Alyssa Carson: The Woman Who Has Been Preparing for Mars Since She Was 3
Alyssa Carson has pursued her childhood dream of reaching Mars through years of intense training and dedication to science, aiming to be part of future human missions to Mars.
While most three-year-olds dream of toys, Alyssa Carson dreamed of Mars.
Born in Louisiana in 2001, her fascination with space began after watching a cartoon about Mars. Supported by her father, Bert Carson, she started studying space by age six and attended her first space camp at seven.
She went on to attend all three NASA-supported camps across the U.S., Canada, and Turkey, earning the nickname “NASA Blueberry.” By 12, she was speaking at space events, and by 15, she began astronaut-style training.
Alyssa is now trained in zero gravity, scuba diving, skydiving, and piloting—earning her pilot license at 18. She studies astrobiology and researches life on Mars, while inspiring young minds worldwide.
Though not yet selected by NASA, she continues preparing—hoping to be among the first humans to reach Mars in the 2030s.
