Philadelphia third-graders' names orbit the moon on historic nasa mission
A simple act of kindness—thank you notes penned by third-graders in Philadelphia—has propelled their names into the vastness of space, riding aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission. Twenty-three students from Springside Chestnut Hill Academy now share a unique distinction: their names are stored on an SD card aboard the Orion spacecraft, circling the moon in a mission not attempted in over half a century.
The ripple effect of gratitude
The extraordinary journey began last November when Laura McManus and Marisol Booth’s class decided to express their appreciation to veterans through handwritten cards. One of those cards found its way to Rick Yasky, a retired NASA engineer, former Navy pilot, and current NASA contractor. Yasky, visibly moved by the gesture, felt compelled to reciprocate. “I was very, very moved,” he recounted. “I don’t know them. They don't know me. And yet they took the time to reach out and write to me.”
What followed was a cascade of events. Yasky, acting as a benevolent intermediary, connected the students to a NASA outreach program, securing their place among the over 5.6 million participants worldwide who received “boarding passes.” For 9-year-old Nora Walsh, the news was almost unbelievable. “Our names are going around the moon,” she exclaimed, “Our names are on Artemis II. It’s crazy.”
The Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight to orbit the moon in decades, represents a significant step in NASA’s return to deep space exploration. Eight-year-old Mira Mayo, captivated by her burgeoning interest in astronomy, even had the opportunity to meet astronaut Victor Glover. “We've been learning about space for two months,” she shared, “We’ve learned about Galileo. He created the telescope.”
But beyond the scientific marvel, educators at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy emphasize the profound lesson imparted by the experience. “One of the values at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy is thoughtfulness,” explained third-grade teacher Laura McManus. “So writing these thank you cards to a veteran, the end result is not to have something like this happen. It’s just to spread that thoughtfulness and kindness, and this is just a full circle moment for our students.”
As the Artemis II mission nears its conclusion this week, the students will undoubtedly be watching with bated breath, a tangible connection to a historic moment forged from a simple act of gratitude. The journey of these young Philadelphians serves as a potent reminder that even the smallest gestures can reach extraordinary heights, echoing far beyond the confines of a classroom and into the boundless expanse of the cosmos.