ISS Downlink Winner: Deric Fox

Deric Fox is a 3rd grader at Wascher Elementary in Lafayette, Ore. He submitted the following entry to the Museum’s ISS Downlink contest in order to win a seat at the question and answer session with astronauts on Jan. 19.

I went into the space shuttle with my big helmet and a sweaty space suit on. Then I hear come from the speaker 5,4,3,2,1 yor’re clear for take off. The space shuttle started to rumble. As the space shutt took off I was pressed up against my seat. Now I hear a roar of fire come from the rocket. When we got into outer space I saw a dying star and all the gas coming off the star looked like a large colorful butterfly  I heard N.A.S.A. say you are close to the international space station (ISS). We’re approaching the I.S.S. it was long and gray with Satellites. The I.S.S. is long on the outside and short on the inside. Our oxygen is in a tank. Back on Earth there is gravity but in space it is microgravity. From up here the Earth looks lik a big blue marble. The Planets in the solar  system look cool from up here. We eat dried food that we put water on to be puffed up. Being an astronaut was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done.

Deric Fox's visual entry into the ISS Downlink contest.