Danielle Tupuanai Viliamu, a 16-year-old student from a South Auckland School - Tangaroa College, expresses her pride by stating that if given the opportunity to travel to space, she would proudly fly with the Samoan flag.

Miss Viliamu is among a group of 16 aspiring scientists from Ōtara in South Auckland, New Zealand, embarking on a journey to National Aeronautic and Space Administration (N.A.S.A.) in Alabama, U.S.A. They aim to study space exploration and S.T.E.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) at the esteemed U.S Space and Rocket Center.

The 2023 Advance Space Camp - Expedition 49 is scheduled to begin in August, and the group from South Auckland is excited about the unique opportunity. The program is being organised by the Ōtara Youth Hub and a local charity called Community Builders NZ Trust (C.B.N.Z).

In a seven-day camp, cadets will immerse themselves in various fields of S.T.E.M. subjects while also having the opportunity to share dorms and meals and socialise with other young individuals from different parts of the world. 

Miss Viliamu's passion for the sciences has earned her a Ministry for Pacific Peoples (M.P.P) Toloa Secondary School Scholarship for 2023. She expressed her excitement for exploring the fields of physics, rocket ship operations, as well as the biology of space.

“I haven’t decided on a future career yet, so I’m hoping this will help to expand my mind and find my career path,” Miss Viliamu added.

In the media release from the M.P.P, the Space Camp daily sessions will be interactive, promoting S.T.E.M learning, team building, leadership, problem-solving and confidence.

Trainees experience a variety of astronaut training exercises, and engineering challenges, all culminating in an extended-duration simulated space mission.

After the expedition, the group have three days to explore Alabama before returning to New Zealand full of knowledge to steer them into the next step of their S.T.E.M journey.

Each cadet has been tasked with raising NZD$5000 toward their expedition - half of that amount is the starting rate for entry to the Space Camp. 

Organisers awarded M.P.P's sponsorship of one cadet to Alabama to Miss Viliamy, while Spark Foundation and Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi O Ngāpuhi are also providing support for cadets.

However, financial assistance is still needed to help students get to NASA. To achieve their target of NZD$80,000, organisers have established a Givealittle page. To date, they have raised NZD$28,765 through the page.