This document contains an interview series with Abigail Harrison, an aspiring astronaut and founder of The Mars Generation nonprofit. In the interview, Abby discusses growing up in Minnesota and being interested in space from a young age. She also discusses her background in STEM education, her favorite books and movies, and her vision for the future of the space industry, which she believes will see increased space tourism in the next 10 years. Throughout the interview, Abby describes herself as inquisitive, spunky, and tenacious.

1. An interview seires
with Dylan Taylor
T-MINUS 10
ABIGAIL HARRISON
with

2. T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor
Abigail “Astronaut Abby” Harrison (astronautabby.com) is an
aspiring astronaut and the founder of the international
nonprofit organization The Mars Generation. A rising star in
her field, she holds a degree in biology from Wellesley College,
has interned at NASA, and has been featured in Forbes, CNN,
The Wall Street Journal, Seventeen, Marie Claire, Teen Vogue,
the BBC, USA Today, and more. Abby believes that no one is
ever too young to pursue their dreams–she herself is living proof
of that notion–and she’s determined to help as many young
people as possible start reaching for their very own stars. Abby
lives in Minneapolis. Follow her on Twitter @AstronautAbby, on
Facebook at Facebook.com/AstronautAbby, and on Instagram @AstronautAbbyOfficial.
ABOUT
ABIGAIL HARRISON

3. I was born and raised in the Twin Cities,
Minnesota. My background is in STEM
education and space exploration.
10. WHAT IS YOUR
BACKGROUND, WHERE DID YOU
GROW UP?
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

4. I have been interested in space my entire life. One of my
earliest memories—from when I was probably about four or
five years old—is of standing outside at night in my backyard
looking up at the night sky and dreaming about all the
wonders of our universe and about someday going to space
to explore those wonders.
9. WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME
INTERESTED IN SPACE?
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

5. 8. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING THE
INDUSTRY TODAY?
T H I S I S A D I F F I C U L T Q U E S T I O N T O A N S W E R W H E N I T ’ S B E I N G A S K E D A B O U T I N
R E G A R D S T O T H E S P A C E I N D U S T R Y B E C A U S E I T I S S U C H A L A R G E A N D V A R I E D
I N D U S T R Y . F O R E X A M P L E , T H E B I G G E S T C H A L L E N G E I N L O W E A R T H O R B I T I S S P A C E
D E B R I S — T H E R E A R E O V E R H A L F A M I L L I O N P I E C E S O F D E B R I S O R B I T I N G A R O U N D
T H E E A R T H T H A T A R E 1 0 C M O R S M A L L E R , A N D 4 , 0 0 0 O F T H E S E A R E F U L L S I Z E N O N -
O P E R A T I O N A L S A T E L L I T E ’ S . A L L O F T H E S E A R E T R A V E L I N G A T R O U G H L Y 1 7 , 5 0 0
M I L E S P E R H O U R . T H A T ’ S P R E T T Y C R O W D E D , A N D C R E A T E S A S E R I O U S C O N C E R N
O F C O L L I S I O N F O R A N Y T H I N G T H A T W E L A U N C H I N T O O R B I T . H O W E V E R , I F Y O U ’ R E
T A L K I N G A B O U T I N T E R P L A N E T A R Y T R A V E L Y O U H A V E A N E N T I R E L Y D I F F E R E N T H O S T
O F M A J O R I S S U E S . A N D A G A I N , I F Y O U ’ R E T A L K I N G A B O U T S P A C E T O U R I S M T H A T ’ S
A L S O A N E W S E T O F I S S U E S . T H A T ’ S W H A T M A K E S S P A C E E X P L O R A T I O N A N D T H E
S P A C E I N D U S T R Y S O E X C I T I N G I N M Y O P I N I O N — T H E R E A R E A L W A Y S A M U L T I T U D E
O F I S S U E S J U S T W A I T I N G T O B E S O L V E D !
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

