AI Insight
NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney will participate in a live Earth-to-space call from the International Space Station to answer prerecorded STEM questions from K-12 students in Florida. The event, hosted by Sally Ride Elementary School in Orlando, is scheduled for October 16, 2026, at 12 p.m. EDT and will stream on NASA's Learn With NASA YouTube channel. The initiative aims to enhance student understanding of space exploration and increase awareness of STEM career opportunities.
Why it matters
This educational outreach program connects students directly with active astronauts aboard the ISS, providing real-world insight into space exploration careers and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. Such events help demonstrate the practical applications of STEM education and the ongoing scientific research conducted in low Earth orbit that supports future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Understand the Science
Students in Florida will hear from NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney as they answer prerecorded STEM questions while aboard the International Space Station.
The Earth-to-space call will begin at 12 p.m. EDT Friday, Oct. 16, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel.
This event is hosted by Sally Ride Elementary School in Orlando, Florida, for students in grades K-12, and the community. This unique opportunity aims to deepen understanding of space exploration and enhance awareness of STEM careers.
Media interested in covering the event must RSVP no later than 5 p.m. EDT, Thursday, Oct. 15, to Jenny Morgan at (407) 858-3100, or at jenny.morgan@ocps.net.
For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The space station helps NASA understand and overcome the challenges of human spaceflight, expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit, and build on the foundation for long-duration missions to the Moon, as part of the Artemis program, and to Mars.
For more information on NASA in-flight calls, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
Source: NASA Astronauts to Answer Questions from Florida Students