Astronaut. Back when I was at a point to choose a career to get me into space the only choice was "join the military, get flight status, apply to NASA."

SpaceX can launch its own rockets into space, so they could conceivably launch their own crews. Certainly the 'space tourist' business from Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have employees as 'operators' for the equipment, they just have less capable equipment.

The fact that SpaceX exists and is competing in the crew option means that "Dragon Pilot for SpaceX" can be a thing. Before now, that was just science fiction.

One positive note for astronaut wannabees - the average astronaut age is relatively high, mid 30s is the average and 40s is not uncommon. You have plenty of time to build up a respectable science career and get fit!

Although all astronauts have stellar (ha) resumes, most are not test pilots. Mission specialists come from all areas of science: the current cohort include a marine biologist, geologist, oceanographer and a ton of aero/astro engineers

Then you remember that you're also competing with Jonny Kim:

> The California native trained and operated as a Navy SEAL, completing more than 100 combat operations and earning a Silver Star and Bronze Star with Combat “V”. Afterward, he went on to complete a degree in Mathematics at the University of San Diego and a Doctorate of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Yeah, I am in my 30s. It takes a lot of years to build up to be someone who SHOULD be inside one of those capsules.

"astronaut" as a singular vocation that takes years of training is a dead end profession. Future spacecraft will be automated passenger vehicles with WiFi and movies.

> that takes years of training is a dead end profession.

The sky's the limit!

I think as far as SpaceX is concerned you'd merely by the the life guard and maybe tour guide, not the pilot; their vessels' pilots are automatic to save on cost.

Every single manned space flight since the beginning in the 1960s has been more or less automated. Some early landings and dockings were flown manually but even those are mostly automated now.

It's not really a cost saving measure, it's just that machines are much more capable of performing the precision maneuvers it takes to fly spacecraft under normal conditions.

Software Engineering

Write code that autonomously pilots our vehicles in space, simulates countless flight scenarios, translates petabytes of data, performs computational fluid dynamics, and more. Hardware Engineering

Nearly every board and box that controls, communicates, actuates, or powers our avionics is built in-house employing the same iterative approach used in the commercial industries. Structures Engineering

Our goal is to have the most mass-efficient primary and secondary structures possible while exceeding all factors of safety. Propulsion Engineering

With Merlin, Draco, and Kestrel as flight-proven examples along with Super Draco and Raptor in development, you will not find a more robust engine development program in the world. Launch & Test

We have built some of the most efficient launch facilities and a test facility in Texas that exceeds one engine test per day.

just get these from spacex careers

changing career is out of the question for me.this is sad i am in my thirty plus and my life is over?

Just do whatever you wish you had done at 18 now

Yeah, tell your wife she can marry the mortage.

Yep.

I'm doing the career I love (Enterprise software) but if I wasn't it would be hard to switch given I have bills and responsibilities.

Colonist?

Whatever Tintin did to get that shiny red rocket of his...

Ol' Musky?

aerospace engineering?

Space Explorer?

Supervillain.