Hi Elizabeth.

You can start thinking like a scientist at any age - you have to watch what is going on around you, wonder why things are like they are, think up explanations, and then test your explanations using predictions and experiments.

To be a professional scientist you have to have at least a college degree and generally more school after that, so you don't usually get your final degree until your mid to late 20's. However, students can get jobs helping with scientific research while they are still in college and even some times in high school, and science graduate students always do research as part of their education.

I have never been in space. Not many people have, but maybe you can if you really work at it.

Cheers,
Terry