THE ET EXPERIENCE!

When we set foot in the premises of the Kennedy Space Centre of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it was like a dream come true. The vastness of the center and its technological facilities mesmerised us. During our two-day-long study tour, 26 students of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College got the opportunity to stand nose-to-nose with the space shuttle Atlantis, explore it and learn practically, how an astronaut survives in space. To appease our intense curiosity about the space and astronaut life, famous NASA astronaut Edward Gibson shared his experience with us.
Our NASA Tour 2015 was organised and sponsored by Shaheen Aero Space Center. Two of our teachers, Kamrunnahar Siddiquee and Zinat Hossain, accompanied us. Guides from Shaheen Aerospace Center and NASA officials helped us learn the complex mechanism of the Astronaut Training Experience (ATX) facility in the Kennedy Space Centre. 

Taking training at ATX in Kennedy Space Centre. Photo: courtesy

We learned how an astronaut could take control of a space capsule when a shuttle faces danger in space. We also witnessed how a space shuttle could be landed on earth safely. But the most amazing experience was to fly like a bird in the zero gravity area. When the zero gravity area was created artificially in the ATX, we started to feel weightless and all of a sudden I was floating in the vacuum. It was an awesome experience.   
The session with astronaut Edward  Gibson was also amazing. “Up in the space we always face a lot of dangers and troubles. But when you find yourself out of the world, often all alone in endless space, you will get a very special feeling,” he said to us.
We also visited museums where materials from different planets and the moon have been preserved. A NASA official, John Mack Bridge, gave us certificates for visiting and taking the training at ATX. 
This trip to the extraterrestrial life was an experience of a lifetime. It has widened my vision and inspired me to think that as a human being, nothing is impossible.
The writer is a student of VNC.