Rain didn’t stop those from attending an in person demonstration and presentation during Soldotna Progress Days at Soldotna Creek Park with NASA EVA Operations Engineer, Tess Caswell. Caswell currently works for NASA, where she plans out spacewalks and teach astronauts on how to do them.
Caswell was on hand Thursday, at Soldotna Creek Park, to present in cooperation with the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska. Growing up in Alaska, Caswell flew her first Challenger Center mission at age 14, but began volunteering during the construction of the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska when she was 12 years old, according to the Challenger Center Alumni profile.
Caswell spoke with KSRM’s Merrill Sikorksi about where her love of space began;
“I actually was inspired by Matt Boyle at K-Beach Elementary, he was my 5th grade teacher and he had a picture of a space shuttle in his classroom. And it fascinated me and I became pretty much obsessed with space. My parents knew that the Challenger Center was being built at that time, so they got in touch with the board and they got be involved with the fundraising activities. I got to meet some astronauts, help the Challenger Center at some of their events by being a kid that was excited about space and I’ve just volunteered with them from there on out ever since.”
Caswell is currently working on planned missions back to the moon;
“Right now I’m really excited about being part of the Artemis missions to land people on the Moon again and to plan out those spacewalks. Where we are going to answer new questions about the Moon and learn new things about the Moon. And, maybe some day I’ll get to go there myself, fingers crossed that’s the pie in the sky dream for me.”
Caswell encourages youth to “have bring dreams and lay out the path to get there”.
Listen to the full interview with Merrill Sikorksi below…
*Photo credit King Street Chronicle.