As students from California and New York asked questions on May 12th of astronaut Garrett Reisman, they could see him floating in front of the camera as his home away from home, the International Space Station (ISS), orbited Earth. Garrett was impressed with the elementary school students' questions, but with teachers like Pam Leestma and Neme Alperstein, two very dedicated and enthusiastic space educators, it shouldn't be a surprise.

Their students already know the answers to space basics, like "How do you go to the bathroom in space?" They had built their own space station models, and used a simulated glove box in classroom activities. They knew that one of the science experiments Garrett was working on involved using a glove box, and they wanted to know more. Garrett explained that they were experimenting with the mixure of liquids and solids in microgravity.

The students had done their homework. They knew that Garrett had been involved in living under water. In 2003, he was a crew member on NEEMO - NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations - and lived on the bottom of the sea in the Aquarius habitat for two weeks. They wanted to know how living on NEEMO was different from living on the ISS.

Students also asked what Garrett's most extroordinary experience was in space. The answer: Spacewalking!

We will soon have photos of this event to post here too.