Ben reaches for stars in space school

OUT of this world experience for Ben

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MOST teenagers look forward to spending the summer after their GCSE exams relaxing.

But Ben Bardsley from Chadderton spent two weeks meeting astronauts and planning a mission to Mars when he took part in an international space academy in the US.

The Oasis Academy Oldham head boy flew to Houston, Texas, on his 16th birthday after he was one around 50 young people worldwide to win a place at the summer school of a lifetime.

They took part in an intensive programme of activities with University of Houston's Clear Lake campus and NASA's Johnson Space Centre.

Ben, who got one grade 9, two 8s, an A*, four As a C and two distinctions in his GCSEs last week, said: "It is by far the best experience I have ever had. It went so unbelievably well and it really allowed me to learn a lot more about space and aeronautics."

The teenager and talented scientist was encouraged to apply to the United Space School, part of the Foundation for International Space Education, by his form tutor Ben Farnworth. Mr Farnworth originally won a competition to teach at the summer school and is now its head teacher.

The first week consisted of visits to attractions like the Houston Museum of Natural Science and a tour of the Johnson Space Centre where NASA trains it astronauts. The latter included seeing places which are normally off limits such as the neutral buoyancy lab, a large water tank where astronauts practise working in zero gravity.

"It was a unique experience," said Ben. "We were allowed to see the work of NASA, how they train their astronauts and the development of spacecraft."

Guest speakers included former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao, a veteran of four missions, and Ben added: "To be in the same room with someone who's been to space and has all this amazing knowledge was so fantastic."

In the second week the students worked in teams to plans a mission to Mars and Ben said: "We had to design the mission parameters, how long we would be going for, what the purpose of the mission was, what type of propulsion we would use."

Ben stayed with an aerospace engineer contractor for NASA during his trip and is now looking forward to doing maths, physics and English A-levels at Blue Coat School's sixth form. He then hopes to do an aerospace engineering or astrophysics degree.

As a space school graduate, he will also have the opportunity to return as a mentor or to attend the International Space University post-graduate scheme.

"It would be an amazing experience to go again. I feel like I have got friends all over the world and I really enjoyed so many people from all different walks of life and countries."

Ben received funding to help pay for the trip from a governor at Oasis Academy Oldham, a local councillor, the 317 Failsworth and Newton Heath air cadets which he attends and the Greater Manchester Wings Air Cadets.