Translator: Mike Longley Reviewer: Denise RQ
From my own journey as a little girl
watching space shuttle launches on the television,
going to the planetarium with my parents,
and imagining what it would be like
through space films like Star Wars,
I know the significance of science, and mentors, and media.
I want to take my experience as a former astronaut
and share with my passion
with the next generation of explorers:
the Mars generation.
The foundation is being laid.
This generation is building on the expertise and courage
of the giants that went before,
those who showed us what you can do in a decade,
and it was hard,
and in so doing, make life better here on Earth;
that you can have 135 successful space shuttle launches
and learn how to live and work in space,
build communication systems,
launch probes and orbiting systems
that understand our Solar System and the Universe,
and construct the International Space Station,
a world-class laboratory that is above us daily
for 15 years, just 200 miles up.
This generation is harnessing these past successes
and taking what is being built right now
and getting ready to go even farther into our Solar System.
Science fiction is not so far from becoming science fact.
One young woman who embodies this generation is Abigail Harrison.
Abby grew up in Minnesota
and went to Space Camp as a young girl.
There, she decided that she would like to become an astronaut,
the first to go to Mars.
She came back from that experience,
and she decided to share her excitement of STEM
with her community.
And then she took her community, which grew,
- because she's known as @AstronautAbby -
and they went with her
as she followed her mentor, Luca Parmitano,
at a launch to the International Space Station
from Kazakhstan.
This September, Abby headed off to school,
and she also launched a non-profit, themarsgeneration.org.
She brought with her a board
that includes former astronauts like myself,
flight controllers, educators, engineers, and rocket scientists.
Our goal is threefold.
First, we want to connect those people
that are interested in space exploration
in a conversation,
so that they can learn about the current events, the issues,
and share their own research.
Join us in the conversation at the hashtag #futureofspace.
Second, we want to support young people
who are beginning their careers
and are interested in the STEM fields,
and provide them with quality STEM materials
as they go out and try to connect with their own communities.
If you would like to be an ambassador,
visit themarsgeneration.org and sign up.
And third, we are sending young students
who don't have the financial means
to go to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama,
and launch their own dreams on full-expense scholarships.
This is the Mars generation.
It is our time.
What will be your role?
Thank you very much.
(Applause)