Space is cool.

Nothing captures the imagination and fills the soul with dreams of adventure quite like the idea of climbing into a giant tube and getting off this planet; there’s a reason why so many books, TV shows, and games are made about space: the idea of a world beyond ours, of which we've barely scraped the surface, appeals to many people—myself included. As a kid, I read those space books, watched those space shows, and played those space games, and the fascination that they've inspired in me has shaped my interests throughout my life.

As I grew older, though, I began to want more. I mean, I’m still just a junior in high school. I’m not going to space anytime soon, but I’ve always dreamed of making discoveries of my own, reaching for new heights and revealing the unknown for the benefit of humankind.

NASA exemplifies everything I love about science. A group of researchers, engineers, programmers, and others, working together for the betterment of humanity? What’s not to love? And unlike most companies, NASA exists solely for the benefit of humankind; only at NASA would I have the satisfaction of knowing that my efforts went toward humanity's progress, not a corporation's profits.

And so I’ve read about space. I’ve watched movies about space, and I’ve played games about space. Now I have a chance to contribute, to make the discoveries and inventions that inspired such wonder in my younger self. I hope you’ll let me have it.