What to do if you really want to connect your life with the stars, planets and flights, but you can’t become an astronaut?

More than half a century has passed since the first human flight into space, but today we hardly know enough about interplanetary and interstellar space. The more we study the Universe, the more we realize how much unknown there is in it. Science fiction continues to excite the minds of young people; many dream of becoming astronauts, seeing the International Space Station or even Mars with their own eyes, feeling weightlessness or even alien gravity.

However, not everyone is accepted to conquer space: first you need to go through a strict selection process, consisting of three stages - a background check, a medical commission and tests in general education and special disciplines. Each round eliminates hundreds of applicants. In the finals, only a few dozen people remain, who enter cosmonaut training courses lasting several years, and after that they train and wait for their turn to go to the ISS (the wait can last for years, or even decades).

Fortunately, in addition to astronautics, there are other exciting professions related to planets, stars and outer space. You can study the upper atmosphere, the features of life forms on other planets, design space shuttles, or monitor satellite data. There are many options, the main thing is to understand what exactly interests you.

Design engineer

Where to work: FSUE "TSENKI", Institute of Space Research RAS, Boeing, NPO Energomash named after. Academician V.P. Glushko, RSC Energia named after. S. P. Koroleva, JSC MNPK Avionika, JSC Russian Space Systems and other space industry enterprises

Salary level: from 30 to 80 thousand rubles.

Main disciplines: maths, physics

A design engineer is engaged in the creation of aircraft - satellites, launch vehicles, spacecraft. Such specialists must know mathematics and physics very well, otherwise the device they created may not take off at all. The design and production of this most complex equipment, as well as management, can be learned at specialized faculties and at the State University of Aviation Administration. Students are provided with internships at enterprises - at the Baikonur complex, RSC Energia named after. S. P. Koroleva, FSUE NPO Tekhnomash, Boeing. Cosmonauts, leading rocket engineers and scientists take part in the educational process.

Robotics Engineer

Where to work: NPO "Android Technology", Cluster of Space Technologies and Telecommunications of the Skolkovo Foundation, Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Central Research Institute of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics

Salary level: from 50 to 100 thousand rubles.

Main disciplines: maths, physics

Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences, which today is divided into several sections, including astrometry, celestial mechanics, astrophysics, stellar astronomy and cosmochemistry. In addition, relatively recently, at the beginning of the 20th century, a new subfield appeared - archaeoastronomy, which studies the knowledge of ancient people about space.

Main disciplines: mathematics, biology

Cosmobiology is an interesting subject: this science studies the functioning of living organisms in outer space, as well as ways to build life support systems for astronauts. A separate branch of cosmobiology - astrobiology - studies the origin, evolution and distribution of life on other planets. Those who are interested in the history of Mars and the possibility of the existence of life on this planet have a direct route to this area. The most famous center for astrobiological research in Russia operates within the framework of the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University, on the basis of the laboratory of space biology.

Space medicine specialist

Where to work: Cosmonaut Training Center named after. Yu. A. Gagarina

Salary level: from 25 to 80 thousand rubles.

Where to apply: To any medical university (direction “General Medicine”), then continue education within the framework of the postgraduate program in the direction of “Aviation and Space Medicine” at Moscow State Medical University named after. Sechenov or RMAPO

Main disciplines: Biology, Chemistry

Astronauts need constant medical support during preparation for a flight, during the flight and after it. They are provided with qualified assistance and support by doctors and space medicine specialists. They also develop criteria for selecting astronauts and ensure that aircraft meet medical requirements.

Space medicine is a very important field, because under the influence of heavy overloads during exit and entry into the atmosphere, as well as in weightlessness, the human body works completely differently than usual. Without gravity, joints suffer from lack of load, calcium is washed out of bones, the spine gradually weakens and lengthens, muscles atrophy, blood is redistributed throughout the body evenly (whereas normally there is more of it in the lower part of the body than in the upper), which affects brain function . Weightlessness somehow changes the functioning of all body systems. At the same time, manned flights to Mars, possible in the near future, will pose even more complex tasks for specialists in the field of space medicine, which means this profession can only become more interesting in the future.

