A FORMER team captain of the La Salle football team is set to become the first Filipino astronaut.
Chino Roque, 22, a recent psychology graduate from DLSU, was selected to join 24 future astronauts in a space flight scheduled for 2014 onboard a Space Expedition Corporation shuttle.
The announcement was made by Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, at Space Camp in Orlando, Florida, USA where 107 candidates from 62 countries underwent a rigid selection process for a chance to go to space.
Roque, a Crossfit trainer who exemplifies a “can do” attitude, was actually the replacement of Air Force Lt. Mario Mendoza Jr. who dropped out of the AXE Apollo Space Academy competition due to his flight training commitments.
Also with Roque at Space Camp are Evan Ray Datuin and Ramil Santos. All three men joined the AXE National Challenge program and AXE Hyperdrive promo where Unilever Philippines was able to select three Filipinos to form the AXE Apollo Team Philippines, with Roque as the youngest member.
The AXE Apollo Space Academy is a global, year-long campaign to give 23 ordinary men and women the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to space and become astronauts. Since its launch, AXE has received more than 1 million AXE Apollo Space Academy entries and almost 30,000 of these came from the Philippines.
The three Pinoys left for the US last week to undertake a tough five-day training at the AXE Apollo Space Camp in Orlando, Florida.
The performance of the three men were evaluated as they underwent a series of tests that include air space combat training, high G-force training, combat training and an assault course.
Roque and the 24 other winners will each receive tickets to fly into space aboard an X-COR Aerospace Lynx Aircraft. A ticket for the flight costs a hefty US$95,000.
The boyish-looking fitness coach earlier said he will bring a "rosary and the Filipino flag" with him if he is ever chosen to fill the lone Filipino slot in the space flight.
The Filipino delegation is expected to return to the country next week.
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