Expert: Jayendra Upadhye - 7/13/2008

Question
Hello, I am a high school student and I really wanted to know what i should
major in for my undergraduate years in college. I want to design rovers and
develop machines that can make space exploration to Mars and the rest of
our solar system easier. For example, supply ships, rockets with people,
chemical converters etc. i understand that you deal with astrophysics and
cosmology and that you might think I should be asking a counselor these
questions but I want to get a good answer from someone who is in the field.
To finish answering, I also want to study astrophysics and cosmology, not
only the mundane planetary science. I also want to take theoretical physics
and i want to be an astronaut. I know this is a lot of stuff but I was wondering
if you could give me some advice on what I should do. I also want to know if i
can do all these things! Also an college recommendations would be
appreciated. If u can help me then I may be back next time with a real
question. Thanks

Answer
Hi Arcane!!!
You are showing the enthusiasm of a young "green" fellow!!
A bit ungrounded in reality and a bit naive to boot!

Arcane, I enjoy such questions, as i was once like you, full of flash gordon stuff, ready to flog the wits out of ming the merciless!!

I laugh at my young years...we know so less then, and chiefly, "WE BELIEVE"! Period.

Coming to your question(s).
First some "cold analysis" of what you want, in order to "reduce the fog" of "wanting to do something great" and realising first "what it takes".

A sort of "first planting the feet firmly on the ground".

Wanting to design rovers & space ships, you already say "you want to learn"! That is a good thing.

1 - Just designing one siple rover involves understanding mechanics / electrical engineering, solar power harnessing, a knowledge of solid non-volatile lubricants, thermal shock resistant elastomers, and plain work study / ergonomics.
   You would be 50 years old by the time you mastered these all!! :)
2 - Astrophysics. It is not so simple there too!
The allied sciences are Thermodynamics, statistics, numerical analysis, Plain physics(mechanics/electrical field theory), material sciences, chemistry(organic/inorganic), the priodic table/nuclear physics/chemistry...an endless list. What one does is specialise in a particular field. Again sadly...the corollary..
   You would be 50 years old by the time you mastered these all!! :)

My objective is NOT to dissuade you from anything, just bring you closer to the reality.

Real progress starts only when the fog is cleared and we see where our feet are, on thin ice or on solid ground.

You must start earnestly to go into THAT BRANCH of science which is SUPPORTED BY YOUR APTITUDE, master it in a reasonable time frame with distnction, and eventually BECOME PART OF A TEAM, which will help you be part of what you originally wanted to do at the START!

The days of Zarkov single handedly mastering the agrav drive in a LAB, are over! (even before they became real).

Since the stone age, all human progress has been thru TEAM EFFORT.

So, choose well, LIVE A PART OF YOUR DREAM.
You will learn how somethimes a part is betetr than the whole!!
(THAT will take time surely..may be 50 years? haha).

Messachusets (god knows how the spell that one) Institute of Technology often figures in theoretical advances in Astrophysics, but to tell you the truth, it has been always THE MAN and NOT THE MACHINE  that matters.

In the end, even if you were to find that despite your best efforts you could not make it, DONT BE UPSET.

Intent & Effort is important in life. Failure is NOT.
Hope that suffices,

Please do rate the answer if you find it helpful.

regards
Jayen