I don’t know why it’s taken forty years after mankind’s first giant leaps on the moon for a story like this to emerge, but in an encouraging sign to all you scientists out there yearning for your very own trek to the stars, the NASTAR Center (a wholly owned subsidiary of Environmental Tectonics Corp.) has created the first ever suborbital space scientist training course aimed at turning researchers into astronauts.  In addition to hands-on and theoretical space flight training, you’ll learn about altitude physiology and partake in centrifuge and altitude chamber trials.  While class sizes are small and acceptance to the program competitive, scientists trained to boldly go where only a very few have gone before will surely be in high demand as private companies continue to rocket ahead with their plans for privately funded manned space flight.  The first class begins in January 2010 for all those looking to add A.I.T. (astronaut in training) after the Ph.D. in their titles.