Introducing the STORIES of Space Project

Connecting people to space exploration, one story at a time

Can a simple story change the way we explore space?

I believe the answer is yes, and I’m inviting everyone on Earth to join me.?Space is for everyone. And with the STORIES of Space Project, you and your story can be a part of space- literally.

Today, the STORIES of Space team and I are beyond excited to announce the STORIES of Space Project, where space enthusiasts, explorers, writers, dreamers, everyone, of all ages, can share their story, have it launched into space, where it will stay in low Earth orbit (LEO) for 6 months, before returning to Earth!

In this article, I’m sharing the how, what, when and why the STORIES of Space Project will change the way we explore space- and how you can participate today!

Your story. In space! 2023.

HOW

The STORIES of Space Project is simple, inclusive, and inviting. You can submit your space story TODAY in three simple steps.

1.???????Go to the project website where all stories are collected, www.storiesofspace.com.

2.??????Write your story through a series of prompts that collect your submission. Your story about space should be within 2, 500 words or less, and in English.

3.??????Click “submit” once you’ve typed in your story. Congratulations! Your story has officially begun its journey to space!?

WHEN

Story submissions are currently OPEN and being accepted from now thru December 31, 2022 at the STORIES of Space project website.

STORIES and SCIENCE

Once received, Beth Mund and the STORIES team will then load the stories onto a variety of SD cards. This multi-phase, global project will send the first collection of stories to space as part of an Aegis Aerospace MISSE payload carrier, where they will orbit for 6 months on board the International Space Station, before returning to Earth.

“This is your chance to be a part of history and to launch a piece of yourself into space. Your story - one of the most unique parts of you - will travel far above you and all of humanity for months. You’ll look up into the sky and know that you and your story are among the stars.”??-Beth Mund,?Executive Director of STORIES of Space Project

In addition to orbiting stories, Mund and her team will be conducting several science experiments as part of the STORIES Project - one that will help examine technologies for both our application on earth and in our commercial payloads and investments in space.

STORIES of Space Principal Investigator, Katie Kempff explains how the team is implementing an experiment along with the stories collected.?“There’s an opportunity here to not only share stories of space and science on this mission, but to DO science experiments at the same time,” Kempff noted. “We want to examine how data storage

Devices- specifically SD cards- stand up to the rigors of space. Several familiar brands of cards will be tested, and when they return to Earth, we will be able to see how the devices handled the stresses of launch, re-entry, a microgravity environment, and the harsh radiation of space during the mission duration, roughly 6 months of exposure,” Katie explained.

“As more satellites enter space, data storage is going to be critical, and we’ll know exactly how these devices perform so that space commerce participants- from government to commercial companies- can make plans accordingly,” said Kempff.

“We all can have equal access to space,” noted STORIES Project Manager Bailey Stripeling.

“Today, the STORIES of Space Project give us all a chance to connect with space on in a very personal and creative way. One that inspires endless opportunities; perhaps a future career in the space industry. An innovation that turns into a space solution, or maybe an idea that’s presented within a story becomes a reality when thousands of others hear and embrace it. It’s all possible with this project, and I’m excited to see what happens when people feel directly connected with space,” Striepling said.

“Each story has an opportunity to impact the way we explore space, and the STORIES project plans to deliver stories of space beyond the International Space Station,” Mund explains.

“50,000 story submissions flying to low Earth orbit (LEO) is just the beginning. Sending stories beyond LEO to the Moon and even to Mars are project plans we’ll accomplish one story at a time!”

www.storiesofspace.com

STORIES of Space Executive Director, Beth Mund

Beth Mund is an analog astronaut, CEO of Stellar Communications, former NASA communications officer, keynote speaker, and space communicator. At NASA, she served as a public affairs officer and International Space Station communications officer. As an analog astronaut, she served on two (2) simulated missions; one to Mars at the HI-SEAS research facility in Hawaii, and a lunar simulation in Poland at the Lunares Research Station. Beth is the weekly host of the “Casual Space” podcast, providing “intimate conversations each week with astronauts and authors, scientists, and CEOs, looking to share their love for space exploration while helping to inspire the next generation of explorers.”

Mund currently serves on the Space Camp Alumni Board and the board of the Space Drinks Association. ?For more information, visit https://www.bethmund.com/.

STORIES of Space Project Manager, Bailey Striepling

Bailey is a Marquette University senior currently working towards her Bachelor's degree in Journalism with minors in Business Administration and Public Relations. She has a passion for writing, reporting and editing news stories. Previously, she has worked for the Marquette Wire and Milwaukee Magazine. As The STORIES of Space Project's Project Manager, Bailey's communication and leadership skills help enable thousands of people to connect their story to space.

STORIES of Space Project Principal Investigator, Katie Kempff

Katie Kempff is a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studying Aerospace Engineering and Comparative Media Studies. She is passionate about the study of space, both in a technical aspect and on a personal level. She has previously worked as a Social Media Intern for Casual Space Podcast, and now fills the role of Primary Investigator for the SD card experiment on The STORIES of Space Project. Katie’s hardworking nature and resourcefulness allows The STORIES of Space Project to conduct important SD card research for future satellite missions while simultaneously sharing thousands of individual stories to space.?

About Stories of Space Project

Stories of Space Project is an open-source project available to a global community of storytellers who wish to connect people to space. Driven by a team of scientists, researchers, communicators, and writers, The Stories of Space Project believes that a story can change the way we explore space. Selected Stories of Space submissions will be cataloged on SD cards (secure digital cards or a tiny flash memory card designed for high-capacity memory and various portable devices) scheduled to fly in 2023. The SD cards are part of a payload test project flown by NASA on a MISSE satellite carrier, provided by Aegis Aerospace, a space and technology company that provides turn-key solutions to government and commercial customers in the space and defense industries. MISSE is a highly flexible, commercial facility owned and operated by Aegis Aerospace that is permanently installed on the external ISS truss near the solar arrays.

For more information, and to submit a story, visit https://www.storiesofspace.com/