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Career Spotlight: Welder (Ages 14-18)
A welder uses tools that join two or more parts through forces such as heat or pressure. Metals are the materials most commonly used in welding, but it’s also possible to weld thermoplastics or wood. Welders use their hands, skills, and problem-solving abilities to create something new.
At NASA, welders use different types of welding processes to assemble spacecraft and rocket components. Welders also put their expertise to work on equipment and facilities that make space exploration possible, such as launch pads, fuel tanks, propellant lines, and buildings where rockets are assembled.
What are the different types of welding?Welding can be done in many different ways. Here are some of the types of welding used at NASA:
- Arc Welding: Uses electricity to melt metals and fuse them together. There are many types of arc welding, including TIG and MIG welding, described below.
- Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding: Uses a protective gas like argon or helium to keep the metal from reacting with air. TIG welding doesn’t leave behind splatter or residue, giving a clean, precise weld.
- Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding: While not as clean and precise as TIG welding, is used for fast, strong welds on thicker materials, like sheet metal.
- Laser Welding: Enables welders to create tiny, perfect joints for delicate components.
- Ultrasonic Welding: Uses sound and friction to create a solid-state bond between layers of metal.
After graduating from high school, there are a couple of pathways to choose from. You can pursue an associate’s degree in welding, typically a two-year program available through community colleges and technical schools. Another option is to obtain a certificate from a vocational school or trade school. An apprenticeship during or after this training is often the next step toward a career as a professional welder.
A NASA welder working on the RS-25 engine.NASA How can I start preparing today to become a welder?Taking a welding class at your high school or local college is a great way to find out whether it’s a skill you enjoy. Research welding degrees and programs at colleges and schools to determine which one(s) fit your needs and interest. It’s also a good idea to research job vacancies to learn what employers are looking for. Finally, seek out opportunities for hands-on experience to help you practice and improve your welding skills.
Michelle Bahnsen uses TIG welding techniques to join two metal sheets.NASA Once I tried it, I really, really enjoyed it. There’s just something about creating something with your hands. It gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Michelle Bahnsen
Research laboratory mechanic/welder at NASA’s Armstrong Test Facility, part of the agency’s Glenn Research Center
A research laboratory mechanic and welder joins two metal sheets.NASA Advice from other NASA welders
- “Building your knowledge in math and science is always a helpful tool, as you’ll need to understand measurements, geometry, and materials.” – Spencer Wells, engineering technician, Kennedy Space Center
- “One of the best ways to set yourself up as a welder is by attending a vocational school for welding, and then working in an apprentice/internship to gain work experience and training.” – Enricque Lee, tool and die apprentice, NASA’s Glenn Research Center
- Occupational Outlook for Welders: Pay, Education, Job Outlook, and More (From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 to Study Adaptation to Altered Gravity
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission is preparing to launch for a long-duration science mission aboard the International Space Station. During the mission, select crew members will participate in human health studies focused on understanding how astronauts’ bodies adapt to the low-gravity environment of space, including a new study examining subtle changes in blood flow.
The experiments, led by NASA’s Human Research Program, include astronauts performing ultrasounds of their blood vessels to study altered circulation and completing simulated lunar landings to assess disorientation during gravitational transitions, among other tasks. The results will help NASA plan for extended stays in space and future exploration missions.
The new study, called Venous Flow, will examine whether time aboard the space station increases the chance of crew members developing blood clots. In weightlessness, blood and other bodily fluids can move toward the head, potentially altering circulation. Any resulting blood clots could pose serious health risks, including strokes.
“Our goal is to use this information to better understand how fluid shifts affect clotting risk, so that when astronauts go on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, we can build the best strategies to keep them safe,” said Dr. Jason Lytle, a physiologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston who is leading the study.
To learn more, crew members in this study will undergo preflight and postflight MRIs, ultrasound scans, blood draws, and blood pressure checks. During the flight, crew members also will capture their own jugular vein ultrasounds, take blood pressure readings, and draw blood samples for scientists to analyze after their return to Earth.
In another study, called Manual Piloting, select crew members will perform multiple simulated Moon landings before, during, and after the mission. Designed to assess their piloting and decision-making skills, participants attempt to fly a virtual spacecraft toward the lunar South Pole region — the same area future Artemis crews plan to explore.
“Astronauts may experience disorientation during gravitational transitions, which can make tasks like landing a spacecraft challenging,” said Dr. Scott Wood, a neuroscientist at NASA Johnson who is coordinating the investigation.
While spacecraft landings on the Moon and Mars are expected to be automated, crews must be prepared to take over and pilot the vehicle if necessary.
“This study will help us examine astronauts’ ability to operate a spacecraft after adapting from one gravity environment to another, and whether training near the end of their spaceflight can help prepare crews for landing,” said Wood. “We’ll monitor their ability to manually override, redirect, and control a vehicle, which will guide our strategy for training Artemis crews for future Moon missions.”
