The Astronaut Instruction Manual
A 68-page children's book135 readers made this book possible
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About The Astronaut Instruction Manual
UPDATE #5 WE GOT BACKED BY US CONGRESSMAN JOE GARCIA!!
Congressman Joe Garcia (D-FL) has backed The Astronaut Instruction Manual! WOWOW! Congressman Garcia is famous around our household as the sponsor of the STEM Innovations Networks Act. Thank you, Congressman Joe Garcia, for you support of STEM education and science!
UPDATE #4 DOUG ROBERSTON ENDORSEMENT
Rockstar 4th grade teacher & He’s The Weird Teacher author Doug Robertson just wrote the most amazing blurb for the back cover of The Astronaut Instruction Manual. Doug is a lightning rod educator, empowering other superhero teachers around the world (and nightly on Twitter around hashtag #WeirdEd) by his validation of unorthodox-yet-wonderful-successful teaching methods-slash-and teachers. He is a maverick, a peer, and his students cherish him, and their parents praise him, and we are completely over the moon for Doug’s endorsement!
UPDATE #3 ALYSSA CARSON WRITING BOOK’S FORWARD
There is perhaps no more perfect case study individual for whom The Astronaut Instruction Manual is written than Alyssa "Blueberry" Carson. Alyssa started her dream of going to space when she was just 3 years old. She is now 13, and is well on her way towards making her dream of space a reality—including having completed 14 Space Camps , a TEDx Talk, and been recently interviewed by BBC News. Who better to write the forward for The A.I.M. than future Mars astronaut Alyssa Carson? We are thrilled to have Alyssa on board!
UPDATE #2 RACHEL ARMSTRONG ENDORSEMENT
More #AWESOME: TED Fellow Dr Rachel Armstrong has delivered a powerful endorsement of The Astronaut Instruction Manual!
UPDATE #1 LEE BILLINGS ENDORSEMENT
Mike Mongo’s The Astronaut Instruction Manual endorsed by best-selling ’Five Billion Years of Solitude’ author Lee Billings!
-Astronaut Instruction Manual -
“My name is Mike Mongo and
I’m an Astronaut Teacher.”
Since 2008, as an invited guest teacher, I have visited schools and classrooms all over the world to let today’s young students aware that tomorrow’s jobs—the best jobs ever!—are in space.
Astronaut teacher is pretty much the greatest job in the world. I travel, work with amazing people, and best of all meet with young students who love everything about space and science.
Many of these students already know exactly what they want to do when they grow up—go to outer space!—and have just been waiting for some person (i.e., an astronaut teacher) to tell them that which they’ve been longing to hear. Which is this:
"If today you are between the ages of 9 and 12, by the time you are out of college—around year 2025—you will have the opportunity to be among the first human beings who live, work, and play in space." 
Everyday I share what I call the three magic questions:
- How are you doing?
- What do you want to be when you grow up?
- Have you thought about doing that in space?
These three questions get students thinking of themselves-and-space as one idea. For instance, explain to kids who want to be professional athletes that they can do that in space, they go all gosh and wow right before your eyes.
And that is key. Allowing students the freedom to imagine themselves doing what they love in space is key. It all comes down to the simple fact that kids—like many, many of us grown-ups—want to get to space.
Our job, as grown-ups, is to provide them with the tools to make their dream of space become our future and their reality. Our job is to let them know their dream job can be working in space. Which is why I wrote The Astronaut Instruction Manual:
HUMANNAIRES!
The Astronaut Instruction Manual (aka Mike Mongo’s
HUMANNAIRES!) is an actual working astronaut instruction manual. It is created to let today’s space-loving young students who want to live, work, and play in space know that they genuinely do have that opportunity. Just by their being 9-to-12 years old at this moment in human history, today’s young students can be one of the Humannaires*, the next-generation of astronauts, by the time they are out of college.
*(BTW the name "Humannaires" is inspired by the legendary outlier team, "the Legionnaires".)
from The Astronaut Instruction Manual:
If you are not yet in high school,
the next few years are going to be the most important for you
if you plan on being one of the next kind of astronauts,
the Humannaires,
by the time you are in your twenties.Like many of us,
you are planning on becoming a space-dwelling human being.
That makes you...a Humannaire!Astronauts
and cosmonauts
and spationauts
and taikonauts
and gaganauts
paved the way for us.Nauts were actually the first trailblazers to get off Planet Earth
and to go out into space.
In their time and even still today,
’nauts were unlike any other human alive.
’Naires are unlike even ’nauts.We are the first humans to move out to space!
...
Advice That Stands
Even If You’re Staying onEarth
Besides letting today’s students know that tomorrow’s jobs are in space, the Manual shares real science and insights into what is expected from today’s students who want to one day live out in space. I have made a point of outlining exercises and practices of personal responsibility which will lead to developing skills necessary to becoming one of the next-generation of space explorers from Planet Earth.
Remember, tomorrow’s space work force will not be dependent on simply physical capacity, or good looks, or gender or race or religion or preference or nationality, or military service, or even academic success. Tomorrow’s space force qualifiers will be whether or not you can a student get the job done at least as well as their own peers!
You must know that The Astronaut Instruction Manual is not like other "tween" kids book. I believe the reason my quest to encourage kids to pursue careers in astronautics and space-science-related fields is so well received by my audience is because I challenge the thinking of young students. Young people appreciate this, and so do adults. Of course, any kind of astronaut instruction manual that did not challenge young students would have to be a fake. Students would know it. Grown-ups would know it. Importantly, the core message to young persons is one of focus, diligence, patience, and self belief.
from The Astronaut Instruction Manual
You are going to have to study with dedication
the school subjects you love best,
and to be well-studied even on subjects you love less.
And most importantly,
you are going to have to get your own mind ready for space
because YOU are going to live in outer space.
In other words,
to make you ready for living in space,
we are going to use tools of the mind.
...
The approach I take is direct: The very skills required to survive and thrive off-planet and in space are the same skills required to succeed Earth-side. Ironically, I think the lessons are solidly grounding as it is precisely this sort of foot-hold a young student will need in order to successfully "launch".
