Time is running out for Grande Prairie’s Cassandra Kirk to cross the first place finish line in the race of a lifetime.

Earlier this year, the former Composite High school student entered an online competition to be sent into space by the Axe Apollo Space Academy (AASA).

She now has less than a month to nab a top spot on the leaderboard against more than 1,300 other Canadian candidates.

“It’s coming really well,” said Kirk, who is going by the name of “Captain Kirk” for the purposes of her campaign.

“I mean the clock is ticking I’m down to my last 30 days, so I’m really wracking my brain for things I can do to help my self along.”

The MacEwan University science student is currently sitting in 28th place and will have to move up one spot per day in order to be one of two national representatives sent to an astronaut training camp in Orlando, Fla.

She has so far come up with some interesting methods of collecting votes, such as parading around Alberta cities in an astronaut suit and posting musical videos on YouTube.

Her most recent creation, “Cups – Astronaut Edition,” is a rhythmic rendition of a popular song, spoofed with some space vocabulary.

The video was posted earlier this week and has already attracted more than 1,000 views.

“I would do anything for the contest,” Kirk explained. “It’s been my dream since I was little, I’m super, super in love with all things space.”

The astrology-lover even got a shout-out from famed Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who noticed her wearing her costume at the Calgary Stampede.

The pair originally met at the start of July after Kirk won a Twitter contest for a private audience.

“That was a push for me to work even harder at the contest,” she said.

The space-hopeful isn’t nervous about the placing in the race, but admits that moving 26 spaces in fewer than 30 days is a daunting task indeed.

“I absolutely want to win, but if I don’t it’s not going to be the end of the world,” she explained.

“I’m still studying to be an astronaut anyways – it’s just going to take me longer to get there.”

Even if Kirk won the competition, getting to space would be no moonwalk.

The science student would still have to pass the gruelling trials of training camp and be hand-chosen as the academy’s sole recipient of the trip up to the stars.

If selected, she would become the third Canadian woman in space and the youngest Canadian astronaut in history.

And with so much at stake, Kirk isn’t giving up on chasing the leaderboard any time soon.

“I’ve got quite a few ideas, I’ve even considered putting something on Facebook saying, ‘if I reach spot 25 by this day I’ll go skydiving in my space suit,’ stuff like that,” she said.

The final competition ends Aug. 31, with training for Canadian finalists taking place in December.

The final space flight scheduled between 2014 and 2017, for more information or to vote for Kirk, visit https://www2.axeapollo.com/en_CA/5893/cassandra-kirk.

elizabeth.mcsheffrey@sunmedia.ca