WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Students from Maine will have an opportunity next week to talk live with a NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will air live at 10:35 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Oct. 29, on NASA television and the agency’s website.

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir will answer questions from students in grades 3-12 from Eastern Aroostook Regional School Unit #39. Meir, who is an alumna of the regional school unit’s Caribou High School, listed her future plans in her graduating year book  “To go for a spacewalk.” Regional School Unit #39 students are drawing inspiration from Meir’s accomplishments and setting academic and career goals in preparation for their call to the space station.

The event will be held at Caribou High School, 308 Sweden St., Caribou. Media interested in covering should contact Christina Kane-Gibson at christina.kane-gibson@cariboumaine.org or 207-493-5319.

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

For nearly 20 years, astronauts have continuously lived and work on the space station, testing technologies, performing science and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Through NASA’s Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon by 2024 and then on to Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.

Follow America’s Moon to Mars exploration at:

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars 

Follow NASA astronauts on social media at:

https://www.twitter.com/NASA_astronauts

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

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

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SOURCE NASA