Ares Mission Journal, Astronaut Philip Lester (Phan NASA AU)

Ares Mission Journal, Astronaut Philip Lester

March 23rd, 2037

They say that in life you never completely get what you want.

They say that there's always a point where you just can't do anything anymore, where there's that final obstacle you will never make it over, that there is always someone better than you.

Throughout my entire life I'd chosen to ignore this outlook on life where you always assume the worst. Because if you always assume the worst thing will happen then how do you ever get the motivation to try in the first place?

This was my mindset when I applied to be an astronaut on the Ares Missions.

But people all around me, even my closest family and friends told me that it was unreasonable, that I shouldn't get my hopes up and I should find something else to do for when I inevitably get rejected. So many people told me this, that I actually started to believe it.

But then I got the letter back from NASA.

And I'd gotten accepted to be one of the astronauts on the Ares mission.

To say that I freaked out is an understatement, really. I was so ecstatic and excited and relieved that all of my hard work and all of those long years at college had finally paid off in the best way possible. Out of millions and millions of people that applied, somehow I was one of the five selected. One of the five.

And I've been given the job of recording everything that happens on this mission--the training, the launch, the flight, Mars, and the departure from Mars. It's a really important job, considering what I'm writing could end up published in newspapers and scientific articles for future generations. But no pressure (nose pressure), right?

So far I've heard absolutely nothing about any of the other astronauts on my team, as we are not allowed to post online that we've gotten accepted. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow (our first day of training) to meet the rest of the crew. Honestly, I'm somewhere between excited and terrified to meet them. I mean, we'll be spending the next three and a half years together, which would be a very long time if we all ended up not being able to stand each other. But just like everything else I've done in my life, I'm looking at this in the best way possible. NASA most likely chose people that would get along exceedingly and have traits that complemented each other so that we would work together stupendously on Mars under high-pressure and tense situations.

Who knows, maybe I'll be meeting my four new best friends tomorrow, if NASA really did choose people in that fashion. Maybe I'll even meet the person I'm meant to be with and we'll fall in--no.

No, that's absolutely crazy. Forget I ever even mentioned the whole thing. I'll record how well everything ends up going tomorrow after the first day of training.

March 24th, 2037

I just want to reiterate my thanks to NASA for giving me this experience. Walking into the headquarters of NASA today was the most surreal thing that has ever happened to me. Just taking a step inside, watching everyone turn to me and look at me with respect, seeing the spaceship I'll end up leaving in soon in the process of construction.

Someone needed to pinch me, because honestly, none of it felt like it could possibly be real.

And the other members of the crew were all absolutely amazing. All of us are so different yet weirdly compatible as a group (which, once again, was probably NASA's intention). Well . . . almost. I'm sure we'll get there soon.

The first crew member I met was Daniel Howell. From what I could gather about him, he's calm and cool and collected, all of the time. I assume that he won't crack under pressure (at least not noticeably), so if for any reason we get into a bad situation, he'll help us pull through it. But on the downside, he seems to struggle with caring about people. All of us were sat in a circle, and I turned and asked him a single question.