Times set for Ford School, NASA talk

LYNN – The Ford K-8 School has announced the official time window for this morning’s downlink with NASA astronauts living on the International Space Station.Barring any unforeseen problems, which remain a high possibility given NASA’s recent track record, students from the school will link up with astronauts for a question-and-answer session sometime between 9:45 and 10:15 a.m. in the school’s gymnasium and auditorium.During the 20-minute downlink, 15-20 students will ask pre-screened questions to astronauts Daniel Tani, Yuri Malenchenko and Peggy Whitson, who recently set a record for the longest time spent floating in the vacuum of space by a woman during a 32-hour inspection and repair mission on the space station.Questions will focus mainly on living and working in space, specifically the challenges that come with performing everyday tasks in zero gravity.The astronauts are part of the Expedition 16 crew living on the International Space Station’s U.S. Harmony Laboratory, and have spent the weeks leading up to the holidays conducting repairs and inspections of the intergalactic research community.Ford students were originally scheduled to speak to astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on Jan. 9, but problems with a fuel gauge have grounded the shuttle indefinitely, delaying the school’s downlink.When the mission was originally delayed, NASA informed the Ford that they would have to wait until June to set up their conversation, but changed plans again just days after that announcement, setting up the conversation with Whitson and her fellow space station residents instead.The problems are just the latest in a long line of follies on NASA’s behalf, who also abruptly changed plans in August as Ford students waited to link up with Barbara Morgan, a teacher aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor. Because of hurricane conditions on Earth that compromised the shuttle’s re-entry, students that day were forced to speak with astronauts on the ground at NASA’s Houston headquarters.Problems are still persisting with the Atlantis Shuttle, which was scheduled to deliver the European Laboratory, Columbus to the space station in early 2008. The faulty fuel gauge repeatedly failed pre-flight testing in early December and NASA is still without a timetable for that mission’s launch.Today’s event will take place inside the school’s NASA Explorer School Gymnasium and Auditorium and feature local delegates along with a performance by the school’s chorus.Ford Principal Claire Crane said she is also in negotiations with NASA to set up another event this spring, where Morgan would come visit the school in person and meet with children face to face.The Ford School NASA Explorer School Gymnasium is located at the school’s main building at 49 Hollingsworth St.