Do you keep in mind the primary e book that left a deep affect on you? Some books depart an indelible affect on our minds, staying in our hearts endlessly. For some, books additionally result in their passions.
Such was the case for Geet. As a five-year-old, she remembers visiting a e book truthful together with her mother and father the place they received her a e book about area exploration. This kicked off her curiosity in area which was supplemented by many extra books on the topic.
The e book led to a singular aim. “I needed to be an astronaut,” shares Geet.
As she entered class 7 and her curiosity in Physics and the three-dimensional realm deepended, she buried herself in assets and competitions that would assist her obtain this aim. Studying about astronauts and astrophysicists, she discovered an idol in Kate Rubins, a NASA astronaut was the primary particular person to sequence DNA in area.
In search of methods to assist her profession, the now 16-year-old Delhi resident discovered that Rubins, a microbiologist, had been to an area camp in NASA. Armed with this info, she utilized and received into NASA’s Area Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, in June 2024, with a full scholarship supplied by the Area Camp Basis.
This 6-day camp within the US Area and Rocket Heart uncovered attendees to quite a lot of astronaut coaching workouts, engineering challenges and team-building actions, culminating in an extended-duration simulated area mission, in response to their official web site.
The camp strengthened {the teenager}’s ardour for area exploration and cemented her want to turn into an astrophysicist.
A stepping stone to a profession in area
Geet began in search of alternatives to pursue her dream when she was in center faculty.
“I turned critical about pursuing aerospace as a profession after Class 7. Since there weren’t many alternatives round me, I used to be continuously looking out for competitions. I’d pore over encyclopaedias and books,” Geet shares with The Higher India, earlier than ultimately discovering out about Rubins’ journey.
The area camp programmes are divided in response to age teams, ranging from 9 years of age. Geet utilized for the ‘Superior Area Academy’ meant for college students who’re between the ages of 15-18.
This programme goals to assist college students discover ‘faculty and profession preparation by way of an immersive expertise in science, engineering, expertise and maths’, states the web site.
The camp will prepare you want an astronaut, ship you on Mars missions, flight simulators, scuba diving, constructing rockets and rather more! It’s a dream come true for aspiring astronauts, astrophysicists and anybody on this discipline of labor.
Geet utilized to the programme on the finish of 2022 for the June 2024 expedition. Because the programme value was prohibitive, she utilized for a full-tuition scholarship, which solely 5 college students obtain per programme, in response to her.
Purposes open virtually a yr prior, often in fall. At the moment, functions are open for programmes being held from Could-August 2025.
“It’s a must to ship in essays, scientific hypotheses and any engineering working fashions that you simply’ve labored on. The appliance course of for a scholarship could be very rigorous. It’s a must to spotlight your achievements, curiosity in an area profession and lay down your future targets,” states Geet.
Impressed by her software, she acquired a full-tuition scholarship. Nonetheless, journey and lodging needs to be self-funded.
The aspiring astrophysicist lived her dream within the week ranging from June 20. Right here’s what all she did, and what you may count on on the area camp.
- An F15 plane simulator
You may fly an F15 plane simulator on the camp. That is the third most correct simulator, says Geet.
- A multi-axis coach chair
Prepare like an astronaut to achieve management over a spacecraft within the Multi-Axis Coach chair (MAT). It simulates a tumble-spin and helps college students get an thought of what it will be prefer to be in area!
- A micogravity simulator
Utilized by Apollo astronauts to practise moon-walking, this ⅙ th chair provides a sensation of the moon’s gravitational pull, which is 1/sixth of the pressure felt on Earth
- Area mission one
College students get to work on three area missions, the primary of which was a Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) mission. Right here, Geet is coaching because the Additional Vehicular Exercise officer (EVA) within the Mission Operations Management room (MOCR).
- Area mission two
Geet was the mission specialist 2 within the second LEO mission. Right here, she is monitoring EVAs from the Area Transportation System (STS).
- Geet, the mission specialist!
Right here, Geet is altering the satellite tv for pc’s panels and conducting EVA in mission two.
- Altering the satellite tv for pc’s locks
Right here, Geet, the mission specialist 2, is altering the satellite tv for pc’s locks.
- Flight engineer Geet
Within the third mission, Geet took on the function of a flight engineer within the three-hour lengthy EDM mission. Right here, together with one other flight engineer, she was in command of conducting EVA and sustaining Ouranos (the station on Mars’ moon, Phobos).
Moreover this, college students additionally get to satisfy rocket scientists and astronauts who share their life tales and what it takes to turn into like them.
“The spotlight was assembly astronaut Chris Sembroski. He shared what he did to succeed in right here and instructed us the totally different paths we might take to succeed in our targets,” shares Geet.
In addition they participated in debates, staff constructing actions, made rockets, management actions, and rather more.
“It has strengthened my ardour for area exploration. I’ve a transparent imaginative and prescient of my educational and profession targets,” says the Class 11 scholar at 21K faculty.
She additionally received the Proper Stuff award, given to an excellent camper who excels not solely in abilities and duties but additionally embodies an distinctive perspective, staff spirit, and management.
She goals to pursue a Bachelors diploma in astrophysics on the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) or Indian Institute of Science Schooling and Analysis (IISER) or on the Massachusetts Institute of Expertise (MIT).
Right here’s how you could possibly additionally enrol within the area camp.
Edited by Padmashree Pande, Pictures Courtesy: Geet.
