018 - Bill Bell, USA

This week, I talk with Bill Bell, a high school Earth and Space Science teacher from Payden City, West Virginia, who grew up pretending his dad’s orange hunting vest was an astronaut suit. Decades later, he found himself as a finalist in the AXE Apollo Space Academy, training alongside over 100 other aspiring astronauts from around the globe, hoping to earn a suborbital flight to space. We talk about that once-in-a-lifetime experience, and how it shaped not just his career, but the way he teaches and inspires the next generation of explorers.

We also dive into the messy middle of chasing big dreams—college setbacks, Navy rejections, and finding your calling in the classroom instead of the cockpit. Bill’s story is one of resilience, curiosity, and the quiet courage it takes to keep dreaming even when the world tries to hand you a smaller one.

A heartfelt thank you to Bill Bell for joining me and sharing his story, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for always supporting this Martian journey—even when it becomes a full-time mission control in our house.

This episode is dedicated to Bill's father, Vincent. To infinity and beyond.