In an event that aligned the dreams of pediatric patients and the wonders of space exploration, Anna Menon, a crew member of Polaris Dawn and resident of Houston, delivered a reading of her children's book "Kisses from Space" while aboard the spacecraft. The reading occurred yesterday and was transmitted to the young patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and her own children, reported the Houston Chronicle. Menon, together with Keri Vasek, crafted the narrative, which was visualized through the illustrations of Emmy-award-winning animator Andy Harkness.
Menon's journey to the stars is part of the book's proceeds, which are intended to support St. Jude's mission, "I am so excited to talk with all of you today and also get to read a book that's really special to me," Menon said in the reading. She emphasized, "This book, 'Kisses from Space,' is a story that I wrote for you, James and Grace, to remind you that I love you and that I'm always thinking of you even when we're apart. But I'm also excited for another reason, and that is the fact that this book raises money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital," as noted by Houston Chronicle.
According to a post from the official Polaris Dawn X account, the reading was not the only interactive event for the Polaris Dawn mission. A Q&A session with the crew followed, wherein the St. Jude patients had the opportunity to discuss the mission's objectives and experiences with the orbiting astronauts. The post heralded the book published by Penguin Random House and gave a nod to Menon's co-author Vasek, and illustrator Harkness.
Join Polaris Dawn's @annawmenon for an on-orbit reading of her book alongside her family and patients from @StJude ✨
— Polaris (@PolarisProgram) September 12, 2024
Published by Penguin Random House, Kisses from Space was authored by Anna Menon and Keri Vasek and was illustrated by Andy Harkness.
After her book reading,… pic.twitter.com/kSrjgP7Mhx
Polaris Dawn's mission, which lifted off on Tuesday, has already achieved a significant milestone by completing the first commercial spacewalk this morning. Such a feat extends the boundaries of private spaceflight and its potential impact on future explorations. The overall mission is expected to last five days, during which the crew will test new technologies and perform health research critical to future deep-space exploration missions, featured in the Houston Chronicle.
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