To be an astronaut is the dream of thousands of young - and not so young - people. But is the life as glamorous as we think it is? First, each applicant must navigate a protracted application and selection process, submit to lengthy medicals, take dozens of aptitude tests, and face an interview panel. If successful, the wannabe spacefarer is then subjected to a guantlet of instruction. From being strapped into centrifuges to experiencing microgravity onboard NASA's aptly named 'vomit comet,' the astronaut candidate's (Ascan) trainging is as relentless as it is arduous. In addtion to covering more than two hundred classroom subjects, as Ascan will complete over fifteen hundred hours of instruction, including training in high-performance jets, sea survival, emergency evacuation preparation, and surgery in microgravity. Prepare for Launch provides a unique insight into the astronaut application, selection, and training process. It chronicles the intense, highly technical and sophisticatedtraining necessary to forge a flight crew capable of responding to any conceivable emergency and capable of expertly executing hundreds of mission tasks. This book uniquely explores the preparation required to apply and train for the most challenging and demanding job in the world.

Section 1: Becoming an Astronaut. The Application Process. The Selection Process.- Section 2: Training for Life in Space. Astronaut Training. Technical Assignments. Types of Missions. Mission Traning.- Section 3: Before Launch. Behind the Scenes. Countdown to the First Flight. The Final Count.