
NASA Will Pay You to Eat Astronaut Food for 4 Months - sethbannon
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolpinchefsky/2012/02/22/nasa-will-pay-you-to-eat-astronaut-food-for-4-months/
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Natsu
If you read the actual requirements[1], they're going to be hard for a lot of
people to meet. For one, you have to be able to drop everything for about two
weeks near the end of the year, then about a third of 2013. You have to have a
bachelor's degree, plus 3 years of experience (grad school counts for this),
have to pitch a personal research project to them & have experience doing
field research, be in good physical shape, not mind being cooped up with five
total strangers for four months eating astronaut food, do all kinds of strange
tests, etc.

I'm guessing the graduate student exception to professional experience is
because that's where they're most likely to find reasonable candidates for
this, because they might be able to take a semester off and possibly even get
academic credit for doing something like this. Most other people couldn't just
leave their jobs for a four month gig with NASA, however cool it might be.

Anyhow, it sounds like one of their goals is to have people who could be
trained as NASA mission specialists. So if you want to be an astronaut
someday, this might be your chance.

[1] <http://manoa.hawaii.edu/hi-seas/>

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libria
Specifically, they seem to be looking for bachelor of science grads, not arts.
Also, you have to carry your own insurance. I'm assuming the class 2 flight
physical should pare it down to fairly healthy specimens anyway. Hard to
believe people who qualify aren't already employed; they may need to up the
ante.

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tzs
Speaking of space food, I received a package from a company I didn't recognize
at work. It contained space food for me to eat at work, along with an
advertising pitch that if I used their services, I'd have time to go home
instead of having to eat at work.

Here's a photo of the space food package and advertising pitch:
<http://db.tt/bUDfgi48>

~~~
mkopinsky
When I was in college I remember seeing a box of snacks sent by some device
company (maybe for laser equipment?) in the lab somewhere. Cute (and I bet
effective) marketing in a world where decisions for $5000 purchases are made
by people who eat ramen and are swayed by a $10 box of granola bars and stuff.

~~~
tzs
Probably Lab Snacks from ThorLabs.

~~~
mkopinsky
YES! That's it. Brings back memories from my senior design project looking
through the ThorLabs catalog for the right laser components.

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jrockway
Seems like a great opportunity to get paid to contribute to open-source
software.

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neovive
Sounds like a great opportunity for those qualified. They should film it as a
reality series on the Science Channel -- "Real World" for aspiring astronauts.

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plessthanpt05
I thought this was a joke; had to reread to be sure. just too bad there is
little (to no) chance of actually going to mars. but hey, it's a foot in the
door, eh? (riiiight)

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lucisferre
Send me to space and you have a deal.

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starfox
In 2003, NASA sent some people to check out supposed breatharians... just in
case.