Plus, of course, GREAT ART:
Illustrations by
the internet’s most famous robot dinosaur, FAKEGRIMLOCK!
Books to inspire young minds must have engaging artwork. And a book to inspire young students to pursue careers in space especially so. The artwork must be fun, memorable, and it must connect!
To hold the attention of today’s 9-12 year old, you have got to make art that speaks to today’s 9-12 year olds.
Think sharks, ninjas, radiation, explosions, superpowers, lasers, volcanos, and, of course, giant super-powered, radiated, ninja-fied robot dinosaurs.
I am happy to report we will be using the fantastically engaging CC-licensed illustrations by the amazingly talented and most very famous artist thinker & giant super-powered robot dinosaur, FAKEGRIMLOCK!
As The Astronaut Instruction Manual is being published with a Creative Commons share-alike license, having FAKEGRIMLOCK’s illustrations amplify the book’s message increases both the Manual’s accessibility and reach.
Blastoff!
Today’s students must be met on their own terms. Humankind is readying now for our next big venture to space. And The Astronaut Instruction Manual is the astronaut instruction manual that gets the job done!
Young students today have an opportunity unlike any that has come before. As young students ourselves, most of us grown-ups never had teachers tell us of a space future where we could live, work, an play in space.
It is time for that to change and to let kids know:
tomorrow’s jobs are in space and they can be astronauts. Or Humannaires!
By pointing the way to an inspiring space future, we can affect change in the world one reader at a time. Which is why I am asking you:
Please support The Astronaut Instruction Manual.
Thank you, and keep up the good work,
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
Read part of The Astronaut Instruction Manual
Which lead us to our next subject,
Life.
Our life’s end does not have to be the end of us,
but it is the end of our turn. So, when and if we have to die,
make the end of your turn become the completion of an extraordinary life story.
Yet, if you can,
why not just keep on living?
—
If you can successfully avoid getting hit by a runaway helicopter,
or having an old satellite fall the sky and land on you
or any other unluckiness which today might otherwise lead to your demise,
and you keep doing so at least until the time that you are 20 years of age,
chances are you will live another 100 years...or more!
Such is the promise
of humankind's technological direction
at the very beginning of the 21st century.
—
Exactly how you will live another 100 years after age 20,
or what happens to make it so,
will be a surprise.
It wouldn't be called a surprise
if we knew precisely what amazing things were to happen
or exactly how such things were going to take place.
There is no telling what discoveries
and advancements will be made over the coming years!
—
Consider this.
Approximately one hundred years ago,
in the first decade of the 20th century,society was without telephones,
automobiles, light bulbs, airplanes, or even radios,
almost anywhere.
Most of the world had not even heard of electricity—
because at that time it took scientists and researchers
nearly three months time to communicate new ideas and discoveries
to the rest of the world.
Nonetheless—only ten years later— by 1920,
telephones, radios, light bulbs, airplanes, and automobiles
were seen all over the world!
And at that time the whole world worked together
to build highways
and runways
and skyscrapers,
and to put up electric power poles and radio towers
...as fast as possible!
In just nine years, our world changed
from “horse-driven” to “automobile-driven”,
and everyone of us alive then helped make it happen together.
—
Now think about this.
Back around 1915,
it took three entire months
to send mail from one place to another.
And then another three months to get a reply!
Yet still, by 1924,
in ten years time,
everyone alive experienced and discovered
a world which had been completely reinvented.
—
Jump forward again,
one hundred years,
to the present,
here at the beginning of the 21st century.
We have even more discoveries and more inventions.
We have antibiotics, x-rays, microwaves, jet planes, nuclear submarines,
and space vehicles that have taken humankind to the moon and further!
We have satellites, fiber optics, silicon chips, video games, personal computers.
Plus all sorts of other inventions, discoveries, devices, utilities, and tools,
some of which are still brand new,
like the internet.
Where one hundred years ago
it took three months to get a letter from one place to another,
with the internet it now takes just three seconds to transmit mail
to anywhere on the planet.
Distance hardly makes a difference now.
And where our predecessors were there then
as horse-and-buggies
were to be replaced by automobiles and airplanes,
today...
Let’s Get It Started in Here
In the next few weeks, you are going to see some major heat coming off The Astronaut Instruction Manual. Legendary and Penguin Random House are uniting with Inkshares for a round of publicity surrounding the tv series and the upcoming audiobook release.
That said, I want to reach out to my 300+ followers and remind everyone of you all of this:
“If you really want to help, you write reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, B&N.” It’s a tweet from my friend, author Malka Older, whose Tor-released hit title Infomocracy has only five more reviews than Inkshares-released The Astronaut Instruction Manual. (Malka’s so good I actually wish she was on Inkshares...and who knows what the future holds?…Infomocracy is a great read and great writing and there will be a follow-up.) And she’s right. Your Amazon review really helps now.
Here’s the Amazon review link for The Astronaut Instruction Manual. Sign-in, click Write a Customer Review, share your opinion, and hit submit. Each review makes the book more likely to pop up on some young reader’s (or parent, teacher, or guardian’s) radar.
Imagine writing a review of The AIM and its having a role in pointing out a future of possibility and hope to the next young Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, or Mae Jemison.
Goodness, what are you waiting for? Write, my friends, write!
Mike
PS And then go and listen to Chapter 1 of Darcy Conroy’s The War of Wind and Moon. Consider it a treat and my way of saying ’thank you’. You are awesome, review writers, and so is she. Listen for yourself.
SEDS & The Oldest Space Science Student Member in the US
Students for Exploration & Development of Space (SEDS) is the largest space science student organization in the US. Most members are under 25. Some are under 30. You might be able to count any over 40 on one hand.
As of this year, SEDS had one single member over 50. And that member is me.
I have been an enormous fan and supporter of SEDS since attending the organization’s annual SpaceVision conference in 2013. Seeing as SEDS was not an opportunity when I first went to university–hello, 1983–and seeing as the only way to belong to SEDS is to be a student, I made a bold move this past year: I went back to school.
