Future SpaceX employee... Hopefully

[SpaceFaringOrBust]

Hello y'all. My name is Stephen. I am new to KSP and believe I'm addicted already. I recently decided to change directions in my life and go back to college to become an aerospace engineer and hopefully work for SpaceX one day. Maybe even start up my own space exploration company one day, that is if I become a billionaire.

Anyways I am really enjoying KSP right now and it is keeping my interest in my goal through these boring and rough times of the first semester of college.

P.S. I live in GA, a few dozen miles NE of Atlanta

[Gargamel]

Welcome aboard!   Glad to hear your getting into aerospace... but the stories I've heard about SpaceX's work life make shudder sometimes.   Great for singles with no life and a drive to work all the time for a currently Cool company.  Or so I've heard.

But don't let my anecdotal evidence dissuade you!  Keep on that path, learn to build cool stuff, and then use your best judgement when seeking employment. 

[James Kerman]

Welcome to the forum, @SpaceFaringOrBust.

Congratulations on entering college and on discovering KSP.

[Vexillar]

Welcome @SpaceFaringOrBust!

No problem in setting a high Ap for your career orbit: engineering is a great career for the curious with a few functioning brain cells, so however high life lets you get, I'm sure you'll enjoy the ride.  

[SpaceFaringOrBust]

19 hours ago, Gargamel said:

Welcome aboard!   Glad to hear your getting into aerospace... but the stories I've heard about SpaceX's work life make shudder sometimes.   Great for singles with no life and a drive to work all the time for a currently Cool company.  Or so I've heard.

But don't let my anecdotal evidence dissuade you!  Keep on that path, learn to build cool stuff, and then use your best judgement when seeking employment. 

I've heard that too. I still wanna do it, for a couple years anyway. I may move to another company once I get my feet wet.

[Ultimate Steve]

On 9/1/2018 at 8:22 AM, SpaceFaringOrBust said:

Hello y'all. My name is Stephen.

Hello, Stephen! My name is Steven!

I am attempting to pursue a path similar to yours and I hope to work alongside you at SpaceX someday! In the meantime, welcome to the Forum!

[SpaceFaringOrBust]

Awesome Steven. Where are you at along your path? I've just started mine

 

[Dman979]

The first semester is the worst semester, @SpaceFaringOrBust. But don't worry, it gets harder. Try not to take Organic Chemistry, if you can help it!

Edited September 3, 2018 by Dman979
Removed extra word. Whoops!

[Kerbinchaser]

Heeeeeeeeeeey!

How ya doin? 

SpaceX? They're cool, but I'm going for a Naval Officer. 

 

Good luck in your future endeavors! 

[cubinator]

On 9/2/2018 at 11:13 PM, Dman979 said:

The first semester is the worst semester,

Am in first semester. Can confirm. But it's also really, way awesome and totally worth it. Did I mention it's leagues better than high school?

One day, all of us are somehow going to end up at the same place at the same time and it's going to be awesome.

On 9/1/2018 at 8:22 AM, SpaceFaringOrBust said:

Maybe even start up my own space exploration company one day

You don't have to wait! I am getting involved in experimental rocket engineering even as I've barely started college. This amateur student group would like to try to launch our own suborbital rocket in two to three years. 

Edited September 14, 2018 by cubinator

[Dman979]

Just now, cubinator said:

You don't have to wait! I am getting involved in experimental rocket engineering even as I've barely started college. This amateur student group would like to try to launch our own suborbital rocket in two to three years.  

Technically, most homemade rockets are suborbital...

[cubinator]

1 minute ago, Dman979 said:

Technically, most homemade rockets are suborbital...

But the Karman line. Literally in space. And big enough to fit a small, green payload...

[Ultimate Steve]

On 9/2/2018 at 5:40 PM, SpaceFaringOrBust said:

Awesome Steven. Where are you at along your path? I've just started mine

 

Sorry for the late response, I was unaware you had replied! For future reference, if you use the quote button, the person you are quoting will get a notification.

As for where I am, I'm a Junior in High School, so I've got quite a ways to go... Obviously I play KSP, and while that doesn't mean I have any extra qualifications, it means I know how orbits and stuff work. I've also worked on a few IRL spacey designs long enough to know that they are terribly designed, but I haven't had the time to do them over.

As far as colleges go, I plan to study Aerospace Engineering or some other general form of Engineering... Normal engineering means I am more likely to be accepted by various places, but less likely to be accepted for the places I want to work, and vice versa for Aerospace Engineering. However, only two colleges near me specifically list "Aerospace Engineering" as a major and one of them is a somewhat expensive private college focused more on aviation than space. Where I'm going to college is still very much in the air, but looking at what @cubinator is doing, not to be a copycat or anything, but going where he is going sounds like an option, especially because they actually get hands on experience with rockets, and it's only one state away.

Iowa's just not a very spacey place.  Too much corn.

EDIT: I also just finished applying for a job shadow at Rockwell Collins, one of the few aerospacey places around. Fingers crossed!

Edited September 14, 2018 by Ultimate Steve

[cubinator]

40 minutes ago, Ultimate Steve said:

Where I'm going to college is still very much in the air, but looking at what @cubinator is doing, not to be a copycat or anything, but going where he is going sounds like an option, especially because they actually get hands on experience with rockets, and it's only one state away.

It's a good place. I expected you to consider coming here as an option. If you ever want to talk about options, or get details about my experience, feel free to send a PM.