NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

What is one of the best days for a person who wants to go to space? It is the day he or she is picked to be an astronaut candidate. A candidate is not an astronaut yet. First, he or she must take classes. This is when the real work begins. It can take up to two years to become an astronaut.

Image above: Being named an astronaut is cool. Credit: NASA

There is much to learn. They learn about many things. But, how do astronauts get ready to be in space? There is much to learn about being in microgravity. This is when they feel like they are floating.

The Vomit Comet

Image above: Astronauts float for a few seconds on the Vomit Comet. Credit: NASA

The KC-135 is an airplane. It has another name. It is also called the Vomit Comet. It flies in a way that makes everything inside it float. The floating only lasts for about 25 seconds. For this bit of time, astronauts feel as if they are in space. Sometimes the ride makes them sick in the tummy. That is how it got the name Vomit Comet.


 
Astronaut Hockey

Image above: Image to right: Astronauts must learn how to move big objects in space. Credit: NASA

Astronauts use a special floor. They use it to learn to move big objects in space. It is easy to push something in space. But, it can be hard to stop it. In space, an object could float and float and float. So the astronauts must learn what to do. They use a smooth metal floor. The large objects push air out. This makes things float with just a push. It is like a big air hockey table.


 
The Very Big Swimming Pool

Image above: Astronauts go underwater to get ready for a space walk. Credit: NASA

Astronauts sometimes do a space walk. This is when they go outside in space. To get ready for a space walk, they go under water. The astronauts use a huge "swimming pool." It is called the NBL. Here, they float in the water. At the same time, they practice with models of spacecraft.

Future astronauts have been to college. But they still must learn a lot before they can go into space. That day will be one of the best days of their lives.

Adapted from The Making of an Astronaut