Aboard the International Space Station, NASA Expedition 66 Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei of NASA answered pre-recorded questions about life and work on the orbital laboratory during an in-flight event Feb. 10 with students attending Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke, Virginia. Vande Hei is in the midst of a record setting mission for a single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.
“Cultivating a culture of curiosity is a cornerstone of our STEM curriculum, and this opportunity puts that into practice,” said Dr. Mallory White, a Virginia Western biology professor and the downlink coordinator. “We are honored to be selected and be able to provide this authentic and unique learning opportunity to our community.”
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