New Jersey Students Connect with NASA Astronauts for Out-of-This-World Experience
From 250 miles above Earth, astronaut Nick Hague chatted with excited students at Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School. Their space conversation, transmitted from the International Space Station, happened on February…

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 28: SpaceX Crew-9 NASA Astronaut Nick Hague (Mission Commander) wearing SpaceX spacesuits, departs from the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Control Building at Kennedy Space Center for Space Launch Complex 40 September 28, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX Crew-9 is the ninth crew rotation mission of SpaceX human transportation system to the International Space Station (ISS). Due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner, the decision was made to return the Starliner uncrewed and launch Crew-9 with two empty seats to return Boeing crew flight test astronauts to Earth.
(Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images)From 250 miles above Earth, astronaut Nick Hague chatted with excited students at Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School. Their space conversation, transmitted from the International Space Station, happened on February 11, 2025.
At exactly 11:10 a.m. EST, NASA+ broadcast the 20-minute chat. Inquisitive kids shot questions at Hague about living in zero gravity and space missions while their classmates watched intently.
The New Jersey school earned this special opportunity through NASA's Artemis program - the ambitious plan to send humans back to the Moon before aiming for Mars.
Through Hague's perspective, students got a peek at daily life on the space station. His responses brought to life the scientific experiments and unusual experience of floating through everyday activities.
The broadcast shared this amazing experience with viewers everywhere. Space enthusiasts and students beyond Somerset tuned into the orbital classroom.
These interactions align with NASA's educational goals perfectly. By connecting young students directly to ongoing missions, the agency ignites new interest in science careers.
The talk addressed space travel's major hurdles directly. Students learned about ongoing work on the station and future missions into space.
This live connection between classroom and space showed how textbook learning applies to real life. NASA's outreach transforms theoretical lessons into real possibilities.
It's one standout moment in NASA's continuous effort to educate. Each program lays the groundwork for future advances in space science.
With innovative ways to reach students, NASA creates pathways to space. These interactions help young people imagine themselves as future mission controllers, engineers, or astronauts orbiting Earth.