Well, things may have changed but usually the basic qualifications were being highly educated, great physical condition, several thousand hours in a fighter jet (or) being a scientist of some sort relating to the mission, applying for the program, having an incredible amount of luck, being accepted (hope none of those terrorists slip into *that* flight school), passing the program, etc, etc.
I actually took the wife and kids down and witnessed the STS-98 launch close up (closest one can get without being a family member, had a military friend stationed there that got us special passes). It was one of the most amazing things I have seen.
Actually before the launch at the visitors center they had an Astronaut there that flew on a couple of shuttle missions. He talked for an hour or two about that exact question and what life was like on the shuttle, and the space program in general past/present/future. It was actually quite humorous when he got a question from one of the kids about how they went to the bathroom on the shuttle. He probably spent 5 minutes on that one.
The astronaut's name was Story Musgrave who has been up on 6 space flights. He was the oldest American to fly at the age of 61 (I believe John Glenn went up at around 75 so I don't think he still holds that record). I recall he said he grew up on a farm (like me), don't recall but am pretty sure it was in the midwest (like me), but he got smart and became an astronaut (unlike me). I got the whole thing on video tape. Haven't watched it in a while but it was a very good speech and Q&A session.
But if you want more current and accurate details here ya go:
How to become and astronaut[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]
