Do you keep in mind the primary e-book that left a deep impression on you? Some books depart an indelible impression on our minds, staying in our hearts ceaselessly. 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 along with her mother and father the place they bought 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 objective. “I wished 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 might assist her obtain this objective. 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.
Searching for 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 bought into NASA’s Area Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, in June 2024, with a full scholarship offered by the Area Camp Basis.
This 6-day camp within the US Area and Rocket Heart uncovered attendees to a wide range of astronaut coaching workouts, engineering challenges and team-building actions, culminating in an extended-duration simulated area mission, in accordance with their official web site.
The camp bolstered {the teenager}’s ardour for area exploration and cemented her need to grow to be an astrophysicist.
A stepping stone to a profession in area
Geet began on the lookout for alternatives to pursue her dream when she was in center college.
“I turned severe about pursuing aerospace as a profession after Class 7. Since there weren’t many alternatives round me, I used to be consistently 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 accordance with age teams, ranging from 9 years of age. Geet utilized for the ‘Superior Area Academy’ meant for college kids 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, know-how and maths’, states the web site.
The camp will practice you want an astronaut, ship you on Mars missions, flight simulators, scuba diving, constructing rockets and far more! It’s a dream come true for aspiring astronauts, astrophysicists and anybody on this area of labor.
Geet utilized to the programme on the finish of 2022 for the June 2024 expedition. Because the programme price was prohibitive, she utilized for a full-tuition scholarship, which solely 5 college students obtain per programme, in accordance with her.
Purposes open nearly a 12 months prior, often in fall. At the moment, functions are open for programmes being held from Might-August 2025.
“It’s important 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 important to spotlight your achievements, curiosity in an area profession and lay down your future targets,” states Geet.
Impressed by her utility, she acquired a full-tuition scholarship. Nevertheless, 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’ll be able to count on on the area camp.
- An F15 plane simulator
You possibly can 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 concept of what it could be wish 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 power 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 Further 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 control of conducting EVA and sustaining Ouranos (the station on Mars’ moon, Phobos).
In addition to this, college students additionally get to satisfy rocket scientists and astronauts who share their life tales and what it takes to grow to be like them.
“The spotlight was assembly astronaut Chris Sembroski. He shared what he did to achieve right here and advised us the completely different paths we may take to achieve our targets,” shares Geet.
Additionally they participated in debates, workforce constructing actions, made rockets, management actions, and far more.
“It has bolstered my ardour for area exploration. I’ve a transparent imaginative and prescient of my tutorial and profession targets,” says the Class 11 pupil at 21K college.
She additionally received the Proper Stuff award, given to an impressive camper who excels not solely in expertise and duties but additionally embodies an distinctive perspective, workforce 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 may additionally enrol within the area camp.
Edited by Padmashree Pande, Photos Courtesy: Geet.
