Catholic school students jump at chance to talk to astronaut in space

BY Joseph Kenny |

Sophie Gloriod, a seventh-grader at Little Flower School in Richmond Heights, certainly could be called a space cadet.

Listening to every word that was spoken via ham radio from some 240 miles above the earth, Sophie was no daydreamer but instead fit the other definition of the phrase — an enthusiast for space travel, typically a young person.

Sophie was among eight students from four Catholic schools who asked questions of astronaut Kjell Lindgren at Ste. Genevieve du Bois School in Warson Woods Nov. 12 as part of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program. A medical doctor, Lindgren is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. As a flight surgeon, he supported space station training and operations and was selected in 2009 as one of 14 members of the 20th NASA astronaut class. He is assigned to Expedition 44/55 as a flight engineer and has been on the space station since June.

Sophie was excited following the nine-minute conversation with the the astronaut, hooked up with the help of ham radio enthusiasts at Ste. Genevieve Parish and NASA. The questions were intended to help students learn more about life in space, how STEM (Science, Education, Engineering and Math) education has prepared astronauts for their experience and practical tips for students in pursuing a career in space-related fields.

One of Sophie’s questions was whether infections spread at the same rate in space as on earth. She was surprised to learn that, though more study is needed on how germs spread in space, apparently there’s not much of a difference. She also asked how long it took for Lindgren to get used to being in space. “I didn’t realize it would take six weeks,” Sophie said about his answer….. READ MORE