Telecommunications and Communications Engineer

Where to work: FSUE "Space Communications", Center for Long-Range Space Communications in Evpatoria, JSC "Russian Space Systems"

Salary level: from 25 to 85 thousand rubles.

Main disciplines:

Roscosmos plans to modernize the Center for Deep Space Communications, which is located in Yevpatoria, in the next few years. It is expected that it will be used for promising projects, in particular, as part of the new flight program to the Moon. Specialists from Russian Space Systems are also involved in accompanying aircraft, as well as various research activities. In addition, in Russia there are several space communication centers that provide satellite communication channels and television and radio broadcasting. All of them are run by the Space Communications enterprise and are located in Dubna, Yekaterinburg, Zheleznogorsk, Khabarovsk and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Engineers with higher technical education work here who monitor the operation of complex high-tech equipment and the quality of the satellite signal.

Hydrometeorologist

Where to work: Roshydromet, Ecostandard

Salary level: from 25 to 85 thousand rubles.

Where to apply: RGGMU

Main disciplines: mathematics, computer science, physics

The profession of a hydrometeorologist today can also be called quite rare. Typically, graduates of this direction are employed in one of the divisions of Roshydromet (this, by the way, also includes the Hydrometeorological Center). A hydrometeorologist must be able to make observations and use information obtained from stations and installations scattered around the world, including using satellites. Based on this data, they make weather and climate change forecasts and conduct scientific research.

Future

Today, experts are confident that in the next 10 years, space professions will become very promising. This will be connected not only with the expansion of the geography of manned and unmanned research, but also with the fact that automated control systems will become “smarter” from year to year, and therefore more complex. The ships that will go to Mars will require developed life support systems; to land on the Red Planet, it will be necessary to develop a lot of different equipment that will allow a person not only to survive in conditions far from earthly ones, and to carry out the necessary scientific research, but also to return home. Cosmic radiation, weightlessness, low gravity on Mars, issues of providing crews with air, water, food and energy, solving health problems, as well as psychological problems that may arise due to a long stay in a confined space and a “closed” society - everything These are the challenges that the future holds for space industry professionals.

In addition, there are a lot of projects that involve unmanned research, including on Mars, and here, too, space robotics and space geologists, astrobiologists, engineers and other unique specialists will be required. Those who are now just choosing their professional path have a chance to become one. What needs to be done for this? Just study and stay motivated - nothing more.

How many times have many of you enjoyed watching films about space exploration? Or about what dangers there are, problems that arise or, conversely, discoveries? Personally, we do it all the time. The theme of space is one of the most beloved in cinema. And, sometimes, there is a regret that I was born quite a bit earlier than the time when all this would have already been a reality, and all that remains is to watch your favorite films again and again.

But we hasten to reassure you! It's not all that bad, actually. And for us, the young, there may still be a chance in the near future to experience all the delights of cosmic life, now available only to a select few. And even more so for our children. You just have to open your eyes a little and be convinced of the incredible progress that the space industry is currently making. After all, for those born in the 70-90s, the space industry found itself in a kind of stupor. The Cold War, as bad as it was, still had a significant positive impact on the development of research and development in this area. And after that there was only a period of stagnation. And we have all lost all hope that we will ever live on Mars.

But now everything is changing. The development of private commercial space exploration is in full swing. Flights are becoming cheaper and the world is already talking in all seriousness about space tourism and the use of space for private business purposes. What does it say, tickets for SpaceShip Two are sold out for years to come! Humanity is already, without any doubt, looking to the future of space, where there will be reconnaissance missions, exploration and landing on other planets, mining and production of resources in space. Everything that we have seen in films is gradually becoming reality.

Of course, in Russia so far all astronautics belongs to the state and only small subcontracts are sometimes given to private commerce. However, this too will change in the future, like the whole world. Notice how many new professions have appeared over the past two decades in all areas of our lives? Computers, robots, new technologies, etc. The same prospects await outer space. After some time, space will begin to be actively explored by various companies and private organizations, and vacancies like “We are looking for a geologist for exploration of deposits on Mars, a contract for 5 years” will become a completely natural phenomenon. Therefore, we bring to your attention a number of professions of the future, personnel for which, according to the assumptions of leading experts in this field, need to be trained now.

