#NASASocial is an event where NASA invites people with a large social media following to come down, tour their facilities and tell their story. They picked me, a big 52-year-old kid who drank Tang and admired the Apollo astronauts as they soared through space on their way to the moon, to come and visit Stennis Space Center in Hancock County.

Stennis is a huge federal city, which houses everything from NAVY SEALS to Mississippi universities to the Navy’s forecast center to, of course, where NASA tests its rockets. I decided to bring Pip, our dog and the upcoming star of a children’s book I am working on. She, like her Uncle Banjo (from Banjo’s Dream), both believe that dreams can come true with belief and hard work. Here’s a slide show of her day as she tours one of Mississippi’s treasures and checks out the rocket that will take her to Mars.

Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today’s Editor-At-Large. He’s also host of a weekly statewide radio program and a television program on Mississippi Public Broadcasting and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award.