“Kisses from Space” is a children’s book co-authored by Anna Menon, a SpaceX engineer who is about to embark on the Polaris Dawn mission. The book tells the story of a mother dragon returning home to her children after a space adventure. Menon plans to read the book to her kids from orbit during the mission and auction off a signed copy to benefit St. Jude.
Menon’s inspiration for the book came from the stories she and her husband used to tell their children during their commute to work at SpaceX. These stories were a way to stay connected despite the time spent apart. As she prepares for the mission, Menon reflects on these memories and finds the book as a new way to stay connected with her family. Menon recruited her cousin and an illustrator to help bring the story to life.
The Polaris Dawn mission aims to test SpaceX technology for future deep space exploration. The crew will conduct scientific experiments and potentially become the first-ever private citizens to conduct a spacewalk. Menon, as a mission specialist and medical officer, is excited and prepared for the journey, despite the risks involved in a spacewalk due to the lack of an airlock in the Dragon capsule. Menon’s upcoming trip to orbit is her first, making her the first in her family to head to space, fulfilling a dream she never thought would come true.
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