For many students, high school is the opportunity to explore passions in search of a career that aligns with personal interests. For some, that may mean taking classes that allow them to learn and explore. For others, it may mean gaining professional experience through jobs and internships. For Alonzo and Tracy Mourning High School senior Zahra Ronizi, discovering her career pathway began at 15 years old when she became an analog astronaut for the Astroland Interplanetary Agency.
“Living as an astronaut is so interesting,” Ronizi said. “From eating freeze-dried food to having this very strict sleeping schedule, it’s a challenge. But when I went through these missions, it only further motivated me to keep going.”
Analog astronauts simulate space missions on Earth to help safely prepare people physically and mentally for deep space flight. One of Ronizi’s notable missions was in November 2022 at the Ares Station in Cantabria, Spain, where she worked with the first all-female crew for an Astroland mission. She was in charge of collecting biological samples, mimicking what a crewed mission on Mars may feel like.
During her six-day mission, Ronizi’s schedule was planned down to the minute. Her day would begin with an extravehicular activity or a mock spacewalk outside the base. She would then move indoors to work in mission control and exercise for two hours, similar to the routine followed by astronauts on the International Space Station. In the evenings, she would try to relax and create a work-life balance even in the isolated confines of the base.
“At the end of each day, my teammates and I would try to relax together,” Ronizi said. “We would each bring books, we would each bring movies and we would each bring music that we would listen to. It was a good balance of very rigorous work and research with just living our lives as humans and enjoying the mission.”
As a high school student, Ronizi is often much younger than her colleagues. During her missions, she had to develop greater maturity to handle the required research responsibilities.
Working with a crew of adult professionals is really amazing and eye-opening. When we’re on these missions, they don’t treat me like a high schooler. I’m respected as one of their colleagues and it’s amazing to meet everyone from all across the world who have their own experiences and perspectives.
— senior Zahra Ronizi
“Working with a crew of adult professionals is really amazing and eye-opening,” Ronizi said. “When we’re on these missions, they don’t treat me like a high schooler. I’m respected as one of their colleagues and it’s amazing to meet everyone from all across the world who have their own experiences and perspectives.”
One of the highlights of Ronizi’s work as an analog astronaut is getting to work with scientists from around the globe. She loves getting to learn about the various ways scientists from different backgrounds approach space research, even when communication can be an obstacle.
“Working with people during these missions can be a complex experience, especially when there is a language barrier,” Ronizi said. “My team had a very interesting dynamic because I spoke French to a crewmate who spoke Spanish and they would translate what I said to the others. It was definitely a very interesting way to communicate.”
With her experiences as an analog, Ronizi has found herself closer to her dreams of being a NASA astronaut. In the future, she plans to study astrophysics and biomedical engineering to combine her love for biology and space exploration into a career.
Ronizi encourages students to put themselves out there and experiment with their passions. While there may be challenges, she says that this is a crucial aspect in ultimately reaching the reward.
“When you have a big dream, there are often different life obstacles that get thrown in front of you,” Ronizi said. “If you have the courage, motivation and ambition to pursue your dream, then no challenge, no obstacle, no financial situation can ever stop you from reaching it.”