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Comment by sandworm101 | Hacker News Reader

Glad to see that this guy doesn't appear to be politically connected. So many astros are that I had assumed anyone taken into the program so late in their career would be related to a senator or three. It's nice to be proven wrong.

But I remain under the impression that astro selection is very political.

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Which astronauts were politically connected prior to selection?

For starters ... all who want to westpoint. To go to the point you need a recommendation from either sitting congressmen/senator, or a "career" officer of note in the US armed forces. Westpoint is not open to just anyone with the grades. You very literally have to know people in high places.

http://www.usma.edu/admissions/sitepages/apply_nominations.a...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_astronauts_educated_at...

(That's just the easiest to research. If you dig into most astronaut's backgrounds you can find prominent people who helped them along.)

The academies are indeed open to "just anyone," but grades aren't the only consideration. Members of Congress have processes for requesting the nomination letters, and anyone can request one. There is strong competition for nominations.

I've had a few friends who attended West Point and the Air Force Academy, and they were all "normal," middle-class high school students, but with great grades, athletic achievements, and evidence of leadership ability.

Have any other examples of political influence in astronaut selection?

That recommendation from a congressmen/senator is given fairly easily--just leading a high school sports team to win your state's championship is enough. You don't have to even know them personally beforehand.

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