How do I become an astronaut? Nasa spaceman reveals how YOU could become a cosmic explorer

TRAVELLING into space is a dream for a lot of landlubbing humans.

But it turns out that becoming an astronaut may not be as far-fetched a career goal as it might appear. 

The Sun Online has enlisted the help of a former Nasa astronaut who flew into space to help build the International Space Station to explain what traits you need to journey through space. 

Tony Antonelli was born in Detroit, Michigan, and joined Nasa in 2000 after working as a test pilot in the US Navy.

As a schoolboy, he “did well in some things, struggled in others, but certainly wasn’t a star”.

Tony insists that as a nine-year-old, "you wouldn’t have picked me out from anybody else in my class”.

He strongly believes there could be a nine-year-old somewhere in the UK who might appear equally "average" but will one day step foot on Mars.

Space travel has long seemed like it's reserved for young, American ready-made Bruce Willis types  - not British school kids or 30-something office workers who wished they'd studied a bit harder in their GCSEs.

But the tables are turning, Tony says.

There are several skills and particular traits which will equip you for an application or an interview with Nasa or the European Space Agency - and you don’t need to have graduated from Oxford or Cambridge University to pass the screening test.

So what kind of person do you need to be to journey outside the comfort of planet Earth?

Tony, who joined the US Navy so he could pay his university fees, says there is a mix of qualifications and experiences you should think about getting, but the rest is down to luck.

He began testing fighter jets for the military and after applying for permission to apply to Nasa, found himself swapping planes for rockets.

“Aside from needing a college degree there isn’t too much else in basic qualifications for Nasa and the European Space Agency,” he says.

Here are the skills and personality traits you need to become an astronaut:

You need to be healthy

You don't need to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but you do need to be in peak physical condition.

Tony says: “I would say working hard and persistence starting from whatever age you’re at - all the way through to early career and working experience - that’s the part you can control.

“But you need to pass the medical tests.

“You don’t get to have good eyesight and clean bill of health by studying hard so there is a bit of luck involved.”

In the case of Nasa, you can apply for a range of different roles (and no, not all of them involve flying into space).

It will first screen you to check your qualifications, before probing your criminal history and following up your references.

After that, you’ll be medically tested and then comes the final hurdle - the interview.

You have to be a 'people person'

Nasa's grilling technique for prospective astronauts may come as a surprise. 

Tony says, you will be asked one question: "Tell me about yourself".

This question appears simple but it's one of the oldest psychological tricks in the book.

It can reveal your true personality - including how well you get on with people, whether you can work in a team and how likely you are to do what’s best for the greater good.

Astronauts are hired as a class - so you will be working closely with a group of people who all fulfil different roles.

You are going to be hanging out with people in very small spaces - so an interview panel will be working out if you’re a people person.

After Tony was selected, he was subjected to 18 months of hitting the books, followed by training in topics like space shuttle propulsion - so applicants will have to guarantee they aren't allergic to studying hard.

You can be afraid of heights

The International Space Station is 240 miles away from Earth's surface - so you might think astronauts would need a head for heights.

But that's not the case.

Tony, who has been in space on two different missions, is utterly terrified of heights.

In fact, the scariest thing about the entire event of launching into space was riding a lift up to a height of 195 feet so he could clamber into a rocket.

On launch day, the crew must take an elevator up to the launch pad, which is basically a precarious-looking metal grate.

"I never thought about the height I wanted to fall to my death - but it wouldn’t be 195 feet," he jokes.

You absolutely love attention

You’ve got to accept that people are going to be monitoring you during every single moment you’re in space. 

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station experience microgravity, which is the name for the very low level of gravity which allows space men to float about.

We're still learning exactly what microgravity and life in space does to the human body, so so astronauts have to be comfortable with using themselves as guinea pigs.

That means cameras, trackers and constant voice communication with ground control.

You love snoozing and can fall asleep on cue

Spacemen and women have to go to bed on time.

You’re tasked with conducting experiments on behalf of people all over the world, who watch them take place from different time zones

“If someone is getting up at 2am to see us do something - they would miss it if we started an hour early or late," Tony says. 

"We needed to stick to the timeline and do everything we could to execute on time - including getting to bed so we could be up in the morning."

But the space whizz, who now works for Lockheed Martin, recalls one evening where he did manage to stay up late.

"I remember trying to get to sleep in the Japanese laboratory and I was climbing into my sleeping bag when one of my crew mates floated over and opened up the shutter in the lab," he continues.

“I knew it was night but I couldn’t see what he could, so curiosity overcame me and I opened my sleeping bag and floated over.

“We could see Earth covered in city lights and were trying to match them, so I told them to turn on the computer and try and figure out where we were.

As he floated away, Tony spotted something on the ground that was unique enough for him to work out their location.

"I could tell, with 100 per cent certainty, that it was Chicago and the pattern of Lake Michigan," he continues.

“As my colleague returned we went over north eastern Canada, and then we moved all the way down the east coast of the United States followed by Boston, Washington, New York, with Florida on the horizon.

“We crossed the Atlantic and came to central Africa, which was engulfed in thunderstorms - you could see sparks of lightning bolts flashing across them.

“As we got to the east coast of Africa the sun began to come up, so I decided to look down at my watch.

“What felt like ten minutes with our noses pressed against the glass was actually two hours.”

Sights like this have the power to transform people's opinions, beliefs and emotions, Tony says.

“We would all act differently if we understood how small Earth is and that this is where all of us live,” he says.

That’s why he’s working with Lockheed Martin to get British school kids involved in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects through the Generation Beyond project.

FLYING VISIT What are asteroids, when will Asteroid Florence fly past Earth and could a meteor strike destroy the planet?

He says: “Schoolkids in the UK have said to me ‘you are different enough from me that it’s not something I could grow up and do’, but I want them to know that if you work hard and you persevere through the tough times and strive to do what's right and treat others with respect, there is absolutely no limit to what you can achieve.”

So if you have little ones hoping to make one giant leap for mankind, there are plenty of challenges you can play around the dinner table to inspire them on the .

Of course, if you're thinking of a career switch - you don’t need to be in school to get involved with space.

There are all sorts of careers within aeronautical engineering companies and the European Space Agency that do not require fighter jet experience or a mind for maths - just keep an eye on engineering companies and the ESA jobs website if you fancy it.