At some point, we all wanted to be astronauts when we grew up, only to be re-directed by equally exciting opportunities as accountants or taxidermists. (If you’re having a tough day, you’re going to want to check out that website.) But for four very lucky people, those childhood dreams might just become a reality in the not-so-far future. Sound the alarm – the European Space Agency is hiring astronauts. They’re expecting 50,000 applications for 4 spots…so I’d recommend you keep your day job just in case.

ESA officials are seeking “team players” who are emotionally stable and play well with others. Sounds like a first grade report card. It’s interesting how the nature of the astronaut has changed over the last 5 decades, from rebellious fighter pilot mavericks to politically correct “glorified bus drivers” (Mike Mullane’s words, not mine). But how does the public view the profession? Are they still revered as much as the original Mercury 7? Should they be?

Crazy love triangles notwithstanding, I think the profession is admirable. I admire their courage in the same way I do a soldier’s: both are willing to put their lives on the line for their country. Needless to say, astronauts are also extremely capable people, having been plucked from the upper ranks of their professions as scientists or pilots.

But it’s impossible to deny that astronauts have lost some of their luster over the last few decades. I suspect this has a lot more to do with the overall direction of the space program than the abilities of those who participate in it. On the contrary, I bet modern-day astronauts are even more qualified than their predecessors, having grown up with space travel as a realistic goal to train towards. But when we fail to send anyone beyond low earth orbit for 35 years, it’s hard not to feel a little underwhelmed. Add to that the current trickle of shuttle flights and the surplus of astronauts, and the astronaut office starts to look like a bunch of bus drivers without any buses to drive.

Just imagine where we could be if our vision for space exploration matched the capabilities of our astronauts. Hopefully Europe’s new astronauts will have somewhere to go and something to go there in. It would be a shame to condemn four more ultra-qualified people to a future of lecturing third graders about the mechanics of going to the bathroom in space (I know you were curious).

The Mercury seven.