Like the saying goes, it’s never too late to be a kid. Considering the high regard I have for SEDS, being able to forever more own being an actual bona fide member of SEDS really meant the world to me.
Believe it or not, it just got better.
SEDS’ At-Large Board Members (there are two) support the SEDS Board and the SEDS organization by spearheading new projects and new initiatives. For one reason or another, of the two At-Large Board Members one had to resign midterm. A call went out to members for a fill-in At-Large. And I put my name in the hat. Interviews of the candidates, including me, took place last week. Results were posted last night.
Needless to say, I was absolutely blown away to learn I am the newly elected At-Large Board Member for SEDS!
When I was a kid, I imagined the world to be a certain way. I imagined it is awesome and filled with infinite possibilities and life gets better and better everyday.
Now I am a grown-up who has lived and put those ideas to the test. Through fire. And they are true!
So, this year’s SEDS Spacevision conference is in November at Purdue University.* While I may not be on the moon (yet), when you see me at SpaceVision this year I’ll be easy to spot.
I’m the guy walking on air.
Keep up the good work, what a ride,
Mike Mongo
* BTW Purdue University is where astronaut & first human being on the moon Neil Armstrong studied engineering.
You heard it here first: DARCY CONROY
[See all those Scott Pilgrim books on the book shelf? Cool, right?]
"Wonderfully inspirational book! I REALLY wish I could have read this when I was younger! If I had, maybe I would then be writing this review from the the International Space Station! But that’s OK because my children WILL be able to read THE ASTRONAUT INSTRUCTION MANUAL when they are old enough, and then, because of it, can take a selfie with my copy on Mars! Thank you, Mike!"
"I HAVE NEVER WRITTEN A REVIEW ON AMAZON."
Is that you? Once that was me. Then one day seven years ago I put on my Grown-Up Pants, signed-in, and I wrote my first Amazon review. It was for capsules to prevent colds. Woohoo! The excitement never stopped.
How many times do we ourselves use Amazon reviews? I only buy items on Amazon with great reviews. Ask my wife. I’m strictly a 4-star and up kinda Amazon shopper.
Why I am sharing all this with supporters and readers is because it’s time.
It is time to write an Amazon review of The Astronaut Instruction Manual.
Just sign-in and click here. (Or vice versa.)
The AIM already has some great reviews, many of which came from Inkshare readers. To everyone who has written a review, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Everyone else, let’s do this. Click, sign-in, write. Remember, everyone has a first time.
Mike
THIS NEWS IS LEGENDARY
The Astronaut Instruction Manual–#1 in Books on Product Hunt
Happy Monday, another victory! This weekend, The Astronaut Instruction Manual made it to #1 for the day on ProductHunt.
ProductHunt is where lots of people learn of awesome new products that make life better.
Here’s the link. Feel free to upvote!
(Of course I tweeted about it too. RT’s help too!)
Another fun thing that happened this weekend: I got my first autograph request for a signed photo–from 6-year old Benjamin in Austin, TX. How cool is that! It’s on its way and wow am I HONORED. #blush.
Thanks for letting me share the good news and keep up the good work,
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
2ND PRINTING!!
It’s official. The Astronaut Instruction Manual has been ordered for a 2nd printing. Or should I say,…
WOOHOO SECOND PRINTING YES! YES! MY PEOPLE!!
(...ok so that’s how it feels.)
Inkshares and I are readying for a second-round of publicity. That means school tours, blog tours, podcast interviews, all that stuff that helps to get Astronaut Instruction Manuals into the hands of future young humannaires.
Here’s how you can help. It’s simple and its impact is huge, really:
Write a review of The AIM on Amazon.
If you have not ever written a review on Amazon, break out of your shell and go for it! Your review may make the difference to a single important person in the life of a young student.
One last thing. Speaking of podcast interviews, last month I was honored to be invited to join author Nihar Suthar’s excellent radio show-and-podcast, Incito. It was a fantastic interview filled with inspiration and insight. It will make you smile. Here is that episode.
That’s it. Except once again I have to say thank you to you the backers and readers and all the team at Inkshares publishing who made all this possible. One reader at a time, we are pointing the way to a future of aspiration, success and wonderful surprise. Yes!
Keep up the good work,
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
5-Year Olds Make The Best Podcasters
When I first heard of The Sound of Science, a science podcast hosted by 5-year old Nate, I stopped what I was doing and listened to every episode of TSOS. And I immediately sent an email to Nate (via his dad, Eric) introducing myself and asking if I could send him a copy of The Astronaut Instruction Manual. I mean, Nate was cool!
So it was with real celebration I received the invitation to be a guest on Nate's podcast.
And now, with just as much excitement–and no small degree of gratitude–I share this:
Podcaster Nate's The Sound of Science, episode #8–featuring Mike Mongo.
Oh and by the way? I am now of the opinion there is little or nothing more adorbs than a budding scientists 5-year old who is also a podcaster. Because: space sharks.
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
One Door Closes
For the past month, The Astronaut Instruction Manual spent nearly every day as #1 New Release Children's Book (Science >;; Astronomy & Space) on amazon. It looked like this:
Today marked Day 90 as a New Release Children's Book on Amazon. Meaning The AIM is no longer a "new release". We immediately disappeared from the list. (And trust me, I loved The AIM being #1 on that list. Like, loved loved loved it.) However, as the saying goes, one door closes...
...and another opens. This week I am heading to Florida Educators Technology Conference in Orlando. While I am there I will be teaching at two schools, including Orlando Sciences Elementary School, where I am teaching 4th and 5th graders subsequent to a book buying parent who took the initiative to send an open invitation.
Amazingly, we are paying for the trip by offering Astronaut Instruction Manual books to students for pre-sell. (Which I then sign and personalize–after astronaut teaching and working with the classrooms.) It's like our very own Inkshares book fair!
This entire turn of events is literally a dream come true. Astronaut teaching and getting The Astronaut Instruction Manuals into the hands of young student readers? Yes!
So let's move this forward. If you think your student would like for Mike Mongo, astronaut teacher to visit their school sometime in the near future, let's do it. I'm 100% game!
