'At age 6 I didn't want the newest Barbie for Christmas all I wanted was a telescope.
I have grown up with the dream of following in the footsteps of Sally Ride, Mae Jemison and Kathryn Johnson making a difference and helping to explore new worlds'.
I am, indeed, a space fanatic, and my interest in our Universe has only grown since I was a child.
So you can imagine my utter joy when I was selected to participate in NASA's United Space School July 2017. Now, that might be a small step for Neil Armstrong, but it is one heck of a giant leap for me. I want to make a difference in the science industry, and this would be a fantastic opportunity for me to begin that quest.
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What exactly is the United Space School (USS)?
The USS is an interdisciplinary program that annually brings together up to 50 students from 25 different nations to study at the University of Clear Lake. Placements are at a premium and are very competitive, with national competitions held all over the world. I am only one two people from Wales who have been selected for this honour.
Under the mentorship of engineers, scientists, astronauts and leaders in the aerospace industry, we come together to design our own Mission to Mars project.
For example, we will be responsible for the design of a habitat where humans can settle once they land on Mars and we will need to make sure they can survive the harsh surrounding Martian elements.
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To enhance and build upon this experience, we will participate in a variety of space-related activities at the Johnson Space Center, the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, the University of Houston Clear Lake, Rice University, Space Center Houston, the George Observatory at Brazos Bend State Park etc. These activities include a Full Crew Mission, a special project at the George Observatory, ARISS links with International Space Station and an international video-conference on life sciences, bio-astronautics, and aerospace medicine at a university and so much more.
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As incredible as it sounds, I will be working in Mission Control with NASA and its experts relating to their fields of study. Not bad for a 17 year old girl from West Wales.
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Being selected is a dream come true, however, in order for me to (quite literally) reach for the stars, I am in need of sponsorship. If you could help me in any way, I would be incredibly grateful, this is an opportunity of a lifetime.
You can contact me directly by my email Bethany.evans45@gmail.com or have a look at my "GoFundMe Page" at https://www.gofundme.com/getbethtospaceschool
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Thank You for reading
