The American space agency is concerned about whether the number of its astronauts is adequate. Due to its continued presence on the ISS and future missions to the Moon and Mars, the current number seems to be low.
Are there enough astronauts at NASA? As shown, the space company is concerned about the situation A statement Dated January 11, 2022, ” Management of NASA Astronauts »(” Management of NASA Astronauts D), Found By Digital Trends on January 16th.
“One of the smallest astronauts of the last 20 years”
⁇ When NASA enters a new era of human spaceflight, including the return In the moon And maybe humans can land Tuesday, Efficient management of its astronauts […] Essential to the success of the agency “, We can read through the introduction. However, the space agency explains that its team of astronauts peaked in 2000 with 150 members. First,” Body size [d’astronautes] Decreased since the completion of the space shuttle mission in 2011, it now stands at 44, making it one of the smallest astronauts in the last 20 years. The document says.
At the same time, NASA has many ambitions for its astronauts: it not only wants to maintain its presence in Earth’s orbit (International Space Station), but also its purpose. More in space, Especially with Its Artemis project And this Planet Tuesday.
Currently, NASA believes that its training, training and recruitment of astronauts is primarily tailored to its needs in the ISS. Teams of 3 to 4 astronauts will be sent to the station for the next 5 years, and the agency has arranged to have enough astronauts for its flights. Nevertheless, the document reminds us that in 2022 and 2023, NASA will run the risk of non-recruitment, according to an analysis carried out many years ago. This is also the reason At the end of 2021 10 new applicants were selected.
In addition to ISS crew flights, additional flights are expected in the coming years – and we should also consider the unpredictability of having to replace astronauts on some missions. While NASA expects space travel to definitely increase with its Artemis program, it could be in trouble if its astronauts are not big in the future. Group restructuring can cause work delays, which are not explicitly considered desirable.
The report concludes with several recommendations for NASA to change the situation. In particular, it is proposed to reconsider whether the current used margin of defense, which represents 15% of the minimum number of astronauts, should be revised upwards.