Lessons Learned from My Obsession with Space

My dad loves to tell the story about my 7th-grade trip to Space Camp. Or rather, the circumstances surrounding winning my trip to Space Camp.
Every year, the Alabama Education Association (AEA) sponsored an Alabama Aerospace Week. My mother, being an 8th-grade science teacher and space enthusiast, would team up with our 7th-grade science teacher, Mrs. J, and line up a week of special activities. We'd build and launch rockets, have special speakers. One year we had a man set up a mobile planetarium in the auditorium. I'm certain students still enjoy this week as much as we did.

When I was 13, the AEA sponsored an essay contest with the grand prize being a week at Space Camp at the Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. I can't tell you how many times I've visited the museum. My mother & Mrs. J took a group of students each year for an overnight field trip, and I went in 4th grade (as the teacher's daughter) and then again in both 7th & 8th grades. Not to mention the numerous times we went for a day as a family. To say my mother is a space enthusiast might be a wee understatement, and although my lack of love for science in general probably disappointed her, at least we shared this one obsession.

The first movie I ever remember watching is Space Camp, starring a young Kelly Preston and Joaquin Phoenix (who at that time went by the name Leaf). My grandmother had just gotten a VCR and I believe my mom borrowed the movie from the back room of our local gas station. Have I seen the movie 20 times since? Possibly. Is it at all factual? Not really.

So here I am in 7th grade, already aware that I'm a pretty decent writer, with an opportunity to win a trip to Space Camp. The Holy Grail of space geeks everywhere. So imagine my mother's fury the night before the deadline when she realized I hadn't finished the essay. Wait: I meant started the essay. She ranted and raved and carried on, and so the next morning I awoke at 4 a.m. and hammered that baby out.

And I won. Ha! Take that, Mom.

I was allowed to miss a week of school for the trip, and if my friends thought I was a major geek, I don't remember being too concerned. It was everything I thought it'd be, minus sitting in the shuttle for an engine test and accidentally launching into space. Although I'd pretty much expected to miss this, since launches take place in Florida and not north Alabama. Still. I made friends with a group of American kids from Malaysia whose parents worked at the Marlboro plant there. I got to ride the G-Force Accelerator, which simulates the G-Forces put on astronauts while re-entering the Earth's atmosphere or during launch. I got to experience the The MAT (Multi-axis trainer), which simulates disorientation. We got to enact an entire space mission, with me being assigned as Mission Control Flight Director. I was a little upset that I didn't actually get a position in the shuttle until I was assured this was an important position by the few kids who hated me for the remainder of the week.

We were given mission books to complete and there was an awards ceremony to cap off the experience. I'm certain this was my all-time peak of geekiness, but I never cared. I came home wanting to be an astronaut.

And then, like these things inevitably do, it faded.

Today the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched the final mission for the shuttle program. With it flew my lifelong dream of seeing a shuttle launch. I lived in Florida for four years and never made the two-hour drive. Such a missed opportunity. Now some experts say it will be 30 years or more before NASA develops a new vehicle and controversy surrounds whether the space program should continue at all.

Image credit: NASA TV

Perhaps for purely selfish reasons, I hope it does. I will never give up the dream of seeing a launch. I am still fascinated with space. Skyview is arguably my favorite app. Tonight I will be out in my yard, iPhone in the air, trying to see the dot that is the space shuttle floating by. Have I paid attention to every shuttle launch throughout the years? No. I've been as nonchalant as the rest of our country. Do I know a lot of factual information about the program or the space station? No. I'm as clueless as the next gal. But given the opportunity to go into space, I wouldn't hesitate. If I ever win the lottery or write a NYT #1 bestseller, you better believe I'll be hopping onto one of those civilian flights.

I want to see a launch. Yes, it takes me back to an earlier love that somehow slipped through my fingers. But perhaps it isn't for purely selfish reasons. There's much to be learned from 30 years of shuttle missions. The importance of dreaming big; discovering new things; creating new communities. Unfolding mysteries, sometimes at mach speed. Appreciating the large crowds that cheer us on; keeping hold of our self-worth when no one seems to care.

Grieving our catastrophic losses; taking responsibility and learning from our mistakes. Moving forward.

Forging our way into the unknown.

Yes, there's a lot to be learned from my obsession with space. One final lesson was added just this morning.

The importance of finishing strong.


Tweet