On a gloomy day, students, parents and faculty from the Emblem Academy rocketed into the auditorium to “meet” astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara on board the International Space Station.

While everyone gathered in the auditorium, the astronauts were going live 240 miles from the ground in the International Space Station for an In-Flight Education Downlink to answer questions from the students of Emblem Academy.

Students, parents and faculty gather to hear from astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara

The whole school had the opportunity to record a question for Moghbeli and O’Hara, and then the school faculty picked questions to have answered by the astronauts. 

The experience was launched by sixth-grade teacher Shannon King, who signed the school up for the opportunity to have NASA astronauts Moghbeli and O’Hara answer questions from the students.

“I honestly don’t remember when I saw it, but I saw something about it, so I attended an informational meeting from NASA on how to apply,” said King. “So I filled out an application last year, turned it in and we found out around October that it was going to be happening.”

After discovering they were accepted, King attended meetings with NASA on properly holding an In-Flight Education Downlink event.

Image of Shannon King

“We had lots of events leading up to this as a STEM school. We have certain specialized classes called STEMinars,” said Katie Demsher, principal of Emblem Academy. “We do two sessions of those a year and we were also doing things called flight suit Fridays.”

The whole year, the school had lessons on Fridays where students learned about the space station and watched videos introducing the astronauts.

“We also had a family night, where family came and were able to build an International Space Station and be creative,” said King.

To make things more exciting for King and Demsher, Emblem Academy was one of only four schools nationwide to partner with NASA for the In-Flight Education Downlink.

“The collaboration with the people in NASA through their educational downlink opportunities just makes space and science so exciting for all kids,” said Principal Demsher. “The fact that they got to see their friends or themselves speaking to the astronauts is something the kids will remember forever.” 

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