NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Have you ever wondered what astronauts in training go through before they are allowed to rocket into space? Is the training hard? Rigorous? Is it filled with tons of reading? Or is it more physical?

Image to left: NASA astronaut candidates conduct land survival training in the wilderness near Brunswick, Maine. Credit: NASA

The answer of course is both. There is lots of reading. Lots and LOTS of reading. There's also lots of physical training that goes along with becoming a full-fledged astronaut. From emergency egress training in inclement weather, to survival training in a rain forest, to classroom instruction on upcoming simulations, to time spent in simulators, an astronaut in training is incredibly busy with both reading and activity.

Some of the astronauts have provided journal entries as the class begins their journey to become astronauts, a journey that will eventually lead them in to space and beyond!

Astronaut Journals
+ View site

Astronaut Interviews
+ View site

The 2004 Astronaut Candidate Class
+ View site

The 2004 Astronaut Candidate Class: Behind the Scenes
+ View site

The 2004 Astronaut Candidate Videos
New Astronauts Named

Photos of the 2004 Astronaut Candidates
+ View site

Previous Articles on the 2004 Astronaut Candidates
NASA's Astronaut Class Outwits, Outlasts First Year of Training
New Explorers Energized By Visit to NASA Dryden
Astronaut Candidates Explore Zero-Gravity
NASA's New Astronauts Back From Wilderness, Video Available
Survival Menu: Grasshoppers, Roots, Leaves
Educator Astronauts
Florida Educator Astronaut
Astronaut Candidates Report: A Step Toward Space
'Next Generation of Explorers' Named