I am a senior in high school and I am looking for some majors,careers and colleges.

I also love research,physics,technology,politics(elected to school board at 18),and travel especially international travel.

Growing up watching Carl Sagan's Cosmos and watching shuttle launch has fostered a undying love in space exploration and I am firm believer it is the most important thing humanity can do.

What are some jobs possibilities?
Suggesting some college helps too.

Probably the two careers most connected to space exploration would be aerospace engineering and astronomy. But from both the science side and the engineering side, there are pleny of other disciplines that get involved.

You might want to start with going to a good Engineering/Science school and see what you like the best. Your freshman year will be just abuot the same in any technical field.

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Considering the list of things that do interest you, the list of jobs you don't want might be shorter & easier.

You might like the engineering & technology route, designing and manufacturing spacecraft and/or components thereof.

You might like the science route, doing research in solar system science (space physics or planetary geology or planetary atmospheres or astrobiology & planetary habitability) or more general topics in astronomy and astrophysics or even cosmology.

You might become a writer of popular or educational material on space exploration & science.

You might go into politics, run for office, get elected, and become an advocate for space exploration.

You might get into the Air Force or the Navy, become a pilot, and work to qualify as a pilot for whatever replaces the shuttle. There are also civilian mission specialist jobs and other routes to becoming an astronaut and doing space exploration first hand.

The list you give is really too broad, both for us and for you. My advice is that it's time for you to narrow your own focus and decide on the one thing or few things that are really at the top of your list, and go into college expecting to advance along that line or those lines. You may change your mind later, but you will have a concrete goal for now, and you will discover fairly quickly whether or not you made the choice you want to live with. Only after you narrow your own view of the future (How could we do that for you?) can you then choose a major and the best likely schools.

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Science journalism would allow you to indulge the widest range of your interests, although not as much depth as if you were to specialize in something. It might also be less competitive. (I doubt that there are many people trying to become science journalists, but I know there are a lot more people trying to become scientists or engineers than there are jobs available for them to fill.)

There are all kinds of routes to getting involved in space exploration. I work with physicists, computer programmers, electrical engineers, and project managers, and what I deal with is just one tiny piece of the whole picture. I'd say, figure out what you want to do and then tie it in with space exploration. I think you'll find that just about anything will fit, even if it isn't technical. Art - become the next Robert McCall. Writing - become a journalist covering the space program.

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Thanks a lot guys.

Just to let you know, While I think something like science journalism would be ok freelance for free or a few extra bucks. I wouldn't do it as a career.

The big things I want are Space Exploration,Research and Travel...

I kinda like what they do at JPL...

I think Tim Thompson works at the JPL - no? How about being an astronaut?
Personally, I love the theoretical side of physics, be it cosmology and GTR or quantum mechanics...

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The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool.
~~~ Richard Feynman ~~~
There is no harm in doubt and skepticism, for it is through these that new discoveries are made.
~~~ Richard Feynman ~~~

Aren't you a high school student?

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Olsen the moderator.

Sure am... why do you ask?

__________________
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool.
~~~ Richard Feynman ~~~
There is no harm in doubt and skepticism, for it is through these that new discoveries are made.
~~~ Richard Feynman ~~~

Bad eyesight and asthma would instantly shoot me down for the program.
1 in like 250 people that are in perfect health as chosen

yep, having bad health would be a problem.... You could go into engineering or physics... those seem like the two most logical choices...

__________________
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool.
~~~ Richard Feynman ~~~
There is no harm in doubt and skepticism, for it is through these that new discoveries are made.
~~~ Richard Feynman ~~~

Yes, for nearly 28 years now (since January 1981). During Democratic administrations I work in environmental remote sensing. During Republican administrations I work in astronomy, since they always pull money out of environmental programs. The main focus of JPL is robotic exploration of the solar system, but there is a small collection of scientists who manage to eek out a living in an environment dominated by engineers. I am currently a member of the Evolution of Galaxies Group. I spent the last 5 years or so working in images out of the Spitzer Space Telescope.

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Don't try this at home - We're what you call "professionals" - MythBusters.

I wouldn't say I am in "bad health", I mean I could always apply,but lets be a realist. EVERYONE wants to be a astronaut.

Anyways, Here is what I am looking into,
B.S Physics > Ph.D Astrophysics,
Aerospace Engineering,
Electrical Engineering

Tim, How did you get into JPL with a M.S in Physics?
I mean they require a Ph.D in engineering in many cases...There are about 2 Ph.D Engineers out there from what I hear.

I biggest concern in engineering is that the project are TOO large. I mean from what I hear a team of 20 engineers could work on 1 sensor for something you may never see....Any truth to this?

That is bothering to me...I like to see my work over from conception to it's end...

I should have said me and NightmareR are the same person
I had an account problem,but it cleared up.

Understood. If you still have both accounts, then you should choose one and stick to it. Of course, if you have only one account, that's it.

All perfectly reasonable options for getting into the space exploration or astronomy business.

You need a PhD if you want to do independent research, or if you want to move up the ladder of seniority, either as a senior scientist or a senior manager. However, most of the jobs at JPL don't require a Ph.D. I got my B.S. in 1978 and my M.S. in 1985, so when I started at JPL in 1981 I was a graduate student with a B.S. Support people like me rarely have a Ph.D. or an M.S. It all depends on what kind of work you want to do.

That's a lot of engineers for anything short of an entire spacecraft. Something as small as a single sensor will have a smaller group working on it. But it is true that you can wind up as part of a large team. One way to do it is to study both engineering and science, and then you are well qualified to be the person who links the scientists with the engineers, to make sure each knows what the other wants.

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