Demystifying Astronauts

[soft piano music]

- I always thought being
an astronaut would be neat,

but I never thought
it would be something

that was a real possibility
for normal people like me.

I...

got invited to work at NASA

in the Astronaut Office,
not as an astronaut.

So I would say that played
a large role in me believing

that it was a real possibility,
that normal people were doing the job

or people that I could relate to.

And I started to be able to
envision myself doing that job.

So, that helped me out.

That was something
that I think other people

probably did better envisioning
themselves doing than I did.

For me that was a crucial step
in the process,

it was actually
being exposed to astronauts.

- [Joe] I think if you get to know
most astronauts

or most of the people that work at NASA,

when you first think about that,
you're like,

"Wow, these people are, you know,
these very rare individuals."

But we're not.
We're just regular people.

We had dreams
and we worked hard to get there.

And so I think if we can share our story
and our passion for science,

I think that might rub off
on some of the students

and hopefully inspire them
to do the same thing.

- [Victor] It's interesting.
You show up in this flight suit

with that title, that job title,
and people say how you're smart

and they think about success.

But I can tell you, most folks that have
that title and wear this uniform

have probably failed
at more things--

I have failed at more things
than your average person.

But that's probably because I've attempted
more things than the average person.

It's such a broad job.
Your interests need to be broader

than your ability to pursue them
and accomplish them.

And if you're the kind of person
who seeks new things and likes challenges

then this job is going
to be good for you.

- [Serena] A lot of kids come up to me
and say, "Hey, what should I go into?

What will NASA like?"
And so what I like to tell them is

"Man, don't pick a field that you
think NASA's gonna like.

Pick a field that you love
and that you're interested in."

I went into Medicine

and I'm still a physician today
because it's what I love doing.

- [Michael] To master something
takes one word and that is work.

And a lot of people, they think
astronauts are geniuses.

And I'm here to tell you,
they're not.

You don't have to be
an Einstein to do our job.

But what you do need is a sense
of determination and hard work.

And there is nothing that I know
or that any of my colleagues know

that they didn't know only because
of determination and hard, hard work.

And so, if you want to do something,
don't think you're not smart enough.

Just think that you really have to work
for it and you can get it.

- Do you want to be an astronaut?

What are you gonna do
now to help you prepare?

Let us know down in the comments section.

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[air whoosh]

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