Spacemama's Time Out

Hey everyone, I guess it's time for a post like this. The cautious and private part of me has I guess subconsciously veered this blog into one that has become focused on my thoughts as a first-time mom. But most of you know I have other stuff going on too.

Those of you who know me know that I am very career-oriented. Specifically, that career of NASA. Specifically, that career of being an astronaut.

It's no secret that all my life I've wanted to be an astronaut. It's not something I go telling everyone about because people judge you for having such lofty dreams, but most of you who know me well know that's my ultimate goal. Here I am at NASA, really close, being so lucky to be a NASA engineer, loving it.

But since no news is bad news in the astronaut application process by now, it is apparent to me that astronaut corps does not need my skill set this year. Maybe they'll consider me during their next cycle, which could be as early as two years from now. Even though the last time they selected astronauts was five years ago. So for those of you who are curious, or have been wondering about my whole "astronaut thing," I can officially tell you that it won't be this year. Despite my stellar resume and my super-clean and awesomely wonderful personality and stuff. :) The thing is that I am actually OK with it, though the one thing that bugs me is that it's tough to get past the realization that there are other folks I know of who are being considered with way less credentials. So that part is hugely confusing for me. It makes me ask so many questions that I'll never get answers to, but my good friend LW reminds me what is probably the closest to the truth: they just don't need a Neuroscientist PhD/Mechanical Engineer NASA employee with the initials TMR for this cycle for some reason. That is all I can think of too. Even though, seriously, people, I do kick butt. Just google me sometime and you'll only get 1/4 of my professional accomplishments.

If sound like I'm bragging on myself, here's a reminder that it's my blog and I'm working through my thoughts on what the heck the astronaut corps could be thinking this selection cycle. I'll never know, but maybe I will be able to rationalize my thoughts based on the final people they do decide to select. This year, those folks will be about 12-15 from an applicant pool of 3,500 people.

I will keep saying the same thing as long as I'm happy here as a NASA engineer: I am fine with waiting if it takes the astronaut corps time to realize they need me on their team, as long as I am a happy and productive NASA engineer. I am super lucky to have the job that others dream about. I told Paul the other night that it dawned on me that here I was, sitting at the NASA 50th Anniversary Gala with my NASA friends and family, and I was one of those people who belonged there, just kinda taking it for granted, almost not going at all. The Tara of 10 years ago would have KILLED to be in that room, wondering what it took to become one of them.

I am not an astronaut, and who knows if I'll ever make it, but I'll keep applying every year they're taking applications. It seems future is no longer the International Space Station, or the Space Shuttle. It's now Orion and the moon and Mars. This is the type of skill set that will be needed in the next several cycles.

We'll see where this next year takes my career. For the past 7 years here, I have been a leader in the International Space Station biomedical engineering hardware effort. My peers are slowly moving on to Orion and advanced concepts. I have been comfortable with producing biomedical engineering flight hardware until the last year or so. I was waiting until after this astronaut selection cycle to decide that it may be time for a career change within NASA. Looks like that time has come.

Stay tuned.