Some of you may have heard, or seen on social media, some of the Higher Orbits students comment about SpaceMom, and you may be wondering… “what is that all about?” So I thought I would share about the origin story of the term SpaceMom especially because I am back where it all started – Australia!
In 2019 when Higher Orbits brought our cosmic cohort of students to the International Science School, this was the first time we’d had the privilege to be part of this incredible experience for students at the University of Sydney. Our first cohort of students was Abigail Youngker, Caroline Wenks, Jamison, Fuller, Leia Spaniak, and Zach Pickerel.
It was a new experience for all of us and to be honest, we didn’t entirely know what to expect. I mean, we knew the basics of the “school” type bits of it but understanding how the day to day worked, we knew that was going to take just diving into it and seeing how it all went! And that we did!
None of the students had met each other prior to the experience, in fact that has been the case each time, but they all had met me because they all had attended Go For Launch! A few had met me more than once because they were repeat launchers so I guess you could say I was the one central point for all involved.
The students all settled into the new surroundings, and they embraced the new experience. Starting on the first night in the dorms though, I got some messages of “hey can I come say goodnight?” While I had my own room we were all in the same larger dorm so of course I said yes. So many of our 5 students came by to say Good Night and several wanted a hug. (Comforts of home so to speak!) As 2 of the students were leaving they said “Good Night, Space Mom!” and from there it stuck. This also became our nightly ritual, they’d come say Good Night, SpaceMom and my reply was always Good Night SpaceKid!
Word got out of this term and it started to grow. The OGs will always be the OGs who started this, but they have kindly realized that this term is one that connects all of the SpaceKids to our organization and so they embrace it growing beyond them. By no means are any students asked or required to call me SpaceMom but some do and I welcome it. I am grateful to be a human in their life that can bring them a constant in their life, whatever it might be that they need.
So there you have it – the story of SpaceMom… just in case you’d been wondering!
SpaceMom over and out and off to more adventures in Australia with our stellar students who are part of the 2025 Cosmic Cohort to the International Science School!
SpaceMom with the OG SpaceKids at the end of the 2019 International Science School trip
