Seventh-grade science lover helps bring past and future together aboard Orion’s first flight
2015-02-25
In a feat that has not been achieved since the last mission to the moon, a relic from Earth was flown into deep space on a spacecraft built to carry humans into deep space, traveling farther from Earth since Apollo 17 in 1972. The groundwork started in Mineral Wells, Texas, when Anna Marceca, a seventh grader from Bedford, Texas, found a crinoid fossil in Mineral Wells Fossil Park and passed it on to NASA at an agency event. Anna captured the attention of everyone at the event by wearing a space helmet of her own design made from a tea jar to show her enthusiasm for the space program. Little did she know that the fossil would fly in space … and her enthusiasm would earn her a personal tour at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on Feb. 10.
Anna and her family did not know the fossil, which is about the size of a dime and has an imprint of a star in the center, had flown on the Orion spacecraft this past December. Robin Marceca, Anna’s mother, said the family was very excited when they found out about the special fossil's flight.
“We had forgotten about it after a while,” Robin said.
The Marcecas have had a lot on their minds, as Anna was diagnosed with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis 2, a rare liver disease. “
Anna was in the hospital most of December, and we missed the news," Robin said. "Time stops when you are in the hospital, or so it seems. It’s a real disconnect with the rest of the world.”
Anna has been chronically ill her whole life. However, her passion for space and research keeps her motivated to get through any challenges she may face.
“When she was in the hospital last year, we built a model of Orion from cardboard,” Robin said. “We are very involved with the research for her disease. I have always encouraged all things science, because I know Anna will have to finish this research when she is an adult.”
While touring JSC, Anna and her family had the opportunity to chat with NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik and Flight Director Mike Lammers in the Mission Control Center. When Anna mentioned her fossil flew on Orion, Bresnik commented that the fossil is the fastest dinosaur in the universe.
“It has more lunar return velocity than anything else,” Bresnik said.
During their conversation, Anna also asked Bresnik if it is hard to be in space.
“It’s easy,” Bresnik said. “It’s amazing how naturally your body adapts to that.”
Bresnik then showed Anna videos of astronauts eating and floating in space from his laptop at the capsule communicator—or CAPCOM—position in the Flight Control Room, from which information is communicated to astronauts in space. Not many people can say they watched movies with an astronaut in mission control.
Bill Foster was the guide for the day and showed Anna and her family around mission control. He even made Anna a personalized welcome sign that was projected on the screen in the Blue Flight Control Room, where teams oversaw Orion’s December flight test. He also presented Anna with an Orion plaque for her room.
“I want my room to be black with stars,” Anna said. “I think I may rearrange my room around this.”
Anna and her family also met NASA astronaut Rex Walheim and JSC Deputy Director Kirk Shireman in the Building 9 Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, where her fossil was returned to her on the deck of the Orion mockup.
“This is the furthest thing from the planet in 42 years,” Shireman said.
Anna indicated that she may donate the fossil to a library or her school.
Walheim then gave Anna a personal tour of the shuttle mockup, where she had the chance to sit in the pilot’s seat and explore the space station with an astronaut. Anna wanted to learn everything she could from Walheim about what it is like in space, and he showed her around the shuttle like it was his own home.
After the tour, Anna talked about one day becoming a flight surgeon, and how she wants to go to space camp.
“This is the coolest thing I have ever done in my life,” Anna said.
Anna is proof that just by asking questions, opportunities arise and dreams may be fulfilled. Her enthusiasm for space gives hope to younger generations to reach for the stars and—one day—her drive will get her there.
Anna Seils
NASA Johnson Space Center
Anna and her family did not know the fossil, which is about the size of a dime and has an imprint of a star in the center, had flown on the Orion spacecraft this past December. Robin Marceca, Anna’s mother, said the family was very excited when they found out about the special fossil's flight.
“We had forgotten about it after a while,” Robin said.
The Marcecas have had a lot on their minds, as Anna was diagnosed with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis 2, a rare liver disease. “
Anna was in the hospital most of December, and we missed the news," Robin said. "Time stops when you are in the hospital, or so it seems. It’s a real disconnect with the rest of the world.”
Anna has been chronically ill her whole life. However, her passion for space and research keeps her motivated to get through any challenges she may face.
“When she was in the hospital last year, we built a model of Orion from cardboard,” Robin said. “We are very involved with the research for her disease. I have always encouraged all things science, because I know Anna will have to finish this research when she is an adult.”
While touring JSC, Anna and her family had the opportunity to chat with NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik and Flight Director Mike Lammers in the Mission Control Center. When Anna mentioned her fossil flew on Orion, Bresnik commented that the fossil is the fastest dinosaur in the universe.
“It has more lunar return velocity than anything else,” Bresnik said.
During their conversation, Anna also asked Bresnik if it is hard to be in space.
“It’s easy,” Bresnik said. “It’s amazing how naturally your body adapts to that.”
Bresnik then showed Anna videos of astronauts eating and floating in space from his laptop at the capsule communicator—or CAPCOM—position in the Flight Control Room, from which information is communicated to astronauts in space. Not many people can say they watched movies with an astronaut in mission control.
Bill Foster was the guide for the day and showed Anna and her family around mission control. He even made Anna a personalized welcome sign that was projected on the screen in the Blue Flight Control Room, where teams oversaw Orion’s December flight test. He also presented Anna with an Orion plaque for her room.
“I want my room to be black with stars,” Anna said. “I think I may rearrange my room around this.”
Anna and her family also met NASA astronaut Rex Walheim and JSC Deputy Director Kirk Shireman in the Building 9 Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, where her fossil was returned to her on the deck of the Orion mockup.
“This is the furthest thing from the planet in 42 years,” Shireman said.
Anna indicated that she may donate the fossil to a library or her school.
Walheim then gave Anna a personal tour of the shuttle mockup, where she had the chance to sit in the pilot’s seat and explore the space station with an astronaut. Anna wanted to learn everything she could from Walheim about what it is like in space, and he showed her around the shuttle like it was his own home.
After the tour, Anna talked about one day becoming a flight surgeon, and how she wants to go to space camp.
“This is the coolest thing I have ever done in my life,” Anna said.
Anna is proof that just by asking questions, opportunities arise and dreams may be fulfilled. Her enthusiasm for space gives hope to younger generations to reach for the stars and—one day—her drive will get her there.
Anna Seils
NASA Johnson Space Center
Anna Marceca views mission control from the floor. Image Credit: NASA/James Blair
Astronaut Rex Walheim presents Anna with a certificate and patch. Image Credit: NASA/James Blair
JSC Deputy Director Kirk Shireman presents Anna with a certificate and returns her fossil that flew on Orion. Image Credit: NASA/James Blair
Anna and her parents, Dave and Robin, hold an Orion plaque in mission control. Image Credit: NASA/James Blair
Anna sits in the pilot seat of the shuttle mockup in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility. Image Credit: NASA/James Blair
From left: Dave, Robin and Anna Marceca stand together with Walheim and Shireman in front of the Orion mockup. Image Credit: NASA/James Blair