The risk of astronauts experiencing disorientation from gravitational transitions increases the longer they’re in space. For this study, which debuted during the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, researchers plan to recruit seven astronauts for short-term private missions lasting up to 30 days and 14 astronauts for long-duration missions lasting at least 106 days. A control group performing the same tasks as the astronauts will provide a basis of comparison.
A different study will investigate potential treatments for spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome, or SANS, which causes vision and eye changes. Researchers will examine whether taking a daily B vitamin supplement can help relieve SANS symptoms.
After returning to Earth, select crew members will participate in a study that documents any injuries, such as scrapes or bruises that may occur during landing. Transitioning from weightlessness to Earth’s gravity can increase the injury risk without proper safeguards. The data will help researchers improve spacecraft design to better protect crews from landing forces.
____
NASA’s Human Research Program
NASA’s Human Research Program pursues methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through science conducted in laboratories, ground-based analogs, commercial missions, the International Space Station and Artemis missions, the program scrutinizes how spaceflight affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research drives the program’s quest to innovate ways that keep astronauts healthy and mission ready as human space exploration expands to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Explore More 4 min read NASA Selects Participants to Track Artemis II Mission Article 2 weeks ago 5 min read Out of This World Discoveries: Space Station Research in 2025 Article 3 weeks ago 4 min read NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Wraps Up Space Station Science Article 3 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASALiving in Space
Artemis
Human Research Program
Space Station Research and Technology
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 to Study Adaptation to Altered Gravity
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission is preparing to launch for a long-duration science mission aboard the International Space Station. During the mission, select crew members will participate in human health studies focused on understanding how astronauts’ bodies adapt to the low-gravity environment of space, including a new study examining subtle changes in blood flow.
The experiments, led by NASA’s Human Research Program, include astronauts performing ultrasounds of their blood vessels to study altered circulation and completing simulated lunar landings to assess disorientation during gravitational transitions, among other tasks. The results will help NASA plan for extended stays in space and future exploration missions.
The new study, called Venous Flow, will examine whether time aboard the space station increases the chance of crew members developing blood clots. In weightlessness, blood and other bodily fluids can move toward the head, potentially altering circulation. Any resulting blood clots could pose serious health risks, including strokes.
“Our goal is to use this information to better understand how fluid shifts affect clotting risk, so that when astronauts go on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, we can build the best strategies to keep them safe,” said Dr. Jason Lytle, a physiologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston who is leading the study.
To learn more, crew members in this study will undergo preflight and postflight MRIs, ultrasound scans, blood draws, and blood pressure checks. During the flight, crew members also will capture their own jugular vein ultrasounds, take blood pressure readings, and draw blood samples for scientists to analyze after their return to Earth.
In another study, called Manual Piloting, select crew members will perform multiple simulated Moon landings before, during, and after the mission. Designed to assess their piloting and decision-making skills, participants attempt to fly a virtual spacecraft toward the lunar South Pole region — the same area future Artemis crews plan to explore.
“Astronauts may experience disorientation during gravitational transitions, which can make tasks like landing a spacecraft challenging,” said Dr. Scott Wood, a neuroscientist at NASA Johnson who is coordinating the investigation.
While spacecraft landings on the Moon and Mars are expected to be automated, crews must be prepared to take over and pilot the vehicle if necessary.
“This study will help us examine astronauts’ ability to operate a spacecraft after adapting from one gravity environment to another, and whether training near the end of their spaceflight can help prepare crews for landing,” said Wood. “We’ll monitor their ability to manually override, redirect, and control a vehicle, which will guide our strategy for training Artemis crews for future Moon missions.”
The risk of astronauts experiencing disorientation from gravitational transitions increases the longer they’re in space. For this study, which debuted during the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, researchers plan to recruit seven astronauts for short-term private missions lasting up to 30 days and 14 astronauts for long-duration missions lasting at least 106 days. A control group performing the same tasks as the astronauts will provide a basis of comparison.
A different study will investigate potential treatments for spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome, or SANS, which causes vision and eye changes. Researchers will examine whether taking a daily B vitamin supplement can help relieve SANS symptoms.
After returning to Earth, select crew members will participate in a study that documents any injuries, such as scrapes or bruises that may occur during landing. Transitioning from weightlessness to Earth’s gravity can increase the injury risk without proper safeguards. The data will help researchers improve spacecraft design to better protect crews from landing forces.
____
NASA’s Human Research Program
NASA’s Human Research Program pursues methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through science conducted in laboratories, ground-based analogs, commercial missions, the International Space Station and Artemis missions, the program scrutinizes how spaceflight affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research drives the program’s quest to innovate ways that keep astronauts healthy and mission ready as human space exploration expands to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Explore More 3 min read Space Station Research Contributes to Artemis II Article 5 hours ago 4 min read NASA Selects Participants to Track Artemis II Mission Article 2 weeks ago 5 min read Out of This World Discoveries: Space Station Research in 2025 Article 3 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASALiving in Space
Artemis
Human Research Program
Space Station Research and Technology
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