Tuesday morning, Boise State University students will speak with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. They’ll get to ask the crew 20 questions. It’s all part of BSU’s Space Symposium.
All semester, BSU Space Broncos have been engaging with NASA, chatting online and taking part in the space agency’s research and programs. That work is culminating with a live chat with NASA astronauts Steve Swanson and Rick Mastracchio.
“It’s a real opportunity for Boise State to have a Q&A downlink with the space station,”says Leigh Ann Dufurrena, BSU’s Digital Communications Specialist. She says NASA often directs its education efforts toward K-12, so this is a rare chance for college students to talk to the astronauts.
She says BSU is hosting the symposium to showcase connections the University has with NASA. “Whether that’s NASA research, NASA collaborations, projects and internships that students can work on such as MicroGravity University, there are so many different opportunities that students can partake of here on campus and even abroad,” says Dufurrena.
Along with the Q&A, the Space Symposium will feature a talk from NASA astronaut and Idaho teacher Barbara Morgan, astronaut Steve Swanson’s parents, who live in Boise, and space and science teachers from Boise State.
The symposium is open to the public and starts at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Boise State.
Copyright 2014 Boise State Public Radio
