Students across the United States will be able to speak directly with the International Space Station during a live, interactive call featuring NASA astronaut Anil Menon and STEM content creator Mark Rober, founder of the ClassCrunchLabs Foundation. Sponsored by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, the event will mark National STEM Day by bringing science, engineering and space exploration into classrooms.
The Earth-to-space call is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 11 a.m. ET and will be available to watch on NASA’s YouTube channel. NASA’s Learn With NASA initiative will support additional engagement across its channels.
Questions from students in orbit
From the space station, Menon will answer students’ questions about living and working in microgravity, becoming an astronaut and the technologies that make human spaceflight possible. Rober, joining from California, will discuss how curiosity, creativity and hands-on problem-solving shaped his career, from working as a NASA engineer to becoming a STEM creator.
How STEM works in space
During the downlink, students will see the space station in real time as Menon demonstrates how everyday activities, including eating and conducting experiments, change in microgravity.
The event is part of NASA’s broader effort to connect students with authentic STEM experiences, develop technical skills and introduce them to careers in aerospace. National STEM Day also highlights the value of hands-on learning and aims to inspire the next generation of scientists, technicians, engineers and innovators who will contribute to NASA’s exploration goals.
New collaboration to expand STEM access
The downlink marks the beginning of a new collaboration between NASA and the ClassCrunchLabs Foundation. The organizations plan to expand access to STEM learning experiences by combining NASA’s mission-focused educational resources with CrunchLabs’ hands-on engineering content.
Through shared programming and outreach, the partnership aims to encourage more students to develop skills in science, engineering and problem-solving, preparing them for future opportunities in aerospace and other fields.
Educators and families are encouraged to celebrate National STEM Day by watching conversations between NASA astronauts in orbit and STEM educators on Earth.
Source: www.nasa.gov