A pageant queen took a big step toward her dream — and it wasn’t on the pageant stage.
Jessica Gagen is a 27-year-old young woman who is also nicknamed “Miss England” in the United Kingdom, after her victory in October 2022.
Gagen, however, is a rocket scientist by day – and dreams even more of becoming an astronaut in the future.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MISS ENGLAND FINALIST MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST CANDIDATE WITHOUT MAKE-UP
The beauty queen, an aerospace engineering graduate from the University of Liverpool, was invited to Las Vegas, Nevada, to be the keynote speaker at a conference hosted by the International Space Station, as reported by SWNS.
After giving a speech about women and children in STEM, Gagen was then invited to tour the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jessica Gagen, 27, has a degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. (SWNS)
There, she spent a day experiencing the life of a NASA astronaut.
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During her visit, she spent time with Boeing employees who toured Space Shuttle design areas, space shuttle construction and more.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gagen signed part of a space shuttle while visiting NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (SWNS)
During the tour, she witnessed the launch of two rockets – which she said made her feel “incredibly blessed”.
“This trip is everything an aerospace engineer could have dreamed of,” she said, as reported by SWNS.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gagen, who is Miss England under the Miss World franchise, said her “goal project” is to educate the next generation of students to be interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Gagen was crowned Miss England in October 2022. She will compete for the Miss World title in March 2024. (SWNS)
“I am passionate about educating the next generation about the different types of engineering, the different industries that STEM subjects can lead to and the skills that engineering can offer candidates,” she told SWNS .
Gagen said that if she was offered the opportunity to go to space, she would “jump at the chance.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Miss England visited NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida after expressing her dream of becoming an astronaut. (SWNS)
“Apart from that, I’m very interested in starting a career in anything related to new technology and I would jump at the chance to go to space,” she said.
Gagen is scheduled to compete for the Miss World title in Mumbai, India in March 2024.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital has contacted Gagen for further comment.
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