Life cycle designer of space structures

Specialist in the design of structures in outer space (near-Earth stations and stations on the Moon and asteroids).

Over the past half century alone, more than a dozen orbital stations have changed in space. Some of them were very small and consisted of 2-3 modules. Some are simply huge, like the ISS station, which is now rushing across the dark sky like a bright star. Just imagine: its length is more than 100m! The Chinese station has been spinning in orbit for 4 years now, and soon, according to plans, Russia will separate with its own orbital home. Well, it’s not worth talking about the number of satellites in orbit, because there are thousands of them.

It is planned to begin orbital commercial tourist flights by 2020. And after some time, flights to the ISS will be carried out. But this station is a scientific one and, although tourists still visit it now, it is mainly inhabited by scientists and engineers with specific goals. Therefore, it is not surprising that there have been discussions and projects of tourist space hotels for a long time. And this, of course, will require a completely different infrastructure and specialists.

All these technological structures, like everything else in our world, also have a shelf life and cannot work forever, no matter how sad it is. As practice shows, simply throwing unnecessary spare parts into space is not the best idea. Every year the danger of damage to satellites and stations in low-Earth orbit by space debris increases more and more. And in the same way, the number of spacecraft launched is growing every year.

So we can say with confidence that in the very near future there will be such a profession as “Space Structures Life Cycle Designer”, who will directly solve this problem and make additions to the developers’ design decisions regarding the subsequent disposal and reassembly of spacecraft, or solve these problems on site based on the technologies and components available to him. This profession will be most relevant for inhabited stations on the moon, other planets and even asteroids, where delivering new materials and spare parts is quite problematic.

Such a specialist will be faced with serious tasks and the need to make important decisions, because in many ways the future life path of not only the stations themselves, but also people will depend on them. Of course, new 3D printing technologies and reusable materials make the task easier in many ways. But in any case, this specialty is extraordinary and will require a number of important qualities from a professional. Such a person will need an understanding of technologies in many related industries, systems thinking, the ability to organize and systematize their work, accuracy and thrift, serious programming skills and, of course, knowledge of languages. So, if you see such qualities in yourself, you can safely take note of this most interesting profession.

Even though this specialty is still being formed in the field, and will appear approximately by 2020, you can already get a basic education to become such a designer in the future. Objectively, a specialist in such a field must have broad engineering skills and good erudition. Here you need to be a specialist in everything, and not just a narrow professional in a specific industry, in order to be able to solve problems associated with any equipment at stations.

Space tourism manager

A specialist who develops programs for visiting near-space, and subsequently, orbital complexes and other space structures (including lunar bases).

When going on vacation to the other side of the planet, it is already the norm for us to turn to a person who will select the best travel option, optimize all dates, deadlines and budgets, help with paperwork, etc., making our vacation as comfortable as possible. So why should outer space be any exception?

The development of space tourism leads to a strong development of infrastructure in space. Dozens of hotels, scientific and research stations, colonies, settlements, military bases, and industrial complexes will begin to appear. A person will have a choice that he often doesn’t want to make himself, right? Therefore, the profession “Space Tourism Manager” will become relevant after 2020 with the development of commercial space travel.

Now it seems to us that such a development of events is very distant, but in fact the beginnings of such a profession already exist. Did you know that there are already several private companies that organize tours to the ISS? Of course, it’s not cheap, and such companies don’t have a lot of clients. But if you are rich, you have a lot of money and you really want to go to space, then it is through such a company that you will have to plan your trip. In this case, you will be assigned a personal manager who will try to solve all problems that arise for you. So, do you think this profession is still far away? After all, she is already here.

At the moment, of course, such work is not much different from ordinary management and working with clients, but even now it forces us to understand all aspects of modern space tourism. What will happen in the future, when there will be many stations and companies flying into space? Of course, this will require all the qualities inherent in good account managers: organization, customer focus, communication and, of course, multilingualism. The ability to quickly and cleverly solve emerging difficulties will also be useful. But, of course, such work will be significantly different from ordinary travel on earth, because we will already be talking about space and other planets.

