NASA astronaut candidate resigns, a first in 50 years

NASA astronaut candidate resigns: In the fast-paced world booming with oppurtunities switching a job is not that uncommon but for NASA a resignation is alsmot unheard of. For the first time in five decades, a NASA astronaut candidate resigned from training, the US space agency said Tuesday.

Robb Kulin resigned from NASA effective August 31 for personal reasons, spokeswoman Brandi Dean said, declining to provide further details. Apart form the fact that no one did it in over 50 years, what makes the resignation even more surprising is that a person has to fight one of the toughest competition in the world to get the spot.

It's not an easy gig to get -- some 18,000 people routinely seek the 12 spots that open each year.

Kulin, who joined his class sounding upbeat, is the first would-be astronaut to leave training since a resignation in 1968.