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MANILA – December 9, 2013 – Chino Roque, a psychology graduate from De La Salle University (DLSU), will be the first ever Filipino to travel to space in 2015, after he emerged as the official Philippine representative in the AXE Apollo Space Academy (AASA) Space Camp. The camp officially ended with the graduation of 107 astronaut aspirants, including Roque and two other Filipinos, at the Rocket Garden of the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida.
As the first Filipino astronaut, Roque will join 24 other astronaut winners who will fly to space onboard a Space Expedition Corporation shuttle, Axe Philippines said in a press release.
Roque bested compatriots Evan Ray Datuin and Ramil Santos for the title via impressive performances in the Air Combat Training, G Force Training and Assault Course.
The graduation ceremony was led by legendary American astronaut and AASA Space Camp judging committee chairman Buzz Aldrin, and other judges including XCOR Aerospace COO Andrew Nelson whose rocket engine company is manufacturing the shuttle to fly the 24 AASA winners to space, Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) CEO and shuttle owner Michiel Mol, SXC Test Pilot Mission Control COO Harry van Hulten and SXC Director of Commercial Space Marlous Mens.
The graduation ceremony was quickly followed by an outdoor party among the astronaut aspirants.
The AXE Apollo Team Philippines composed of Evan Ray Datuin, Ramil Santos and Chino Roque flew to the United States to take part in a five-day intense astronaut training that employed the same methods and equipment used to hone the skills of astronauts from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
These include AXE Space Academy Air Combat Training onboard a SIAI Marchetti SF260, G Force Training through the G Force Simulator, Assault Course and Aptitude Test.
