What would you ask an astronaut?

What would you ask an astronaut?

On Tuesday, the South Florida Science Museum in West Palm Beach will become “mission control” as 11 students and two teachers, including Mr. Landstrom, will make contact with the International Space Station. It’s a collaboration between NASA’s Teaching From Space arm and museums and educators worldwide to encourage kids to pursue careers in science.

“It’s incredible for a small museum to be one of a handful of sites chosen worldwide,” said Lew Crampton, president and chief financial officer of the museum.Students in the Palm Beach County School District as well as area private school students and homeschooled students in grades 3-12 were asked to write a 250-word essay answering the question, “Why is space exploration important and what does it mean to me?”


The winners will have an opportunity to ask at least one question each to astronaut Akihiko Hoshide using the museum’s Amateur Radio Station, or Ham radio, with the assistance of the West Palm Beach Amateur Radio Group. The window of opportunity to ask questions will only remain open for about 10 minutes, so the kids and teachers practiced their questions, which range from waste disposal on the ISS to monitoring the health of coral reefs from space, at a dry-run at the museum a couple of weeks ago.

Below is the link to the live show on The Education Network (T.E.N). Anyone can click on this link at 11:30am Tuesday October 30th and watch the entire event. https://vodcast.palmbeachschools.org/player/ten1

What would you ask an astronaut? Here is what the kids said:

Chloe-Amelie Aikman, 9, Boca Raton (Calusa Elementary)

Question: When you look back on your life, what event or activity happened that had the largest impact on your desire to become an astronaut?

Emma Lilly Menzer, 8, Boynton Beach (Sunset Palms Elementary)

Question: When you exercise on the space station, what happens to your sweat?

Jerry Allison Stegenga III, 8, Boynton Beach (Pine Tree Lane Academy)

Question: Can Americans vote in space?

Finley Keefe Murray, 8, Palm Beach (Palm Beach Day Academy)

Question: If you can see coral reefs from space, can you measure them and if so, how?

Crista Johnson, 8, Palm Beach Gardens (Watson B. Duncan Middle)

Question: How has your perception of space’s size and expansion changed since leaving Earth?

Khiarra Carter, 10, Belle Glade (Gove Elementary)

Question: How is waste disposal currently handled on the space station and what is your opinion on how waste is disposed of?

Mary Dixon, 17, Wellington (Wellington High)

Question: Tell me about the integrated cardiovascular experiment you are performing on this mission, which will determine the effects of spending long periods in space on the heart.

Peter Rawlik, Palm Beach Maritime Academy

Question: In space, the human body is put through so much stress, physically and mentally. How did you train for this?

Connor Cane, Poinciana Elementary

Question: What future space discovery are you most excited about?

Gabriela Sanchez, Woodlands Middle

Question: What is the most beautiful or inspiring thing you’ve seen from space?

Catherine Zeng, Dreyfoos School of the Arts

Question: What are the benefits of doing experimentation in micro-gravity?

And what will the two teachers ask?

Linda Petuch, Pine Jog Elementary

Question: Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Do you find this to be true as a space explorer?

Erich Landstrom, Seminole Ridge Community High

Question: Other than looking at Earth, what brings you piece of mind?

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What: The South Florida Science Museum’s Ground Control Mission with NASA

When: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday

Where: The South Florida Science Museum, 4801 Dreher Trail N., West Palm Beach

Info: 561-832-1988