Last week, more than 125 sixth- through eighth-graders at O. Henry Middle School learned about life in orbit, by speaking with three astronauts who are flying above Earth in the International Space Station. Through their science classes, the students participated in a live question-and-answer session with Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank and Flight Engineers Don Pettit and Andre Kuipers (right). NASA Television broadcast the live discussion.

The students communicated with the astronauts utilizing an audio/video downlink. This in-flight, education downlink is a signal satellite transmission from the ISS to a receiving station on Earth. It is one in a series with educational organizations in the United States and abroad to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics teaching and learning.

NASA's Teaching from Space Program, promotes learning opportunities and builds partnerships with the education community using the unique environment of space and NASA's human spaceflight program.

Click here to watch video footage from NASA TV of the live chat.

Special thanks to NASA for providing our students with this wonderful opportunity.