In a unique opportunity this coming spring, Cache Valley public school students will be able to speak a U.S. astronaut currently aboard the International Space Station.

On May 19 at Utah State University, public school students interested in science, technology, engineering and math will be able to ask questions for approximately 20 minutes via video conference with NASA Astronaut Jack Fischer.

The event was announced in a news release by U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatchs office. The senior Republican senator worked with the Space Dynamics Lab and Utah State University to develop a proposal for the event and NASA approved it, the release states.

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NASA conducts no more than three In-flight Education Downlinks each year, so this is indeed a rare opportunity for students throughout Utah, wrote Hatch spokesman Matt Whitlock in an email to The Herald Journal. Senator Hatch hopes that, through this event and other pre-event activities, students will be excited about STEM education and STEM careers.

Eric Packenham is director and principal investigator of USU STARS! GEAR UP, a program designed to help students prepare for college.

Packenham talked about what he hopes students get out of participating in the space station downlink event.

Who knows? These students could be the ones leading us to missions on Mars or other explorations in the future, he said. We want to make sure the students have their curiosity piqued and have the opportunity to ask those burning questions about things they want to know more about.

Whitlock said NASA TV will livestream the event, so it will be available for viewing by anyone who has access to the internet or NASA TV.

The spokesman for Hatch also said there will be coordination with schools and stakeholders so that high school and middle school students across the state will also be able to view the event.

More details about this event will be announced closer to the scheduled date of the downlink.

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Hatch to host space station downlink chat for valley schools - The Herald Journal