Letting today's students know that tomorrow's jobs are in space gives them a critical competitive advantage to live, work and place in space. Let me know if such a student may be someone you know at a school you support.
(And if you don't have a student in school but know of a school that would be receptive to reaching students with a space STEM message, drop me a line too.)
I can be reached at mike at mikemongo dot com. Email me! Have books, will travel!
Next step, here we come. Keep up the good work and have a terrific 2016,
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
We Interrupt This Program To Bring You This Important Message
Short note. Today I heard from two original backers of The Astronaut Instruction Manual who have not received their books. This was the look on my face:
If somehow you did not receive your purchased books and you were one of the original backers, inkshares has let me know they take this very serious, so by all means please email me at mike at mikemongo dot com and let us know.
…we now return to our previously scheduled programming already in progress which is THE AIM BEING #1 NEW RELEASE CHILDREN'S BOOK ON AMAZON.COM!!!
(So, yeah, let's make sure the people who got us here are as happy as I was on the opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Before and after seeing it!)
May the Force be with you,
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
#1 on Amazon.com
You can only imagine the expression on my face when I opened up Amazon.com to learn that The Astronaut Instruction Manual is the #1 New Release Children's Book (Science >;;; Astronomy & Space) of the Last 90 Days. It's hard to describe the joy of such a moment.
But I can tell you it looked something like this:
( ^ yes, John Boyega of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Comic-Con 2015. That face.)
Everyone of you book backers-and- buyers MY GOOGLE THANK YOU. This is happening because you got in first. It's so cool when I look in The AIM and see all your names!
So two things: One, if you wrote a review I love you. Two, if for some reason you have not yet received books–or even if you got too many–let me know: mike at mike mongo dot com.
Everyone, I really am grateful for your support. You mean the world to me. We have got here today because of your being with us from the beginning. And I remember.
Keep up the good work and merry happy everything, YAAAY WE ARE #1!
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
The AIM is #3 on Amazon Children's Books >;;; Science >;;; Astronomy & Space (Past 90)
WOWOW…WOW ! The Astronaut Instruction Manual is #3!!!
Thank you, backers. We wouldn't be here without you. And thanks for those Amazon reviews, too. Reviewers, you are the best! WOWOW.
Keep up the good work, be happy and good cheer, gift-giving season is upon us!
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
TAKE YOUR CHILD TO A BOOKSTORE DAY
Mark your calendar: Take Your Child To A Bookstore Day is Saturday, December 5th.
In honor of TYCTAB Day (created by children's author Jenny Milchman as an auspicious way to bring in the holidays and share her love for bookstores, and now in its 6th year), I will doing my first book-signing ever for The Astronaut Instruction Manual at Island Books in Key West. If you are in the area, by all means stop in and say hi. If you have a book I'll sign it and if you need a book Inkshares' Avalon Radys has made sure there are plenty on hand.
(And if you're not in Key West, then by all means be sure and take your child to a bookstore wherever you are. Bookstores literally made me the person I am today. I would not be here but for the mystery and wonder and science and fantastic adventure that bookstores (and libraries!!) enabled in my formative years and beyond.)
Feel free to spread the word about TYCTAB Day. Here is our Facebook post and here is the Twitter tweet. Share, like, and RT, my faithful reader allies. Let a million children's imagination be set free to soar with books and reading. After all, it worked for you and me!
Keep up the good work,
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
PS btw the breath-taking young reader pictured above is Sophie, daughter of Jed & Molly. And yes she is 104% as awesome a person as she looks. We are honored to count her as a fan, ally, and future space explorer.
UPDATE: The AIM is #1 New Release Children's Book Astronomy on Amazon
…and #1 Aeronautics & Space, and #1 Astronomy & Space, too! As of this weekend, The Astronaut Instruction Manual is now #1 New Release in all three categories! Twitter followers: Be sure and RT this news for us!
BTW have you read our Amazon reviews? Read our reviews. Your Amazon review matters!
And keep up the good work, everyone, your tweets, likes, and shares…and reviews!…are making the difference in getting the word out about The Astronaut Instruction Manual. Thanks!
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
BIG News & Reviews
Out of 22 new Children's Aeronautics & Space titles recently debuted I am thrilled to report The Astronaut Instruction Manual is now the #1 New Release on Amazon.
Read the Amazon reviews. We are doing terrific. Have you written one? Has your student?
Getting under-12-years olds to write a review on Amazon is actually quite simple: Just ask them what they thought and post it for them. In fact, these are the best reviews!
Here's the link. Will you write a review of The Astronaut Instruction Manual?
Thank you! And keep up the good work,
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
The AIM is in Good Company
This weekend, The Astronaut Instruction Manual entered Amazon's Top-5 New Release Children's Books Space & Astronomy of last 90-days. Take a look:
The AIM is trailing behind new books by none other than Sally Ride and Buzz Aldrin!
As you can see above, your reviews count: We are running at #2 for book reviews. Please write an Amazon review if you have not done so yet. Even if you have never before written a review on Amazon, believe me, now is the time to step up to the plate.
Great job, backers and supporters! (And great job, Team Inkshares–wow!)
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
The AIM is #1 New Release Children's Astronomy Book on Amazon
Am I happy to share this news!
Two weeks after release, The Astronaut Instruction Manual has become #1 New Release in Children's Astronomy Books on Amazon.
This news comes with a prize bonus. See those 3 customer reviews? All three of our customer reviews came from backers!
(If I could ask for one birthday present this year, it would be for YOU to review The AIM on Amazon. Here's the link. Click on Write a review. Then go to it, Reviewer!)
If you have any questions about your books, email me mike-at-mikemongo-dot-com or Inkshares' Matt Hayes at hello-at-inkshares-dot-com. And keep up the good work!
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
Reviews are in...
...and now we need yours! This week is an important week for The Astronaut Instruction Manual. Opening week sales are an exciting time. Now that most all our backers have their copies many of you are reading your copy to your daughter or son, or have handed it off to the appropriate party, or have just read it yourself ("My people!").
