The role of astronaut is one of the most desired jobs in the world. Only a very small proportion of those who apply get through to the first round, let alone get selected (see article: Navigating the Astronaut Application). When a Space Agency announces a selection, it’s typical that the criteria they outline is a minimum standard and not necessarily representative of successful candidates. Therefore, the longer and more specifically you can prepare, the better.

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The years of professional experience required by space agencies for an astronaut selection application to be eligible is described below.

United Arab Emirates (UAE): The United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA)

Years of Professional Experience Required: 0

Alternate or additional requirements: Not specified.

United States of America (USA): National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Years of Professional Experience Required: 2

Alternate or additional requirements: This can also be achieved by having at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Experience gained during PhD research/studies does count towards the three years of professional experience required to apply.

Russia: ROSCOSMOS

Years of Professional Experience Required: 3

Alternate or additional requirements: This needs to be in the applicant's area of specialty (e.g., if they have a Master’s degree in engineering, the professional experience needs to be within an engineering field).

Japan: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Years of Professional Experience Required: 3

Alternate or additional requirements: Not specified.

Countries that are ESA Member States and Associate Members: European Space Agency (ESA)

Years of Professional Experience Required: 3

Alternate or additional requirements: Experience gained during PhD research/studies does count towards the three years of professional experience required to apply. Time taken to complete a Master's degree program does not count.

Note: European Space Agency astronaut selection is open to Nationals from Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (ESA Member States), plus Slovenia and Latvia (Associate Members).

Canada: Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

Years of Professional Experience Required: 3

Alternate or additional requirements: Not specified.

China: China National Space Administration (CNSA)

Years of Professional Experience Required: Not specified

Alternate or additional requirements: Over 800 hours fast jet experience. Unfortunately, at this time, CNSA only selects pilots, and not professionals from other areas.

Other countries: Other space agencies

Years of Professional Experience Required: Not specified

Alternate or additional requirements: This information is not available for the space agency of your nation; however, the average requirement of all nations is a minimum of three years of professional experience.

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Typical applicants

Given the standard of those applying for astronaut selection is so high, it’s typical that applicants far exceed the minimum requirement. As NASA is the leading space agency in terms of astronaut recruitment numbers, they provide an excellent reference point for how many years of experience is realistically needed to be considered. The number of years of experience NASA astronauts (selected after the year 2000) had prior to being selected is an average of 11 years. The range of experience in years is shown in the below graph, where most astronauts had 12-15 years before being selected (37%), followed by 4-7 years (26%).

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Type of professional experience

If you are yet to decide on the direction for a future career, it’s important to always be driven by your passion, rather than what you think might be preferable for the purposes of astronaut selection. Below is a list of the professions of the current NASA Astronaut Corps prior to getting selected (year 2000 onwards).

Number of of Astronauts in the Corps selected with this profession

  • Test Pilot / Fighter Pilot: 10
  • Engineer (includes flight engineer, electrical, aerospace, weapons systems): 6
  • Academic Professor / Post Doctoral Fellow: 5
  • Medical Professional (Emergency medicine, aerospace medicine): 4
  • Physicist: 1
  • Specific military roles (submarine warfare, strike operations group, space force): 3
  • Geologist / geobiologist / hydrogeologist: 3
  • Oceanographer: 1

Whilst the above describes the job role, for two thirds of selected NASA astronauts this falls within the remit of military service. Of the 33 NASA astronauts selected since the year 2000, 20 of them were active duty (full-time military service) and 2 were from the Reserve component (part-time). The number of individuals from each branch of the military services is shown in the following chart. This shows that most astronauts have come from the Navy, and within either flying or submarine disciplines.

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