NASA Astronauts to Answer Questions from Missouri Students

NASA astronauts (from left) Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir, SpaceX Crew-12 Pilot and Commander respectively, are photographed in their pressure suits and inside the Dragon spacecraft during the Crew Equipment Interface Test at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The goal of the training is to rehearse launch day activities and get a close look at the spacecraft that will take them to the International Space Station.

NASA astronauts (from left) Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir are photographed on Jan. 12, 2026, in their pressure suits and inside the Dragon spacecraft during the Crew Equipment Interface Test at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The goal of the training is to rehearse launch day activities and get a close look at the spacecraft that will take them to the International Space Station.

Credit: SpaceX

Students in Missouri will hear from NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions while aboard the International Space Station.

The Earth-to-space call will begin at 10:50 a.m. EDT Thursday, April 30, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel.

This event is hosted by the University of Missouri Pre-Employment Transition Services in Columbia, Missouri, for students in grades K-12 and members of the community. This opportunity aims to deepen understanding of space exploration and inspire students to pursue a future career in STEM.

Media interested in covering the event must RSVP by 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 29, to Kimberly Pudlowski at: 636-697-5845 or kimberly.gee@missouri.edu.

For more than 25 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.

Research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and support other agency work, including missions at the Moon. As part of NASA’s Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars, inspiring the world through discovery in a new Golden Age of innovation and exploration.

See more information on NASA in-flight education calls at:

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

-end-

Gerelle Dodson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
gerelle.q.dodson@nasa.gov

Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov