14 DAY TRIAL // It's official. The winner of the wackiest competition organized by the ESA is a 14-year-old girl. The competition was proposed by the agency two months ago to see what kind of music the astronauts on board the ISS should be listening to.
People were asked to send a playlist containing 10 of their favorite tunes to the ESA, who would then decide which one is best suited for the needs of the astronauts. The contest was not just a publicity stunt, as the right music was found to ease the stress of being in zero-gravity for weeks at a time and had positive psychological effects on the crew.
Over 10,000 entries from 10 member states have been received by the agency and judges had a tough time announcing the winner. The playlist considered to be the most suited for cheering up and inspiring the astronauts belonged to Therese Miljeteig (age 14) from Norway.
Now she will be able to say that the tunes she listens to are really "out of this world" and no one will ever be able to tell her she has bad taste in music.
The Grand Prize will consist in, what else, a VIP tour of the spaceport in Kourou, near a town in French Guiana, a tropical overseas department of France, located on the northern coast of South America, where she will attend the launch of the Automated Transfer Vehicle, heading for the ISS.
Also, the national winners will be taken for a grand tour of the European Astronaut Centre in Germany. They are all aged between 10 and 17.
Here is the winning playlist, to be sent aboard the space station:
Here Comes The Sun - Beatles Rockin' All Over The World - Status Quo Come Fly With Me - Frank Sinatra Rocket Man - Elton John Up Where We Belong - Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes Flashdance - What A Feeling - Irene Cara Walk of Life - Dire Straits Fly - Celine Dion Imagine - John Lennon I Believe I Can Fly - R Kelly
