Arkansas Students to Speak with NASA Astronauts Aboard Space Station

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Dec 08, 2020, 11:32 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Students from Arkansas will have an opportunity this week to hear from NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will air live at 11:25 a.m. EST Thursday, Dec. 10, on NASA Television and the agency's website.

NASA astronauts Shannon Walker and Kate Rubins will answer questions from Nettleton STEAM intermediate students. Nettleton STEAM is a project-based learning public school serving third through sixth grades. In partnership with Arkansas State University and Arkansas PBS, the downlink event will be broadcast to students across Arkansas. Former President Bill Clinton will give prerecorded opening remarks, and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will give prerecorded closing remarks.

The event will take place at Nettleton STEAM, 2219 Thorn Street, Jonesboro, Arkansas, using prerecorded video questions and social distancing for those attending in person. Media interested in covering should contact Cathelene Gray at [email protected] or 870-672-1159.

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. Astronauts living in space on the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through the Space Network's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS).

Through NASA's Artemis program, the agency will send the first woman and next man to the Moon in 2024, with eventual human exploration of Mars. Students in grades K-12 can participate in NASA's newest mission through the agency's Moon Pod Essay Contest, which challenges students to imagine leading a one-week lunar expedition.

Follow America's Moon to Mars exploration at:

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars

Follow NASA astronauts on social media at:

https://www.twitter.com/NASA_astronauts

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

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

SOURCE NASA