NASA Astronaut And Elite Athletes Host Google+ Hangout

News provided by

Jul 12, 2013, 03:01 ET

HOUSTON, July 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins will discuss health, fitness and astronaut training with several elite American athletes in a Google+ Hangout at 3 p.m. CDT (4 p.m. EDT) Wednesday, July 17.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

The Hangout can be seen live on NASA's Google+ page or on NASA Television. Participants will be:

Rachel Flatt, 2010 U.S. Olympic team figure skater
Curt Tomasevicz. 2010 U.S. Olympic bobsledder
Rich Froning Jr., CrossFit Games champion
Jared Crick, Houston Texans professional football player
Peter Moore, Men's Health magazine
Sam Kass, an Obama Administration senior policy advisor on nutrition and executive director of the White House's Lets Move! campaign
Mark Guilliams, Hopkins' lead strength and conditioning coach

A colonel in the U.S. Air Force, Hopkins is in the final phase of his mission training as he and his crewmates prepare for their Sept. 25 launch to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Hopkins has participated in many sports and athletics throughout his life, including serving as the team captain for the football team while at the University of Illinois. His recreational interests include hockey, backpacking, snow skiing and running. He also is an avid fan of Cross Fit and weight lifting.

NASA's social media followers may submit questions on Twitter and Google+ in advance and during the Hangout using the hashtag #askNASA. Before the Hangout begins, NASA will open a thread on its Facebook page where questions may be posted.

To join the Hangout, visit:
https://plus.google.com/events/cu89ta1tvo21avsoa2ucm6unqug

To view the Hangout on NASA TV, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For Hopkins' astronaut biography, visit:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/hopkins-ms.html

SOURCE NASA