NASA Astronauts to Join Live Q&A with Students in New York and Ohio

NASA astronauts will connect with students from two American schools in a live question-and-answer session from the International Space Station. The events are part of NASA’s effort to inspire young people to learn more about science and space.

On Tuesday, May 20, at 10:20 a.m. EDT, students from Long Beach Middle School in Lido Beach, New York, will take part in the first event. A second session will take place on Friday, May 23, at 11 a.m. EDT, with students from Vermilion High School in Vermilion, Ohio.

NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers and Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will answer prerecorded questions from students during the live calls. These calls will be streamed on the NASA STEM YouTube Channel and are open to the public.

Long Beach Middle School will include students in grades 6 through 8. The school wants to give students a real-life learning experience by connecting them with astronauts in space. The event aims to support science education by showing how space missions relate to classroom topics.

Vermilion High School will involve students from grades 9 through 12. The goal is to raise interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, also known as STEM. School officials believe hearing directly from astronauts will help students see new career paths in science.

The International Space Station has been home to astronauts for more than 24 years. During that time, astronauts have tested technology, conducted science experiments, and learned how to live and work in space. These experiments benefit people on Earth and help NASA prepare for future missions.

NASA astronauts communicate with the Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day. This is made possible through the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Near Space Network. It allows for constant connection between Earth and the space station.

The two student events are also part of NASA’s larger Artemis program. Under this program, the agency plans to return astronauts to the Moon. These missions are designed to prepare for human travel to Mars. NASA hopes to inspire a new generation of explorers, often called the Artemis Generation.

Students taking part in these events will learn how astronauts live in space, how they work, and what challenges they face. The questions they ask will be answered live from the space station, making it a rare and exciting experience.

These sessions are also a way to connect education with real-world science. NASA’s goal is to support schools and give students the tools they need to think about science in new ways. Events like this help students understand that space travel is not just a dream, but a real and growing part of the future.

Teachers who have used similar events in the past report that students become more excited about science. Many students continue to follow NASA news and start thinking about working in science or space when they grow up.

To watch the events, go to the NASA STEM YouTube Channel on the scheduled dates. Anyone interested in space or science can join the stream. These 20-minute sessions offer a simple way to bring space science to classrooms and homes.

NASA’s work with schools shows its long-term commitment to science learning. By opening up direct communication with astronauts, the agency helps students understand the importance of space missions. It also helps young people imagine their own place in the future of space exploration.