NASA’s Blueberry

In 2024 the first few Mars mission shuttles will deploy, and Alyssa Carson intends to be on one of those shuttles. Alyssa is fifteen, and has been preparing to go to Mars since she was five. Alyssa is the first person to complete all the NASA space camps, even the ones in Turkey and Canada. Alyssa has already been accepted as a Mars One ambassador, and her nickname amongst the NASA personnel is “Blueberry”. Alyssa has an incredible drive that puts most kids her age to shame. She has been training all her life in order to qualify for the trip. It will be a one way trip and she will spend the rest of her life on Mars.

Alyssa has wanted to be an astronaut since she was three years old, and has been actively working for it since she was five. When she was seven she pulled her father into her personal mission, and he signed her up for space camp. Alyssa has since been to space camp seven times, space academy three times, and robotics academy once. She attends school at Baton Rouge International High School where she studies each of her school subjects in four different languages. Her family, in particular her father, have supported her and helped her throughout her mission by helping her attend these camps and work toward her goal. She’s given multiple talks on her mission as well as a TED talk. Alyssa also tours in a NASA Mars Mission van and can be tracked through her website*.

Alyssa has been working with the Mars One team- the team responsible for the first Mars mission. She, along with two professors, two doctors and a writer, is an ambassador for the mission already. Mars One’s mission is to send a human settlement to Mars. The initial team will consist of four people and a new group will be sent every two years in order to establish the colony. The Mars mission is meant to be a democratic mission, so each country will be allowed to vote on the settlers. Alyssa wants to be on the first shuttle over. The trip itself will take around nine months. At least six groups will be sent to Mars, and since applications are open to the public, anyone can apply, including you!**

*Mars One Mission Website: http://www.mars-one.com/

**To find out more about the selection process, and if you could possibly be considered go to the ‘mission’ tab on the Mars One website, and click Mars One Astronauts on the drop down.
Alyssa Carson’s Personal Website (click the ‘on tour’ tab to find out where Alyssa will be next): http://nasablueberry.com/