“Daddy, I want to be an astronaut, and be one of the people that go to Mars.”
Meet Alyssa Carson. Ever since she was 3-years-old, she knew she wanted to be an astronaut. There’s nothing too unique about that. Most kids have grandiose dreams of growing up to be cowboys, astronauts, and everything in between. So, when she said that, her parents probably smiled and nodded, thinking that their daughter would change her mind about her future career fifteen times before choosing one, but in their case, they were wrong.
By the time Alyssa was 16, she had witnessed 3 Space Shuttle launches, attended 7 Space Camps and 3 sessions of Space Academy, and completed Robotics Academy. She’s the youngest graduate ever of Advanced Space Academy and has also finished several Sally Ride Camps.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Alyssa wasn’t done, either – she also attended space camps in Turkey and Canada, making her the first person ever to attend all three NASA Space Camps around the world.
Which is all to say…she’s not changing her mind.
And her parents aren’t the only ones who have sat up and taken notice – in 2013, NASA invited her to be on the MER 10 panel in Washington DC to discuss future missions to Mars on live NASA TV. Later, they selected her to be 1 of 7 ambassadors representing Mars One, a mission to establish a human colony on Mars by 2030.
Now, Alyssa is part of the Advanced Possum Academy, which makes her certified for space missions and an official astronaut in training.
Photo Credit: Facebook
The 17-year-old from Baton Rouge keeps up with her studies – including learning 4 languages – in addition to her astronaut training. She’s also an active public speaker and hopes to interest others in space exploration.
“Always follow your dream and don’t let anyone take it from you.”
Will we see Alyssa Carson on a manned mission to Mars in 2033? Only time will tell, but if she has anything to say about it, there doesn’t seem to be any doubt.
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