Can kids work at NASA?

Kids can't get full-time jobs at NASA, but they can participate in amazing STEM programs, competitions, and short-term, paid internships for high schoolers (16+) and college students to gain real experience and work on projects with NASA mentors. Opportunities range from designing space experiments in school to summer programs and even pathways toward potential future employment, focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math.

Is NASA kid friendly?

NASA provides a safe place for children to play as they learn about NASA and its missions. NASA encourages you to visit NASA Kids' Club and use its games and activities to inspire the next generation.

Who is the youngest person to go to NASA?

🚀 Alyssa Carson is making history as the first person preparing to go to Mars. Since childhood, she has been passionate about space, attending multiple space camps, joining advanced training programs, and even becoming the youngest person ever accepted into NASA's special projects.

Can you intern at NASA as a high schooler?

To learn more, visit https://intern.nasa.gov. The High School Internship Program is an 8 week summer program that provides High School juniors and seniors with valuable work experience at National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) Science and Mission Directorate, Administration Branch.

Can a Canadian citizen work at NASA?

Other than extremely rare exceptions, you must be a U.S. citizen in order to work for NASA as a civil service employee. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may wish to consider opportunities with one of our International Space Partners: Agencia Espacial Brasileira (AEB) Italian Space Agency.

What Do Astronauts Do?

Is NASA hard to get a job?

Getting a job at NASA is very competitive and challenging, requiring strong academic credentials (often advanced STEM degrees), relevant experience, and exceptional soft skills like teamwork and leadership, but it's achievable, especially through the Pathways Internship Program or contractor roles, which offer easier entry points than direct civil service hiring. The biggest hurdles are limited direct hiring and budget constraints, making former interns and those with unique skill sets stand out. 

What is Canada's version of NASA?

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) - Space Science & Space Technology | Canadian Space Agency.

Does NASA have an age limit?

Are there age restrictions? There are no age restrictions for the program. Astronaut candidates selected in the past have ranged between the ages of 26 and 46, with the average age being 34.

Who is the youngest NASA intern?

Alena Analeigh McQuarter is widely recognized as NASA's youngest intern, achieving the distinction at just 12 years old after graduating high school early, and she later became the youngest Black person accepted into U.S. medical school, all while founding The Brown STEM Girl to support girls of color in STEM.
 

What is the youngest age to be an intern?

You can get an internship as young as 14 for unpaid roles, but most paid or professional internships require you to be at least 16-18 years old, often needing you to be a current high school or college student, though there's generally no upper age limit, just potential age bias to navigate, with many programs targeting university students (sophomores, juniors, seniors). Age requirements vary greatly, focusing more on your student status, skills, and the specific program's needs, with some government internships (like NASA) requiring 16+ and others (like NPS) targeting 15-30 year olds. 

Do astronauts get paid $5 a day?

By the numbers: According to NASA, astronauts are not paid overtime or bonuses for time in space. Instead, they receive their standard federal salaries and a $5 daily incidental travel allowance while on official duty. That means each astronaut earned just under $1,500 extra over the course of the mission.

Who was lost in space for 311 days?

Sergei Krikalev, a Soviet cosmonaut, was stranded in space for 311 days (from 1991 to 1992) due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, which left him without a country to return to, earning him the nickname "The Last Citizen of the USSR". He was on a routine mission to the Mir space station when the political turmoil and funding issues meant his return was delayed, making his stay twice as long as planned.
 

Has a kid ever gone to space?

She also became the youngest American astronaut in space, although there had been younger Soviet cosmonauts. Many of the people attending the launch wore T-shirts bearing the words "Ride, Sally Ride", lyrics from Wilson Pickett's song "Mustang Sally".

Is 1 hour in space 7 years on Earth?

Generally, no. Different regions of space experience different degrees of time dilation, but the differences between most regions are negligible. It is only when objects are very close to very massive objects (e.g., black holes) that time can (theoretically) be dilated to this extent (e.g., the movie Interstellar).

Can you birth a child in space?

So, could a baby be born in space? In theory, yes. But until we can protect embryos from radiation, prevent premature birth, and ensure babies can grow safely in microgravity, space pregnancy remains a high-risk experiment – one we're not yet ready to try.

Is NASA at risk?

NASA stands at the brink. On May 30, 2025, the White House Office of Management and Budget announced a plan to cancel no fewer than 41 space missions — including spacecraft already paid for, launched, and making discoveries — as part of a devastating 47% cut to the agency's science program.

Do NASA interns get paid?

Yes, NASA internships are paid, offering stipends to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students for their work on agency projects, with payment varying by academic level, session (fall, spring, summer), and duration, providing valuable experience and potential pathways to federal jobs.
 

Who was the 13 year old girl accepted to medical school?

Alena Analeigh Wicker from Fontana, California, and raised in Texas, shattered records by becoming the youngest person ever accepted into medical school in the United States and the second youngest globally at the age of 13.

Did Naomi H lose her NASA internship?

After the 2018 incident, Naomi H lost her NASA internship due to the viral backlash. In a 2024 podcast interview on "16th Minute of Fame," she admitted lying to NASA about the post was a mistake. Homer Hickam tried to reinstate her but couldn't. She now works in aerospace engineering and is content, though not at NASA.

What GPA do I need for NASA?

Be a U.S. citizen. Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). Be a full-time or part-time college student (undergraduate through graduate-level). Be a minimum of 16 years of age at the time of application (no exceptions).

Can I age in space?

Even though they're saving 0.007 seconds, astronauts still experience some of the symptoms of a drawn-out aging process. Researchers are working to figure out the mechanics of why these changes occur, as well as what can be done to prevent them.

Do NASA astronauts get paid?

Currently, a GS-11 astronaut starts at $64,724 per year; a GS-14 astronaut can earn up to $141,715 in annual salary [source: NASA]. Civilian astronauts may choose from a number of health plans and life insurance options; premium payments for these policies are partially offset by the government.

Does NASA hire Canadians?

Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S., or have other protected status under 8. U.S.C.

Did Obama cut funding for NASA?

Yes, the Obama administration implemented significant shifts and cuts in NASA's budget, most notably canceling the Constellation program (moon missions) to redirect funds towards other priorities like commercial spaceflight, Earth science, and the James Webb Space Telescope, which led to deep cuts in planetary science and Mars exploration, sparking controversy but aiming for new directions in space exploration.