Georgia Students To Speak Live With Space Station Commander

Students and educators at Stratford Academy in Macon, Ga., will speak with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday, April 3, via amateur radio. Media are invited to attend at the school.

The 10-minute, live forum will allow Hadfield, the first Canadian commander of the station, to answer questions about life, work and research aboard the orbiting laboratory. Students will make contact through the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) system at 8:47 a.m. EDT.
Media representatives interested in attending should contact Kelly Causey, technology and curriculum coordinator, at 478- 477-8073 or kelly.causey@stratford.org. Stratford Academy is at 6010 Peake Road, Macon.

Hadfield arrived at the space station on Dec. 21 and is scheduled to remain aboard until May. Students have been preparing for the exchange through NASA activities in the classroom that create awareness about the International Space Station.

Linking students directly to station astronauts will provide students an authentic experience of space exploration, scientific studies and possibilities for future human space exploration. Students also will be exposed to opportunities to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

This in-flight education ARISS opportunity is one in a series with educational organizations in the United States to improve STEM teaching and learning. It is an integral component of NASA’s Teaching From Space education program, which promotes learning opportunities and builds partnerships with the education community using the unique environment of space and NASA’s human spaceflight program.
The exact time of the event could change because of real-time operational activities.

For information about NASA’s education programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education

For more information about astronaut Chris Hadfield, visit:
http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/biohadfield.asp

For information about the International Space Station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station