

NASA Selects 8 New Astronaut Trainees, Including 4 Women 136
illiteratehack writes "NASA has selected a 39-year-old chief technology officer to become a trainee astronaut. Josh Cassada is the current chief technology officer and co-founder of Quantum Opus, a firm that specialises in photonics. Cassada is one of eight individuals selected by NASA from 6,100 applicants for astronaut training, though what their future mission may be has yet to be revealed."
Of the astronaut trainees selected, four of them are women — a new record.
Why so many military folks? (Score:3, Insightful)
I would think it would be easier to train PhDs to be astronauts than Military folks to be PhDs.
I get it that NASA started out testing planes, but there is nothing for the astronaut to fly anymore. Even the shuttle should have been automated.
Re:Why so many military folks? (Score:5, Insightful)
I gather that they know what they are doing, but I imagine that "makes decisions well while under pressure" might be a pretty big criteria that might already be tested in a military pilot.
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)