WHAT:    Student scientists connect with ISS astronauts

WHEN:    Thursday, Nov. 15
              11:35 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Education program
              11:45 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.: 20-minute live ISS downlink

WHERE:   Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
               Moving Beyond Earth gallery
               Seventh Street and Independence Avenue S.W.

WHO:    Gen. J.R. “Jack” Dailey, director, National Air and Space Museum
            Claudine Brown, assistant secretary for education and access, Smithsonian
            Tony Miller, deputy U.S. secretary of education
            Leland Melvin, associate administrator for education, NASA
            Jeff Goldstein, center director, National Center for Earth and Space Science Education
     
As part of International Education Week, students will have the opportunity to speak with NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Kevin Ford on board the International Space Station about living and working in space. All participating students are involved in the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, an on-orbit educational research opportunity that allows students to design and send experiments to the space station. Williams has been involved in activating the latest round of SSEP experiments brought to the station aboard the SpaceX Dragon in October.

In addition to the more than 200 students participating at the museum, 10,000 students are expected to participate via live webcast. This program is presented by the National Air and Space Museum, the U.S. Department of Education, NASA, and the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education.

Interested media must RSVP to mitchellac@si.edu.

Watch live on National Air and Space Museum's USTREAM Channel - http://www.ustream.tv/channel/smithsonian-national-air-and-space-museum

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