Zimbabwe: Thomas Machingaidze has become the first Zimbabwean, to be enrolled for a degree programme at the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences in the United States where he will be trained as an astronaut.
Machingaidze’s is truly inspired by the South African business tycoon Elon Musk. Expressing his admiration for the Musk, he said, “A big inspiration for me is Elon Musk, seeing a South African go out into the world and start one of the biggest space companies which made me think that it was possible for me to go out there one day and explore the stars and planets.”
The journey of the sixteen-year-old teenager has begun at Advanced Space Academy at the US Space and Rocket Centre. He forged the connections with the experienced astronauts along with the out team triumphed in Mars Landing simulation.
Machingaidze has achieved symbolised Commanders Cup as a first Zimbabwean black and become the only black person to venture the field of white-dominated great minds.
As a teenager, its his ingenuity that propelled him to be accepted into the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences and has become the first Zimbabwean to earn the distinction.
Talking further about his achievement, Thomas Machingaidze said that he delved into immerse experiences by wearing real-life spacesuits and soaring through the skies, in high G/zero – G flights and piloting an X300 plane every endeavour that deepened his reverence for the cosmos.
Expressing himself, when it first hit him that he should be an astronaut, he said, “I think it was back in 2018, when SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy for the first time. I was watching the event unfolding on YouTube in my bedroom just before the midnight.”
Telling his story further, Thomas narrated, “As I was watching, something flipped a switch in my mind, I felt that the tides were shifting. This was the start of a defining period for what I always aspired to be or should I say embark on. From that day I truly wanted to be a part of this experience in person.”
Thomas is highly influenced by the collective vision of exploration and discovery as the award winning Machingaidze has set his sights on becoming a fully trained astronaut by the year 2030. The teenager confirmed that the Zimbabwean youth has it all what it takes to conquer the world.