Massachusetts Students to Speak with Astronauts on Space Station

NASA News Releases <hqnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> · Tue, 16 Jan 2018 20:14:44 +0000 (UTC)

January 16, 2018 
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-012
Massachusetts Students to Speak with Astronauts on Space Station

International Space Station Expedition 54 crew members Joe Acaba and Mark Vande Hei of NASA, Alexander Misurkin and Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA, and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Credits: NASA

Students at Framingham State University (FSU) in Massachusetts will speak with astronauts living, working, and doing research aboard the International Space Station at 12:15 p.m. EST Friday, Jan. 19. The 20-minute, Earth-to-space call will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

Students will make the call to Expedition 54 astronauts Joe Acaba, Scott Tingle, of NASA, and Norishige Kanai, of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aboard the space station, posing questions about life aboard the space station, NASA’s deep space exploration plans, and doing science in space.

Acaba arrived at the station Sept. 12 on his third space mission, and is scheduled to return to Earth in February. Tingle and Kanai arrived Dec. 19 and are scheduled to return to Earth in June.

FSU is the alma mater of Christa McAuliffe, a payload specialist on space shuttle Challenger’s STS 51-L, which was lost during launch in 1986. McAuliffe was going to be the world’s first teacher in space, and FSU is the home of the McAuliffe Center, one of Challenger Center’s more than 40 learning centers. The McAuliffe Center received more than 200 questions from 83 students from a wide range of majors at FSU, and chose 25 questions to be asked during the downlink. Some 250 students are expected to attend.

Media interested in attending the event should contact Lisa Vernal via email at lvernal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx or phone at 412-337-3880. The event will take place at the McCarthy Center Forum at Framingham State University 93 State Street, Framingham.

Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station provides unique, authentic experiences designed to enhance student learning, performance and interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This in-flight education downlink is an integral component of NASA’s Year of Education on Station, which provides extensive space station-related resources and opportunities to students and educators.

Follow the astronauts on social media:

https://www.twitter.com/NASA_astronauts/

See videos and lesson plans highlighting research on the International Space Station at:

 https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation/

-end-

Press Contacts

Sean Potter

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1536

sean.potter@xxxxxxxx

Kelly Humphries

Johnson Space Center, Houston

281-483-5111

kelly.o.humphries@xxxxxxxx

NASA news releases and other information are available automatically by sending an e-mail message with the subject line subscribe to hqnews-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. 
To unsubscribe from the list, send an e-mail message with the subject line unsubscribe to hqnews-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. 

	January 16, 2018 MEDIA ADVISORY M18-012 Massachusetts Students to Speak with Astronauts on Space Station International Space Station Expedition 54 crew members Joe Acaba and Mark Vande Hei of NASA, Alexander Misurkin and Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA, and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Credits: NASA Students at Framingham State University (FSU) in Massachusetts will speak with astronauts living, working, and doing research aboard the International Space Station at 12:15 p.m. EST Friday, Jan. 19. The 20-minute, Earth-to-space call will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Students will make the call to Expedition 54 astronauts Joe Acaba, Scott Tingle, of NASA, and Norishige Kanai, of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aboard the space station, posing questions about life aboard the space station, NASA’s deep space exploration plans, and doing science in space. Acaba arrived at the station Sept. 12 on his third space mission, and is scheduled to return to Earth in February. Tingle and Kanai arrived Dec. 19 and are scheduled to return to Earth in June. FSU is the alma mater of Christa McAuliffe, a payload specialist on space shuttle Challenger’s STS 51-L, which was lost during launch in 1986. McAuliffe was going to be the world’s first teacher in space, and FSU is the home of the McAuliffe Center, one of Challenger Center’s more than 40 learning centers. The McAuliffe Center received more than 200 questions from 83 students from a wide range of majors at FSU, and chose 25 questions to be asked during the downlink. Some 250 students are expected to attend. Media interested in attending the event should contact Lisa Vernal via email at lvernal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx or phone at 412-337-3880. The event will take place at the McCarthy Center Forum at Framingham State University 93 State Street, Framingham. Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station provides unique, authentic experiences designed to enhance student learning, performance and interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This in-flight education downlink is an integral component of NASA’s Year of Education on Station, which provides extensive space station-related resources and opportunities to students and educators. Follow the astronauts on social media: https://www.twitter.com/NASA_astronauts/ See videos and lesson plans highlighting research on the International Space Station at: https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation/ -end-
	Press Contacts Sean Potter Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1536 sean.potter@xxxxxxxx Kelly Humphries Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 kelly.o.humphries@xxxxxxxx
	NASA news releases and other information are available automatically by sending an e-mail message with the subject line subscribe to hqnews-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. To unsubscribe from the list, send an e-mail message with the subject line unsubscribe to hqnews-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.