NASA Wants "People People" for Astronaut Core

Hugh Pickens writes "Astronauts are the ultimate Type A personalities but that can backfire during a long stay in space so NASA is taking applications for a new crop of astronauts whose main duties are to conduct experiments, keep the station running and stay in their crewmates' good graces. For that, NASA needs an affable, tolerant guy or gal who is more researcher than jet jockey. 'You need to be more of a people person' to serve on the station, says astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, who has flown on the space shuttle and commanded the station. 'You can't just be steely-eyed, no matter how competent.' Coping skills are crucial on a station mission, which lasts three to six months, compared with 11 to 15 days for a shuttle mission. 'Anybody can get along with anybody for a couple of weeks,' says psychiatry professor Nick Kanas who studies astronaut behavior. After a month or two, 'being with somebody for that long starts to wear on you. The jokes get stale. You have to learn new ways of interacting.'"

Comments

Prostitutes

[4D6963]

So basically they're looking for people that would help astronauts remain sane and cool during long stays in space. Have they considered prostitutes?

Re:Prostitutes

[Joe the Lesser]

I agree.

All they need is a space station with blackjack and hookers!

Well, forget the blackjack.

And the space station.

Re:Prostitutes

[Rei]

I don't think relationships of any kind in space are a particularly good idea.

Astronaut Qualification Test (1 question)

1. (100 points): If you had a wig, pepper spray, an adult diaper, a new steel mallet, a knife, rubber tubing, and a large garbage bag, what would you do with them?

Re:Prostitutes

[Garridan]

Hmm... that wasn't what the engineers meant when they added "tang" to the pre-flight checklist... but hey, it'd do for me!

Re:Prostitutes

[dtml-try MyNick]

For a short stay it's just a humorous thought at most, most sane humans can cope with a few sexless months.(though sex in space seems like a lot of fun ;p)
But I wonder what NASA is planning to do on longer spaceflights, say 2 to 5 years orso.

If we ever get to the point of far distance human exploring, human interaction including the sexual kind is something that needs to be carefully thought of. I assume they'd want a mixed group of males and females to keep some kind of balance.
It would be inevitable that at least some of them would get a desire for sex during such a long stay. Even if it's just to get some stress relief. One could argue that you should let nature take it's course just as we do in our every day life, but the situation there would be kind of different.

For example, say if you'd have 5 man and 5 woman. And by chance NASA picked 5 stonecoldfreezing woman who'd have no problems with a few years of celibacy and a few of the guys have a bit above average of testosterone... I can imagine some disasterous situations.

Anyone have any idea how these kind of social interaction problems are being dealt with at NASA?

Re:Prostitutes

[jo42]

Build a CO2 scrubber?

NASA Wants "People People" for Astronaut Core...

[Anonymous Coward]

... and they've decided Slashdot is the place to look for them.

Note to moderators: the above is "+5 Funny"

Heinlein

[cthulu_mt]

I can't help but think of the opening chapter of Stranger in a Strange Land where they try to find the most compatible crew possible. Good luck with that guys.

Hint: Foot-kilograms is not a unit of measure for crew compatibility.

In flight beverage?

[esocid]

Are they serving complimentary Tang? If so, sign me up.

Whatever It Takes

[tcolberg]

If it nets me a trip to space, I'll be whatever personality they want me to be!

Re:Stop trying to humanize NASA.

[Macgruder]

Better yet, skip the jet jockeys and flyboys. Recruit from the submarine service. Steely-eyed, and they have the proven skills to work in inhospitable environments for months on end without cracking up or going psycho.

I've said it before.

[DerekLyons]

The US already has a largish pool of individuals already self selected, tested, screened, and proven for many of the traits that NASA seem to want here. A large number of them even have college degrees. (The only drawback being - the pool 100% male.)
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Yeah, you need fighter pilots to do the piloting part on the Shuttle and Orion and any future landing, but to actually operate the gear and the experiments on the Station, on a Moon or Mars base, or cruising to and from Mars: Your best bet is to recruit from the US Submarine Service.

Re:Oh, wonderful, NASA joins the anti-autism crusa

[Rakishi]

Humans evolved society and social behavior for a reason and most can deal with it (to various degrees). If someone is blind you don't make them a sniper, you don't create a touch based vision (that's inferior) just for him.

It's sher arrogance to assume the rest of society needs to bend backwards for you at their detriment simply because you can't do it for them.