Students from the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) charter schools in Austin, Texas, will have the opportunity to speak with a NASA astronaut currently living and working on the International Space Station at 11:55 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 16. The 20-minute, Earth-to-space call will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

Austin native and Expedition 46 Flight Engineer Tim Kopra, who launched to the station on Dec. 15 will answer questions from second, fifth and sixth grade students from KIPP Austin Obras Elementary and KIPP Austin Vista Middle School. The event is hosted by the Bullock Texas State History Museum,

Media interested in covering the event should contact Elizabeth Page at elizabeth.page@thestoryoftexas.com. The Bullock Texas State History Museum is at 1800 Congress Avenue.

This in-flight education downlink is an integral component of the NASA Office of Education’s efforts to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning in the United States. Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station through the agency Office of Education’s STEM on Station activity provides authentic, live experiences in space exploration, space study and the scientific components of space travel, while introducing the possibilities of life in space.

For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For more information, videos and lesson plans highlighting research on the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education/stemstation

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