asked.
âOf course!â
âWhat do you have to do to qualify?â Jessica asked.
âFirst, you need a college degree in math or science or engineeringâthe more education the better,â she began.
âDo you have to be in the army or navy?â Neil wanted to know.
âNot necessarily. Many of the astronauts are, but Iâm not.â
âDo you think it will help that Iâve been to Space Camp?â Cubby asked.
Ms. Washington laughed. âIâm sure it couldnât hurt.â
âWhat about a physical? I guess you gotta be healthy,â Rico said.
âAbsolutely! The physical and mental tests are pretty tough.â
âI know that women can be assigned to flights, but are you the only African-American astronaut?â Rashawn asked shyly.
âIâm glad you asked that question,â Ms.Washington answered. âLet me tell you just a little about minorities in our program. Since the program began, there have been more than a dozen African-American astronauts.â
Jerome raised his hand. âI did a report on them for school, so I know that Robert Lawrence was the very first black astronaut, but he died before he could go into space,â he explained. âGuion Bluford was the first African American to fly in space, and Ronald McNair died during the Challenger accident in 1986.â
Ms. Washington looked pleased. âExcellent!â she said. âDo you know who was the first African-American woman in space?â
âYou?â Ziggy asked hopefully.
âNo, man!â Rico said. âShe already told us she hasnât been up in space yet. It was Mae Jemison, wasnât it, Ms. Washington?â
âYes! I am truly impressed by all your knowledge!â she said, pleasure in her voice. âWe have also had six Hispanic astronauts.â
âI knew that,â Cubby said excitedly.
âYou guys donât need me at all,â Ms. Washington told the group. âIâd hire you to go in space tomorrow. You just need to be a little taller!â She laughed.
âAre there any other women astronauts?â Nicolina asked.
Ms. Washington nodded. âThereâs a Hispanic woman, Ellen Ochoa, in the program now,â she told the group. âSheâs been on four space flights. There are some Hispanic men in the program as well. Franklin Chang-Dìaz has been on eight shuttle missions, and Michael Lopez-Alegria has walked in space.â
âAre you excited about going into space, Ms. Washington?â Jessica asked.
âAbsolutely. This is what I have prepared for all my life,â she replied with feeling.
âDo you believe in life on other planets, Ms. Washington?â Ziggy asked politely.
âI believe in possibilities,â she told him as she touched him on the shoulder. âThatâs why Iâm in this program.â
The group walked slowly back to Rocket Park, each one thinking of hope and dreams.
âSHE WAS REALLY COOL, MON,â ZIGGY SAID TO Jerome as he skipped down the path.
âI canât believe we met a real live astronaut!â Rashawn said with excitement.
âDo you think if I showed her this thing I found that she could tell us what it is, mon?â Ziggy took the strange object out of his pocket. It seemed to catch the sunlight, and it almost seemed to glow in his hand.
âDonât bother her with silly stuff like that, Ziggy,â Rico replied. âSheâs much too important to deal with your imaginary space stuff.â
âI guess youâre right, mon.â Ziggy sighed and put it back in his pocket.
As they got closer to Rocket Park, Samantha turned to the group and asked, âAre you guys ready for the Space Shot and the G-Force Accelerator?â
âOoh, ready, mon!â Ziggy said eagerly as they hurried over to the area where the outside simulators stood waiting.
Ms. Washington still walked with them. âI think