Most of us feel as if we have our entire life figured out by the time we are 10. If you would ask any young child what they wanted to be when they grew up, they would tell you without hesitating and they are absolutely convinced that is where they are going to be in life. If you ask an older person the same question, they will perhaps have to ponder over it for quite some time and they may not even know. Perhaps that is why we aren’t so apprised to learn that a young boy decided he was going to work for NASA but he took things to the next level by actually applying for a job!
NASA had shared a post to look for somebody to fill a position as a planetary protection officer. The “Guardian” would be there to keep the planet safe from extraterrestrial microbes found in samples that had been collected by both robotic and human space missions. They may even come from asteroids or Mars! That is were 9-year-old Jack Davis came in. He sent in a handwritten letter as an application and it was something that surprised everyone at NASA and it is now surprising everyone online.
“My name is Jack Davis and I would like to apply for the planetary protection officer job,” the ambitious kid wrote. “I may be nine, but I think I would be fit for the job. One of the reasons is my sister says I am an alien also I have seen almost all the space and alien movies I can see. I have also seen the show Marvel Agents of Shield and hope to see the movie Men in Black. I am great at video games. I am young, so I can learn to think like an Alien.”
NASA was so taken by the letter that they actually responded. The letter had been shared on Reddit by a friend of Jack’s family, which is how NASA found out about it.
“It’s about protecting Earth from tiny microbes when we bring back samples from the Moon, asteroids, and Mars,” Dr. James L Green, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, tweeted his response. “It’s also about protecting other planets and moons from our germs as we responsibly explore the Solar System.”
Jonathan Rall is the Planetary Research Director and he called Jack directly. He wanted to encourage him to continue with his studies so that one day, he could be part of the “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
“We are always looking for bright future scientists and engineers to help us, so I hope you will study hard and do well in school,” Green wrote in his response. “We hope to see you here at NASA one of these days!”
Along with receiving a response from NASA, he was also invited to become the official youth science advisor at the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium.
Bryan Davis, Jack’s dad wrote to NASA, explaining that he and all of his family have in “big fans of NASA.”
“Jack, of course, is pretty sure he’ll get the job,” Davis wrote. “I’m trying to manage expectations with the hope he might receive a response letter in the mail.”
Source: Shared