Find your SPACE
Usha Albuquerque

Sunita William’s visit to India has got us star gazing. All budding young scientists with stars in their eyes now want to be astronauts and astronomers. It’s not surprising! Who has not gazed up at the sky and been enchanted by the twinkling stars? Who has not read about and watched with bated breath as men and machines travel to the far corners of the universe unraveling its many secrets?

Astronomy is the science that deals with the physical universe beyond the earth. It is a study of the motions of planets and heavenly bodies, the laws that govern them, as also the effects, which they produce upon one another. It is a very old science, developed since ancient times, by astronomers like Aryabhatta, Bhaskara, Galileo and Sir Isaac Newton. With the development of science and technology, and sophisticated technological gadgets, astronomers have been able to conquer the Milky Way and beyond, while professional astronauts go where no man has gone before.

Astronauts are those who eventually go into space, live and work in space, but they too are scientists, engineers, technicians and specialists who all play a vital role in the ongoing space programmes, as well as in the construction process of the eventual habitat and operation of manned space stations. Much of the work involves observing the night sky and gathering various astronomical data. They make observations with ground-based telescopes or any other sources and apply their knowledge to solve problems in navigation, space flight, and satellite communications. The work involves analysis and interpretation of enormous amount of data gathered by observatories and satellites, and then making scientific papers, thereby arriving at conclusions, or refuting old theories and building new ones.

Traditionally, astronomy has been more observational in scope while astrophysics is more analytical. Thus astronomers look through telescope while astrophysicists model data. The distinctions are much more blurred now and most astronomers/astrophysicists do both.

As space and its many secrets impinge on the earth in many ways, the study of astronomy incorporates several branches. These include Astrophysics, that deals with the physical properties of celestial bodies and with the interaction between matter and radiation in the interior of celestial bodies and in interstellar space, Astrometeorology, the study of the theoretical effects of astronomical bodies and forces on the earth’s atmosphere, and Astrobiology, the study of life beyond the earth’s atmosphere, as on the planets. There is also Astrochemistry, dealing with the chemical composition and evolution of the universe and its parts, Astrogeology, dealing with the structure and composition of planets and other bodies in the solar system, and Astrometry that deals with the measurement of the positions and motions of the celestial bodies. Depending on their areas of specialisation, astronomers are classified into various groups like observational astronomers, stellar astronomers, solar astronomers.

There is no sure-fire way to become an astronaut, and the odds of becoming one are very very slim. There is also the possibility that you will only get one flight opportunity, or perhaps none during your entire career. But if you have a dream of becoming an astronaut, and taking that chance, or working in the field of astronomy and the space programme, be prepared for many years of study, dedicated effort and perseverance. To begin with — develop a passionate devotion to any aspect of space exploration, be it computer engineering or biochemistry.

The most important subjects for astronomy is to study physics and maths in school, and then a B.Sc.in physics or a degree in engineering, before taking up a Master’s or Ph.D in a specialised field of astronomy or space science. Depending on your interests, you can go in for Electrical / Electronics/Electrical Communications engineering, if you want to do instrumentation/experimental astronomy. On the other hand, if you want to do theoretical astronomy or observations, it would be better to go through the science stream. You can specialise in a specific aspect of space science at the master's level. Bihar Institute of Technology, Mesra and Ranchi University offer ME in Space Engg and Rocketry, while Andhra University, Osmania University and Anna University are others that offer M Sc in Atmospheric and Space Sciences.

The Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore, www.iiap.ernet.in offers Ph.D programmes in Astronomy, and Astrophysics. The Indian Institute of Science, (Bangalore) www.iisc. ernet.in; Raman Research Institute (Bangalore) www.rri.res.in; Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (Pune)www.iucaa.ernet.in; National Centre for Radio Astronomy www.ncra.tifr. res.in, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Pune, and the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, also offer research programmes in space sciences and atmospheric sciences. Selection to these institutes is through a written exam, the Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) examination, and the minimum qualification required for appearing for the entrance exam is a Master's degree in Physics, or a degree in engineering. If NASA is your goal, it may be useful to check the NASA website, or www.geocities.co m under Astronaut Resources which provides lots of useful information about requirements for an astronaut. This includes an advanced degree – a master’s or PhD in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics, followed by at least three years of related progressively responsible, professional experience. In addition you will have to pass a NASA class II space physical test, which is similar to a civilian or military flight physical test and includes several height, weight and eyesight requirements. Pilot astronauts like Sunita Williams must have in addition to the above requirements, at least 1000 hours pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft.

Rocket to new frontiers

After having done a course in astronomy, you can find placement as a Research Scientist with several research institutes and big Government organizations like the Indian Space Research Organization (DRDO), as well as opportunities in major establishments like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Space Physics Laboratories, Space Applications Centres, and so on. There are many different fields of astronomy you can work in, from the instrument building teams who work with their hands to the theoretical branches where mathematical ability and physical intuition is essential. A beginner in the field of astronomy may be inducted as a researcher into an existing team which would be already working on a project. With some years of research experience, you can even apply to NASA, or any other international space programme for openings.

The field of astronomy and space science must be the most fascinating job in the universe, but it does require some outstanding abilities - above average intelligence, keen analytical ability and good programming skills. Perhaps the most essential ingredient, however, is curiosity, a scientific bent of mind and the ability to search out answers.