Classification of Astronaut

According to the US space program, there are three kinds of astronauts, namely:

• Commander/pilot – the commander is in-charge of the mission, crew and vehicle whereas, the pilot helps the commander in operating the spacecraft and deploying the satellites.
• Mission specialist – the mission specialist works with the commander and pilots in operating the shuttles, performing space walks, and performing experiments.
• Payload specialist – the payload specialists perform special duties required by the mission and are usually foreign nationals.  

All the above astronauts have to fulfill certain requirements. Let us see these requirements.