How to get into Space Ops - 13SXB
- Thread starter xray328
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They’ll take anyone right now. I’m a 13S and have an engineering degree, but a friend of mine who I commissioned with who is also a 13S has a degree in criminal justice. It’s basically whatever she feels like majoring in. You can PM me if you want more info.
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If your DD is Math/Physics oriented and has a high tolerance for tedium then engineering would be the best route. She should try to get even part time hours in a lab at her school to develop a relationship with a Prof to advocate for her in getting internships which she should investigate as soon as she starts school. There are internships specifically doled out through USAF/AFROTC. Of course this will be difficult with ROTC commitments, but not impossible.
DS #2, MechE just graduated, worked for a Physics prof working on an experiment launched to the ISS. This segwayed into a NASA internship at Goddard, concerned with objects launched into earth's orbit. He is non-military, but there were several AFROTC cadets doing internships. This opened the door to another NASA internship at JPL, concerned with objects sent beyond earth's orbit, which led to the job he now has with a NASA contractor in Pasadena. He applied for an internship at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL where they concern themselves with the lift.
Three points I would stress:
- The only thing better than being a smart competent woman in Engineering would be being a competent Native American applying to Law School. Particularly with internships, being a female is a definite advantage and nothing to be ashamed of. DS #2 got one of his grants based on his ability to find a female Engineering student to apply for an internship using the foundation's funds. I can only imagine that this would carry over to the USAF. This is neither criticism nor encouragement to go take advantage, because...
- Engineering education is drudgery. Even if one breezes through Calculus, the later coursework can be a shock. DS #2, AROTC, started in Chem E. Math and Chemistry were his first academic loves. He slept through Organic and Inorganic, then switched to straight Chemistry as soon as he hit the Engineering classes. Plus there was no room in his schedule for Computer Science classes or his first life love, Foreign Languages. IOW, she better know what she is getting into.
- DD should not only check with the ROTC folks, but also the advisers in her chosen Department/School, as well as other cadets who are juggling ROTC and Engineering. DS #1 was advised from the get go that AROTC and Chem E would not work together. She was right.
Best of Luck!
Dr. Jekyll
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Just happened to click on this thread, and saw this. I am Native American(have a tribal card,enrolled, and BIA member) and and although I am a pre-nursing/allied health major, the law school thing definitely is interesting. Are there many opportunities for Native American lawyers? Would a Native American student enrolled in ROTC be more likely to get selected for a JAG program/scholarship. I am in my mid-twenties, and was going to do PLC, but it would be cutting it close with regards to age and aviation(specifically for NFO), although at the time I really never did ask my OSO specifics about the age limit. After this summer I will be a little more than halfway completed with degree, which will be a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. However the possibility of being a JAG is definitely something I would consider if the opportunity exists.
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xray328 -- Back to OP's topic -- Tex232 is correct that currently the AF doesn't have a degree requirement for "Space Ops" but my experience has been that while you don't have to have a technical degree to be a 13SX, those that do seem to do better with the satellite and space lift mission. The engineering degree is about teach the process for technical problem solving. As an AF officer doing space lift, she will be working with some very capable government and contractor civilians and her role will be to be able to understand the technical information being provided and then judging whether enough has been done and if her section is ready to proceed.
The folks in the AF doing "space lift" for the most part are in the the System Program Office (SPO) stationed in LA (or Kirtland AFB for small lift) and are in the 62XX or 63XX career fields (i.e., Engineering and Acquisition Management). These are the guys acquiring the launch services from industry, double checking the contractor's work, doing the mission design activities, assisting with the spacecraft integration to the launch vehicle, and then conducting the actual launch operation on launch day for AF missions.
Many of the 13SX career field officers are doing satellite operations from Buckley AFB or Schriever AFB, or are doing Space Situational Awareness operations from various locations, or are doing space lift "related" operations at one of the two AF launch bases. Cape Canaveral AFS, FL or Vandenberg AFB, CA. By space lift "related" I mean their primary role is as part of Range Safety -- the guys that track the rocket's flight and destroy it should it stray from its intended path. There is also a launch ops group and a launch support group (I believe the AF is in the process of coming these 2 groups into a single group at each launch base). These guys assist with the launch preparation activities (spacecraft and launch vehicle) and support SPO activities as requested.
My advice would be for her to get an engineering degree, and become a 62XX or 63XX. She will have the opportunity later in her career to get a 13SX rating as her "secondary" career field. Just about any engineering degree will do, but the AF does seem to favor Aerospace Engineering or Astronautical Engineering in order for you to get assigned to LA AFB or Kirtland as a 2LT on your first assignment.
Tex232 or others may have different advice
Best wishes to you and your DD, and my thanks to her for her willingness to serve
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One follow up — will share the advice I gave to my DS that wants to be an engineer but not sure what kind — a Physics degree is a great undergrad degree — if I had to do it over again — that would have been my degree knowing what I know now. It provides the foundation for most engineering and you can then specialize in a particular engineering for your master degree. I know and work with several great engineers at NASA that went this route. Physics undergrad, engineering masters.
Let this non-Engineer Father offer another piece of advice given to both my sons by a close family friend who is Chairman of the Transportation Engineering Dept. at our local Big 10 State U. It fits nicely with your advice, @Falcon A .
Do not chose an Engineering field going into college based on a notion of what you think you will want to do 10 years from now. You will change. More important, don't choose a field based on where the money and opportunity are today. Those things change, often very quickly. Choose what you fascinates you and what you love.
As far as Physics, you are spot on. DS #2 worked for a Physics prof for two years before landing an internship in "Engineering".