Buzz Aldrin a former American Astronaut and the 2nd person to walk on the moon 44 years ago, launched the global campaign in January this year with this video link. Malaysians thought that the chance to become Malaysia's next astronaut was a joke, but then after researching online they realized it isn't. Thousands of Malaysians participated and had to get a lot of people to vote for them. The Top 15 rankings will be invited to our Malaysian Axe-tronaut Space Academy/Space Race to then be the Top 5 of which Malaysians will then vote for their own Malaysian Hero that will be sent to A.A.S.A - Axe Apollo Space Academy, watch this (Space Academy video link).
In A.A.S.A Orlando Florida, 150 Space Cadets from around the world through the competition will go through some rigorous training on the L39 Albatross MK-2 et, experience the weightlessness of space in a Zero Gravity flight and ride in the G-Force Centrifuge where the 6-G force will push the body to its limit. Out of these 150 Space Cadets, 1 of them will be the Malaysian that we will choose during these 2 days and then the Malaysians will choose the Top 1 out of the Top5.
And out of these 150 Space Cadets, only 22 will fly up 103km to space with Space Tourism company - Space XC see this Space Flight video. The spaceship departs like an airplane, accelerating at incredible speed faster than the speed of sound. At 60km, the parabolic flight begins where they will experience a period of weightlessness and on the way back down, experience G-Force and gliding back to earth and arriving back like a space shuttle does.
Today, the Top 15 came down to our Axe Malaysia Space Camp. We interviewed them, listened to their stories on why they participated in this competition to go to space and how did they garner so many votes to be ranked the Top 15 in Malaysia out of thousands. We put them through the personality test during the one-on-one interview sessions as well as put them in front of a camera to see if they would know how to respond to media.
Myself together with Nikki, Axe Brand Manager Interviewing Top 15
During the interview, I was amazed by people's stories. They come from all walk of lives - student, lecturer, game designer, rope access freelancer, wall climbing trainer, war game trainer, unemployed, astro physicist, poet, aviation engineer, mechanical engineer and even a direct selling salesman. Amazing thing is they all had one similarity - they all dreamt of being an astronaut or going into space since they were kids.
But the thing that really touched me today is to see the dedication these 14 men and 1 woman had to realize this dream. I mean the reality is yes we all dream of this and that but what do we really do to try and achieve them - not much. Especially being an astronaut or going into space - who would ever think that you would have any remote chance at all. So without any chance, we wouldn't bother to even chaser work towards it. But these 15 people did. I am so proud to be amongst them today and I truly applaud them to get hundreds of thousands of votes so that they can be Top 15. Its easy to get 10, 100, 1000 votes from friends and family but to surpass 1000 votes, you would need a lot of strangers and these guys did anything and everything including marketing themselves globally to get votes. One of them even wrote to Buzz Aldrin to ask him to vote for him.
Words cannot explain these ordinary men and woman who have the guts to chase after what we call a silly childhood dream. But throughout today, I felt like I was going through and living through their journey of accomplishing their dream. Today, I felt like I was one of the Top 15 that will end up being 1 of the 22 going into space.
Most of all, today, I felt Malaysian pride for the 1st time in Malaysia. When they raised the Malaysian flag in our group photo, I felt like a Malaysian even though I am not one.
The Top 15 Axe Malaysian Space Cadets
When I conducted the briefing session to the Top 15, I saw it in their eyes, the huge glimpse of hope that they will be in Space as I played the videos above and explained the whole challenge they will go through tomorrow.
Even my team members who have not slept much the last few nights, trying out experiments with science building rockets out of baking soda and vinegar, something I used to make heaps when I was in high school. Finally last night and this morning, they got a successful rocket launching up really nice & high. Could see their huge sense of pride and happiness too. But in the craziness of deadlines and stress, our team always find time to have fun, laugh and be silly. Today, we became our own Axe-tronauts too!
Guess which one is me...
In my subject title I wrote "Want to travel to space and be an astronaut? Today I did just that..." you might be thinking, well no... I didn't do that today. I did not go into space.
For me just being part of this, watching the videos, talking to the Top 15, hearing stories and dedication, I felt like I did go to space vicariously through 1 of these guys. If and when 1 of them goes to space and comes back to Malaysia to tell the story, I will read it or watch it and go that's my boy/girl and feel so proud like a mama would.
I wish all the Top 15 lots of success and luck for tomorrow's Space Race we created to pick the Top 5.
And for all of you out there, if these guys can dream big, so can the rest of us.
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