If you like this profession, then it makes sense to take care of getting a basic education now, because very soon highly qualified space tourism managers and guides will be in great demand. This is a specialty quite similar to existing tourism managers, so it’s not difficult to guess what kind of education you should receive.

Space engineer

A specialist servicing the near-Earth transport network and responsible for the development of transport flow corridors (both flights into orbit and transcontinental flights along ballistic trajectories) and synchronization of launches/starts on Earth (with an increase in the number of launches, taking into account the multiple increase in the number of objects in orbit ).

Once upon a time, when airplanes had just appeared and the first of them were flying across the Atlantic, no one could have imagined that such a profession as an air traffic controller would appear. However, now this is commonplace for us and we, without hesitation, constantly trust our lives to people of this specialization when setting off on a certain journey.

It is logical to assume that the same thing will happen in space. Now, it would seem, not many rockets take off into orbit, and the chances of a collision are minimal. Satellites fly in their own orbits, stations in theirs. But this profession already exists in a completely rudimentary form. Who do you think regulates the orbits of all near-Earth orbital objects? At NASA, for example, there is a special person: the Head of Trajectory Operations, who constantly monitors the location of the ISS station and, if necessary, adjusts it (more recently, we all heard about interruptions in the operation of engines that correct the altitude of the station’s orbit). The same people lead near-Earth satellites.

Of course, in the future, with the development of commercial flights and a significant increase in their number, this profession will become much more extensive, and such people will be needed in large numbers. They will have to solve a lot of issues that are now standard for air traffic controllers, only in this case they will have to cover vast spaces above the surface of the earth and in space.

In addition to all the other qualities required by space controllers, the ability to quickly navigate an uncertain situation and make instant, thoughtful decisions will be extremely important for this profession. In addition, this work will require serious resistance to stress, much greater than that of current air traffic controllers. However, there will still be a difference with the modern analogy, since by the time this profession appears (after 2020), most of the regulation of movement in space will be transferred to automation and a person will only be required to observe, communicate and make important decisions.

Cosmobiologist

A specialist who studies the behavior of various biological systems (from viruses to animals and humans) in space conditions (in buildings, aircraft, planetary stations), studies the physiology and genetic changes of organisms, develops sustainable space ecosystems for orbital stations, lunar bases and long flights .

This profession, one might say, already exists today, only in its infancy. All functions of this specialty are currently performed by scientists located at the ISS station. It is thanks to their work, including in the field of studying the life of biological forms in conditions of weightlessness, that we know much more about space and its impact on us than even 10 years ago. But these scientists are pioneers, and their work in the future will no doubt be divided into many fields of activity, including cosmobiology.

Humanity, in fact, knows very little even about life on earth, let alone life in space. But for stations and colonial settlements you will need to study everything in great detail. It is impossible to constantly deliver food into space, as is being done now, so sooner or later we will come to the discovery of a new industry in space: the production and cultivation of food and animals. But this will be only one aspect of Cosmobiology.

In space, not only our body behaves completely differently, but also others, even microorganisms. Weightlessness or reduced gravity changes many orders and settings of the life cycle. So there will be a lot of work for biologists. Under no circumstances should you rely on luck, which means you need to study this area thoroughly. Many developments exist and have been time-tested even now: phytolighting, hydroponics and aeroponics and much more. Cosmobiologists will just need to adapt this to space conditions.

However, this profession will not be easy, but it will be incredibly interesting! Here you will need to go beyond what is known to mankind, because people of this profession will be setting foot on an unplowed field. Of course, they will need basic knowledge of biology. And by basic, in this case, we mean that such people should be first-class specialists who know everything about biology thoroughly. They will be basic in comparison with what cosmobiologists still have to study in space, so this is a very highly specialized profession.

However, if you think that you will need to sit in front of a microscope on a space station, then this is unlikely to be the case, because modern technology has come much further. Most likely, everything in this industry will be largely automated, and therefore microbiologists will also need knowledge in the IT field. In addition, project management skills, organization, and systems thinking will also be necessary. Communication skills and knowledge of languages ​​will also not be superfluous, because in a limited space, like it or not, you will have to communicate with colleagues.

