(COLORADO) —  U.S. Air Force Major Nichole Ayers, a graduate of both the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) and Woodland Park High School, is preparing for the launch of a lifetime.

After being selected as one of just 10 astronaut candidates from over 12,000 applicants in 2021, Ayers is about to make her childhood dream of traveling to space a reality.

“I think for me, I’m excited about the view, getting to see the world from that perspective,” Ayers explained. “I’m excited to share this experience with this team, but also to see the team we are on the ground, there are no borders, you can’t see borders from the space station.”

On Wednesday, March 12, Ayers will blast off aboard the SpaceX Crew-10 mission, heading to the International Space Station. The launch is set for 5:48 p.m. local time, and Woodland Park couldn’t be prouder.

The City of Woodland Park celebrated the exciting news with a post on their Facebook page, asking the community to wish Ayers “safe travels and a successful mission!”

“I love to highlight Colorado, it’s one of my favorite places,” Ayers said. “As a child, I always had an affinity for the sky, and flying, and for space and then growing up right there in Colorado, next to the Air Force Academy during the shuttle era when I learned you could fly the shuttle, I was like, ‘that’s what I want to do.’ There are plenty of opportunities in Colorado, both outside and inside the school system and it really set me up for success to get where I am today.”

Ayers’ journey to space began in December 2021, when NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced her selection for NASA’s astronaut class. For Ayers, it was the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and a bit of that Southern Colorado grit.

After her selection, Ayers dove into two intense years of astronaut training, which covered everything from operating and maintaining the International Space Station’s complex systems, to mastering spacewalks, to learning Russian and perfecting her skills on the T-38 training jet. No detail was too small, as Ayers was preparing for one of the most challenging—and exciting—missions of her life.

Ayers’ academic and athletic background is just as impressive as her space training. She graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2011 with a degree in mathematics and a minor in Russian, and, fun fact, she also played Division I volleyball during her time there. She later earned a master’s degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston, all while competing internationally on the USA Armed Forces Team.

Before being selected by NASA, Ayers was serving as the assistant director of operations at the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. She’s no stranger to flying high—she’s an experienced instructor in both the T-38A and F-22 Raptor, with missions flown around the globe.

Now, as she prepares for her first spaceflight, Ayers will serve as the pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission. It’s a historic moment, not just for Ayers, but for everyone back home in Woodland Park, who will cheer her on as she embarks on this incredible adventure.

“I always say, ‘be a good teammate, be a good human, and work hard and you’ll get anywhere you want in life,'” Ayers said.

So, mark your calendars and send a wave of good luck to Major Nichole Ayers as she takes off next week. It’s a major milestone for her, and for Woodland Park, it’s proof that dreams really can take you to the stars.

For anyone interested, the full NASA SpaceX Crew-10 flight crew news conference can be viewed in the video player above.