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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This used to be true but it’s not anymore. In the early days of spaceflight, when everything was experimental and highly risky, you wanted jet test pilots as astronauts because they had the training, skills, physical fitness, and mental composure to handle just about any situation thrown at them calmly. In other words, handling experimental aircraft made them very qualified to deal with all the unknowns of spaceflight. Not all test pilot astronauts were in the Air Force though, just as many were in the Navy, Marines, or the Army.
Nowadays, some astronauts still come from the military for this reason, but since space flight has matured, it’s no longer necessary for all astronauts to have test pilot experience, and now, many astronauts are scientists or engineers with no military or flight experience before their selection to become astronauts.
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