Maryland Students to Speak to NASA Astronaut on Space Station

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Jun 06, 2017, 12:06 ET

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Students at Leeds Elementary School in Elkton, Maryland, will speak with a NASA astronaut living and working aboard the International Space Station at 9:35 a.m. EDT on Friday, June 9. The 20-minute, Earth-to-space call will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

Expedition 52 Flight Engineer Jack Fischer will answer questions about space and his current mission from pre-K to fifth-grade students assembled at the school. The downlink will be available for simulcast in county schools so that other students may experience the event.

Fischer launched to the International Space Station in April. He is scheduled to return to Earth in September.

For more information on the downlink, contact Tim Dominick at 410-392-1069 or [email protected]. The school is at 615 Deaver Road in Elkton.

Orbital ATK Missile Defense and Controls in Elkton and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Delaware are cosponsors of the event with Cecil County Maryland Public Schools. The AIAA Delaware Section and Orbital ATK have continuously been involved with Cecil County Public Schools to expose students to NASA's human spaceflight exploration program.

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 Education's STEM on Station activity, which provides a variety of space station-related resources and opportunities to students and educators.

For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For more information, videos and lesson plans highlighting research on the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

SOURCE NASA