Adult Space Camp Trains Civilians to Study Our Mysterious Atmosphere | National Geographic

as long as I can remember I’ve always

as long as I can remember I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut when you

wanted to be an astronaut when you

wanted to be an astronaut when you actually think about the chance of going

actually think about the chance of going

actually think about the chance of going into space it’s honestly a surreal

into space it’s honestly a surreal

into space it’s honestly a surreal thought that your dream could actually

thought that your dream could actually

thought that your dream could actually be realized we’re training in simulators

be realized we’re training in simulators

be realized we’re training in simulators and doing acrobatic flight in order to

and doing acrobatic flight in order to

and doing acrobatic flight in order to prepare us for the actual flight day

prepare us for the actual flight day

prepare us for the actual flight day into space

opossums an acronym for polar suborbital

opossums an acronym for polar suborbital science in the upper mesosphere and what

science in the upper mesosphere and what

science in the upper mesosphere and what we are doing is looking to use this next

we are doing is looking to use this next

we are doing is looking to use this next generation of commercial vehicles

generation of commercial vehicles

generation of commercial vehicles reusable suborbital launch vehicles on

reusable suborbital launch vehicles on

reusable suborbital launch vehicles on high-altitude balloons to study the

high-altitude balloons to study the

high-altitude balloons to study the mesosphere clouds are of significant

mesosphere clouds are of significant

mesosphere clouds are of significant interest to the global climate change

interest to the global climate change

interest to the global climate change community people think of global climate

community people think of global climate

community people think of global climate they think of a polar bear on an iceberg

they think of a polar bear on an iceberg

they think of a polar bear on an iceberg but they don’t think of the atmosphere

but they don’t think of the atmosphere

but they don’t think of the atmosphere the atmosphere is what we affect most

mesosphere really is a very understudied

mesosphere really is a very understudied area of our atmospheres it’s an area

area of our atmospheres it’s an area

area of our atmospheres it’s an area that’s too low to get to by satellite

that’s too low to get to by satellite

that’s too low to get to by satellite it’s too high to get to by aircraft or

it’s too high to get to by aircraft or

it’s too high to get to by aircraft or balloon so it’s the first time we’ve

balloon so it’s the first time we’ve

balloon so it’s the first time we’ve really had the opportunity to go there

really had the opportunity to go there

really had the opportunity to go there this is still a frontier and we’re

this is still a frontier and we’re

this is still a frontier and we’re training people to really be the first

training people to really be the first

training people to really be the first pioneers and have a sustained human

pioneers and have a sustained human

pioneers and have a sustained human presence in the mesosphere what we’re

presence in the mesosphere what we’re

presence in the mesosphere what we’re doing not only is training people that

doing not only is training people that

doing not only is training people that can fly the missions but people that can

can fly the missions but people that can

can fly the missions but people that can communicate the science and communicate

communicate the science and communicate

communicate the science and communicate the program now all the astronaut

the program now all the astronaut

the program now all the astronaut candidates are scientists engineers and

candidates are scientists engineers and

candidates are scientists engineers and the like and we want to study the

the like and we want to study the

the like and we want to study the noctilucent clouds project possum is a

noctilucent clouds project possum is a

noctilucent clouds project possum is a unique experience to not just go to

unique experience to not just go to

unique experience to not just go to space but to contribute something in

space but to contribute something in

space but to contribute something in terms of science and research and

terms of science and research and

terms of science and research and climate change research that is

climate change research that is

climate change research that is worthwhile see these clouds come up a

worthwhile see these clouds come up a

worthwhile see these clouds come up a little bit our initial eight candidates

little bit our initial eight candidates

little bit our initial eight candidates come from a wide varied background but

come from a wide varied background but

come from a wide varied background but they all have a passion for space flight

they all have a passion for space flight

they all have a passion for space flight we’re no longer reliant on the military

we’re no longer reliant on the military

we’re no longer reliant on the military and the government to gain access to

and the government to gain access to

and the government to gain access to space the commercialization of space

space the commercialization of space

space the commercialization of space opens that final frontier

it’s not just a dream you actually even

it’s not just a dream you actually even become reality