Geet dreamed of becoming an astronaut from the age of five, ever since she first laid her hands on a book about space exploration.

By Class 7, she was diving deep into resources to figure out how to turn this dream into reality.

Inspired by NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, the first person to sequence DNA in space, Geet aimed to follow in her footsteps.

At 16, this Delhi resident found that Rubins had attended a space camp at NASA, and decided to apply for the same.

In June 2024, Geet attended NASA's Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, on a full scholarship from the Space Camp Foundation.

Geet applied for the ‘Advanced Space Academy’, designed for students aged 15–18.

This six-day camp at the US Space and Rocket Center offers training like an astronaut, including Mars missions, flight simulators, scuba diving, rocket building, and much more! It’s a dream come true for aspiring astronauts, astrophysicists, and space enthusiasts.

The aspiring astrophysicist lived her dream during the week starting from 20 June, 2024. Here’s what she experienced and what you can expect at the space camp.

1. You can fly an F15 aircraft simulator at the camp. This is the third most accurate simulator, says Geet.

2. Train like an astronaut to gain control over a spacecraft in the Multi-Axis Trainer chair (MAT). It simulates a tumble-spin and helps students get an idea of what it would be like to be in space!

3. Used by Apollo astronauts to practise moon-walking, this ⅙th chair gives a sensation of the moon’s gravitational pull, which is 1/6th of the force felt on Earth.

4. Students get to work on three space missions, the first of which was a Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) mission. Here, Geet is training as the Extra Vehicular Activity officer (EVA) in the Mission Operations Control room (MOCR).

5. Geet was the mission specialist 2 in the second LEO mission. Here, she is monitoring EVAs from the Space Transportation System (STS).

6. Here, Geet is changing the satellite’s panels and conducting EVA in mission two.

7. Here, Geet, the mission specialist 2, is changing the satellite’s locks.

8. In the third mission, Geet took on the role of a flight engineer in the three-hour long EDM mission. Here, along with another flight engineer, she was in charge of conducting EVA and maintaining Ouranos (the station on Mars’ moon, Phobos).

“It has reinforced my passion for space exploration. I have a clear vision of my academic and career goals now,” says the Class 11 student at 21K School, Delhi.