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During his mission to the International Space Station (ISS) Ax-2 Astronaut John Shoffner announced the final selections of his International Space Art and Poetry Contest. From 250 miles above Earth, Shoffner showcased a sample of the 930 entries from 26 countries from students who answered the question - What would it look like if we lived in space?”  

Surrounded by floating colorful artwork and thoughtful words, Shoffner named six chosen representatives, each hand-selected by an esteemed panel of judges, including Ax-2 Commander Peggy Whitson, science educator Kaci Heins, and artist/poet Monique Lorden. Students were scored based on thematic accuracy, interpretation, overall impression, and more.

Here are the 2023 category representatives, announced from the International Space Station!  

John Shoffner is a life-long space enthusiast. At 8-years-old, he formed a young astronauts club with his friends in his hometown of Middlesboro, Kentucky. John's wild ambition to become an astronaut never escaped him. In fact, he held onto a painting he created at 10 years old of an astronaut floating in space. This very painting has served as the inspiration for the International Space Art and Poetry Contest.  

A special thanks to Limitless Space Institute and Crayola Experience for your incredible partnership!  

To view all submissions, check out

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