A NASA astronaut recently answered questions from Florida students from space aboard the International Space Station.
Students from Dade City in Central Florida had the chance to connect with NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers as she answered questions about science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and more.
The event, hosted by Academy at the Farm and open to students and their families, occurred in Dade City in Pasco County. Academy at the Farm is a charter school that used the event to connect the students with space exploration and the work being done aboard the space station.
After an introduction and opening remarks, questions asked during the event with the astronaut and Florida students last month included:
- What is the oddest behavior you’ve had to adjust to while floating around the space station?
- If you could invite a fictional character to experience this with you, who would you bring and why?
- How do you get back to Earth?
- What is the most unexpected thought or realization you’ve had while being on station?
- What is the most unusual use you’ve found for Velcro on the space station?
- How did you pick your zero-g indicator?
- How does the space station stay in the sky without falling?
- Have you tried to play a musical instrument on the ISS and how does lack of gravity affect the sound?
- How is your research contributing to advancements in areas like climate science, medicine, and technology that benefit life on Earth?
- Have you ever seen a shooting star from space?
- Have you ever tried to play a prank on a fellow astronaut using the unique environment of space?
- If you could have a pet in space, what kind of animal do you think would adapt best to zero gravity?
- Have you discovered any peculiar smells in space and how do they compare to smells on Earth?
- What do you do if something breaks?
- What’s the most surprising item you’ve repurposed for entertainment while in orbit?
- Can you see the same rainbows that we see from Earth?
- Can you see other planets without a telescope?
- Can you see a city or a house from the space station?
- What’s the weirdest question you’ve asked yourself while being in space?
For more than 24 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.
Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lays the groundwork for other agency missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars; inspiring Artemis Generation explorers and ensuring the United States continues to lead in space exploration and discovery.
