Hi, my name is Lachlan and I am a student at Port Hacking High School in Sydney. In 2017, I was given the incredible opportunity by One Giant Leap Australia to further my knowledge and interest in space exploration, by attending the Space Camp tour over in America.
Space Camp enabled me to develop my confidence and leadership skills whilst being guided by amazing people along the way. I experienced what it would be like to work in the industry of space, engineering and science and how important this is to future jobs. During the 2017 Space Camp tour I visited Northrup Grumman, where I listened to people at the forefront of developing the James Webb telescope. The California science centre and US Space and Rocket centre was also on our itinerary and was amazing. I was very impressed by the sheer size of the Endeavour shuttle and its large external tank which supplied the it with a mixture of liquid oxygen and hydrogen. The US space and Rocket centre in Huntsville Alabama was also incredible. I saw a real prototype of the Saturn V. It was huge! My trip was not only learning about space, I got to visit some of America’s famous theme parks including Universal Studios and Disneyland.
Since my trip to Space camp I have used my skills and knowledge to further my interest in the area of space and exploration. I am a member of my local observatory and volunteer for their open days. I enjoy listening to talks conducted by experts and furthering my knowledge.
Recently, One Giant Leap Australia provided an opportunity for me to visit the Yarrangobilly Caves in the Snowy Mountains in NSW, to work with a renowned NASA JPL scientist, Mike Malaska. Mike Malaska is an expert in the field of science and has conducted studies of the moon Titan. He taught me about the geology and microorganisms of this cave system and the similarities they may have to other planets. I learnt to look more closely at my environment for clues of history and to ask questions.
Space Camp was one of the most amazing experiences and I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about going. You won’t forget it!