Anderson students watch the International Space Station crew on the screen of the Cyberdome Theater at Exploration Place.
Anderson students have out-of-this-world experience
Fifth-grade students at Anderson Elementary had the opportunity to talk with crew members of the International Space Station on January 23. The students participated through a special downlink at Exploration Place’s Cyberdome Theater. The interview was shown live on the NASA channel, and broadcast on the district’s cable channel, Schoolhouse 20.
Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Witson and Flight Engineer Dan Tani, spent 20 minutes answering questions. The students asked about subjects to study, about life in space, and what was their favorite and least favorite part about living in space.
“My favorite part about living in space is everything floats. My least favorite part about living in space is everything floats,” Tani answered.
Tani said it is hard to do simple things in zero-gravity, like putting on socks. He gave a demonstration of how he put on his socks. The students laughed while watching him float and twist around in a ball.
“This was really cool,” student India Wilson said. “It’s not often people get
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| Justin Bartel, Exploration Place, and students Oanh Tran-Chau and Allyson McGill listen to the astronauts' responses. Photos by Susan Arensman |
to talk to people in space.”
Anderson was the first school in Kansas to talk to the crew of the International Space Station. Fifth-grade teacher Terry Manning has been working with Exploration Place for months to organize the event. She was thrilled to see all of the students focused.
“And it was exciting just to see them turning around in space,” Manning added.
The students have been studying space leading up to the interview. Last fall they participated in the Kansas STARBASE at McConnell Air Force Base where they designed their own space station.
After the interview, Tani told NASA Mission Control that it was the highlight of his day.
January 23, 2008