Scone’s Stargazer

IZZY Roughan returned from NASA’s space camp in the United States last month and is more inspired to fulfill her dream of becoming an astronaut.

Izzy, who is a year 12 student at St Joseph’s High School in Aberdeen was one of only 30 students from throughout Australia selected for the program and trained in the facilities used by the astronauts.

See photos from space camp below.

“I was in the advanced space academy program and the main highlights were the missions,”said Ms Roughan.

“We had three missions in total and we all got different positions, on one mission I was the commander pilot so I was in the space shuttle and I was controlling it and the other mission I was an engineer so I was floating up in the air fixing stuff and in the last I was in the control centre coordinating the other people,” she said.

“They were the actual facilities that the astronauts train in for NASA, so it was pretty cool, we did the same training as them.

“We also got to build and launch rockets with some highly advanced equipment and we also got t build MARS rovers and go scuba diving.

“The astronauts train underwater, so they become used to weightlessness, they used to train in a plane but a lot of them got hurt doing it so they just decided it was better to continue training in water,” said Izzy Roughan.

Izzy is the only person who has been to space camp from her high school and also the local Catholic diocese.

She was initially inspired by her grandfather who instilled his passion and interest in space, her dream fostered by former school principle John Tobin and Professor Tim Roberts from the University of Newcastle.

“As a child I made a promise to him (her late grandfather) that when I grow up I would become an astronaut,” she said.

“My childhood was the motivator for my love for space, weather I was playing in my cardboard rocket ship, reading astronomy books, or even building telescopes,”

“Mr Tobin has taught me that anything’s possible, it doesn’t matter if you’re from a small country town; he has inspired me to follow my dreams no matter how far out of reach they are,” she said.

“And when I was on a mine conference with my school two years ago I met Professor Tim Roberts and mentioned to him that I’d like to be an astronaut and since then he has sent me lots of information and recommended I go to space camp, he’s a great guy; he gives me ongoing support and confidence to pursue anything in life” she said.

Izzy was also thankful to the local community who helped raise the money for her to go to space camp.

“It would not have been possible without the ongoing support of local business’ & local supporters with their generous donations and contributions, along with the mental support of my friends and family,” she said.

Next steps for Izzy is to work hard for her HSC exams next year and qualify for a science degree at University.

“Because space camp is over people think the journeys over, but it’s only just begun!” said Izzy Roughan.