Background

Job

What they do

Where they may work

aerospace engineer

Aerospace engineers design spacecraft, rockets, aircraft and satellites. They also simulate and test the flight of these vehicles to make sure they work properly and are safe for crews.

national or international space agencies; aerospace companies; colleges and universities

aerospace education specialist

Aerospace education specialists are experts whose job is to share knowledge about space exploration and flight with students, teachers and the public.

national or international space agencies; museums and science centers

astrogeologist (and geologist)

Geologists are scientists who study the soil, rocks and liquid matter on Earth. Astrogeologists study the same things, only they focus of the Moon, other planets and their moons, comets, asteroids, and meteorites. If your project involves investigating the geology of another world, you can still talk to a geologist who focuses on Earth.

national or international space agencies; colleges and universities; government agencies

astronaut

A hydrologist is a scientist who studies how water flows and interacts with the Earth.

national or international space agencies: NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), etc.

astronomer

A scientist who studies stars, moons, planets comets, galaxies and other objects in outer space.

national or international space agencies; colleges and universities; museums and science centers

cosmonaut

A cosmonaut is the term used in Russia and many nations of the former Soviet Union to describe a person who travels into outer space.

Roscosmos, or the Russian Space Agency

flight surgeon (doctor); flight nurse (nurse)

Flight surgeons oversee the healthcare of pilots and astronauts and monitor the unique impacts that flight and space travel can have on the human body. During a space mission, flight surgeons work in mission control to answer any health questions that may arise. For the INTO ORBIT season, if you can’t talk to a flight surgeon about a Project, see if you can talk to another healthcare professional who might have expertise in your area of research.

national or international space agencies; colleges and universities; medical colleges; hospitals and clinics

life support specialist

A scientist, researcher or technician who specializes in studying the systems needed to keep humans healthy and productive in harsh environments. If the life support specialist works in the space industry, they might be involved in any number of areas, such as air or water quality, human physiology, space food production, spacesuit development or maintenance, water quality, waste management, and so forth.

national or international space agencies; colleges and universities; medical colleges

machinist

A technician who uses specialized tools to make primarily metal parts. Machinists are critical in the aerospace industry and space exploration, since so much of modern aircraft and spacecraft is made from metals like aluminum.

national or international space agencies; aerospace companies; manufacturing firms that work with metal fabrication

mathematician

A scientist who has a wide-ranging knowledge of numbers, math operations, shapes, change and data collection. Mathematicians often assist other scientist and engineers in doing their work, and are especially important in aerospace engineering.

national or international space agencies; colleges and universities

mission controller

A scientist or technician who monitors crewed or un-crewed space missions from Earth to ensure that things like navigation, power systems, life support and communications are functioning properly.

national or international space agencies

physicist

A scientist who studies the how energy and matter interact. Some physicists study the building blocks of the universe, like atoms and subatomic particles, while others are concerned with cosmology, the analysis of the structure and origins of the universe, and thus stars and galaxies.

national or international space agencies; colleges and universities

psychologist

A psychologist is a scientist who studies human behavior. Since astronauts live and work in highly unusual and challenging environments, their ability to maintain a positive psychological outlook and good relationships with their crewmates is crucial. In space programs, psychologists and other professionals study ways to ensure that space explorers maintain sound mental health.

national or international space agencies; colleges and universities; school counselors and social workers; private practice therapists

taikonaut

A taikonaut is the term used in China to describe a person who travels into outer space.

China National Space Administration

welder

A technician who specializes in fusing two separate pieces of material together. Welders often heat the two metals up to connect them, but many newer materials such as carbon composites, plastics and other polymers use different techniques. Skilled welders are essential to the construction of spacecraft.

national or international space agencies; aerospace companies; manufacturing firms that work with metal joining and fabrication