At 11:05 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 28, students in New York will have a rare opportunity to directly question NASA astronaut Jessica Meir while she is actively working aboard the International Space Station. Meir, a flight engineer on Expedition 74, is currently configuring research gear inside the Destiny laboratory module’s Microgravity Science Glovebox as part of a continuous human presence in space lasting over 25 years. This live Earth-to-space call, hosted by the Cradle of Aviation Museum, is designed for students in grades K-12 and aims to deepen understanding of STEM fields and careers. The event builds on decades of research conducted on the space station, testing technologies and developing skills essential for NASA’s Artemis program and eventual human exploration of Mars.
Jessica Meir Answers Student Questions from the International Space Station
The event will begin at 11:05 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 28. The event, streamed live on the NASA Learn With NASA YouTube channel, provides a rare direct line of communication between students and an astronaut currently orbiting Earth as part of Expedition 74. Communication with Meir, like all astronauts aboard the station, is maintained 24 hours a day through NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation’s Near Space Network, ensuring a constant flow of data and dialogue. NASA’s Artemis program intends to send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars, highlighting the long-term vision driving these ongoing efforts.
NASA’s Space Communications Network Supports Continuous ISS Research
The continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station, now exceeding 25 years, relies heavily on a robust communications infrastructure managed by NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) network. This network facilitates 24-hour-a-day communication between astronauts and Mission Control in Houston, a critical link for both operational necessities and the ongoing stream of scientific data. The agency’s ability to maintain this constant connectivity is not merely a feat of engineering, but a foundational element for validating technologies destined for deeper space exploration. Media coverage of the event requires RSVP to jzontini@cradleofaviation.org by 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, demonstrating the logistical coordination involved in these interactions. The research and technological investigations conducted on the ISS directly benefit life on Earth while simultaneously serving as a proving ground for the ambitious goals of NASA’s Artemis program.
The agency intends to leverage lessons learned from the ISS to prepare for crewed missions to the Moon and, ultimately, Mars, ushering in a period of innovation and exploration. This sustained orbital laboratory is therefore not simply a scientific outpost, but a vital stepping stone in humanity’s continued push beyond our planet.
For more than 25 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth.
NASA