Students at Mansfield ISD's Asa Low Intermediate School will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to talk live with NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station on January 31. The students will participate in a NASA in-flight education downlink with the Expedition 30 crew aboard the International Space Station as it orbits Earth at an altitude ranging from 230-286 miles and a speed of approximately 17,500 miles per hour.

UPDATED TIME: NASA has updated the time for the in-light education downlink for 10:50 AM, January 31, 2012.

NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, plays a guitar in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. (VIA: NASA)

The live video and audio question-and-answer downlink format will feature Expedition 30 astronauts: International Space Station Commander Dan Burbank (pictured at right), International Space Station Flight Engineer Don Pettit and Flight Engineer André Kuipers of the European Space Agency.

The downlink will take place at Willie Pigg Auditorium for the 860 students from Low Intermediate and will be broadcast across the school district and the world via NASA Television.

“I am proud that NASA selected Asa Low Intermediate to take part in this remarkable event,” Dr. Bob Morrison, Mansfield ISD Superintendent of Schools. “I believe this will be an educational experience that our students will remember for a lifetime and will inspire some to look deeper into the sciences.”

To prepare for the downlink, students will take part in over 100 space-related lessons and curriculum projects, including a school community Space Night event on January 27 (to be held at Asa Low Intermediate School from 6:00 – 8:00 PM). Attractions at Space Night will include genuine moon rocks and a NASA space suit.

In honor of the event, the Mansfield ISD School Board adopted a resolution to ceremonially renamed the campus NASA Low Intermediate School for month of January, 2012.

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What: Two-way live student chat with astronauts aboard the ISS
When: Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Where: Willie Pigg Auditorium, 1520 N. Walnut Creek Dr., Mansfield, TX 76063
Time: 10:50 AM
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Mansfield ISD extends a special thank you to Mouser Electronics for generously sponsoring this educational event.