Alyssa Carson has big dreams for a girl her age. At 13-years-old, she is determined to be the first person to visit Mars. Although this seems like a far-fetched fantasy for some, NASA already thinks that Alyssa has a chance, and she has already been training for the mission.
Alyssa, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been pursuing her dreams of going to the red planet since she was 4-years-old. She told BBC News that she wants to go to Mars “because it’s a place that no one has been. It’s completely deserted right now, so I want to take that first step.”
The teenage girl has already taken some steps to fulfill her dreams, and she is the first person to attend three world space camps hosted by NASA. The camps consist of five days of training sessions for aspiring astronauts. According to Metro UK , children who attend the camps get the chance to experience zero gravity machines to test their abilities, ride space flight simulators, and blast small rockets.
Some of her other accomplishments include completing NASA’s Space Flight Academy and the National Flight Academy. Furthermore, Alyssa has been studying science and different languages. Alyssa says that she thinks she has a big chance of being on the first manned mission to Mars, as she has been continuously training for 9 years.
“As I get older and continue to do more things the resume will just get longer and hopefully help me stand out and help me look unique compared to other people.”
Alyssa’s father, Bert Carson, is fully supporting her dream, and says that they have their daughter’s life planned for the next 20 years. The Mars expedition is expected to happen in 2033. In the meantime, Alyssa is planning to improve her knowledge and study at the Cambridge and International Space University, as stated on her blog called NASA Blueberry , which is her call sign at the U.S. space agency.
Paul Carson, NASA’s spokesperson, said that they take people like Alyssa seriously. He also said that she is doing the right things to help her become an astronaut someday.
Going on an expedition to Mars has its risks, and Bert said that she has already discussed the possibility of not returning back to Earth with her daughter.
“If that’s the only option she has, she still wants to go,” said Bert.
Alyssa only has one thing to say, “Failure is not an option.”
[Image via BrownSpaceMan]
