Looking for a change of pace? Your day-to-day, 9-5 job making you feel like you’re glued to the ground?

Then maybe you need a new job. And maybe you should talk to NASA: they’re looking for more astronauts.

The astronauts of the 21st century will help NASA through the next phase of space exploration as we continue the work of U.S. astronauts aboard the International Space Station in cooperation with our international partners; build a new NASA vehicle to enable human deep space exploration; and partner with industry to foster development of a commercial capability for human space flight to low Earth orbit.

NASA WILL ACCEPT APPLICATIONS IN THE FALL OF 2011 FOR AN ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE CLASS OF 2013.

I know some people will snark about this, saying why bother applying when NASA doesn’t even have a rocket to take humans into space? But that’s not the right way to think about this for several reasons:

1) NASA is planning on building a new rocket system;

2) NASA can hitch a ride with other countries like Russia until then (just as other countries did with us);

3) Private companies are building rockets, and you can be pretty sure NASA will pay to ride with them.

And of course training to be an astronaut isn’t like training to deliver pizzas^*. It takes years, so if you want to get into space later it means getting into training now. There are no guarantees, of course. But now you know where to start.

Tip o’ the spacesuit visor to Damaris Sarria.

[UPDATE: October 2, 2011: Damaris has the timeline for the astronaut selection process on her site].

^* … a job I had for several years, and which does have some superficial similarities to being an astronaut: you wear uncomfortable clothes, you’re away from your base a lot, and when you get home you smell vaguely of mozzarella.

Final Update, I should think (Feb 5): The story I outline below is almost certainly false. My source, Jonathan McDowell, who runs Jonathon’s Space Report, is a noted expert on satellites, orbits, and such, and he throws the flag on this one. Here is his complete email to me:

I agree with Jonathon. This is some sort of story being spread deliberately. Some people think it has to do with the movie Iron Man, but the characters name in that flick is different. So I’m not sure what this is all about, but I am pretty sure it’s not true.

Update: My source – an expert in these things — has called this story "complete nonsense". I am posting this now to try to stop this from getting bigger; but as yet I do not have permission to use my source’s name. When my source contacts me again, I’ll post more.

There is a rumor going around that an American billionaire has built his own rocket, launched himself into space, and has apparently been lost.

I know nothing beyond the info in that linked article. It sounds ridiculous, but years ago there was a guy who was planning on doing just such a thing (though he was not a billionaire). I have serious doubts, of course, but I have some friends who may know more about this, and I’ve sent out email. When I get more info, I’ll post it here. If any BABloggees have heard anything, let me know! Leave a comment here.

Edited to add: It occurs to me that the website linked has the URL of memes.org, so I wonder if this is a fake story designed to see how rumors spread. Well, I noted above that it sounds like baloney to me, and I have feelers out to track anything down. Maybe, if this is a joke, we can staunch it quickly.