Young people from a Cheshire village enjoyed an out-of-this-world experience when a NASA representative joined them live from America for a special evening of space exploration.
On Thursday 8 October, 31 Cubs and Scouts aged 7 -14, from the 25th SW Cheshire Bunbury & District Scout Group, took part in a live video call with Dr Dhyan Emmanuel, Operations Manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in the United States.
The 75-minute session gave the young people a fascinating insight into life in space, rocket technology and future missions to the Moon and Mars – all from the comfort of their own Scout hut in Bunbury.
But this was no ordinary online presentation. The children were encouraged to ask questions, handle space-themed props and even sample freeze-dried sweets as they learned about the challenges of eating in space.
Their questions ranged from the scientific to the wonderfully unexpected, including “How fast do rockets travel?”, “Can you play football in space?” and the inevitable “How do astronauts poop in space?” – a question that had everyone laughing, including their NASA guest!
Almost a year in the making
The remarkable opportunity was the result of nearly a year’s planning by Mac Wrench, Scout Section Team Leader, who drew on contacts developed during his years working at an American summer camp through Camp America.
Having previously experienced NASA educational calls himself, Mac was determined to bring a similar opportunity to the young people of Bunbury.
Arranging the session involved coordinating across time zones, navigating NASA’s busy schedule and working with representatives to develop a programme tailored specifically to the group.
Mac explained:
“As a Scout leader, we strive to give young people opportunities that go beyond the ordinary. After nearly a year of planning, seeing their excitement as they spoke directly with NASA made every effort worthwhile.
“I wanted to show them that the extraordinary isn’t beyond their reach, that they should dream big, and that curiosity and ambition can take them further than they ever imagined.”
The evening certainly made an impression.
Scout George said: “It was a really great experience that I’m not sure I would have anywhere else.”
Cub Frederick added: “It was amazing, and I learnt a lot of facts about the next trip to the Moon and the trip to Mars!”
The experience also supported the children’s ongoing work towards their Space Activity Badges, bringing science and engineering to life in a way few could have imagined.
Opportunities beyond the ordinary
For Bunbury Scout Group, the NASA experience is just one example of how Scouting encourages young people to explore new interests, develop confidence, learn practical skills and discover opportunities beyond their everyday experiences.
Made possible by dedicated volunteers, activities like these demonstrate that even a small rural Scout group can open up a world of possibilities.
Who knows? Perhaps a future astronaut, scientist or space engineer has just been inspired in a Cheshire village!
Interested in joining Bunbury Scout Group or find out more about volunteering?
Contact: bunburyscouting@gmail.com