Now we need you to write a review on Amazon or Goodreads. These reviews mean everything in terms of building confidence, interest, and getting the book into the hands of future astronauts.
These book reviews are so important I'm willing to sweeten the deal.
Write a review at Amazon or Goodreads or both, and I will mail you–and I mean really mail you in a flat envelope and everything–the actual Astronaut Permission Slip I use for students with whom I personally engage for your future astronaut(s)* and signed by me.
These Astronaut Persmission Slips are very popular and are framable/scrapbookable. It is a way to further incentivize and inspire the young person to envision a space future with them in it, living working and playing in space.
Just email me at mike-at-mikemongo-dot-com when you post the review with the link and your mailing address, and I will post your signed Astronaut Permission Slip(s)* in the mail to you.
Students love these. And I mean love them…
…and I appreciate your reviews on Amazon or Goodreads because it helps us inspire more young minds about their own future with The Astronaut Instruction Manual.
This is a fun way to encourage reviews and future astronauts at the same time. Remember, by solving for space we solve for every challenge we face on earth today–energy, sustainability, inclusion, equality, even prosperity–the solutions to every problem we face today are found in solving for space. And that's the future we want our for our kids.
So I'm asking: Will you write a review on Amazon or Goodreads to help bring about that future? Let's help let a million Astronaut Permission Slips fly–including yours!
Thank you in advance, parents and guardians of future astronauts, and keep up the good work,
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
Best review yet of The Astronaut Instruction Manual
…is this photo:
Okay to be fair Alicia Smock's 5-star review (!) on Examiner.com was amazing, as well, but it's tough to cap a young student filling their head with dreams of space and astronautics before headed to bed on a shark-covered pillow garbed in ninja pajamas.
This fellow is minutes away from launching: Can you imagine the dreams of future flight and space wonder his young mind will be after upon falling off to sleep?
I can. It is why I wrote The Astronaut Instruction Manual. I wrote it for inspiring this exact person, exactly loved as they are by their exact parents, and for this exact moment: to be read right before heading off to sleep.
To my friends and followers, thank you for the photos. They are as important to me personally as reviews on Amazon are to book sales (hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint hint) which my publisher says is pretty important. Wink as good as a nudge. ;)
May The Astronaut Instruction Manual launch a million dreams or more to faraway places and space futures. And keep those photos and reviews coming!
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
The Astronaut Instruction Manual IS ARRIVING
The AIM hits shelves in bookstaores nationwide next week. Of course, our backers are already posting photos of themselves with their copies arriving directly from Inkshares!
The Astronaut Instruction Manual shipped out this past week and you our backers are posting photos with the book. What a great idea!
If you are posting on Facebook, our FB page is:
facebook.com/AstronautInstructionManualforPreTeens
If you are posting to Twitter, my twitter page is:
twitter.com/MikeMongo
(Hashtags I use are #TheAIM and #STEM.)
Seeing these books with the happy faces of their new owners being posted is an unexpected treat. Thank you, supporters and backers! It has been a year since we started this process, and I and the entire team at Inkshares–hello, Thad, Adam, Emma, Jeremy, Tess, Kim, Avalon, & Matt (not to forget the team members at book designers MacFadden & Thorpe)–and the amount of blood sweat and tears…plus loads of smiles and laughter…has been monumental. That is, The Astronaut Instruction Manual stands as a testament to the very words I share everyday with young students in classrooms: "Team Work makes the Dream Work."
Check your mailbox. The AIM is arriving. And thanks for posting the photos of books and smiling faces. We put our hearts and soul in this. Seeing the smiles makes it all worthwhile!
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
Mike Mongo's Astronaut Instruction Manual is launching!
The above photo arrived in an email last night from the team at Inkshares. Newly-unboxed from the printers, The Astronaut Instruction Manual has arrived.
Better yet, as pictured above, it is immediately being readied for immediate distribution to backers and buyers–The AIM is on it's way to your [confirmed mailing address] now! As my people say, yes!
I tweeted out two sentences that kind of says it all: “I am a published author. My first book has arrived from printer to my publisher.”
Look for your copy in the mail this week! And once again, thank you. We would not be here today with you. Thank you supporters, backers, friends, and family. (And of course the whole entire team at Inkshares–you all are family too!)
When The Astronaut Instruction Manual arrives, be sure and drop me a note or, even better, a photo of you with your new book. It's my first! And it's on it's way to you!
Tomorrows jobs are in space,
Mike Mongo
COUNTDOWN IS COMMENCING
That's right. The Astronaut Instruction Manual is nearly here! I'll be chatting with Adam Gomolin at Inkshares later today to get an exact release date. Our official launch date is October 13. Stay tuned…
…in the meantime, I will be in Philadelphia this week for Starship Congress.
Starship Congress, the first-ever returning summit of interstellar & deep space science organizations, scientists, researchers, and advocates, is being hosted this year by Drexel University. And somehow I am the summit's Strategic Director (!). Which in my opinion is like putting the fanboy in charge of the comics book store. I even had a starring role in the pitch video for the (successful) Kickstarter campaign for Starship Congress 2015. Here that is.
If you're in Philly, or have friends or students there, come see me or drop me a line and we'll connect.
And get ready for The Astronaut Instruction Manual. We are ready for launch and countdown is commencing!
Mike Mongo
The Astronaut Instruction Manual teaser video
https://vimeo.com/134227154
Enjoy. And share. Especially with school librarians.
Keep up the good work,
Mike Mongo
Another Milestone!
Advance sales are going well: The Astronaut Instruction Manual broke 600+ books sold:
These are advance sales. The number represents books sold to you-the-Backers and sales to chain and indie bookstores.
This is greatastic news! Why? Because bookstores, particularly indie bookstores, are places helmed by professionals with a deep passion for books who service the needs of other people with a deep passion for books
.
For myself, the only retail store I have spent more time in my life than a bookstore is a comic book shop, and those two are practically cousins. I LOVE BOOKS.
As an avid lifelong book reader and advocate of reading, in terms of fostering humankind's space future, our getting books into the hands of young students to encourage the dream of living, working, and playing space is one of the best things we can do. In the least, we get another reader. And at best?
