical/medical requirements for ISRO
Space is not your normal place where you will spend time, it doesn’t have gravity and has intense pressure. So the job requires certain physical and medical parameters to be satisfied.
The physical requirement involves a 20/20 vision (either naturally or with corrective lenses); blood pressure not more than 140/90 in a sitting position; and a height of between 62 and 75 inches.
Additional skills required for an astronaut
- Aspirants must have fluent English speaking skills.
- Aspirants must purchase a set of hours of flying experience.
- Aspirants must be physically and psychologically strong and know how to stay calm during an emergency or tough situations.
- Must have great presence of mind and observation skills.
Employment sectors for astronauts in India
Although India has still not launched its space mission and it is expected to be in 2021. Several organisations in India employ astronauts and provide further opportunities to work with international space organisations.
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
- Aerospace industry
- National Aeronautical Laboratory (NAL)
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
You→ Good Resume →Job
Institutes and colleges to pursue career as an astronaut
- Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee
- Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
- Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
- Amity University, Noida
- Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
- Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
- Lovely Professional University, Phagwara
- Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
- Galgotias University, Greater Noida
Pay scale/salary of astronauts in India
Astronauts earn a loaded amount of money in organisations in India. They also get to enjoy additional benefits such as travel allowances, medical benefits and housing facilities.
The average salary of an astronaut is between INR 50000 to INR 100000 per month. And with experience, it may go beyond INR 14.5 lacs per annum in India.
Now that is what is called a salary apt for the work.
Being an astronaut is not a dream everyone can achieve, and neither is it easy to remain there if you get through it. You have opportunities to float into the vacuum of space and witness cosmic phenomena, see the universe. On the other hand, it is also a life-risking adventure, involving spacecraft accidents, unknown threats, radiation and other health effects.
But people who really are adventurous and passionate enough to dream are the ones to achieve. Once Kalpana Chawla said, “the path from dreams to success does exist, may you have the vision to find it, the courage to get to it, and the perseverance to follow it.”
– Manisha Yadav
