Astronaut competition makes flying into orbit a reality, for those who have what it takes

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Ever since Yuri Gagarin strapped himself in and blasted off on a Vostok rocket in 1961 to bravely go where no man had gone before, millions have dreamed of following in his exhaust trail.

But few have had the opportunity. Just 536 to be precise.

Enterprising startups such as Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and SpaceX are bringing the idea of commercial space travel tantalisingly close.

But since Nasa ended its manned space programme in 2011, the dream of becoming an astronaut has largely been the preserve of the uber-rich. Just look at the founders of those three companies: Jeff Bezos, Sir Richard Branson, Elon Musk.

While being a billionaire is not a prerequisite for wannabe astronauts, it’s fair to say that space flight it likely to remain an elite activity for some time. A sub-orbital flight with Virgin Galactic will likely cost around £200,000, for example.

But one US company is attempting to change that with a five-year training programme for those who think they have what it takes to hurtle into orbit.

AdvancingX is running a global Career Astronauts competition which is free to enter. Successful candidates will be put through their paces in a range of tasks designed to create the perfect space team. Hundreds of candidates will be whittled down over five years to just 40. Eventually, four lucky winners will get the chance to fly into space.

Dr Mindy Howard, one of the trainers on the course, knows a thing or two about the demands of space travel, having made the grade as one of NASA’s ‘Highly Qualified Astronaut Candidates’.

While undergoing her own astronaut training she flew in parabolic flights which ascend at a steep angle before reducing altitude to give passengers a weightless experience. She’s also tested herself in an high-g centrifuge which spins you round to mimic the intense physical pressures of a rocket launch.

While Dr Howard has not yet made it into space she is now passing on the skills she has learnt to train the next generation of potential astronauts.

Dr Howard will teach candidates on the Career Astronaut programme about the mental toughness needed to travel into space, using techniques developed for her company Inner Space Training.

AdvancingX will also take the astronauts-to-be Scuba diving, using submersible craft to prepare them for carrying out tasks in a low-gravity environment.

AdvancingX’s chief executive Dr Eduardo Diaz says he plans to use biosensor technology to mitigate health risks of space travel and increase the success of teams in a “new era” of the career astronaut.

Dr Diaz wants to select those who can work well enough in a team to one day occupy a lunar base, or even one further afield.

“The employment opportunities are enormous,” he says.

“Imagine an entirely new society that will need every kind of human resource necessary to survive.

“There's a need for farmers, medical personnel, and mechanical engineers just to name a few.”

Candidates will even construct habitats in Icelandic lava tunnels which aim to mimic the desolate environment one might find on the moon or a distant planet.

Is it far-fetched to believe that commercial astronauts will land on the moon any time soon?

Elon Musk, the boss of SpaceX doesn't think so. His pioneering company recently docked a craft at the International Space Station. He plans a manned mission there as soon as July and lunar flights are firmly within his sights.

“We should have a base on the moon, like a permanently occupied human base on the moon, and then send people to Mars,” Mr Musk said at a recent press event.

Those who want to apply for AdvancingX’s programme need to take a 20-minute behavioural assessment online. Successful candidates will then be assessed through a number of tests designed to find the best team players.

AdvancingX aims to fund the course through company sponsorships in order to ensure that space flight remains an achievable dream for those of us who don’t have millions of dollars to burn.