A five-year-old boy who designed his own space rocket and decided to send it off to NASA was delighted when he received a response.
The boy, from London, saw his older brother had made a space rocket for a school project, so he wanted to make one too.
“He put a NASA logo on his rocket and then asked if we could send a picture of his design to NASA asking it be made and sent into space,” the boys’ dad, told HuffPost UK.
“He said his design would fly faster than NASA’s.”
The dad said the family posted the design to NASA HQ with a letter and hoped for a reply.
They didn’t get a response straight away, but when Kevin DeBruin, systems engineer from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory saw the dad’s tweet about his son’s design, things started to get exciting.
“Kevin asked me for the details and responded to my son with a really motivational letter and NASA stickers,” said the dad.
“My son went crazy when it came through the post. He phoned me at work shouting ‘Dad, NASA replied!’
“We’ve read the letter together countless times and he’s waiting to get back to school in September to show it to his teachers.
“The best thing is that he’s now set on a career as an astronaut or engineer, and the letter from Kevin DeBruin has inspired him to believe it’s possible.
“It’s important to encourage ambition and for kids to believe in themselves. I’m really pleased that NASA has staff that do this kind of thing.”
The boy’s letter said: “To NASA, I made a letter for you to report about. This rocket is for you. Please make it and send it to an astronaut in space.
“I will fly my rocket to space for NASA. Please can I have an astronaut licence.”
The reply from DeBruin thanked the boy for his rocket design, and read: “It’s great. Creating work like that is the start to a great future astronaut who can pilot a rocket. Keep it up!
“We encourage aspiring young individuals like yourself to fully apply yourself and give 110% so you may one day join us.
“NASA looks forward to the next group of people with new bright ideas like yours and a love for space exploration.”