NASA Astronaut Mike Hopkins Available for Satellite Media Interviews

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Mar 14, 2014, 03:39 ET

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, who returned to Earth March 10 after 166 days aboard the International Space Station, will be available for live satellite media interviews from 7-8 a.m. EDT Thursday, March 20.

Hopkins began his extended stay in space after launching to the station Sept. 25, 2013. During his time aboard the ISS, Hopkins and his crewmates spent hundreds of hours conducting valuable scientific research in areas such as human physiology, medicine, physical science, Earth science and astrophysics.

To participate in the interviews, reporters should contact Karen Svetaka at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston at 281-483-8684 no later than 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 19.

The interviews will be conducted via NASA TV's Media Channel, NTV-3. Technical details are online at: http://go.nasa.gov/1iK8Dqn

Hopkins grew up on a farm outside Richland, Mo., and went on to earn a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois and a master's degree in aerospace engineering from Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.

A lifelong fitness enthusiast, Hopkins took the opportunity during his mission to share his passion for fitness, sharing several of his in-orbit workouts by video. He also participated in a Google+ Hangout with several elite athletes to highlight the importance of physical exercise and the unique challenges of staying fit in space.

This was the first spaceflight for Hopkins, who now has logged nearly 13 hours of spacewalking time outside the orbital complex.

Follow Hopkins on Twitter at:

http://www.twitter.com/AstroIllini

Hopkins' biography is available at:

http://go.nasa.gov/1dHNytA

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

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For more information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

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SOURCE NASA