Do you have what it takes to become an astronaut?
你具备成为宇航员的条件吗？
Astronauts are trained around the world in many different locations.
成为宇航员需要在世界各地接受训练。
These include the United States, Europe, Russia and Asia.
其中包括美国、欧洲、俄罗斯和亚洲。
However, unlike other careers, they do not always accept new recruits.
不过，和其他职业不同的是，宇航员并不经常超募新人。
In the United States NASA makes announcements that applicants are wanted on an as-needed basis.
在美国，NASA会根据需求发布招聘。
The European Space Agency hasn't been open to astronaut selection since 1992.
欧洲航天局自1992年以来就没有开放过宇航员的选拔。
And even then applications were accepted for just months.
即使在开放选拔期间，也只有几个月的申请时间。
On the rare occasion that a position opens up, the competition is quite intense.
尽管空缺职位并不多，竞争却异常激烈。
Over the years NASA has an upwards trend in interest.
多年以来，申请成为NASA宇航员的人数呈上升趋势。
It set an all-time record in 2016 with over 18,000 people submitting applications.
2016年，有超过1.8万人提交申请，创下了历史新高。
Only 120 people are invited to attend an interview, and of these, just half are welcomed back.
只有120人收到了面试邀约，而其中只有一半得到认可。
For those in Europe, the chances of becoming selected for training are also very slim.
对于欧洲的人来说，被选中参加培训的机会也十分渺茫。
During the last recruitment in 2009, only six were picked out of 8413.
上一次招聘是在2009年，8413人中只有6人被选中。
When new astronauts are needed, candidates must have vast knowledge and experience to meet, and preferably exceed training program admittance guidelines.
在招募新宇航员的时候，候选人必须拥有丰富的知识和经验，以超过培训计划准入标准为佳。
No matter where they are, those who apply must be exceptionally strong in several key areas.
无论是哪一个地方的宇航员，申请者必须在几个关键领域掌握卓越的能力。
These typically include a high level education, flying experience , and proof of physical and mental ability.
包括高等教育、飞行经历、强健的身体和心理。
As an example, to qualify to train with NASA, candidates must first complete an undergraduate program and earn their bachelor's degree.
举个例子，要想获得NASA的培训资格，候选人必须先完成本科课程并获得学士学位。
And not just any major will be accepted.
但也不是随便什么专业都会被接受。
While there are no schools or university tracks specific to the field, there are ways to learn applicable skills.
虽然并没有学院和大学提供专门针对这一领域的课程，但想要学习适用技能依旧有章可循。
You will need to focus your studies in engineering, mathematics, or the physical, biological, or computer sciences.
你需要集中进行工程、数学、物理、生物或者计算机科学的学习。
In addition to this, candidates must also have three years or more of related experience or 1,000 hours of time commanding a jet aircraft.
除此之外，应聘者还必须拥有3年或以上的相关工作经验，或者有1000小时的喷气式飞机驾驶经验。
The third and last NASA requirement is passing a physical examination, which has many different parts.
NASA的第三个也是最后一个要求就是通过体检，体检又包含很多项目。
Among other things, there are blood pressure limitations as well as specifications for just how tall or short you can be.
其中就包括对血压和身高的限制。
That's right, if you're not the right size, you may be disqualified as you won't fit inside of a spacesuit.
是的，如果你过矮或过高，都有可能会被取消资格，因为你穿不进航天服。
In addition to this for obvious reasons, you'll need to be able to see well with 20/20 vision in each eye, either naturally, with surgery or with lenses.
其次也是理所当然的一点，单眼视力均须达到5.3，通过自然视力、手术矫正或者佩戴眼镜达到均可。
Similar to NASA, the European Space Agency requires a high standard of education in technical or scientific disciplines.
与NASA类似，欧洲航天局要求申请者接受过技术或科学学科的高标准教育。
While not essential, aircraft experience is also highly recommended.
飞行经验虽不是必须的，但也是强烈需求。
Physical condition is taken into consideration, and they list additional mental abilities that prospective astronauts must have to succeed.
身体状况同样被考虑在列，同时还列出了宇航员要成功所需具备的附加心理能力。
These include the ability to cope with high-stress situations, get along with others, and in general be adaptable.
其中包括应对高压环境的能力、与人相处的能力，以及普遍适应能力。
Why are these necessary?
为什么这些能力是必要的？
Well, spaceflights may last for months.
太空飞行可能会持续几个月。
Those in the spacecraft will be crammed all together with the same people each and every day.
航天器里每天都挤满了同样的人。
Getting along will be imperative to successfully tackling unforeseen situations as they come.
如果要成功应对不可预见的情况，相处融洽就变得至关重要。
It will also be necessary to work well as a team and to complete a given mission.
通过团队协作来完成给派任务也是十分必要的。
In addition to all this, the Russian Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Center claims that the concepts of motivation and trainability are also key for new recruits.
除此以外，据俄罗斯研究和测试宇航员训练中心表示，激励手段和可训练度对新招募的宇航员来说同样关键。
With the amount of training they'll be required to complete, candidates must be willing to stick it through and work hard to master new things.
由于需要完成大量的训练，候选人必须有坚持到底、努力获取新知识的意志力。
So, say you have the education, experience, and physical and mental ability to get accepted to an astronaut training program,
不过，就算你拥有进入宇航员训练计划所需的教育经历、工作经验、身体和心理素质，
this is when the challenge really begins.
