Students from Colorado will have an opportunity this week to hear from a NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will air live at 10:35 a.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 18, on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.

NASA astronaut Raja Chari will answer prerecorded video questions from students in grades nine through 12 at Wheat Ridge High School in Jefferson County Public School district in Wheatridge, Colorado. The downlink will support continuing efforts to encourage students to pursue aerospace and STEM careers.

Media interested in covering the event should contact Maggie Wells with the Jefferson County Public School district at: [email protected].

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 aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through the Near Space Network Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS).

For more than 21 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Through Artemis, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.

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

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Science