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She dreams of outerspace

Chance of a lifetime sends Parkrose freshman into orbit

DARLENE VINSON
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO

Rebekah Thompson (right) as Mission Specialist on a simulated space walk with fellow camper.
Thompson dons her space suit and experiences the anti-gravity chair.
Photos courtesy of The Thompson family
A while back, Foster and Myra Thompson of Parkrose Heights took their family on an outing to OMSI to see an IMAX movie about the space station and astronaut Susan Helms (Parkrose High School class of 1976). Daughter Rebekah, then 11 years old, had recently completed an assignment about Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space. She was inspired by what she had learned and began to dream of space travel. While at OMSI, Bek, as her family calls her, learned of opportunities at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Space Camps are offered for students and there were scholarships available. Young Thompson applied. Her first application did not meet with success, but she tried again the next year, was accepted and awarded a partial scholarship. After working to earn the money to cover the rest of her expenses, Bek jetted off to Alabama in early August.

The trip to Huntsville was Bek’s first extended trip so far away from her family alone. Upon her arrival in Alabama, she was not immediately able to call home. That combined with the fact that she had failed, in all the excitement, to hug her Dad at the airport when she departed, left her feeling very stressed. She was thousands of miles from home, didn’t know anyone and could not make contact with her loved ones. On top of that, she says the atmosphere is different there making it difficult to breathe. The heavy air was especially noticeable to her just prior to a rain shower. She did manage to leave a tearful message for her parents later in the day, but she settled in quickly and future communications home put everyone at ease.

While the Space and Rocket Center has developed days full of activities for their campers, they did have time for shopping, swimming and getting to know each other.

Day one began with finding a bunk and meeting her roommates who ranged in ages from 11-14. As Thompson is 14, she was one of the older campers. Much of the rest of the day was consumed by orientation and an overview of what to expect during the course of their stay.

Day two consisted of lectures on the history of space exploration and the space race between the United States and Soviet Union in the 1960’s. She learned that the space race, and the question as to whom won, is a complex issue. Students were advised to decide that question for themselves. Bek says that while the Soviets were the first to orbit the earth, the first in space and the first to put a man, then a woman into orbit, she believes putting the first man on the moon won the contest for the United States.

Day three began with discussions of the Mercury missions. It was at this point that students learned the early missions were named for the number of astronauts in a spacecraft. Mercury being one, Gemini two and Apollo three.

Among Thompson’s most memorable experiences were the simulators they rode. The anti-gravity simulator left her feeling as if her “stomach didn’t know where to go, and her blood wasn’t sure what to do”. Bek’s favorite ride was the Space Shot to simulate weightlessness. After 16 or more rides, Bek reports she was able to relax and not feel the effects, terming it kids stuff by the end of the week. This day also included lectures about the Gemini missions and the initial training for a Mars mission.

Day four campers learned about living in space, experienced a simulated moonwalk and studied the Apollo missions. By afternoon they were divided into crews and prepared to perform their own two-hour Space Shuttle mission. Thompson was selected to be a Mission Specialist. She learned about spacesuits and walking in space on an Extra Vehicular Activity or EVA. Her task, along with another camper was to construct the backbone or frame of the Space Station. During this simulation the trainees and their teammates put all their skills to the test as they were challenged to get the Shuttle safely into obit, successfully complete a space walk and complete all scientific experiments. In addition, crewmembers were challenged with on-time completion of all experiments, keeping all the Space Stations life support systems up and running, and conducting station repair and maintenance EVA’s. Mission Control crewmembers were challenged throughout the course of the two-hour simulation to keep both the Space Shuttle and Space Station in orbit and operating safely.

Thompson and her teammates successfully completed all tasks on time and in a professional manner, earning one of the highest scores the Academy has ever awarded.

The next day was consumed with experimentation and mission practice. Thompson conducted experiments relating to microgravity, which consisted of placing various items in a box with a camera, dropping the box and observing the reaction of the objects during the fall and upon landing.

Her assignment for the next mission was props. She would be responsible for monitoring engines on Space Shuttle Atlantis and reporting to CapCom. CapCom is the verbal contact link between the ground crew and the orbiting crew.

Their mission was performed on the last full day of activities. They turned in a less than perfect performance this time, but Thompson says they could have done better with more practice.

Each crew designed a patch to represent their group. As her group was called Charon after a moon of Pluto, their patch depicted Pluto in the background with Charon in the foreground. The crew flag was planted on the surface of the moon with footsteps moving away from it.

Thompson says she would like to attend the Air Force Academy after high school. She says the combination of trips to OMSI; the school assignment to research Mae Jemison and the subsequent assignments to report on careers of women in space in both the seventh and eighth grades can’t be mere coincidence. Thompson also says she loves math and science, reporting they are her best subjects.

Thompson will take honors classes at Parkrose High School. She has dropped band to give her more time to pursue other interests but says she will continue to play the saxophone for pleasure. She plays an instrument that has been in her family for three generations. She also uses writing as a relaxation tool, saying it helps her release energy. Water polo was added to help her keep fit and active. She says she loves playing with the ball in the pool, but is less enthusiastic about swimming laps.

Bek would like to become a lifeguard like older brother Joshua. Younger siblings Caleb and Sarah round out the Thompson family.

A return trip to the Space Academy may be in her future. “I’d like to go again if I’m privileged enough to do so”, she says. Move over Susan Helms, another Bronco is looking to take your job.

Her mom says, “the dream continues”. Good luck to you Ms. Thompson with fulfilling your goals and dreams. We’ll be looking to hear more from this young lady in the future. We hope it is out of this world.
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