Pittsfield native preparing to head to space

HOUSTON (NEWS10) -- This summer, a crew of four from NASA will launch into space to spend eight months working on the International Space Station. On board the SpaceX spacecraft will be an astronaut who grew up in Berkshire County, Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson.

"Big dreams can come from small places."

For Wilson that place was Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

"I am a proud member of the Taconic High Class of 1984," Wilson shared. "I started looking up at the night sky as a 13-year-old. I would have never imagined this would become my career."

It's a career that led her all the way to NASA in the 90s and eventually into space.

"It's a ride that's hard to describe. It's a ride that's not like any other, the acceleration is very exciting," Wilson said. "Really, looking back on earth is a fantastic thing, and it really gives us an appreciation and how important it is to preserve the earth we have."

This August, Wilson will be on board SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft headed to the International Space Station where she will spend eight months conducting research. Her space exploration comes as a result of the pathways provided on the ground from a young age.

"I really enjoyed growing up in the Berkshire County area. I also felt like there were a lot of resources in the area with the library that's there in Pittsfield and the Berkshire Athenaeum, so there are a lot of resources," Wilson explained.

Now on her twenty-eighth year at NASA, her example is providing a launching pad for young scientists exploring new frontiers.

"Anytime I faced an obstacle or difficulty, I found that mentors -- talking to someone who had done it before -- helped to present a different pathway," she said. "Find something you're passionate about and pursue it."

The tentative launch date for her next mission will be no earlier than August 19.

NASA is currently accepting applications for astronauts. Anyone with a master's degree in a STEM field, including engineering, computer science or mathematics, can apply. The deadline to apply is April 16.