Isle of Man scholars set for take-off to United Space School in Houston, Texas
18 July 2023
Isle of Man scholars set for take-off to United Space School in
Houston, Texas
Douglas, Isle of Man – 12 July 2023
Two sixth-form students from the Isle of Man will attend this year’s United Space
School in Houston, Texas, after winning scholarships from the ManSat Group.
Each year ManSat sponsors students to attend the Space School and this year’s
recipients are Daniel Comley from Ramsey Grammar School and David Sargent from
QEII High School.
The year 12 students won an essay competition and follow in the footsteps of
previous ManSat scholars going back to the first in 2000, Dr Jennifer Stone, who is
now ManSat’s Chief Technical Officer.
This year’s Space School runs from July 16 to July 31 and joining Daniel and David in
Houston will be Ciara Sowerby, who won a Space School scholarship in 2017, and
returns this year as one of the mentors.
The Space School is organised by the Foundation of International Space Education
and Daniel and David will work with peers from around 20 countries worldwide to
plan a simulated crewed mission to Mars, supported by NASA astronauts, engineers
and scientists.
To help them prepare, Daniel and David have completed assignments set by the
Space School, which involve solving problems covering all aspects of space flight,
including habitat design, sustainability, legal issues, budgeting, and orbital
mechanics.
Daniel is studying maths, biology, and economics at A-level and has sights set on
studying economics at university.
He said: “I’m most looking forward to meeting the other students who are attending.
I'm excited by the opportunity to travel to Houston, but it is the other people that I
think I will find most fascinating. The opportunity to exchange ideas, viewpoints,
and goals, plus working to complete our mission to Mars together - I can't wait. I’d
like to thank ManSat for this fantastic opportunity.
“I have been reading books such as Neil Armstrong's biography, First Man, and
watching movies suggested by the Space School. My favourite is Hidden Figures, as it
highlights the incredible mathematical minds behind NASA's early success.”
David is studying maths, further maths, physics, and computer science at A-level and
wants to study astrophysics at university.
He said: “I am looking forward to the trip as getting to see behind the scenes at
NASA is a dream for me. To prepare I have been reading the Red Mars book series by
Kim Stanley Robinson. The scholarships are a brilliant initiative from ManSat, and I
can’t wait to get to Houston.’
Ciara is ‘thrilled’ to have been asked to return six years after attending as a student.
She said: “I can’t wait to go back and help inspire the next generation of Space
Schoolers to follow their dreams in STEM or similar. Space School genuinely
changed my life – I went from not being sure what I wanted to study at university to
being certain that I wanted to study Astrophysics, which is what I did!
“I am looking forward to seeing my old host family who are hosting students again
this year and getting stuck into the cultural exchanges that we get to experience. I’d
like to thank ManSat for providing me with the opportunity to return as a mentor.’
Dr Stone said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Daniel and David to learn from
some of the best minds working at NASA and make lifelong friends. We’re also
delighted that Ciara has been invited to return. They will be great ambassadors for
the Island, and we are excited to see what they all achieve in Houston.’
The scholarships are awarded by the ManSat Group in cooperation with the
Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC).
Dr Stone said: “The continued support shown by the Department, alongside the
Island’s secondary schools and King William’s College, is essential to the ongoing
success of the scholarship competition and ensuring such a high standard of entries
each year.”
Julie Edge, Minister for Education, Sport and Culture, said: “Meeting last year’s
scholarship winners on their return from Houston was a highlight of my first year as
Minister and I am eager to see how Daniel and David do this year, and to hear about
Ciara’s experiences returning as a mentor, which will allow her to pass on the
knowledge she gained six years ago. As always, our thanks to ManSat for providing
such wonderful opportunities for our Island students.”
Please visit www.unitedspaceschool.org for more information about the Space
School and www.mansat.org for details of the company’s scholarships, and
www.mansat.com for details about ManSat itself.