Do you want to become a cosmobiologist in the future? Then you still have enough time to become just a high-class terrestrial biologist now. Then, somewhere after 2020, you have every chance of starting to work in space.

Cosmogeologist

A specialist who is engaged in the exploration and extraction of minerals on the Moon and asteroids.

In this article, we talked quite a lot about the commercial exploration of space, but we never mentioned what exactly this commercial benefit for private companies is. And the benefits, as you can guess from the name of this profession, are very large. After all, we are talking about a large number of resources. And cosmogeology will be one of the leading professions of the future. Even now, on our home planet, exploration of deposits takes a long time and requires a lot of labor. And in space, in conditions of airless space, solar radiation and low gravity, much more problems will appear. However, the commercial benefits will exceed any possible costs.
Many films on the theme of space in the 80s and 90s supported precisely this concept of the exploration of airless space. Even the plot of the film “Alien” unfolded on the commercial cargo transport ship “Nostromo”, which was carrying 20 million tons of ore to Earth. But human consumption is growing every year, and many scientists are increasingly announcing the depletion of resource sources directly on our planet. So the prospects for cosmogeologists are enormous.

As with any other profession in space, such people will have to face many difficulties. Although we have been studying our solar system and all the planets in it for more than 50 years, and have even landed on many, we still know very little about the geology of celestial bodies. So space geologists will have to largely navigate the place, exploring and studying new soils, extracting new minerals and at the same time making a huge contribution to the study of our Universe, because in the depths of the planets, like in our own, many secrets of our origin are hidden.

This profession is very narrowly specialized: you will need to know the entire periodic table by heart, and determine the composition of the soil without looking at it only by touching it with your feet. But you have time to become a professional in your field, because this specialty is still only in the project and private companies still have a long way to go in space exploration to finally start sending “Cosmogeologists” there. However, don’t hesitate to put your education on hold! Because those same private companies that always think exclusively in terms of business and money will very quickly need to recoup all investments. And resource extraction is one of the first ways to return investment.
Cosmogeologists may have the hardest time. Their work will be dangerous and difficult, but at the same time extremely highly paid. And, we believe, the pleasure received will be immeasurable. Just imagine a picture where you are standing with a drilling machine on a distant planet and looking into the black space above your head and a distant dim body called the “Sun”. Although, it is likely that drilling and production will be fully automated, and the geologist’s task will only be control, study and research. So, undoubtedly, organization, frugality, systems thinking, communication and the ability to make extraordinary decisions are the necessary qualities.

Life support systems engineer

A specialist who maintains all systems that support human life in outer space.

This profession is perhaps the most important among all. Unique space plumbers! After all, all others will depend on people of this specialization. Any station, any colony must be provided with living space with minimal amenities: air, water, food, toilet. These are the attributes of our life, without which our existence and work would not be possible. Therefore, the profession “Life Support Systems Engineer” will be in high demand at any space facility where people will be located.

And it doesn’t matter what kind of object it will be: a scientific station or a space hotel. The only difference is in the requirements, while for tourist sites the requirements will be much higher. Such a specialist will have to solve many problems and maintain all systems in constant working order: the lives of all residents of the station will depend on this.

Of course, the profession is largely narrowly specialized, and will require such a person to thoroughly know all aspects of the operation of the equipment. And it will not be paid as highly as those of the same cosmobiologists or cosmogeologists. Nevertheless, it will be no less interesting work. A person will need self-organization, careful handling of equipment, programming skills and, of course, communication skills. For maintenance, of course, you will periodically have to go into outer space, or walk on the surface of planets and asteroids.

In this article we touched on an interesting industry that is now steadily gaining momentum. We have listed only some of the main professions that, in our opinion and in the opinion of many experts in these industries, will definitely appear in the near future, and therefore it is worth preparing for them now.

We are sure that many of you will be able to name dozens more necessary professions in space. And we invite you to do just that. Let's imagine more situations, industries and jobs of the future space that may appear in the next 10-20 years? For example, without a doubt, spaceship pilots will become a separate profession, space maintenance personnel, space ecologists and scavengers, repairmen and much more will appear. Your ideas and suggestions?

