Excerpts from the winning essays

"When Mark Shuttleworth became the first African in space, something else was achieved: People across Africa were reminded again that they are allowed to dream, to work towards their dreams and that their dreams can come true. We can achieve wonders, the extra-ordinary, if we set our minds to it. We can."

Carike Bosman

"Miles above the hospital, the chances of alleviating the suffering of people with incurable diseases grows daily in the International Space Station's laboratories. In Earth's gravity conditions, harvested protein crystals are riddled with impurities and imperfections, which limit their uses. But in an orbiting laboratory like this one, protein crystals can grow to almost perfection, which will make them invaluable in the future to scientists developing new pharmaceutical drugs, not to mention foodstuffs and cystalline-based products such as insuliin for diabetes."

Divya Vaze

"The limitless possibilities of space will no doubt affect the future development, security, and well-being of society. In the short-term, experiments on the ISS will provide insight into foams and combustion – research with great implications for the manufacturing industry. I foresee longer manned missions utilizing centrifugal force to simulate gravity. Commercial space flights will also increase in availability and decrease in price with greater fuel efficiency and lighter materials."

Jennifer Przybylo

"These studies have shown to me through photographs that in comparison with desolate Mars or any other heavenly body, the Earth is the most beautiful; it is the only one that pulsates with life. This realization has impressed upon me the importance of preserving what I have on Earthand I respond cooperatively to campaigns of beautifying, cleaning and greening the community making me a better citizen."

Phleappe Vwyioslf de Vera

"Knowledge knows no boundaries or borders, and with an expanded global communications network, every person on Earth could benefit from knowledge gained anywhere in the world, thus improving the cultural and academic education of our world's youth. When inhabitants of the most desolate deserts can learn farming and irrigation techniques from around the world, our communications network will make even more tangible contributions to our society."

Kim DeRose

"Space contributes to world peace. International co-operation has always been a feature of space exploration, from the Apollo-Soyuz link-up at the height of the cold war, to the formation of a space administration shared by many European countries, ESA, to the most recent and largest endeavour in space development, the International Space Station, a joint operation by Brazil, Canada, the USA, Europe, Russia and Japan."

Alastair Evans

"One other vision I believe to be very important is space's contribution towards the security of my island. On this very far-out island, people often worry about sudden attacks from foreign boats or planes. With the development of communication services, people will feel more safe as they can make emergency calls faster, and not like what happened in 'Ata in the 1940s (the most southern island of Tonga Group) when many Tongans were capture onboard and taken away)."

Lesieli Mahonga 'Ahomana

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