SpaceX Crew-2 Astronauts At The Space Station Will Answer Brownsville Texas Students Questions

SpaceX launched the second operational mission, Crew-2, under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program on April 23. A Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft to space, carrying NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet. After a 24-hour-long voyage, they arrived to the International Space Station (ISS) on April 24 at 5:08 a.m. EDT. For the past week, Crew-2 is preparing to conduct dozens of scientific experiments and maintenance tasks at the ISS Lab, including spacewalks to upgrade the station’s solar arrays. They will also participate in virtual meetings to inspire children on Earth during their six-month-stay at the orbiting laboratory.

SpaceX Crew-2 astronauts will answer students’ questions next week. They will watch pre-recorded questions by students from South Texas Brownsville Independent School District (BISD). Which is the city where SpaceX is developing its Starship launch vehicle that will one day land astronauts on the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis program. The upcoming virtual event will be the first time that Brownsville children/teens have the opportunity to ask astronauts at the Space Station a question. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet will answer the students’ questions Live on Tuesday, May 11 from 9:15 to 9:35 a.m. Central Time. You can watch the Live broadcast via NASA TV, linked in the video below.

After Crew-2 astronauts answer the students' questions, BISD, STAR South Texas Astronomical Society, and the Children’s Museum of Brownsville, will also host an event that will broadcast locally. The event will feature guest speakers including the Mayor of Brownsville Trey Mendez, State Representative Eddie Lucio, BISD Superintendent Rene Gutiérrez, NASA astronaut Colonel Michael Fossum, former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Johnson Space Center HR Director Lupita Armendáriz, among other guests. The schedule below was provided by the South Texas Astronomical Society which includes all guests that will participate. A Link to the local TV broadcast will be added to this article as soon as its available. For more information visit: STARSocietyRGV.org/downlink/

On Tuesday May 11, students from Brownsville will have an opportunity to interact with astronauts aboard the International Space Station through a live question-and-answer session! pic.twitter.com/npTPklT4JD

— South Texas Astronomical Society (@STARSocietyRGV) April 21, 2021

Join us next Tuesday, May 11 for a downlink with astronauts aboard the International Space Station followed by a spectacular online event!https://t.co/SHjdE60St1 pic.twitter.com/pS517WLxKy

— South Texas Astronomical Society (@STARSocietyRGV) May 7, 2021

Virtual Event Schedule (Central Time)

9:00 A.M. CDT: Opening remarks by BISD Superintendent Rene Gutiérrez
9:15-9:35: Downlink with astronauts! (Live on NASA TV)
9:40-10:00: Downlink debrief interview with BISD students
10:15-10:20: Introductory Remarks by Mayor Trey Mendez
10:20-10:35: Live address by Lupita Armendariz, former HR recruiter for NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Johnson Space Center
10:35-10:45: Video address by State Representative Eddie Lucio
10:45-11:00: Live address by Colonel Michael Fossum, former NASA astronaut
11:00-11:10: Video address by Dr. Mario Diaz, UTRGV Professor of Physics & Astronomy and Director of the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy & Cristina Torres Memorial Observatory
11:10-11:25: Live address by Josh Mejia, Executive Director of Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation
11:25-11:35: Video address by Emmanuel Alex Zamora, NASA Civil Servant & Electrical Engineer
11:35-11:50: Live address by RJ Mitte, President of Mitte Foundation
11:50-12:00: Closing remarks

Featured Image Source: @STARSocietyRGV via Twitter