For Vu Thanh Long, the winner of the Unilever Group’s Axe “Finding Vietnam’s Second Person in Space” competition, stratospheric ambitions are intimately tied to helping his homeland.

While acknowledging the scope of his dreams, Long is optimistic of success.

Independence abroad

Twenty-year-old Vu Thanh Long beat more than 20,000 Vietnamese contestants from all over the world to win the Axe competition.

Long credits his victory to lessons learned living and studying independently in Australia.

Born in Ho Chi Minh City, Long grew up under the very attentive care of his parents. He was shy and overly dependent on their help when still small.

After finishing the 9th grade, he left for Australia to study. His elder brother looked after him but living abroad was still very challenging.

The language barrier was the first he needed to overcome. He took every chance to practice his English, conversing with locals at stations, at school, and during daily life.

He says his confidence grew alongside his language abilities and his understandings of Australian culture.

After three years of secondary education, Long earned a scholarship to study at Melbourne’s Monash University.

The astronaut Pham Tuan was Long’s childhood hero and he has always dreamed of replicating his journeys into space. His curiosity inspired the decision to study chemical engineering, a field notable for its relevance to space travel.

Long hopes to one day work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

An example of young Vietnamese talent

Long instantly recognized the Axe competition as an opportunity to step closer to achieving his dreams. He decided to return home to register to participate.

The competition gave Long new experiences and a chance to consolidate and review the knowledge gained from studying overseas.

He must swim, run, and complete weight training for several hours per day. A minimum of eight hours sleep is also essential.

Long could soon become the second Vietnamese person to fly into space. He credits the independence and self-reliance he developed while living and studying in Australia.

Hero and Lieutenant General Pham Tuan, head of the competition’s organizing board, says Long has the necessary qualities to complement his passion— optimum health, cultivated English, and well-honed communication skills.

Long now embarks on a very challenging journey. He will join representatives from 75 countries at the Axe Apollo Space Camp in the US. The training course will select the 23 best candidates for the trip of a lifetime into space.

The young man has already planned for the voyage.

“I will carry the national flag into space to demonstrate the boundless capacity of the Vietnamese people,” Long says.

Long described his determination to win the longed-for trip into space before completing his studies in Australia. He eventually wants to return to Vietnam and contribute to the nation’s future.