We get a space future complete with trips to space and the moon and possibly the entire rest of the solar system. What's not to love? Books (and bookstores) rule.
Thanks again and keep up the good work,
Mike Mongo
The Greatastic Book cover!
Nearly six months ago, myself and Tess Klingenstein began discussing the cover. My publisher Adam Gomolin had connected the two of us. Tess was the editorial manager who was assigned to me and The AIM.
Tess absorbed all the insights I had and then shared, processed, and time after time brought back greatness. We worked together while honing in on the look, feel, and design of the book. What visual and design cues could we use to get kids—and and grown-ups—to recognize this was no mere book? After all, we were creating an Astronaut Instruction Manual!
What we wanted was a book cover that spoke to both grown-ups (buyers) and kids (readers), a book cover that outwardly radiated the same confidence, authority, and true fun of the writing to be found within the book. We needed something greatastic.
It was a challenge. And to their credit, San Francisco book designers, MacFadden & Thorpe rose to it.
So there you have it, the official finished book cover for The Astronaut Instruction Manual. Thanks to Adam, Tess, MacFadden & Thorpe, Lori Garver (for the gracious cover blurb, I am honored) and most especially all of you who lent your faith and support into helping us make a cover for a book that is genuinely greatastic.
Mike Mongo
Back from Havana II:
Of course, I fell in love with Cuba. It is only to be expected considering the natural hospitality and generosity of spirit of the people of Cuba. However, little did I anticipate having an opportunity to return anytime soon.
My 2nd ‘Astronaut Teaching’ Trip to Cuba
Earlier this year, I had the privilege and honor of being a US American space STEM educator to primary students in Cuba. It was an experience I will never forget. While technically, I was teaching students space science—“Tomorrow's jobs are in space!”—in truth, they were teaching me: “Los empleos del futuro están en el espacio!” The photo below captured the moment, one that I hold as a highlight of my professional career:
Sometimes when you least expect it, the best things happen.
So it was with real excitement that on the invite of a friend this past week I jumped at a second opportunity to teach and share in Cuba for a second time this year. My excitement was well-rewarded: I taught in two schools twice over two days to approximately 200 students. Including this class of familiar faces:
Everyone who knows me knows this is like being reunited with family.
These are all young students who now understand their future holds the possibility of doing whatever career they want in space. “Los empleos del futuro están en el espacio,” and these students know it. In fact, they taught it to me!
Mike Mongo
astronaut teacher
PS big news to share about The Astronaut Instruction Manual—including a completed cover. There really is a lot to tell you about, so stay tuned this week and keep up the good work!
Wanted: YOUR OPINION
It's been a while but we have been busy. Leading the charge was production assistant (my very own) Tess Klingenstein. Tess and I spent hours and hours together this winter pouring over edits and designs as Inkshares put the work in for The Astronaut Instruction Manual.
The AIM is an extraordinary book, and I can report with gratitude that the spectacular graphic design (by San Francisco's MacFadden & Thorpe agency) captures and catalyzes the message of the book for its intended audiences: pre-teens who want to live, work, and play in space. Yes, it has genuinely become aweseomer.
As a backer of The AIM, you are along for this fantastic voyage—from concept to reality—and so I wanted to provide you with a treat, a sneak peak at possible cover choices, and to get your opinions.
These are four of my favorites. These four proposed covers give you an idea of the eye-catching design within the book. Here they are:
Study them closely. Remember, they are works in progress. Of course, I have a favorite. Which one speaks to you? Let me know what you think.
Finalizing the cover, we put The AIM to bed—in June, it heads to the printers to be ready for October delivery.
Mike
NSS International Space Development Conference 2015
Good news! I am thrilled to report I have been invited to present as a space STEM educator at National Space Society's (NSS) 2015 International Space Development Conference (ISDC).
What distinguishes ISDC from other conferences? For one, ISDC is one of the largest space conferences in the world. For another, ISDC is open to the general public and allows for the average person—including young students and future space professionals—to engage with celebrated working space and science professionals.
With thousands of attendees—including students from around the world competing for science prizes—the interactions which take place at ISDC genuinely affect the direction of our planet's global conversation about space science and space exploration.
For young fans of space and space science, ISDC is like WonderCon, the Oscars, and TED combined. Being invited is an honor, and as a self-professed geek and a new author with a book on the way—I'm walking on clouds today.
Speaking of the book, we are working on galleys (prelimary layouts with text and art) of The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens. Judging from what I've seen, Inkshares and I will have something by May in the hands of you, our readers and backers.
That's it for now. Thanks again, everyone, for all the support and kind words and retweets and likes, and keep up the good work. And if you have any questions, feel free to tweet or email. I'm here.
Mike
Cuban Space Program: Astronaut teaching…in Havana.
Two weeks ago, the day before I turned 50, I left Miami, FL, for Havana, Cuba. Being a native-born Floridian, going to Cuba was something I had wanted to do for as long as I can remember remembering. For me, Cuba has always been “the forbidden land”. Growing up on South Florida for almost half my life, Cuban culture is largely my culture too: the name Mongo is Cuban.
While I have taught astronautics before classrooms and audiences of students and professionals from California to Haiti, teaching in Cuba seemed unattainable, beyond my grasp, only…a dream?
As I am still working through details of what I can and cannot discuss following this treasured opportunity—as I understand, I was the 1st-ever US American guest of the Primary School—I will share more in the future. But I am happy to report: With any luck, somewhere in this photo above may well be pictured the 1st-ever Cuban astronaut from Havana.
And the reality is that because of its vicinity to the equator, Cuba is an excellent location for a spaceport. Cuban space program, indeed!
Needless to say, I am honored and grateful. Connecting with students all over the world and pointing a future with us all, this is why I am an astronaut teacher.
Keep up the good work, everyone,
Mike
PS Oh yes! We are working on edited book galleys now. Samples to come!
My favorite words of wisdom from Christmas space—Apollo Astronaut Bill Anders from the orbit of the moon, December 24, 1968:
"We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the earth."
