Careers in Space

Req 8 — Your Future in Space

Explore careers related to this merit badge. Research one career to learn about the training and education needed, costs, job prospects, salary, job duties, and career advancement. Your research methods may include—with your parent or guardian’s permission—an internet or library search, an interview with a professional in the field, or a visit to a location where people in this career work. Discuss with your counselor both your findings and what about this profession might make it an interesting career.

The space field is much bigger than astronauts. Most people who make missions possible never leave Earth. Your goal here is to choose one career, research it carefully, and then explain both the practical facts and your personal reaction to it.

Good careers to explore

You could look at jobs such as aerospace engineer, astrophysicist, roboticist, planetary geologist, satellite systems technician, flight controller, software engineer, mission planner, machinist, spacesuit designer, or science communicator.

What to research

Career research checklist

Bring this information to your counselor discussion

Training and education: What courses, degrees, certificates, or military pathways are common?
Costs: What might school, training, or certifications cost?
Job prospects: Is the field growing, stable, or highly competitive?
Salary: What does entry-level pay look like, and how can it change with experience?
Job duties: What does the person actually do day to day?
Career advancement: What higher roles or specializations can come later?

Best ways to gather information

An interview can be especially strong because it gives you real details that websites sometimes skip. If you know someone who works in engineering, aviation, science, software, manufacturing, education, or communications, ask whether their work overlaps with space systems. Space careers often connect to other industries too.

A library or internet search is also useful, especially if you compare several sources instead of trusting just one. Look for job descriptions, professional organizations, university programs, and government labor data.

Questions worth asking yourself

Do I want hands-on work, research, coding, fieldwork, design, or public communication?
Do I like long projects that may take years before launch?
Would I rather build hardware, analyze data, or explain discoveries to others?
Am I excited by teamwork under pressure?

This requirement has no official resource links, so the quality of your research notes and your discussion will matter most.