DeepSummary
Nico Gonzalez Whistler, a producer for the Brains On podcast universe, reflects on his childhood dreams of becoming a veterinarian, bookshop owner, or astronaut. He then interviews Pablo de Leon, a spacesuit designer at NASA, about the process of becoming an astronaut.
De Leon explains that applicants must have relevant education and skills as an engineer, scientist, or doctor. Persistence is key, as most astronauts apply multiple times before being accepted. The training process involves two years of intensive preparation in areas like orbital mechanics, propulsion systems, and space life sciences.
Whistler shares the interesting fact that astronauts can grow up to two inches taller in space due to the lack of gravity, before returning to their normal height on Earth. He ends by promoting Brains On's other podcasts and encouraging listeners to submit questions.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Becoming a NASA astronaut is an extremely competitive process, with thousands of applicants vying for a handful of positions.
- Astronaut candidates must have relevant education and expertise in fields like engineering, science, or medicine.
- Persistence is crucial, as most successful astronaut applicants are rejected multiple times before being accepted.
- Those accepted into the astronaut program undergo two years of intensive training in areas like orbital mechanics, propulsion systems, and space life sciences.
- Astronauts can experience physical effects like temporary height increases due to the microgravity environment in space.
- The path to becoming an astronaut requires dedication, specialized knowledge, and a willingness to persevere through multiple rejections.
- NASA's astronaut training program is designed to equip candidates with the diverse skills and knowledge necessary for space travel and operations.
- Sharing engaging facts about space and astronauts can help spark interest and curiosity in listeners, especially younger audiences.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “The other thing is you have to be persistent. People who become astronauts applied several times and were rejected several times until finally they were able to make the cut.“ by Pablo de Leon
- “Wow. So astronauts come from all kinds of different jobs and they get to learn a bunch of new skills before going up into space.“ by Nico Gonzalez Whistler
- “And hey, did you know that once theyre up there, astronauts can grow up to two inches taller because theres almost no gravity in space to smush them down? Then once they return to Earth, they slowly go back to their regular height.“ by Nico Gonzalez Whistler
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Episode Information
Moment of Um
American Public Media
5/3/24
Astronauts have such cool jobs! They get to blast off in rockets, experience micro-gravity, and see Earth from a whole new perspective. But how does someone become a NASA astronaut? We asked spacesuit designer Pablo de Leon to help us find the answer!
Got a question that’s out of this world? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll launch an investigation.