真正的挑战才刚刚开始。
Training will be neither quick or easy and requires years of dedication.
培训既不会很快也不会很容易，这需要多年的奉献。
During this time trainees will learn what to expect before, during, and after they launch into space.
在此期间，受训者将学习升空前、升空期间和升空后所须掌握的事情。
Just the act of taking off and landing can be quite brutal and incapacitate people for days.
光是起飞和降落的训练就相当残忍，会让人数日无法行动。
In fact some 60% to 80% of those who travel to space experience space motion sickness for the first two or three days after leaving and may experience it again for another two to three days once they return.
实际上，大约60%到80%的人在进入太空的头两三天都会有太空晕动症，在返回之后可能还会有两三天的晕动症。
This may either be caused by shifts in fluids surrounding the brain or because of the effects of gravity on the inner ear.
这可能是由于大脑周围的液体变化或是重力对内耳的影响所导致的。
Whatever the cause, it makes those who have it feel overly hot, sick to their stomach, and exhausted.
无论什么原因，患上此症的人会浑身滚烫、胃部不适、疲惫不堪。
Those who do throw up often have little warning but it typically doesn't last very long.
呕吐也没有征兆，但通常并不会持续很长时间。
Almost a whole new crew getting motion sickness is so common that on most space missions activities are limited for the first few days.
几乎所有的新宇航员都会有晕动症，这很常见，在大部分的太空任务中，一开始几天的活动都会受到限制。
The use of proper training as well as medications have been somewhat successful at preventing this level of sickness.
适当训练和药物使用在某种程度上能够有效预防这种症状。
However, medications must be used with caution as they can also cause drowsiness or impair concentration.
不过，使用药物时一定要谨慎，因为有可能会引起嗜睡或影响注意力。
For those on a spaceship this could be a lethal combination.
对于航天器里的人来说，这更是致命的。
Another effect of spending time in space is experiencing irregularities in the flow of blood.
在太空逗留的另一个影响就是血液流动不规律。
Sometimes, after a mission is over, blood pressure may start to drop as a person tries to stand.
有时在任务结束之后，当一个人想要站起来时，血压可能会开始下降。
This will make them feel dizzy and they may even pass out.
这会让人感到头晕甚至昏倒。
This is common for a few days and should resolve by itself.
这种情况一般会持续几天，而且通常会自愈。
It's also worth noting that a prolonged exposure in space can cause other problems as well.
同样值得注意的是，长时间暴露在太空环境中还会导致其他的问题。
In the space environment, the heart shape becomes rounder and some of its muscle mass is lost.
在太空环境里，心脏的形状会变得更圆，部分肌肉也会减少。
Scientists hope to discover an exercise routine that could keep heart strong to counteract this.
科学家们希望找到一种可以保持心脏强健的日常运动来抵消这种影响。
Of course, in addition to what happens at takeoff and landing, astronauts must also know what to do as they orbit in space. For this purpose, they'll be taught the concepts behind orbits in astronomy.
当然，除了在起飞和着陆时会发生的事，宇航员还须了解在太空轨道上要做什么。为此，他们还会学习天文学中关于轨道的相关知识。
Astronauts are also given access to a realistic spacecraft model so they can learn how its different components function.
宇航员还会接触到一个逼真的航天器模型，以便了解航天器不同部件是如何运行的。
They'll learn things such as how the rocket engine propels the craft and how insulation regulates equipment temperature.
他们还会学习诸如火箭发动机如何推动飞船，以及绝缘材料如何调节设备温度等知识。
And of course, very critically, about how the systems work that provide them with the basic necessities such as food, water, and air.
当然，更为关键的是，了解为他们提供食物、水和空气等基本必需品的系统是如何进行工作的。
More than knowing how all these work, an astronaut must also be able to respond effectively to their failure.
宇航员不仅要知道这些是如何进行工作的，还必须能够有效地应对意外情况。
Further, he or she must know how to protect them during a disaster as well.
此外，宇航员还必须学会在灾难中自我保护。
Of course, astronauts must also prepare for their part of the space flight's mission.
当然，宇航员还要为他们的太空飞行任务做准备。
This often requires things such as learning how to navigate through space successfully while wearing a spacesuit.
这通常要学习穿着宇航服在太空中成功导航。
To simulate this here on earth, astronauts put on their equipment and submerge themselves in water.
为了在地球上模拟这种情况，宇航员们会穿上设备，把自己浸入水中。
They then walk around and perform various tasks while entirely underwater.
当他们完全入水之后，就会在水里四处走动并执行各种任务。
Other useful skills astronauts should know for a mission include learning how to pilot the ship and accurately determine its position.
在执行任务时，宇航员还应该了解其他的一些有用技能，包括如何驾驶飞船以及准确进行定位。
To do this, they must also know how to identify potentially confusing optical illusions.
要做到这一点，他们还必须了解如何识别潜在且令人困惑的视错觉现象。
In addition to understanding the internal workings of a spaceship and how to perform their jobs, astronauts must also prepare themselves for the psychological challenges of the space environment.
除了了解航天飞船的内部工作以及如何执行任务以外，宇航员还要为太空环境带来的心理挑战做好准备。
As many who have been to space have said, dealing with the combination of constant danger, loneliness and limitations was the most challenging thing they ever did.
正如许多去过太空的人所说，应对持续不断的危险、孤独和限制是最具挑战性的。
In space, danger never ends and it may always be near.
在太空里，危险永远都不会结束，而且随时有可能就在附近。
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