So you want to be Canada's next astronaut — but do you have what it takes?

The job posting closes on Monday. And across the country, scientists and wannabe space explorers are brushing up on their celestial knowledge — and updating their resumes.

As of July 19, 3,372 Canadians had already thrown their hats in the ring. Between now and next spring, officials at the Canadian Space Agency will be responsible for whittling that pool of applicants down to two successful candidates.

An opportunity like this one doesn't come around often. This is only the fourth time in Canadian history that the agency has hired new astronauts. The last recruitment campaign took place in 2008. 

The competition will be fierce. But the basic eligibility requirements are remarkably wide. 

Dentists and nurses, for example, are welcome to apply. Any bachelor's degree in a science-related field will do. But if you're over six foot three, you're out of luck.

You have to meet a strict height requirement to become an astronaut. And according to Gilles LeClerc, director of space exploration at the Canadian Space Agency, that's a condition without any wiggle room.

"We're not asking for miniature astronauts, but you have to fit into the capsule," he says.

All the applicants who meet the basic requirements will write an entrance exam this month. Then, they'll face round after round of interviews and medical tests. 

By next spring, only a few dozen applicants will be left. And that's when the fun will begin in earnest.

In this Day 6 documentary, producer Annie Bender asks what's involved in becoming a Canadian astronaut — and why two candidates believe they could hack it in the International Space Station.