#projectjuno

[fantasticradiouk]

In 1991 Helen Sharman was launched into space on an eight-day mission to the Mir space station, and so became the first Briton ever in space. Just two years earlier Helen had answered a radio advert: “Astronaut wanted. No experience necessary”. She was selected for the Project Juno mission ahead of 13,000 other applicants, and underwent 18 months of intense flight training in Star City, Russia. She was launched into space in the Soyuz TM-12 with Soviet cosmonauts Anatoly Artsebarsky and Sergei Krikalev. It took them two days to reach the Mir space station, where she spent the majority of her eight days in orbit, and she famously smuggled an orange aboard the spacecraft. Whilst in orbit, Helen used her expertise in chemistry to conduct medical and agricultural experiments, and was also tasked with taking images of the British Isles. Project Juno transformed the then 27-year-old from a food technologist into a national hero. She’s pictured here with the SOKOL space suit she wore on her mission, which is on display in our Exploring Space gallery. . #OnThisDayInHistory #sciencemuseum #sciencemuseumlondon #helensharman #exploringspace #sokol #mirspacestation #spaceexploration #space #projectjuno #starcity #russia #internationalmuseumday #internationalmuseumday17 #museumday #imd2017 #imd17 #museumday

[shslbabybrows-blog]

✧ Hush ✧ OPEN

With the second motive released, only time would tell if the cycle would repeat itself. Kirie wandered the halls of the new floor with his hands clutched warily near his chest and his head shrank down into his coat.

There was no way of knowing what this secret exchange could do to his classmates; he knew they had all read something similar to the words hidden under his pillow, perhaps worse. An event like this could cause cracks in the bonds he had formed with the others, and the powerlessness he felt chipped away at him.

Straightening himself up, Kirie quickened his pace towards the shops.

“Hmmm~”

The boy noticed a gift shop to one end and quickly began exploring it, weaving through the aisles stocked with an array of items. At last he found the decorations aisle and the box on the highest shelf marked ‘streamers��. Just standing on his toes wouldn’t be enough to reach it, he realized, and he let out a pathetic sound that was half sigh, half whine.

After passing a quick glance over the area, Kirie spotted a large plastic bucket on a nearby bottom shelf. He wasted no time in retrieving it and flipping it upside down, using it as a stepping stone as he reached for the box of streamers.

Kirie swiped his hand at it to edge it closer, swiping again and again until he could almost grab it. That was, until he became over-eager with his last swipe and sent the box falling onto his head.

“Aaaaah!”

Kirie stumbled off of the bucket and flung his arms up to shield himself, but it was too late; by the end, Kirie Kubo stood covered in multicoloured streamers. A few rolls had even managed to make their way down the aisle to the entrance of the store.

[shslbabybrows-blog]

Fatal Games✧Motive✧Open

Kirie stood in stunned silence as the strange mascot disappeared from sight. The bear’s words raced through Kirie’s mind, over and over, so he wouldn’t forget a detail.

There were noises around him; some of his classmates had already begun to talk to each other, and he heard a scream or two, though it all seemed so distant. Shrinking into his coat, Kirie began to shiver, a shaky hand worrying up to clutch at the fabric of his shirt. He clamped his other hand tightly over his wrist as if to stop himself, and only then did he look around at the other students with wide, vacant eyes. 

Out of habit, he smiled, but he realized quickly that he could not keep that up for long. The back of his neck prickled with sweat and he took several steps back, lacking the grace that was common for him. Still shaking, Kirie sharply turned his back to the others and made his way to the stairs. He was at the basement floor within the minute and, without stopping once, Kirie found his room and shut the door.

It was almost an hour before he had recovered enough to emerge again. His eyes were red and raw, but he seemed to have calmed himself enough to wear a smile.

As he walked back into the lobby, he looked around at his fellow students—his fellow prisoners, really. With a docile voice, Kirie addressed the person nearest him.

“How are you feeling?”

It was a question with an obvious answer; his wary tone said he knew that, but still he asked.

[shslbabybrows-blog]

Tangled Strings✧Open✧Kirie Kubo

For some time, Kirie had been sound asleep. The softness of his fur coat against his cheek was enough to fool him into thinking he was in bed, but what awaited him when he opened his eyes was not his bedroom but a strange open area littered with people.

“...” 

Immediately Kirie searched himself for answers, but he only arrived at more questions. Who were these other people? What what this place, and why could he remember nothing of how he got here? In a daze, Kirie got to his feet and stared over at the banner draped across the lounge—”WELCOME STUDENTS”.

It seemed the new school life he would have been travelling to in the morning was already in progress, and it was nothing like he had envisioned. His thoughts were a mess, there were bits of tattered balloon everywhere, and his classmates were on the floor. 

Adjusting his coat, Kirie realized himself and straightened to regard the students around him. 

“I must still be waking up. I’m . . . a little confused!”