The most important thing is that these professions are real and truly in demand. Let's look at a world without science fiction movies and try to imagine the real needs of industries in outer space. And don’t forget to write what human qualities are paramount for the specialties you offer!

The 21st century is a time of great changes in the labor market: on the one hand, some professions are rapidly becoming obsolete and people in them are slowly beginning to be replaced by computers and robots, and on the other hand, many interesting specialties are emerging at the intersection of different fields of knowledge. In light of new professions, demands for workers in different industries are changing, who may become in demand in the near future and how you can build an educational trajectory now to get into the trend. Further about the specialists who search for minerals on asteroids, develop space tourism and design houses for colonizers.

Space tourism manager

Space tourism has officially existed since 2001, when American multimillionaire Dennis Tito went into low-Earth orbit on the Soyuz TM-32 spacecraft. He paid $20 million for 10 days of an unusual journey. The first tourist had to undergo not only a physical training course, but also, just in case, learn how to control a spaceship. Until 2010, eight more people managed to fly into orbit, after which the tourism program was temporarily curtailed due to an increase in the number of cosmonauts in the crew of the International Space Station - there were simply no free places left on the Soyuz for billionaires to land.

But in parallel, private space startups began to develop. SpaceX is developing Falcon rockets and the Dragon space capsule, which can send up to seven people to the space station. In 2012, the capsule managed to successfully reach the ISS and return - although the tests were carried out without a crew. Boeing is also working on its own space project, and Space Adventures, Ltd. plans to take tourists on a trip around the moon (such an unusual experience will cost $100 million per ticket). Several bright projects are also being prepared in the niche of suborbital flights: the famous tycoon Richard Branson founded the Virgin Galactic company for this purpose. Commercial flights were supposed to begin in 2015, but in 2014, the first SpaceShipOne ship crashed during a test launch. In February of this year, testing of a new ship model began. XCOR Aerospace is testing the Lynx suborbital spaceplane, which can take tourists to altitudes of up to 100 kilometers and still use a regular airport runway.

None of these projects have yet reached the stage of commercial use, but, according to experts, in the near future we will see a technological leap that will finally allow us to talk about space tourism as a separate industry. So there will be a demand for specialists capable of developing programs for visiting near-space, and subsequently, orbital complexes and other space structures (including lunar bases). Such a professional must combine creative thinking (a love of science fiction will certainly not hurt here) with an understanding of the technical limitations for human presence in space and the necessary safety measures. You can try to get a higher education in the field of rocket science (such programs, for example, are offered by the Moscow Aviation Institute and the Bauman Moscow State Technical University), and then upgrade your knowledge and skills in the field of tourism. Experience in organizing sports tours for extreme sports enthusiasts can also be a good basis.

Cosmobiologist

Science has been searching for extraterrestrial life since the second half of the twentieth century, and despite the fact that the chances of finding highly organized life forms on other planets are very small, there is still a chance of stumbling upon primitive organisms that can survive on other planets. Extremophiles, as they are called, exist on Earth: scientists know organisms that feel comfortable in ice, boiling water, acid, water from nuclear reactors, crystalline salts and toxic waste. It can be assumed that something similar is found, for example, in the glaciers of Mars or on some of the satellites of Jupiter. Several large research programs are dedicated to the search for life - for example, within the framework of the Biological Oxidant and Life Detection mission, it is planned to search for bacteria on Mars: lithotrophs (organisms that use inorganic substances as an energy source) and prototrophic microbes capable of synthesizing complex substances from a limited number of simple compounds. Moreover, as the prospect of colonization approaches, it becomes increasingly important to study how plants and animals fare in conditions of weightlessness and/or altered gravity, artificial atmospheres, and so on. Experiments are periodically conducted on the ISS.

Accordingly, specialists will be needed to study the unusual behavior of various biological systems in space and develop sustainable space ecosystems for orbital stations, lunar bases and long-term flights. In general, Matt Damon’s hero from “The Martian” is a very promising role model for a future biology student. You definitely can’t do without a bachelor’s degree in biology, but it’s also important to get into a suitable department - for example, at Moscow State University there is a laboratory of space biology at the Department of Biophysics. At the same time, you can engage in self-education: courses on astrobiology are available on the AcademicEarth and Coursera websites.

