The engine rumbles. Strapped into my seat, I clasp the shoulder straps in anticipation as the countdown for takeoff begins: five, four, three, two, one. My seat vibrates rigorously as the spaceship begins to take off. I look over at my colleagues, excitement painted on their faces. We are speeding vertically towards outer space: away from our homes, into the unknown. I grasp my shoulder straps even tighter as the jerking and jolting of the spaceship rocks my body like a small child on a rollercoaster. Then I feel it. Fear. What if something goes wrong? Spaceship launches are not always successful; I have family at home to care for. We break through Earth’s atmosphere and are launched into darkness…
Planet Earth lays before me. We are suspended in space! Weightless, I take in the sight before me. Earth is a lightbulb in the darkness. Blue, green and white swirls together to form the planet we call home. Earth is surrounded by twinkling stars: each one represents a mystery to be solved. The universe suddenly seems more vast than I imagined; the fear that I experienced during the launch is replaced with an overwhelming sense of adventure.
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