SpaceX launch inspires local student

NNU student Ben Campbell is inspired by SpaceX's recent launch last weekend.

SPACE X LAUNCHMARKS THE FIRSTTIME IN NEARLY ADECADEASTRONAUTS HAVELAUNCHED INTOORBIT FROM U-SSOIL.OUR JESSICA TAYLORSPOKE WITH ONELOCAL STUDENT...HOPING TO BE PARTOF A NEW ERA OFAMERICAN SPACETRAVEL.BEN CAMPBELL IS ASTUDENT AT NNU.AND HE'S PLAYED APART IN MANY TEAMEFFORTS TO GETSATELLITES INTOSPACE.

HE SHARESHIS REACTION TOLAST SATURDAY'SLAUNCH AND WHAT ITMEANS FOR HISFUTURE IN THEAEROSPACE FIELD."I PRETTY MUCH HADMY COMPUTERSTREAMING THE LIVESTREAM NONSTOPUPWARDS OF 6HOURS BEFORELAUNCH UP UNTILTHEY DOCKED AND ALITTLE WHILE AFTERTHE LAUNCHCREATED A BUZZ OFEXCITEMENT AROUNDTHE NATION,ESPECIALLY FORSTUDENTS LIKE BENCAMPBELL.

A SPACEENTHUSIAST, ELONMUSK FAN.

AND ONEOF THE STUDENTS ATNNU WHO'S WORKEDON THE SCHOOL'S"MAKER-SAT"SATELLITES."THAT'S BEEN INORBIT NOW FOR AFEW MONTHS ANDWE'VE BEEN LOOKINGAT DATA PROCESSINGOVER THE PAST FEWMONTHS"THE HISTORICLAUNCH REIGNITESTHE PASSIONSTUDENTS HAVE TOKEEP GOING IN THEFIELD"WHAT I WANT TO DOIS MAKE IT SOLAUNCHOPPORTUNITIES AREAVAILABLE FOR MUCHSMALLER ENTITIESTHAT DON'T QUITEHAVE THE BUDGETOF NASA OR SPACEX"SPACE-X FOCUSESON REUSABILITY.

TOBRING DOWN THETOTAL COST BYREUSING PARTS.HOWEVER, RETIREDNASA ASTRONAUTSTEVEN SWANSONSAYS IT'S STILL TOOEXPENSIVE FORSPACE TOURISM TOBE AN IMMEDIATEPOSSIBILITY." THATS A GREATSTEP IN THAT WAY,IT'S STILL GOING TOBE REALLY REALLYEXPENSIVE, SO ITSNOT GOING TO BEAVAILABLE FORE LOTOF PEOPLE FOR AWHILE BUT SPACE-XIS DOING A GOOD JOBOF BRINGING DOWNTHE COST FOR THATFIRST STAGE MOTOR"STILL, IT CREATESEXCITINGPROSPECTS FORSTUDENTS LIKEBEN.

HE'S NOWWORKING ONCREATING HIS OWNAEROSPACECOMPANY.

BUTCAMPBELL SAYS HE'STAKING IT SLOW ANDIS WELL AWARE OFTHE TIME ANDEXPERIENCE IT TAKESTO GET TO A LEVELLIKE SPACE-X.HE'S HAD BILLIONSOF DOLLARS TO BEABLE TO FLOWTHROUGH SPACE-XAND IT'S TAKENALMOST TWODECADES TO GETPEOPLE LAUNCHED.ME, I'M A BROKECOLLEGE STUDENT,PROBABLY GOING TOTAKE ME A LITTLELONGER TO GET TOTHATFOR NOW, HE'SALLOWING HIMSELFPLENTY OF TIME TOREACH HIS GOAL."THE SOONER ISTART, HOPEFULLYTHE BETTER CHANCEI HAVE OF GETTINGOFF THE GROUND,PUN FULLYINTENDED"BEN SAYS IT'S IN NOWAY A FULL-FLEDGEDSPACE PROGRAM,AND HIS CURRENTAIM IS CREATING THEMOST OVERDONEMODEL ROCKET OUTTHERE.

BUT WITHTIME HE'LL ADDIMPROVEMENTS ANDDEVELOP EVENMORE.

REPORTING INBOISE JESSICATAYLOR IDAHO NEWSSIX