Recently, NASA released that they are hiring for a ‘planetary protection officer’. However, the news spread all over the world and lost its calm. There are lakhs of people who have been intrigued with the concept of space, solar system, stars, and the universe from a very small age.
Even though they did not travel their own country so far, space travel has always been a dream hidden in some corner of their hearts. Are you one of them?
Many think it is as cool as Will Smith’s job in ‘Men in Black’ to be the savior of the world and defend it from alien attacks. But the opening is just for American citizens. However, people from all over the world have been writing to NASA to consider them for the job and so did a nine-year-old boy.
The young boy, Jack Davis believes he’s up to the task of protecting the planet even though he is not in high school yet. The class IV student wrote a letter to NASA listing points why he should be considered for the job. Jack’s letter was shared on Reddit by his parents’ friend and eventually, the letter went viral on social media.
The way he had written the stuff in that small letter somewhat excited him and made him imagine for a while that 9 YO boy, Jack Davis must be something big in the small body. His reasons will melt your heart because it’s the most innocent thing you’ll read. He considers himself as an alien expert and sheds light on his experiences that include having seen “almost all” movies about aliens and space.
Here’s what he wrote in the letter:
“Dear NASA,
My name is Jack Davis and I would like to apply for the planetary protection officer job. I may be nine but I think I would be fit for the job. One of the reasons is my sister says I am an alien. Also, I have seen almost all the space movies and alien movies I can see. I have also seen the show Marvel Agents of Shield and hope to see the movie Men in Black. I am great at video [sic] games. I am young, so I can learn to think like an alien.
Sincerely,
Jack Davis
Guardian of the Galaxy
Fourth Grade”
Users on the social media platform since then have been praising him not only for the contents of his letter but also for his determination. And the Director of planetary science too couldn’t stop himself from replying as he must have noticed something in the guy. He wrote:
Dear Jack,
I hear you are a ‘Guardian of the Galaxy’ and that you’re interested in being a NASA Planetary Protection Officer. That’s great!
Our Planetary Protection Officer position is really cool and is very important work. It’s about protecting Earth from tiny microbes when we bring back samples from the Moon, asteroids, and Mars. It’s also about protecting other planets and moons from our germs as we responsibly explore the Solar System.
We are always looking for bright future scientists and engineers to help us, so I hope you will study hard and do well in school. We hope to see you here at NASA one of these days!
Sincerely,
Dr. James L. Green
Director, Planetary Science Division”
The American space agency didn’t stop there, however.
NASA said in the release.
Jonathan Rall – NASA’s planetary research director – also rang up Davis “to congratulate him on his interest in the position.” They added, “Although the Planetary Protection Officer position may not be in real-life what the title conjures up, it does play an important role in promoting the responsible exploration of our solar system by preventing microbial contamination of other planets and our own.”
NASA pays up to $187,000 salary for the post of full-time planetary protection officer – a role established in 1967. The role is not only responsible for protecting alien worlds like Europa (an icy, ocean-hiding, and potentially habitable moon of Jupiter) from germs on human-launched spacecraft, but also defending the Earth from contamination by alien microbes.
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Even though NASA is not hiring someone to fight an alien invasion, if such a day really comes, we already have a guardian to save us, don’t we?