How do you become software developer for satellites and other mission critical sw? [closed]

Question

I was wondering... There are people out there who code stuff going to mars, satellite control systems, nuclear facilities. What kind of training did they do ? What is their career path ?

Answer 1

I have a friend who, after graduating with a BS in optical engineering, went to work for Perkin-Elmer, grinding among other things, the Hubbel mirror. In his free time, he wrote software to calculate the trajectories of earth projectiles and teaching himself orbital mechanics. His interest and accomplishments so impressed people at NASA that they hired him and his career included managing SW development for the space shuttle simulator and acting as mission specialist on a couple shuttle missions.

I have had discussions with people working at Los Alamos National Laboratory and they say that in order to work there, you find someone who already does and then call them every week for at least two years and that may lead to an interview. In other words, be interested and persistent.