A 10-year-old schoolboy who wanted help with his space project went to the very top – and got the answers from NASA.
Inquisitive Christopher Allan is fascinated by spaceships and wanted to do a presentation on different types of rocket.
But his space books, encyclopaedia and parents couldn’t give him the detailed information he craved.
So he wrote to NASA’s headquarters in America – and was stunned to get a detailed letter back answering each of his questions individually.
His proud mum Carole said today: ”Christopher was absolutely over the moon to get a letter from Nasa.
”They gave him everything he needed for his project, so much technical information, which he’s still amazing us with.
”It’s fantastic because we never dreamed he’d get a personal response. Now he wants to be an astronaut.”
Christopher, a pupil at Brediland Primary School in Paisley, Renfrewshire, had to pick a subject when his P6 class were all told to do a project on the solar system.
He chose rockets, but was unable to find the sort of detailed he wanted for his two-minute speech.
So he came up with the idea of writing direct to NASA.
Carole, 40, said: ”There is nobody better you can ask about space than NASA so it made sense.
”I even admitted they might know a bit more than me and his dad!
”I helped him look up the address and send the letter but I didn’t think they would actually return his letter. They must have hundreds of thousands of people writing to them every day.
”Christopher was running to the doormat every day but I was trying to tell him not to get too excited, that he probably wouldn’t hear back.”
Christopher sent his letter in early November but didn’t get his reply in time for his presentation and had to go ahead without his crucial facts.
However, last month Carole came home to find a big envelope with the NASA logo on the front. It had been delayed by the bad winter weather.
When her son came home from school, she had to stop him excitedly tearing through the letter in his rush to open it.
Inside was a personal letter from the NASA education officer with his name on it, signed pictures of astronauts and, more importantly, all the facts he needed.
He’d been sent pictures of all the agency’s recent rockets with information on them and even a replica space rocket he could make himself out of cardboard.
Armed with his new material, Christopher’s teachers allowed him to give his presentation again and showcase all the information and images for his classmates.
Christopher, who lives in Paisley with his mum, financial controller dad Stephen, 40, brother Matthew, seven, and sister Beth, three, has now hidden his letter away in a special place.
He said: ”I’m really interested in space and technology and I would love to be an astronaut when I’m older.
”It was great getting the letter back from the guys at NASA. I showed all my friends the stuff they sent me and they absolutely loved it.”
A spokesperson for Christopher’s school said: ”We are impressed that Christopher wrote to NASA.
”Their response has really increased his enthusiasm about the subject.”
Good show Christopher! The only silly questions are the ones left unasked!
And Kudos to NASA for answering the Child!
Glad to see that all the money thrown at NASA is providing some tangible benefit. Also very nice to see that folks there have so much free time, on the taxpayers dime.
As with most organizations, there are people in NASA whose jobs are to respond to public requests for information. It may be “on the taxpayers dime”, but they pay people to do exactly what they did for the boy. There’s nothing unusual about it, just good business, and even better, good PR.
Really? A young boy’s imagination was feulled and you’re using a feel-good story to bitch about NASA’s budget?
Those of us who work for institutions like NASA, various military branches, and other agencies that promote education MAKE time to answer questions like this. If children are the future, why disenfranchise them early on by ignoring their requests for knowledge?
You should have asked some questions when you were younger. Your grasp of facts might be worth something now.
Reqw…Why do you insist on being an idiot? I mean c’mon now. People like you make it your life’s mission (if you have one) to find the turd in the scoop of ice cream…troll.
‘Reqw’ – were you dropped on your head as a baby? Are you still angry about it?
no one is perfect. the next time you use your microwave, think “thanks nasa” then stop complaining.
I wrote NASA in sixth grade to ask for an astronaut job for a kid..(why not). And they actually wrote back and sent me posters and space books. They told me to stay in school and study really hard. One of the best memories I have of my childhood. NASA is awesome.
Obvious troll Reqw is obvious.
It must be dusty in my office, damn eyes are watering.
Kudos to NASA.
I tell you what Reqw. You give up EVERYTHING that the space program has been largely responsible in developing that you use every day in your life and I’ll be happy to pick up the .80c a year that it costs you to have NASA. (Really, the cost of NASA runs about .80c a year!)
I hope to see Christopher Allan in space one day — writing home to kids with questions about school projects. 😀
What this article written by a 10 year old too? There are enough errors in basic grammar to presume so…
Maybe the U.S. Congress should look into this. It seems, all they have to do is write NASA a letter and they will receive all kinds of facts about rockets, so Congress doesn’t have to make them up!
I kind of love this. I am incredibly amazed. Next time I need help on an essay, I’m going straight to NASA.
NASA answers even to children in other countries. A few months ago there was a similar news of a school class in Brazil that asked NASA about the planets of the solar system and got all this info, graphics, posters, etc.
Christopher Gregson You seemed to have missed the point. You also claimed errors without giving a single example. Maybe you are someone that has a life so barren that all you can do is try to make other people feel as terrible as yourself?
IHAVE A PROJECT FOR SAVE AIROPLANE FUEL.