6. 7. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN?
I ’ M A H U G E B E L I E V E R I N L I V I N G A B A L A N C E D L I F E , A N D A L S O A H U G E
B E L I E V E R I N T H E I M P O R T A N C E O F T H E A R T S ( B O T H T O M Y F U T U R E A S A
S C I E N T I S T A N D A S T R O N A U T A N D T O M Y G E N E R A L W E L L N E S S A N D S A N I T Y ! ) I N
M Y S P A R E T I M E , W H E N I ’ M N O T F O C U S E D O N M Y F U T U R E , M Y N O N - P R O F I T
W O R K , O R M Y O U T R E A C H A N D A D V O C A C Y W O R K , I H A V E A V E R Y D I V E R S E
S E T O F T H I N G S T H A T I D O F O R F U N ! I A M P A S S I O N A T E A B O U T D A N C E A N D
R E G U L A R L Y A T T E N D S O C I A L P A R T N E R D A N C E S ( S U C H A S S W I N G , B L U E S ,
S A L S A , B A C H A T A , W A L T Z I N G , A N D M O R E ) A N D A M A S T U D E N T O F B A L L E T . I
A L S O P L A Y V I O L I N ( W I T H A S P E C I A L I N T E R E S T I N I R I S H / T R A D F I D D L I N G ) ,
P A I N T , D R A W , P L A Y S T R A T E G I C B O A R D G A M E S , A N D D E S I G N A N D S E W
C L O T H I N G . I N A D D I T I O N , I L I K E T O R U N L O N G D I S T A N C E ( I R E C E N T L Y
C O M P L E T E D T W O H A L F M A R A T H O N S ) .
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

7. My favorite movie probably won’t
surprise you- it’s The Martian.
6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE
MOVIE AND WHY?
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

8. Most of my favorite books are in the sci-fi and
fantasy genres. These include Dragonflight by
Anne McCaffrey, Speaker for the Dead by Orson
Scott Card, The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le
Guin, and pretty much anything and everything
by Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn, The Way of
Kings, Elantris, Words of Radiance).
5. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR
FAVORITE BOOKS?
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

9. 4. WHAT ARE YOU READING NOW?
I ’ M C U R R E N T L Y R E A D I N G T H E L E V I A T H A N W A K E S S E R I E S
B Y J A M E S S . A C O R E Y ( W H I C H T H E T V S E R I E S T H E
E X P A N S E W A S B A S E D O N ) , T H E C O B R A R E B E L L I O N
S E R I E S B Y T I M O T H Y Z A H N , T H E T H R E E - B O D Y P R O B L E M
B Y L I U C I X I N , O A T H B R I N G E R B Y B R A N D O N S A N D E R S O N ,
A N D R E R E A D I N G H A R R Y P O T T E R .
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

10. 3. WHERE DO YOU SEE THE SPACE INDUSTRY
IN TEN YEARS?
I T H I N K O N E O F T H E L A R G E S T C H A N G E S I N T H E S P A C E I N D U S T R Y
T H A T W E ’ L L S E E I N T H E N E X T T E N Y E A R S I S A N I N C R E A S E I N
S P A C E T O U R I S M . C U R R E N T L Y S P A C E T O U R I S M I S O N L Y
A V A I L A B L E F O R T H E V E R Y W E A L T H Y A N D V E R Y P R I V I L E G E D — I
F U L L Y B E L I E V E T H A T W E ’ L L S E E M A N Y I N C R E D I B L E T H I N G S I N
S P A C E O V E R T H E N E X T T E N Y E A R S A N D T H A T O N E O F T H E M W I L L
B E I N C R E A S E D A C C E S S I B I L I T Y T O S P A C E F O R M O R E P E O P L E .
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

11. I like to tell anyone just starting
out in the space industry (or even
just starting to take an interest in
space) that they are living in the
golden age of space exploration!
We are truly on the brink of the
most incredible discoveries and
advancements in space
exploration, human and robotic,
and it’s incredible to be alive to
be a part of this!
2. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL PEOPLE
JUST STARTING OUT IN THE SPACE
INDUSTRY?
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

12. Inquisitive, spunky, and tenacious.
1. WHAT THREE WORDS BEST
DESCRIBE YOU?
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES | Dylan Taylor

13. Have someone to recommend
for an interview? Contact me!
T-MINUS 10 INTERVIEW SERIES
WITH LEADERS OF THE SPACE
INDUSTRY
www.dylantaylor.org