Page 8 - Edge Issue 3

Blast Off!
How Cape Canaveral has put Edgewood into orbit in the cosmos.
Story by Emma Kelleher
beyond our reach. But, other than that, it doesn’t really interest me,” Elizabeth said.
On the other hand, her father works as an engineer and manager at NASA and is fully interested in space and human development there.
“Jobs in the space industry are booming right now,” Phil said. “My passion for space is to build something that will last after I am gone.”
Space is becoming a big branch to the tree we call the future, and many opportunities are blooming from it.
In June of last year, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to start planning for a sixth branch of the military, the Space Force. The Department of Defence sent a
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A bright light emerges from the horizon, accelerating up into the sky leaving a trail of puffy clouds behind it. The ground rumbles, and the tree branches vibrate at the noise.
The rocket becomes hidden behind a few stray clouds, only to pop out behind them, appearing smaller than before. The object in the sky becomes a tinier and tinier bright speck, until it is no longer visible among the blue background. Everyone cheers, inside the mission control center and outside on the stands as close as they can get to experience
the launch.
Cape Canaveral just sent another rocket into space.
Florida and Texas hold the two main space centers in the United States, and living right next to one is a unique experience for people to have.
In Brevard County, so many launches have been seen and everyone inside the county has experienced something space- related before.
“What is there to come from space exploration? Survival of humans.”
proposal to Congress in March of this year, calling that the branch should stem out from the already-formed Air Force.
Through thick debate, Congress still leaves the U.S. Space Force unauthorized.
“Nothing is better than sending humans to space,” Phil said. “What is there to come from space exploration?
The unique geography and
facilities of Brevard has caused many new space industries to form on the coast as well, such as SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, and Blue Origin. Seeing as a variety of jobs are offered at all of these companies, many families build careers here, which means that many students at Edgewood have a space-working parent.
“My dad brings his engineer-ness at work home with him and always wants to solve things and fix everything,” said Elizabeth Weber, 10. Her dad, Phil Weber, is
part of the space industry at NASA. Elizabeth thinks that space is really
interesting and fun to think about, but it isn’t for her.
“I think it’s really cool to figure out what is out there and what
possibilities are
Survival of humans.”
NASA chose Florida to locate their space center and
launchpads mainly so the rockets can fly over open water. Kennedy Space Center protects the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge. They focus on protecting the diverse population of species there.
The location of space facilities has lured many out-of- state tourists here by their curiosity, pulling them in through what interests everybody most: future human survival.
“Seeing as we’re way overpopulated, if we can get colonies on other planets, that would be a huge step forward. And, if we find other intelligent life, not just bacteria, then who knows?” said Maya Corces, 8. “Future space exploration excites me because it is really cool, the idea of colonization on other planets. Terrifying, but really cool.”
Corces’sfatherworksatBlueOrigin,andshefindsit really fun and interesting to experience space close-up.
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