WCC alumni take their dreams to infinity and beyond

Sasha Hatinger | Staff Writer 

WCC hosted a “space mission launch countdown,” celebrating two WCC alumni: Aisha Bowe, crew member, and Nathan Perry, launch vehicle test engineer, for the Blue Origin NS-31 recreational mission to space on Monday, April 14, in the Morris Lawrence Building.

The event honoring the two WCC alumni was filled to the brim with anticipation and excitement as a sense of pride and honor electrified the crowd collectively. 

Gasps of shock broke the silence as the spacecraft blasted off, with roaring applause following quickly after. Audience members’ eyes were glued to the screen as the Blue Origin NS-31 soared into space, ascending through levels of the atmosphere. 

The Blue Origin NS-31 mission was an inclusive experience between the astronauts and viewers as the astronauts had mics on, which allowed viewers to hear them in the spacecraft sharing their exhilaration during their journey into space. With about one-third of the spacecraft being windows, the astronauts brought viewers along, sharing their passion as they saw sights like the pink full moon.

This mission to space was the first of its kind, featuring six astronauts who were all women, including Aisha Bowe, singer Katy Perry, TV personality Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, activist Amanda Nguyên and Lauren Sánchez, journalist and owner of Blue Origin Jeff Bezos’ fiancée.

The spaceship creates a noise as it is traveling faster than the speed of sound, as the astronaut’s trip to space nears an end and prepares for landing. The sonic boom reverberated loudly–echoing deeply through the desert of Texas. The astronaut’s trip to space took around ten minutes to complete, reaching an altitude of 66 miles high, according to an article on the CBSNEWS website following the space launch. 

15-year-old Ajahnae Harrison was an attendee of the event. Harrison shared that she met Aisha Bowe at one of Bowe’s STEM LINGO camps at WCC almost three years ago, mentioning that she had worked closely with Bowe for a few summers and had even taught a STEM LINGO camp in Bowe’s absence. 

Harrison described watching Bowe’s mission to space as being “an emotional rollercoaster,” stating that she was proud of Bowe and her team. 

“Wow, I really know her, and I really worked with her and to see her going to space–that’s phenomenal,” Harrison said. 

WCC President, Rose Bellanca, was also in attendance for the Blue Origin NS-31 mission to space at WCC.

Bellanca shared feelings of pride for both Bowe and Perry and all their accomplishments, highlighting that all faculty and staff of WCC and Washtenaw County taxpayers are here to support students and their success and dreams.

“It’s so inspirational for our students because anyone’s dreams can come true. Of course, there will be barriers or twists and turns in the road, but that’s life. Keep your eye on the prize, you’ll get there. We’re going to do all we can to help you while you’re here with us,” Bellanca said. 

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