PERU,Indiana – We all know that many kids want to be an astronaut when they grow up. The students of Blair Pointe Elementary School in Peru might not be astronauts by next year, but some of them will be able to talk to astronauts aboard the International Space Station in 2017. And not very many schools or organizations are selected for that honor. Out of over 1,000 applicants, Blair Pointe is only one of 12 that will get to talk to the crew on the space station next year.
It will all happen from the Peru High School auditorium in the spring of 2017. Naturally, Blair Pointe Elementary Principal Linda Watkins said that the students will learn all about space exploration in the months leading up the out-of-this-world conversation. The school is known for its strong programs in science and astronomy, including the well-attended Star Party held every year. Watkins called the future contact with the Space Station a great opportunity and said it is something that the students will never forget.
The International Space Station orbits between 200 and 270 miles above the Earth and was first launched into orbit in 1998. Continually occupied since 2000, the longest continually human presence in space has been on the International Space Station.