NASA has received the second-highest number of astronaut applications ever for the 21st astronaut class when more than 6,300 people signed up to be space invaders. NASA astronaut Mike Fossum in spacewalk training NASA astronaut Mike Fossum in spacewalk training. Credit: NASA The US space agency usually receives around 2, …

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Tuesday 7th February 2012 20:02 GMT Anonymous Coward

Space

you know, my kid is rocket mad, and is litterally jumping to become a "rocket man" no really, he jumps off anything an pretends to be a rocket going in to space, propper hold breath moment waiting for gravity to take over and see what damage has been made on the inevitable crash landing!

But whats is sad is that i dont know if there is even going to be a space program in the next 14 years, we've got a generation of folk who is dying off after the Apollo / moon vision, another current generation brought up on the back off space Probes, Mars rovers, deep space discoveries and the ISS, but what is going to tickly the fancy of the new generation? or is it going to be a case of, Congratulations kids, meet the generation that killed off your future in space?

I dunno, perhaps theres a bigger plan we dont know of but from where im sitting, things are looking a bit gloomy for our kids.

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Tuesday 7th February 2012 20:27 GMT C-N

It's much safer now

Now that NASA have no hope of hurling anything into space. Okay everyone, buckle in and get ready to make the rocket noise! Ten...Nine...Eight...

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Tuesday 7th February 2012 20:42 GMT Anonymous Coward

Dear NASA....

I too would like to apply for a prestigous job with government benefits where I can spend all day flying supersonic trainers and swimming in a pool and doesn't actually involve me going into space! Furthermore I am a U.S. citizen and I know enough about technology and marketing to fake my way through press conferences on missions that I will never go on.

If you are interested, please contact:

M. Hack

Silicon Valley, California, USA.

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Tuesday 7th February 2012 21:28 GMT Anonymous Coward

I don't suppose the no of applicants is related to the recessions in the USA ?

The 1974 stock market crash was triggered by the OPEC rise in oil prices and the period is remarkable for rising unemployment coinciding with rising inflation. 2009 saw the end of the recession caused by the American banks.

2 years afterwards in both instances sees a record high in Americans desperate to get out of the country - if only for a short while

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1. Wednesday 8th February 2012 05:31 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  I suspect you are overcomplicating it. How does raw unemployment rate correspond to number of job applications (for any advertised position)?
  
  I'd be very surprised if applications for burger flippers was not higher than, say, 2007.
  
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Wednesday 8th February 2012 13:00 GMT MacGyver

To boldly go....

...wherever they pay the Russians to take them.

Well that's what you get when you are a country of out-sourcers. First they cut our funding for education, then replace our spaceships with brand new nothing. It speaks volumes that our previous enemy and communist counterpart is able to take us into space better and cheaper than we can. Just goes to show how Capitalism without any constraints can super awesome, doesn't it.

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