I got turned down to be a NASA astronaut 3 times — here's what finally worked Mike Massimino overcame multiple rejections to become a NASA astronaut. Vision training helped Mike Massimino meet NASA's standards, leading to his acceptance in 1996. Persistence and focus on controllable factors were key to Mike Massimino's eventual success at NASA. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut who spent more than 18 years with the agency, flew on two space shuttle missions, and logged more than 30 hours on spacewalks. It has been edited for length and clarity. The first time I applied to NASA's astronaut program , I was rejected outright. It happened again when I applied two years later. The third time, NASA invited me to interview. An initial interview is a big step in the process that starts with thousands of applicants and narrows to about 120 finalists. But it wasn't meant to be that time, either.…