Happy Holidays and Blessed Day to everyone! I give thanks this year for Inkshares and for all our supporters, not the least of whom is my own wife.
Glad tidings from Key West, FL, my friends! Have a lovely holiday!
Mike Mongo
Thanks. Giving.
It's a holiday weekend so I figured now is the best opportunity to deliver an update (after all, plenty of time on our hands).
pictured: Thanksgiving sunset 2014 by Astronaut Terry Virts
First, thanks everyone for giving. Your backing means that this book—The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens—has been green-lighted and we are readying now for publishing.
This past week, Thad Woodman and I conferenced briefly for the first time since the success of The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens ("The AIM") crowdfunding campaign. We even figured out a tentative publishing schedule.
One of the things I have learned is that publishing schedules pretty much circle around two sale dates, roughly March and October. Each of those dates has a 6-month lead time, allowing for pre-sales, publicity, advance reviews, etc.
What this means for The AIM is that our general public release date is going to be October 2015. Which is 10 months from now.
However, for backers, we will be producing a special edition. This is a special edition used specifically for advance reading copies. It is the finished book but otherwise not for sale. Thad and I are discussing when this edition is to be created, released, and put into our backers' hands.
In the meantime, some of you may have anticipated a copy sooner than that. Towards that end, I would like to make an offer.
If there is anyone who would like a copy of The AIM sooner than next year—say, before Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Chanukah—let me know. I will personally produce a hand-signed, custom-bound copy (or 3 copies for our Shareholder backers) so that you may have a working Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens in time for the holidays.
Otherwise, we will produce and distribute the special editions of The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens to you our backers late-Winter 2015 to begin readying for an October 2015 launch date of The AIM.
Again, thanks for your backing. We are readying for a launch that will put The AIM in as many young students hands as possible. We would not be here without you.
Let me know and keep up the good work.
Mike Mongo
PS ...oh yes! If you or someone you know would like having an Astronaut Teacher address your school or students, just let me know. I am constantly traveling and if possible I will be happy to include your classroom or school in my itinerary, or else build a trip around visiting your location.
WE DID IT—100% FUNDED!
My friends, family, fans, and allies: YOU ARE AWESOME! We did it! The Astronaut Instruction Manual is 100% funded!
Speaking of allies, special commendation goes to Bert Carson, the father of 13-year old future Mars walker Alyssa Carson. Bert watched the campaign like a hawk—then came in with the final $500 to push the crowdfunding up-and-over the top! When the email popped up with Bert's name on it, my very first thought was, “That guy! That guy, indeed. Great dad, great believer, great ally.
There are so many people to say thank you to (hello my wife Leonie) but first and foremost ALL OF YOU. What a great team we all are, old friends and new!
Do you realize what we accomplished together? Inkshares, you and I have funded the publishing a book that:
In other words, WE ARE AWESOME.
Keep up the good work, if you were all here I'd hug us all!
Mike
BACKED BY US CONGRESSMAN JOE GARCIA
There are days, there are good days, and there are days that your book crowdfunding campaign gets backed by a STEM-supporting US Congressman!
Here's the tweet if you want to share the news (please do!)...
https://twitter.com/MikeMongo/status/534816359361019904
...and thank you, Congressman Joe Garcia (D-FL)! For your support of science and STEM education, we are honored!
Mike
UPDATE #3 ALYSSA CARSON WRITING BOOK'S FORWARD
More really great news! “#1 Space Kid in US”, Alyssa “NASA Blueberry” Carson, has come on board and is authoring the forward to The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens.
Alyssa is an amazing person! Besides completing 14 Space Camps—including two outside the US—and being the 1st person to complete the NASA Passport program—going to all 14 NASA Visitor Centers the US and getting “stamped” at each one—Alyssa was recently profiled by BBC News and this past summer presented her first TEDx Talk. Pretty impressive for an individual who only just turned 13 this year!
We are honored to have Alyssa write the forward to The A.I.M. As she herself puts it, “My generation is the people that will be walking on Mars.”
12 days to do—tell a friend: We are 35% away from achieving our goal!
Mike
RACHEL ARMSTRONG ENDORSEMENT
Great news! TED Talks Fellow Dr Rachel Armstrong has given one of the strongest endorsements yet for The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens.
If you are on twitter, here's the link to retweet & favorite:
https://twitter.com/livingarchitect/status/530816000699400192
Keep up the good work, everyone, we are getting there together!
Mike
TWO MORE WEEKS—IT'S GO TIME!
We are 35% away from hitting our funding, with 2 weeks to go. That's just about 2.75 backers a day. Meaning, we are green-lighted for reaching our goal!
Here is how you can help this weekend. Email this link to 2.75 friends:
http://kidastronaut.com
It's that simple. Pick 2-3 people you know will be interested—peers, friends, relatives, teachers, parents—and email them the link with a word or two of "YES."
That's it. Let's do this. IT'S GO TIME!
Mike
LEE BILLINGS ENDORSEMENT
Terrific news! New York Times Bestsellers List author Lee Billings (Five Billion Years of Solitude) has given his generous endorsement of The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens! Check out the updated campaign page...
http://kidastronaut.com
...and share with friends. We are getting closer to our goal—all with your support!
VIP MESSAGE FOR OUR BACKERS—GOOD NEWS FOR THE A.I.M.
Call it an 11th-hour reprieve. With days left on our crowdfunding effort, Inkshares has extended our goal deadline 30 days. Many of you may not have realized but this is a real crowdfunding effort. It is all-or-nothing.
Inkshares, publisher of The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens, actually met this AM and discussed our campaign. Spectacularly, Inkshares' board and staff are genuinely behind The A.I.M. "We all believe this book is going to be huge," Inkshares' General Counsel Adam Gomolin shared with me, "So we're sticking with it. We pushed the deadline forward 30 days."
In a word... Whew! I mean, Awesome. Thank you, Inkshares! Thank you for standing behind and believing in The A.I.M.
