A purple cloth alien to remind me of my daughter’s love

Space scientist and CEO of Science Innovation Ltd

The item I would take with me to the moon would be a little alien that my daughter made for me. She is studying textiles for GCSE and she used a loom to make a beautiful piece of purple cloth, my favourite colour. She then sewed this into a little alien creature. I would love to take this with me because the moon would be the furthest the creature would get from Earth. I smile every time I look at it and see the love that my daughter poured into it.

Great works of writing and music would strengthen my brain

I care little nowadays for personal possessions but, as time is running out for me and I am achingly aware of my ignorance, I will use my moon trip to educate myself, so that I come back a more cultured Guardian reader. The complete works of Shakespeare will cover the theatre at its most profound. War and Peace will deal with great, daunting literature. And the complete symphonies of Mahler as conducted by their supreme interpreter, Claudio Abbado, will help me look death in the face. I hope the journey working on these will strengthen my weakening brain’s capability, and inspire me to continue to relish the........

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