Cosmogeologist

Space can become useful for terrestrial industry: toxic waste can be disposed of in airless space, and minerals can be mined on the Moon and asteroids (according to research by astrophysicists, iron, gold, nickel, platinum and other valuable metals can be found there). This is a very time-consuming task, but it can pay off handsomely: a medium-sized asteroid (about 1.5 kilometers in diameter) contains metals worth 20 trillion dollars.

Startups for the industrial development of asteroids already exist - for example, Planetary Resources is developing technologies for the extraction of raw materials, minerals and volatile elements from planetoids closest to Earth, and Shackleton Energy is developing lunar deposits. Such projects will be happy to hire highly qualified specialists who understand geology and planetary science.

Life cycle designer of space structures

The colonization of other planets is no longer perceived as science fiction, but as a completely promising plan for the near future: in 2014, Roscosmos proposed the concept of lunar exploration, and the Dutch scientist and entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp launched Mars One, which should send the first settlers to Mars in 2023. It is assumed that the colonists of the Red Planet will live in a special residential module consisting of a network of rooms (each astronaut will have up to 50 square meters - this “apartment” will house a bedroom, a work area, a living room and a greenhouse for growing greenery). To create drinking water, this system will constantly recycle Martian soil, and electrical energy will be generated by thin-film solar panels.

Even if the deadlines for these ambitious projects have to be delayed by several years, in the foreseeable future there will be a demand for specialists in the design of space structures. Such specialists will need to understand architecture, engineering, new materials and technologies (for example, NASA has been actively exploring the capabilities of 3D printers in recent years). One of the likely educational trajectories is a bachelor’s degree in spacecraft design + additional architectural education.

I don’t know if I proved it to everyone, but I definitely proved it to myself: we are not chained to this planet.
Neil Armstrong

Space is the future of humanity. It is difficult to imagine a more romantic and promising field of activity than space exploration.
During the period of the first flights into space, talk about space research did not stop in society; it seemed that it was about to be conquered by man. Newspapers, television and adult conversations set a life guide for all schoolchildren in the country. Astronauts were as popular as movie stars today.

At present, there are less than a hundred “active” astronauts in the world, and all of them are somewhere far from us. Modern teenagers do not romanticize the work of an astronaut. They know that exploring space is physically and psychologically difficult work, and also involves great risk. Therefore, modern schoolchildren choose “mundane” professions, about which they know much more.

Today we will take a step towards space! Let's talk about a variety of professions in the space industry.

1. Cosmonaut (astronaut)
What is he doing? Conducts biological, chemical, physical research on the International Space Station and in outer space. Tests new equipment, repairs on-board equipment, and prevents emergency situations. For 6 months he works, sleeps and eats in zero gravity with an international team of astronauts. Every day he admires the Earth and the stars from the porthole.
Where do they cook? The most “beaten path” to space is the profession of a military pilot. But today anyone with a higher education, physically healthy and psychologically stable can become an astronaut. The selection and training of candidates is carried out by the Yu. A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center near Moscow.

2. Astronomer
What is he doing? Observes space objects, including planets, stars, galaxies. Astronomers can rely on data from ground-based (telescopes) or space-based equipment (probes). Analysis of the data they collect provides clues to questions on a cosmic scale: the age and structure of the planets, the size and origin of the universe.
Where do they cook? At the physics departments of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov and St. Petersburg State University.

3. Design engineer
What is he doing? Designs, builds and tests aircraft, rockets and spacecraft. Design engineers must take into account the limitations of each environment in their work. For example, since jet engines don't work in space, where there's no air to push, aerospace engineers instead use rockets that run on liquid oxygen and rocket fuel to generate thrust.
Where do they cook? MSTU im. Bauman, MAI, SUAI

4. On-board equipment engineer
What is he doing? Researches, designs, develops and tests computer systems and equipment that are used to measure activity in outer space or on Earth. It is important for on-board equipment engineers to be able to draw up technical documentation so that any astronaut can then use or repair the equipment.
Where do they cook? You can get a basic engineering education at MSTU. Bauman, MTU (MIREA, MGUPI, MITHT), MSTU "STANKIN", National Research University "MPEI"

5. Aircraft mechanic
What is he doing? In collaboration with other specialists, he creates products such as sensors, instruments, engines, or repairs machines that are necessary for space flight. For example, mechanics may collaborate with design engineers to design a steering mechanism on rocket nozzles.
Where do they cook? Aviation mechanics are trained in aviation schools, colleges, and technical schools.

