# I'm doing it bros. I'm filling out the NASA internship program for next year



## Nightmaker81 (Aug 17, 2013)

I never thought the day would come where I could comfortably say that I have a good chance at getting into NASA, but it's here. Going for the applied physic options at AMES. It'll be all next school year, and I am so pumped.

Got two letters of recs(one from research professor who did some insane shit with quantum tunneling) and another from a lecturer who I was cool with and was one of the fundamental researchers in creating Lagrangian mechanics.

Let's fucking do this


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

Good job and good luck.


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## SiFan (Mar 10, 2015)

Cool. Good luck, Nightmaker!


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## the401 (Mar 1, 2015)

what is the big deal?


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## Lady Isla (Feb 20, 2015)

That's great. Best of luck!


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## Nightmaker81 (Aug 17, 2013)

the401 said:


> what is the big deal?


This is my dream man. I always dreamed of becoming an astronaut and wanted to get it so bad. I know I would be competing against the greatest minds in the world and I knew I would not have the amount of natural talent those guys had. But I had a lot of raw determination in me and I felt very similar to Rock Lee in your profile picture. For me to get to my point I worked, and worked and worked and never stopped working, and being awarded this means I don't have to have a genius IQ or a special talent. That I could cover that gap between my competition with just my work ethic and that's an amazing feeling.

Thanks for all the support guys!


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## LostFavor (Aug 18, 2011)

Good for you. Best of luck. :happy:


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## SirDave (Sep 1, 2012)

I'm glad to hear it. Good luck to you in your endeavor!


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## Kingdom Crusader (Jan 4, 2012)

That's awesome!


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## Word Dispenser (May 18, 2012)

Awesome. Touch the stars, man. roud:


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## angeleyes (Feb 20, 2013)

That's incredible initiative. Best wishes!


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## Fear Itself (Feb 20, 2013)

Yayy! So exciting! Good luck


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## xisnotx (Mar 20, 2014)

i'm jealous. take us to mars, man!


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## stiletto (Oct 26, 2013)

Go gettem, tiger!!


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## HAL (May 10, 2014)

Nightmaker81 said:


> This is my dream man. I always dreamed of becoming an astronaut and wanted to get it so bad. I know I would be competing against the greatest minds in the world and I knew I would not have the amount of natural talent those guys had. But I had a lot of raw determination in me and I felt very similar to Rock Lee in your profile picture. For me to get to my point I worked, and worked and worked and never stopped working, and being awarded this means I don't have to have a genius IQ or a special talent. That I could cover that gap between my competition with just my work ethic and that's an amazing feeling.
> 
> Thanks for all the support guys!


Personally I think 'being an astronaut' is less about being a 'great mind' than you think.

Yeah of course you need to be damn clever, but I don't think it needs a Mensa membership or anything like that.

The big thing, I believe, is to have a fairly 'military' persona. You need to be able to do things correct, by the book, and be able to work, act and communicate as part of a huge team.

I think most people who've been to space are ex-military. See for yourself: List of space travelers by name - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Good luck, either way. Just remember, it's not only about being super smart and all that. You need to have the correct character too.

Anyway you may be able to play the minority card. Only one other Indian has made it to space so far - Rakesh Sharma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - ex-military too though.

Then again only one Brit has made it too. And it she was just someone who won a radio phone-in competition... Helen Sharman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Miharu (Apr 1, 2015)

That's cool.


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## hksfdgknsjbdklrafbku (Jan 2, 2015)

Are you becoming an astronaut or just working at NASA?

Because if you're actually in with a chance of becoming an astronaut THAT IS AMAZING! That is like the generic dream that every kid had and never achieved, and if you're genuinely close to reaching that, then 1000 hats of to you sir!!!!


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## Nightmaker81 (Aug 17, 2013)

HAL said:


> Personally I think 'being an astronaut' is less about being a 'great mind' than you think.
> 
> Yeah of course you need to be damn clever, but I don't think it needs a Mensa membership or anything like that.
> 
> ...


Yeah man I understand you. It's more about a mental toughness and being able to willpower yourself to that position more about pure genius. And yeah dude if the liberalization of the Western world happens maybe I can claim unequal representation and use my Indianess to become an astronaut lol



pearslug said:


> Are you becoming an astronaut or just working at NASA?
> 
> Because if you're actually in with a chance of becoming an astronaut THAT IS AMAZING! That is like the generic dream that every kid had and never achieved, and if you're genuinely close to reaching that, then 1000 hats of to you sir!!!!



Haha just working at NASA for now man. I still got a 1.5 more decades of work until I'm competitive to being an astronaut but I like my progress so far. I'm set up to get a PhD at a few universities and once I do that, I'll pass all the prereqs for being an astronaut. If I can keep shape, work at NASA with PhD and do research, I think I may have a shot.


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## Nightmaker81 (Aug 17, 2013)

And thanks so much guys!!! It means a lot!


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## ALittleSalt (Nov 22, 2014)

Cool! Good luck, @Nightmaker81!

If you want to up your odds and apply to two places, I also recommend looking into the internship program at the Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. They get a ton of NASA projects: https://dnnpro.outer.jhuapl.edu/aplnasaintern/Home.aspx

And for fun, one of my favorite Moth stories was told by an astronaut. Maybe you'll enjoy it! Michael J. Massimino | The Moth


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