By Richard Tew
On Monday, NASA astronaut Nicole Ayers talked to students from Woodland Park, Colorado via video stream from the International Space Station. During the video stream, she answered prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related questions from aboard the International Space Station.
Hosted by Woodland Park High School, the video session was also open to students from Woodland Park Middle School. In a press release NASA said “The Colorado high school wants to show students that even though they reside in a small town, they can achieve big dreams.”
Ayers, who considers Colorado Springs and Divide, Colorado, home, is a graduate of Woodland Park High School .
Ayers and fellow NASA Astronaut Anne McClain will venture outside the International Space Station May 1st as part of U.S. spacewalk 93 to perform upgrades on the orbital laboratory.
The upgrades include relocation of a communication antennae and the installation of a mounting bracket in order to attach an additional set of International Space Station Rollout Solar Arrays, called IROSA. These arrays will boost power generation capability by 30%. NASA says this will increase the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts. The IROSA arrays will be installed on a future space walk during a resupply mission set for later this year.
NASA says McClain will serve as spacewalk crew member 1 and will wear a suit with red stripes. Ayers will serve as spacewalk crew member 2 and will wear an unmarked suit. McClain will log her third spacewalk while this will mark the first for Ayers.
According to NASA U.S. spacewalk 93 will be the 275th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.
Photo cutline: NASA astronauts Nicole Ayers (L) and Anne McClain (R). NASA photo.
