High schoolers have long-distance chat
with International Space Station crew
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Photo Credit:
NASA/Bill Ingalls |
It wasn't your average school day at Thomas Jefferson High School
for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia.
On Tuesday, November 15, students got a rare chance to chat face
to face with Expedition 12 crewmates Bill McArthur (right, waving)
and Valery Tokarev (left) on the International Space Station.
NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale and U.S. Secretary of Education
Margaret Spellings were on hand for the live downlink, which came
as part of International Education Week, a program developed by
the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education
to emphasize the global aspect of education.
Students peppered the crew with a range of questions on topics
such as future energy sources, microgravity experiments, training,
education, and diet. Some questions were even asked in Russian,
including one on McArthur and Tokarev's different cultural backgrounds.
Thomas Jefferson High School is no stranger to cutting-edge education.
The school boasts 12 different science labs emphasizing robotics,
computer-assisted design, oceanography and more. Several faculty
members have experience with other space education programs, including
NASA's Network of Educator Astronaut Teachers.
"We're so excited to be part of this downlink," said
Vice Principal Douglas Tyson before the event. "This is where
you see math, science and technology in action. Space has always
been a major-league turn-on at our school, and this is just one
more outstanding example."
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