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Cosmic Couple Takes Space "On Tour"

MaryLiz Bender and Ryan Chylinski pose with one of the couple's campers used to travel the country and document rocket launches and dark skies. Photo: WMFE / Brendan Byrne
MaryLiz Bender and Ryan Chylinski pose with one of the couple's campers used to travel the country and document rocket launches and dark skies. Photo: WMFE / Brendan Byrne

MaryLiz Bender and Ryan Chylinski didn’t know it at the time, but they were both embarking on a similar mission -- selling all their stuff, hoping in a camper and touring the country documenting the latest space events.

The two met and once they realized they were doing the same thing, they joined up to criss-cross the nation in their modified campers collecting videos and photos from rocket launches, composing music inspired by the energy at these events, and leading the outreach effort to get more people interested in space.

The couple is launching their latest project, Guidance Internal: Lessons From Astronauts, a Kickstarter campaign for a book and documentary looking at how astronauts are inspired by the cosmos.

Brendan Byrne is Central Florida Public Media's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing the organization's internship program. Byrne also hosts Central Florida Public Media's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration, and the weekly news roundup podcast "The Wrap."