ORLANDO, Fla. – During a broadcast from Seacrest Studios at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Sharon Hagle had a chance to share her experience with the children about what it was like to launch into space.
Hagle also answered some questions and showed them some behind-the-scenes footage of her journey to space.
“It was a privilege to be here at the Arnold Palmer hospital to talk to the kids,” Hagle said.
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On March 31, she lived the experience of a lifetime onboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, a moment Hagle dreamed of 60 years ago.
“Literally I had to pinch myself to see finally it’s here. After all these years,” she said.
Three months after that life-changing experience, Hagle is giving future generations a glimpse of her dream come true. Isabella Aries and Deborah Kirkwood had front-row seats to Hagle’s presentation. They even got to ask her questions about her journey to space.
“I think it’s just like blue, there’s a lot of stars that just shine and the sun shines,” Aries said.
At 6 years old, Aries wonders what space is like.
For Kirkwood, listening to Hagle talk about her accomplishment, inspired her to reach for the stars.
“It just made me smile and think that I actually can be following my dreams like how she followed her dreams,” Kirkwood said.
Hagle is also the founder of Spacekids Global, a nonprofit with a mission to inspire children to become part of the STEAM fields through programs and competitions.
“You know, we want to know why these kids want to go to space. Are they even interested? Do they want to live on Mars?” Hagle said. “If we don’t get kids excited about space exploration and technology, we’re gonna lose them”
Through hands-on experience, Hagle hopes to get results for the future of space travel.
“To me, it’s so exciting that the possibility that they can go to space today; this isn’t ten years out — the future is here now,” she said.