Sarah Cruddas Q&A: The Space Race
Sarah Cruddas, the author of The Space Race, has all the answers to your space questions. We caught up with her to chat about her favourite discovery, her inspiration behind her career path, and all things space!
At what age did you fall in love with space?
I cannot remember a time when I haven’t been passionate about space. One of my first memories is of looking up at the Moon. I remember being about 6 or 7 and learning about the planets at school, in particular the planet Venus and discovering that it was this crazy world with a thick, choking atmosphere that would crush you within seconds. From then on, I was hooked.
You've written several books on space for kids, including Did You Know? Space, DKfindout! Solar System, and now The Space Race. Why do you think it’s so important for kids to learn about space?
I think it is important not just for kids, but for everybody to both learn about and be inspired by space. We are just this one planet in this one average solar system, which is one of many that exist in the universe. Space gives us hope and a sense of wonder about what else could be out there. We simply do not know yet. But what I do know is that all of us alive today are living in a space age, and we are so lucky to be around in a time when people are able to take their first steps out into the universe.
What advice do you have for a child who wants to grow up to be an astronaut?
You can do it! I wrote this in my book, because it is true—the first person who will walk on Mars is probably in school right now! There is no reason that it can’t be you. Work hard, stay focused, accept that there will be setbacks and things won’t always go to plan, but keep going. The future is yours to create.
What’s your favourite space discovery of all time?
That is an impossible question to answer! There are so many awesome discoveries! But I do love the fact that on the planet Pluto there are volcanoes that spew out ice instead of lava! That’s pretty cool.
Do you have a favourite planet? And why?
Earth! Earth is the best planet. Our home has everything we need to not only survive, but also thrive. But there is only one Earth, so let’s look after it!
Is there a person from history that inspired you to choose your career path?
I loved learning about female astronauts when I was growing up. Representation matters: if you can see it, you can be it. People such as Judy Resnik (second American woman in space), Eileen Collins (first woman to ever command a Space Shuttle mission and writer of the foreword for The Space Race), and many others made me believe that I could be whatever I wanted to be. It didn’t matter where I came from, it was about where I wanted to go.
What is your favourite quirky or little-known space fact that you included in The Space Race?
That Mars is a planet populated by robots—the robots were sent there by people!
If you had a choice between being on the International Space Station for a week or in a craft travelling to the Moon for a week, which would you choose?
The Moon! Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t say no to a trip to the International Space Station, but to set foot on the Moon, to bounce about in the 1/6th gravity, and to look back at Earth and be able to cover it with my thumb—that would be awesome! I hope that a kid reading this is inspired by my words and actually does get to walk on the Moon!
What's the next big thing in space exploration?
Returning people to the Moon and then heading onwards to the planet Mars. Can you imagine setting foot on Mars? Simply incredible.
There is also a lot of exciting stuff happening in orbit around Earth. People are learning how to create things in space, and hopefully in the future we will be able to move manufacturing off Earth.
Did your copy of The Space Race that you sent to space burn up on re-entry, or will we find it somewhere on Earth?
I have the book! It returned to Earth, using a parachute! I haven’t decided what to do with it yet, but yes, it is truly a limited edition!
About Sarah Cruddas
Sarah Cruddas is a space journalist, TV host and award winning Author. She has an academic background in astrophysics and is a global thought leader in the growing commercial space sector. She is a director at Space for Humanity a US non-profit aimed at democratizing access to space and currently divides her time between London and the US. Sarah is the author of 3 children’s books, published by DK. Her third book The Space Race has been released for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landings and features a forward by astronaut Eileen Collins—the first woman to command a space mission.
