Hundreds of glittering starry eyes stare at the big screen at Krona in Kongsberg. Live from the International Space Station ISS, astronaut Andreas Mogensen somersaults in a weightless state after answering a series of questions. It is clear that the hall is applauding so intensely that Krona almost takes off and is sent into orbit, just like the 109 meter long and 72 meter wide ISS up there in space. – It was very cool! Interesting! Very fun, say students Linnea Mikalsen Tuntland and Felix Dannenberger after “talking to outer space”. Teams chat with the space station Every year, an astronaut is selected on the International Space Station to take part in a 20-minute live broadcast with schoolchildren around the globe. For the first time in history, this space session was organized with a Nordic astronaut, Danish Mogensen. In Kongsberg, all of the municipality’s sixth graders gathered in the city’s knowledge and culture park for a live chat via Teams. Two who were lucky enough to ask questions to the astronaut who floats weightless 400 kilometers in orbit around mother earth, were the aforementioned students Linnea and Felix. – Very excited, it tickles the stomach, they said before the “room chat”. – What are you going to ask? – How does he manage to contact his family, from the space station down to earth, answers Linnea. Linnea Mikalsen Tuntland was allowed to ask questions to the “world space”. So did Felix Dannenberger (number three from the left). Photo: Anders Haualand / news Recycling of pee on the ISS Other presenters from news Super stand on stage and cheer up the audience. As if needed. The hall shakes and the tension rises. Bellies full of butterflies and comets. Excited faces. The children applaud. Ane Norum Kvistad from Newton led the astronaut meeting at Krona in Kongsberg. Photo: Anders Hauland / news Suddenly a saluting, English-speaking astronaut appears on the big screen in the cinema hall. The students wonder a lot, and ask the questions in English. “Do you drink water on the space station?” “How do you actually sleep in the ‘universal space?’ “Are you guys doing any cool experiments up there?” Mogensen answers to the best of his ability. Perhaps the answer about liquid caused some to wrinkle their noses. Mogensen explained that water is quite heavy to transport into space. Therefore, 95 percent of what is on board is recycled. Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen in direct conversation with Kongsberg. Photo: Anders Haualand / news This means that urine, sweat and moisture are collected and turned into drinking water. – We usually say that the water we drink today was the water we uh … had yesterday, reads the message from the space station. Linnea then wonders if they can contact the family down on earth. And how it is possibly done. – Do you have a space phone? – Good question! is answered from space. Felix Dannenberger and Linnea Mikalsen Tuntland talk to the astronaut. Photo: Anders Haualand / news – The questions adults dare not ask Anne Margrethe Horsrud works at Andøya Space Education as general manager of the national center for space-related learning. She was very pleased with the commitment. – Exciting question! After all, children often dare to ask the questions we adults don’t dare, but which we probably wonder about anyway. Very good questions, water, how they sleep, basic things like that. And it was exciting to hear the answers, she says. Anne Margrethe Horsrud is general manager at Andøya Space Education. Photo: Anders Haualand / news – What is the value of having such events where children can ask questions to astronauts? – Our mandate is to facilitate interest in technology and science. The fact that we can use such an opportunity, such a tool, to stimulate that interest is very special. Horsrud hopes the space talk may have enticed a future astronaut candidate, or at least someone who wants to work in space. – I think some will probably leave here with a renewed or strengthened interest in outer space. And I think the students understood that this was a big thing to be involved in, says Horsrud. At least that’s what the questioners from Kongsberg think. – I thought it was interesting to hear that they 3D-printed cells from the body, replies Felix, who adds that they are the only children in Norway who have actually spoken to an astronaut. And the dream of becoming an astronaut? – It is a bit difficult to get up there, but it would have been great fun, Linnea concludes.
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Children at Kongsberg received answers from astronauts on the international space station ISS – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
