I remember scouring the internet for opportunities to immerse myself in the space world and stumbling upon Go For Launch!. I had no expectations and was unaware of how significant those three days at Kennedy Space Center two years ago were going to be for me, and how that experience continues to impact me today.
I participated in vAs a rising senior. I always knew I wanted to be an engineer, but never knew what type. Wherever I would look into it, I was always overwhelmed by the number of disciplines. I decided to take this opportunity as a chance to explore aerospace engineering.
During those three days, I can remember every speaker because each event was so applicable and eye-opening to me. From Northrop Grumman engineers to astronauts, each story or advice they shared truly affirmed that aerospace engineering is right for me. Not only were the speakers rewarding, but also the opportunity to explore the Kennedy Space Center. I had never been there before, and it was absolutely incredible seeing all the rockets and the space shuttle in addition to really seeing what the astronauts experienced.
One of the most impactful speakers was astronaut Mike Foreman. His story of relentless pursuit of his dream in becoming an astronaut and his beautiful description of the view of Earth from space made me realize that was something I wanted to experience as well. From that day on, I knew that I too wanted to become an astronaut one day.
Through this experience, I also had the chance to meet an amazing group of girls who also make up the superNOVAs. Even if we hadn’t won the competition, I felt accomplished that we successfully created and presented an innovative experiment in a short amount of time. The teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills I took from this experiment were as much of a win for me.
Looking forward, I am beyond excited to see our hard work finally materialize and take off. Never would I have thought that I would be having something of my own going into space at 19! The skills and experience I initially developed at Go For Launch! have been invaluable and guided me throughout my senior engineering capstone project in high school and my first year college. I learned how to successfully work with a diverse team, evaluate design constraints and present a successful product in a short amount of time. Going into my second year of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan I know that I am more than ready to tackle any project and challenge thrown at me, and forever grateful for Go For Launch! to equip me with the tools to do so.
Written By Stellar Student Victoria Villa, , Team SuperNOVA,
Winners of Go For Launch! Space Coast 2023 and the Winners of the Go For Launch! 2023 Series