Why are most astronauts fighter jet pilots in the Air Force?

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Is it fitness and transferable skills? Seems like it would be most advantageous to be some sort of scientist. With the likes of SpaceX making it all more automated, will the demographic of astronauts change?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

One thing not mentioned is that pilots are trained to think in 3 dimensions. This is crucial in space where there is no up or down. NASA considered race car drivers and even Hollywood stuntmen, but decided on a more highly regimented and educated pool of applicants from the military.

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