Space Station Austronaut Answers Pensacola Students' Questions Live via Satellite Link

Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli answers Pensacola students' questions live from the Space Station via a real-time satellite link-up, 11-15-2023

I get invited to a lot of really cool events as a County Commissioner.  And I am always thankful for the invitation to attend great events in our area's schools.  Yesterday was a perfect example of this.  

Pensacola's Creative Learning Academy hosted a huge crowd from the community, to include elected officials, military officers, business leaders, parents and students--to watch a real-time conversation between students and an Astronaut aboard the international space station. 

These sorts of events don't come around often, either.  

In fact, this Pensacola school was the only school in the entire state of Florida approved for a real-time, satellite link up with the space station.

Another interesting point to note about this event: two of the four Astronauts aboard the station, including Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli--the host of the interview and the Astronaut that would be answering the students' questions--began their flight training as Naval Aviators studying right here in Pensacola.  

So, at 8:30AM sharp, Head of School Kim Stafford welcomed the crowd of hundreds that had assembled in the packed school gymnasium, prior to the link up.  

Once the video call started, Astronaut Moghbeli floated in an open area of the space station, surrounded by all kinds of wires, boxes, tubes, equipment, and other paraphernalia--and fielded more than a dozen recorded questions from students.  To make the conversation more interesting, she let the microphone free float in front of her and/or spun it in the weightlessness of space a couple of times--to the delight of the students.  She even floated upside down to answer at least one question.  This move--along with her answer to the question--drew laughter from the students. 

The questions posed to Moghbeli came from first graders all the way through eighth graders--so the questions ranged from simple to amusing to interesting to thoughtful to complex.  Most of the answers were enlightening to the majority of participants in the room.  Each question was answered succinctly-- with informative video clips and personal, firsthand testimony from Moghbeli added in.  

How do you get power with no cords or generators?  What is your job on the station?  How do you wash your laundry in space?  What do stars look like from space?  How long does it take to put on your space suit? How do you exercise in Space?  When you float upside down does the blood all rush to your head like it does on Earth? --were some of the questions posed by CLA students. 

Who knew that Astronauts wear their pants for thirty days then simply dispose of them?  Who knew about the specialized machines created for exercise (2 1/2 hours per day per astronaut) that add resistance in zero gravity--and what they actually look like?  Who knew it takes nearly 6 hours to completely, safely put on a space suit prior to a spacewalk? Who knew how Astronauts actually bathe?

There were a lot of enlightening answers to all of the questions; a lot of us had a-ha moments, not just the elementary school students in attendance!  😀

What Can 7th Grade Students' Creativity and Problem Solving Skills Do to Help Local Government?

A local teacher has offered an interesting idea:  Let her 7th Grade Class tackle a tough county issue or two.....

This month is County Government Month.  I'm a bit ashamed to say it, but I did not know this until I was contacted by a teacher late yesterday afternoon who informed me of this.  In her email,  Ms. Amy Parker,  a 7th Grade History teacher at Pensacola's Creative Learning Academy, put forward an interesting idea:

"Dear County Commissioners,

As you know, we are in the midst of County Government Month. Do you happen to have a county problem that my students could research and help problem-solve? I know broadband access has been in the news recently. I am open to just about any subject - jail, public transportation, fire service, etc... I would love for them to research the problem, propose a solution that is within your budgetary parameters, and present their ideas to you. My students are extremely bright 7th graders. 

I recognize this is a big ask, but I want them locally engaged in government in a meaningful way. 

Sincerely,

Amy"

To which I responded:

"Hi Amy-

 Thanks for reaching out and I think this is a great idea!   I’ll work with my aide, Debbie Kenney, to come up with several challenging, real-life scenarios with which we are dealing currently that your students might want to tackle.  As a former school board member who has seen what these young students are capable of—I would not put it outside of the realm of reality that they might have some really creative, out of the box ideas that could help.

 And, they will learn from this exercise as well—which is probably the biggest plus.

 We will send some ideas over by the end of the week for your consideration.

 

Sincerely,

 Jeff Bergosh"

Why not give the students a crack at some tough issues?  Everyone knows the trope about parents going to their 13 year olds to make their technology work.  Many have heard about the CIA and NSA student summer camp where brilliant students crack codes.  Young students today--particularly the exceptional ones--look at things differently than the rest of us that are over 50.  They are creative, they are smart, they work together well, and they think differently about solving problems.  So I will take up Ms. Parker on her idea.

Some Potential Issues for their Consideration?

1.  Homelessness Issue in our community--and the Best way to spend $4 Million to effectively address this chronic problem in a way that is both sustainable and measurable?

2.   Societal/Social Issues in our community and country that lead to a county like Escambia spending more than 90% of its Ad Valorem tax revenues on Law Enforcement and Incarceration/Corrections--what solutions to lower this cost given the current conditions?

3.   Public Transportation:  Necessary according to most but too costly considering the revenue generated and the low number of persons served according to some.  Are there different ways we can serve the transportation-challenged while becoming more efficient and eliminating the reliance on Federal Grants and potentially eliminating or drastically reducing our 4 cent per gallon gas taxation on the citizens?