Want to be an astronaut? NASA is hiring

FOX 5 NEWS - New Jersey native Scott Kelly spent some time Friday morning repairing the International Space Station. This was the second spacewalk for the astronaut, who has spent more time off the Earth's surface than any other American.

Now, if you think you've got what it takes to fill Kelly's space boots, good news: NASA just announced that it will be accepting applications for the next class of astronauts later this year! But what's the job really like?

Former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao PhD spent almost 230 days in space, completed six space walks, and helped build the International Space Station. He says there are a few key attributes that make for a great astronaut, including technical knowhow and the propensity to be a team player.

If you'd like to reach for the stars, NASA will be accepting applications from December 14 through mid-February. NASA will announced selected candidates in 2017.