Dare to Dream: A Small-town Kid's Journey to NASA - Paperback

What does it take to turn a childhood dream into reality?

In Dare to Dream, Dr. Jason Cornelius shares his journey from a small-town upbringing in Pennsylvania to achieving his lifelong goal of working at NASA.

With unflinching honesty, Jason recounts the setbacks, failures, and doubts he faced along the way, proving that perseverance and resilience can overcome even the greatest challenges. From academic struggles to life-changing triumphs, his story is a powerful reminder that no dream is too big if you're willing to fight for it.

Through vivid storytelling and hard-earned lessons, Dare to Dream inspires readers to push beyond limitations and embrace the extraordinary. Whether you're chasing a personal goal or seeking motivation to overcome adversity, this memoir is a testament to the boundless potential within us all.

Dr. Jason Cornelius grew up in the small town of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, where his dream of becoming an aerospace engineer felt as distant as the stars. But Jason never gave up. Today, he works as an aerospace engineer in Silicon Valley, California. He earned his PhD from The Pennsylvania State University, where he contributed to the design of NASA's Titan Dragonfly lander. Jason continues to support Dragonfly, pioneer advanced Mars aircraft designs, and develop cutting-edge AI and machine learning methods.

This book shares Jason's journey from a mischievous small-town kid to an aerospace engineer, pilot, and polyglot, tackling challenges at the frontiers of space exploration. His story takes readers around the world-from China to Russia to NASA and beyond-showing how perseverance and determination can turn even the biggest dreams into reality.

Jason is passionate about fostering innovation in aerospace and inspiring others to dream big. His next adventure involves building great teams to tackle the world's toughest engineering challenges and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.