6. Civil engineer
What is he doing? Designs or builds spaceport infrastructure. Entire cities are growing up around spaceports, requiring civil engineers, as well as construction workers - painters, plasterers, concrete workers, crane operators and other specialists.
Where do they cook? MGSU, MGUPS im. Nicholas II, Moscow Polytechnic

7. Space biologist
What is he doing? Explores biological systems in space and on other planets. Specialists in this promising profession will be able to grow plants and breed animals on space stations.
Where do they cook? At the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University, MBA named after. K.I. Skryabin, Moscow State Technical University named after. K.G. Razumovsky, RGAU-MSHA named after. K.A. Timiryazeva

8. Space medicine specialist
What is he doing? Conducts the selection of astronauts for the flight, monitors their well-being and psychological state. With his participation, spacesuits and life support systems for aircraft are designed.
Where do they cook? Department of Aviation and Space Medicine, Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov

9. Space tourism manager
What is he doing? Develops programs for tourists who want to visit space for entertainment purposes. Controls the process of preparing a tourist for a flight. So far, 7 non-professional cosmonauts have been in space, and the issue of managing such flights has just emerged, but with the development of private space organizations, this profession will become in demand.

The space industry has prospects for the development of a wide variety of specialties. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a humanist or a techie, if you’ve always dreamed of being closer to the stars, then choose your path to space orbit.
For those who dream of space, March 26, 2017 at Moscow State University. The Faculty of Space Research was opened at M.V. Lomonosov. The faculty will train specialists in the aerospace field and conduct the latest research in space exploration.

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Modern children rarely have goals of becoming an astronaut or connecting their lives with space. School graduates prefer more realistic professions: lawyer, economist, psychologist, etc.

However, in the space sector there are enough vacant positions for both men and women. And we’re not just talking about astronauts or engineers here.

Top 10 current space-related professions

In the last 5-10 years, there has been active development of astronautics and its private sector. In this regard, stations and laboratories are ready to open their doors to young specialists in the following professions:

1. Design engineer for spacesuit development. In addition to developing new suits, engineers test new materials, check and test suits, add smart technology, etc.
2. Smell expert. The position is unusual, but significant: a specialist analyzes the odors of various particles and materials of the ship, immediately before its flight, in order to eliminate toxic substances.
3. Space psychologist. The psychologist’s responsibilities include working with the crew and supporting the mental state of its members. The psychologist also carries out professional selection for the team and recruits more psychologically stable candidates.
4. Space tour guide. According to experts, this profession will become one of the most popular and necessary in the near future. The trend was provoked by the emergence of private companies that are gradually beginning to send tourists into orbit.
5. Space engineer. One of the most important specializations in astronautics. The engineer maintains the near-Earth transport network and develops transport corridors.
6. Cosmogeologist. The profession is associated with the extraction of minerals and their exploration on the Moon and asteroid.
7. Life support system engineer. The engineer's tasks include developing a life support system for crew members in outer space and servicing them in critical situations.
8. Cosmobiologist. The profession is associated with the study of the behavior of various biological systems in outer space, developing conditions for their natural functioning.
9. Life cycle designer of space structures. The profession is becoming in demand and necessary, taking into account the fact that scientists have plans to actively explore and populate the Moon and Mars. The designer's tasks include the reconstruction and disposal of space structures.
10. Roboticist. In the next 5 years, active promotion of robotics is expected in Russia, which will entail a number of new specializations. The technician’s tasks include designing and creating apparatus for exploring space and its objects.

In the next decade, professions related to space will become in demand and promising. And this is connected not only with the active exploration of space, but also with the development of ever new and smart systems and devices.