Is getting a career in astronomy hard and what are the chances of me working for NASA?

First of all, for a career in astronomy you will need university qualifications. A degree in physics is best, but mathematics or a physical science is also good. You will then need to take a doctorate in astrophysics (if you didn't do physics as a first degree then a masters in astronomy or astrophysics might be necessary first). You'll need to be a strong candidate to be accepted for a doctorate - first or upper second degree is mandatory.

Once you have a doctorate in the subject you'll have a much clearer idea what your interests are and whether or not you want to work in the subject for the rest of your life. Even if consider astronomy to be your vocation, you may still not be strong enough to make it a profession - there are a lot of highly qualified candidates, and a relatively few number of places for them. You'll probably have to take a number of short-term post-doctoral appointments before you can secure a full-time position with a university, with NASA, or with some similar organisation. It isn't easy, but attitude and commitment will count for a lot.

No reason why you can't work for NASA, if you're good enough. I assume from your mention of GCSE's that you are British, so you'll have to emigrate to America and convince the US immigration authorities that you are good enough to work there - but Michael Foale was born in Britain, and that didn't stop him becoming an astronaut.

Good luck! If you are good enough, and want to enough, you can make your dreams come true. And if you're not quite good enough, qualifications in astrophysics make you very employable in all sorts of fields

in case you ought to make money, this in all likelihood isn't what you ought to do. ninety 9% of the time, human beings flow into those fields only for the information, in basic terms to make a contribution to the study. obviously, it continues to be plausible to make money, and if you're fortunate, even large money. you ought to absolutely have a reliable shot at NASA, they are absolutely in desire of recent workers as many of their members have retired or will be retiring quickly, or going someplace else because the authorities determined they weren't substantial sufficient to provide money to. if you're passionate about it, i ought to say get the practise. throughout the time of your practise you'll study of the sorts of places you ought to be able to practice your skills, and also you'll study more beneficial about the problem which will make it less complicated that you ought to make certain the way you want to practice your self to the field. Many PhD's finally end up training their field of diagnosis, so there'll very almost absolutely be universities at that you will be able to apply your skills. yet fairly, i imagine NASA is a reliable shot today. i'm not valuable about 5 years from now, yet there is continually an section desiring human beings for interest depending study.

The UK is one of the partners in the ESA, so you could work for the ESA.