Shuttle Endeavour crew visits Kyrgyzstan village school

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Phyllis Hanson
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFNS) --  Six astronauts from the Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-126 mission made a special visit to a Kyrgyzstan village's school Jan. 29 near Manas Air Base.

Even though the Jany-Pakhta village school was closed for the season because there was no electricity or heat, about 30 children aged 6 to 18 gathered in one of the classrooms and gave the astronauts a heroes' welcome, clapping as they entered the room.

The children squeezed together and peered over other classmates to get a view of the video the astronauts played from a battery powered laptop. They watched a presentation with awe about the shuttle launch and the astronauts' visit to the International Space Station. The astronauts described the ins and outs of being in space, orbiting 200 miles above the earth, and going 17,000 mph while being docked to the International Space Station.

Hands raised high when the astronauts took questions. The children from the Jany-Pakhta village school asked the astronauts many questions on what it's like to be in space. 
 
"The Kyrgyz children asked the same questions and shared the same curiosity and interest you might see in American schoolchildren," said Col. Eric Boe who piloted the Endeavour to and from the International Space Station.

"At first, the children were very surprised and then they realized that the cosmonauts, as they are called here, are really intelligent people and yet so very down to earth," said Mairam Iseyeva, the Jany-Pakhta School principal. "In their lifetime, this may be the only chance they'll ever have to meet someone like this. It was an inspiring visit and with hope, one of these children may grow up to become an astronaut for our own country."

"It was a great experience to be able to share with the children what we do, and for them to see what Americans are like," said Navy Capt. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, whose NASA team launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida Nov. 14 and returned Nov. 30, 2008. "Aside from the volunteers who visit from Manas AB, we may be the only Americans they have ever met."

The STS-126 crew also included Navy Capt. Shane Ferguson, the mission commander; and Army Lt. Col. Shane Kimbrough, Navy Capt. Steve Bowen and Donald Pettit, all mission specialists. 

After departing Manas AB, the astronauts visited various forward operating bases in Afghanistan and then made a final stop in Germany where they are scheduled to visit Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. They also planned to visit several Department of Defense schools in Germany to speak with students there.

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