Ryan Gosling’s new film has bolstered searches for astronaut jobs in the UK by over 5,000%

New research uncovers that Ryan Gosling’s new film, Project Hail Mary, has caused a boom in people looking for astronaut jobs.

Searches for “how do I become an astronaut” have shot up by over 5,000% in the last 30 days.

The verdict is in, and it’s not just critics and audiences that are loving the latest sci-fi starring Ryan Gosling as searches surge by 5,000% in the last 30 days for “how do I become an astronaut”, according to Google Trends data.

Project Hail Mary, based on the novel by Andy Weir, premiered in London on March 9, 2026 and has garnered critical acclaim with a whopping 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film sees Ryan Gosling playing Ryland Grace, a science teacher who wakes up on an interstellar space mission with no memory of how or why. As his memories slowly return, the space adventure truly begins with an unexpected meeting that changes the course of history on this unique mission.

Early careers experts at Higherin have found that Project Hail Mary has inspired people to turn to Google to see what it takes to become an astronaut. Searches for “how do I become an astronaut” are up by 5,000% in the last 30 days. “Astronaut jobs” is also up by 180%, and “how much does an astronaut get paid” is up by 120%.

Co-founder of Higherin, Oliver Sidwell, said: ”I love it when pop culture shows people a new job that they hadn’t considered before. Being an astronaut may seem like an unlikely prospect, but in the UK, there are 48,800 people employed in space industry jobs.”

Oliver continued, “Yes, Project Hail Mary is a very glamorous and Hollywood version of space travel, but it’s still an exciting job. To become an astronaut, typically you need a master’s degree in a STEM field or to be a qualified pilot.”

“Focusing on STEM subjects – science, technology, engineering, and maths is the best route to becoming an astronaut for young Brits. Once you have the educational experience, keep an eye on the European Space Agency,” said Oliver.

“To stand out from the crowd, look at internships that are relevant to your field. Being able to speak multiple languages is also a big selling point, as is high fitness levels. Good luck to anyone interested,” Oliver concluded.