Now, what you-as-a-backer can personally do to give the campaign a real boost in the arm is take charge and share a personal endorsement along with this link...
http://kidastronaut.com
...to individuals who you know would make terrific backers of The A.I.M. We are in it to win it—and this is a real grassroots campaign!
And stay tuned. If this campaign isn't exciting, I don't know what is!
Mike
We come on strong for the next week: I need you to "Share" a Facebook update.
https://www.facebook.com/Mikemongo/posts/10152483318606902
Without further build-up, here it is: The Pitch Video.
https://vimeo.com/108505844
HOORAH! Fellow writer and business owner (as well as mother to two of my top long-standing students, Bronza and Ganon) Ms Lara Fox, pushed us up and over the "tipping point"—we are now over 50% funded!!
So let us continue on this epic journey. Share The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens with friends and family who you know "get" it, and who also are working for a hope-filled, fantastic future for our students.
MM
MM
Oye backers,
When a peer supports you, it is one of the best feelings in the world. Now, my friend physicist Robert Freeland is one of those professional peers for whom I have the highest professional admiration and with whom I "occasionally" see eye-to-eye.
So today when I received the "You've got money!" notification with Rob's name listed, first I did a double-take. Then I gasped. Then I cheered.
...then, I lowered my head, shut my eyes and gave a quiet word of thanks—for friends and allies and supporters like Rob. Even though we argue, we agree: The value of space exploration for our future is bigger than any one (or two) of us.
Of all the backers of our crowdfunding campaign for The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens, Rob Freeland's comes along with a feeling of gratitude and appreciation that make me feel like we are taking on the world with our audacious goals and space science endeavors, and that by our doing it together we are making headway.
That's it. Keep up the good work, we are making headway:
One amazing backer at a time,
MM
WE BROKE 45% FUNDED (all caps 4 life)
...actually, thanks to Peter Krynicki, Calvin Allen, Theo Glorie, and Sam Kaufman, we actually smashed 45% and are are nearer to 47%.
Meaning, we are very very near to the 50% funded mark. Which is so thrilling I can hardly begin to tell you.
See, next week is UN World Space Week. That's my week. I own that week. All week long, as a resident space professional, I'm speaking at classrooms around Key West, FL. It's one of my favorite times of the year. All week I get to meet with students and give them permission to imagine themselves living, working, and playing in our space future. For space educators, it is like Rush Week for future space professionals.
Here I am speaking before kids in Jamaica this April:
(BTW if you need me or another space professional to address students at your school about space and space careers, drop me a line at mike-at-mikemongo-dot-com. Time is short but I have connections all over the US for this, and especially Florida. And especially especially the Florida Keys.)
One more terrific piece of new: This year, I am a Keynote speaker at SEDS SpaceVision 2014 Conference in Durham, NC. SEDS stands for Students for Exploration and Development of Space, and SpaceVision is the largest single gathering of space career-minded college students in the US. October 3-November 2.
That's it. You have all put up money for this project. Your spreading the word to your friends on Facebook and in emails about this project does as much if not more (!) for the campaign as anything I can do. Here's the URL to share:
http://kidastronaut.com
Keep up the good work, next update at 50% mark,
Mike Mongo
(PS if you don't know the significance of that google "42 meaning of life". And read The Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy! Because clearly everybody else has.)
OK, big thanks to our new funders Tyler Lee, Bert Whitt, Ross Williams, and Bernadette McCall—you all got us to this new peak: We are $15 from 43%!
On our campaign page, enjoy the video excerpt from my "Build A Starship" presentation at Starship Congress (2013) now posted. I believe it really captures what we are doing here, that is, giving young students permission to imagine themselves working, living, and playing in space.
Lastly, if you would like to help and be part of our campaign team, you can email me direct. Drop me a line at mike-at-mikemongo-dot.com.
That's it, thanks again and keep up the good work!
MM
THANK YOU DENNIS BEAVER!
THANK YOU, (super intelligent human being) JIM HENDRICK!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, (my buddy & friend) TONY ESTENOZ!!
THANK YOU, (amazing music teacher) ROBIN KAPLAN!
Thank you, Steve Smith. Thank you, Stacie Eggers! Thank you, JT Thompson!
OMGoogle THIS is how I feel:
So, here's how:
Dressing for Future We Want, not Future We Have
"I went from graffiti artist to astronaut teacher."
My google what a great milestone!!
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
MM
PS We are less than $50 from the 20% mark! Go team!
"Father of the Internet" Vint Cerf endorses The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens!
This week, none other "the Father of the Internet" Vint Cerf tweeted about The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens. Which was awesome. It couldn't get any more awesome if you an industrial designer and had got a note from Steve Jobs saying he "like that thing you made". It was that awesome!
Yet even more awesome was that Vint Cerf not only boosted The Astronaut Instruction Manual for Pre-Teens on Twitter. he did it on Facebook and Google+ too!
Here's the imgur screen grab of his posts.
I am asking backers to share the links below on your own twitter, FB, and G+.
Here are the links. Trust, your sharing reaches place I cannot. This means the world to me. Encouraging kids for careers in space is what is going to move humankind forward towards a space future. Thanks backer team, please share!
Twitter
Facebook
Google+
Thank you everyone!
Next milestone: 20%.
Here's a link the campaign to share on FB, Twitter, and Google+.
http://kidastronaut.com
Thanks, Astronaut Instruction Manual backers, we are doing it!
In a week's time, we have passed the 10% mark! W00T1! You first supporters, thank you. Inkshares has been an amazing group of people to work with and all your support makes their faith in The Astronaut Instruction Manual well-founded. This is most definitely a team effort.
Speaking of which: Thanks for all the shares on Facebook and Twitter, folks. It's allies such as yourselves who create winning traction. Twitter is especially important for crowdfunding.
As many of you know (and some new friends are learning), I LOVE this kind creative enterprise. Trust, we will have special surprises coming up. But our goal is to inspire young students to look to space as their future...and we are off to a good start.
Once again, Team, THANKS. I welcome all suggestions, you can reach me direct at mike-at-mikemongo-dot-com. That's it, keep up the good work! MM