Becoming an astronaut is a dream for many people, even in South Africa. It’s hard to figure out where to start, though. If you have the right training and educational background, becoming an astronaut may not be as difficult as it seems. Read on for some tips about how to become an astronaut in South Africa:
Do a Medical Degree in South Africa
Students who want to become astronauts in South Africa have the option of doing a medical degree in South Africa or in another country, such as the United Kingdom. There are also online and face-to-face programmes students can take if they’d prefer not to attend classes at a university campus.
If you’re thinking about graduating from school and becoming a physician, consider an international medical degree from one of our partner universities. Programs are offered throughout Europe and North America – including those that are taught entirely in English!
Study Aerospace Engineering
- Study at an accredited university. The South African Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) accredit universities in South Africa, so make sure one of these organizations accredits your school.
Study Physics or Mathematics
In South Africa, most of the astronauts who have been selected for space missions have had a degree in physics or mathematics. This could be a good place to start as these subjects provide you with an understanding of how the universe works and are also useful if you wish to pursue careers in fields such as space science or astronomy.
If your interests lie more towards astrophysics or cosmology, then studying physics would not be enough. However, it still serves as a good foundation for further study because many of the topics covered during your course will apply across all branches of physics.
The most common degrees that students choose are Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Master’s Degree (MSc).
Study Chemistry
When you study chemistry, you’ll learn about the different matters and how they interact with each other. You’ll also learn how to make new substances like medicine and plastics. This can help you in your studying for a career as an astronaut because everything that happens in space takes place on earth first! For example, astronauts need spacesuits to protect them from dangerous radiation and other harmful things out there. Astronauts also have to eat food that doesn’t spoil easily like freeze-dried ice cream sandwiches (which sound amazing). All this stuff has to come from somewhere on Earth: it’s made by chemists who work for companies like NASA or SpaceX!
So if you love chemistry, consider this: becoming an astronaut requires advanced degrees in engineering or science—and those are mostly found within colleges’ chemistry departments!
Study Computer Science
With studying Computer Science, there are many fields within the subject that you can choose from. However, we would advise that you have a good understanding of the basics such as programming and algorithms. It is also important to understand how computers work and how they are programmed. In addition, it is vital to understand how computers interact with each other on a network or in large systems such as Facebook or Amazon.
Study Geology, Earth and Space Sciences
If you’re interested in becoming an astronaut and want to study in South Africa, then you’ll need to take the following courses:
- Geology
- Earth and Space Sciences
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
Astronauts must have a degree, preferably an advanced degree. The exact field of study doesn’t matter as much as obtaining this degree. Astronauts may come from any science or engineering field and can get their degrees from reputable universities around the world.
The South African Space Agency (SASA) requires applicants to present their credentials before they can begin training. These credentials include proof of citizenship, a valid passport and transcripts detailing your academic record and any previous experience you’ve had working with space technology.
Conclusion
To get into space, you need to have a good academic record and an advanced degree. Astronauts also need to be in good physical health and display excellent problem-solving skills.
