Job Files: Astronaut

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CHERYL GLASER: In honor of this week’s shuttle landing, today’s Job Files take us to outer space.

BILL MCARTHUR: My name is Bill McArthur. I am a NASA astronaut. I’ve had the opportunity to fly on the space shuttle three times and last year I spent six months on board the International Space Station.

My background is as a military test pilot. I got a degree from West Point in applied science and engineering.

On this last mission I was a commander of the International Space Station.

The day would involve a lot of just personal tasks, getting up and shaving and brushing your teeth, to things that were more complex: Operating the robotic arm, we did two space walks.

Space food has a tendency to be somewhat bland. One of the most highly-prized items are the little packages of Tabasco sauce that really taste good in space.