The 14-year-old from St Georges Basin hopes to one day become an astronaut and pilot, to be "part of the evolution of space travel".

Lucas is articulate and softly spoken, but his face lights up when he talks about the stars.

"To discover new things, all the wonders of the universe, is fascinating to me," he said.

"And the technological advances we've made since the 60s - recently we've gone from having to throw rockets away to being able to land them vertically, which is really cool."

His mum, Daniela, said as a child Lucas was always drawn to the night sky - now he can identify planets and constellations on sight.

He has also studied orbital mechanics - a basic requirement if he is to fulfill his dream of one day becoming an astronaut and pilot.

In the more immediate future, Lucas hopes to travel to America with One Giant Leap Australia, on their 2020 Space Camp.

Students get the opportunity to tour space facilities and speak with NASA scientists.

Just 10 students are selected to attend, and of those two receive a scholarship.

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Lucas has made a shortlist of about 40 potential attendees. He hopes to receive a scholarship place, but has started saving up just in case.

"If you put your mind to it, you can make any dream become a reality," he said.

"My parents have given me the opportunity for the camp, and to do anything in life. Thanks, Mum."

His parents say if he's selected, there's "no question" Lucas will attend the camp, regardless of whether he receives the scholarship.

"I'm excited for him to spread his wings, explore his own interests and his own path," Daniela said.

"l'm just so proud of him. He's very focused, and we try to support him in every way we can."

The trip will cost about $10,000 in total, and the family has set up a GoFundMe page for anyone interested in supporting Lucas' space camp goal.

If you would like to contribute, the link is here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/lucas-bethencourt-scolarship-fund