Alyssa Carson: Teenage Astronaut in Training Aims to Be Among First Humans on Mars!
When she was just 3 years old, Alyssa Carson took an interest in the planet Mars while watching an episode of the Backyardigans. From that moment, her lifelong passion and curiosity in space began!
At a very young age, Alyssa, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA started to do all things space! Here are some of her accomplishments so far:
- She has gone to every Space Camp available in the USA, Canada, and even Turkey!
- Alyssa is the youngest person to ever graduate from the Advanced Space Academy when she was just 16 years old
- Across 9 states, Alyssa has visited each of NASA’s 14 visitors centers, becoming the first person to complete the NASA Passport Program
- She was invited to join a panel at a Mars Exploration Rover (MERS) event
- She was the younger graduate of Project PoSSUM (Project Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) academy, a specialized training program for astronauts
- Alyssa has written a book to inspire kids “So, You Want to Be an Astronaut”
- Alyssa educates and inspires young people about Space. She has a large and growing following on social channels like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok
What the future holds for Alyssa Carson
Alyssa’s goal is to help understand the potential for human life in outer space. She also wants to among the first humans to walk on the planet Mars. Eventually, she even imagines living on Mars! And while doing so, Alyssa wants to inspire lots of other kids to learn more about space and science.
To help her along on this path, she is now studying astrobiology at the Florida Institute of Technology. It is the only program in the USA focused on the potential for life on other planets. As they say, “whether you want to study the effects of space travel on humans, discover past or present life on Mars, or help develop ways to sustain life on the moon, you will be prepared at Florida Tech.” Sounds pretty cool!!!
Alyssa is a great example of a young person focusing their passion to become the best version of herself. And inspiring other kids to do the same. Here are a few inspiring videos where you can learn more about Alyssa.
Alyssa Carson talks to kids about what it’s like to be an Astronaut in Training
Alyssa Carson talks about following your dreams
Additional Resources:
- Check out other inspiring IMK stories about Astronauts
- Take a look at our collections of quotes for kids about curiosity, passion, and perseverance
- Visit Alyssa’s YouTube Channel to learn more her passion for space and check out her tips for an aspiring astronaut
- Read more about Alyssa’s life and story on wikipedia
- Learn more about NASA and space exploration
Topics for Discussion:
- What character traits does Alyssa show by pursuing her dreams?
- What do you find to be inspiring about Alyssa?
- Do you know any kids who are passionate about a certain type of career?
- Why is curiosity such an important quality?
Take Action:
- Check out the student page of the NASA website to learn more about astronauts, space, and things you can do to get involved!
- Make plans to visit SpaceCamp or NASA where you can experience what it’s like to be an Astronaut!
- It is amazing to think that, if you meet certain criteria, you can actually apply to be an astronaut today! Do you want to see what is required? Look no further than NASA’s website.
