Mission Specialists Barbara Morgan, holding a Challenger crew patch, and Alvin Drew talk with students at the Challenger Center for Space Science Education in Alexandria, Va.
Astronauts Barbara Morgan and Al Drew answered students' questions from an educational center established by the families of space shuttle Challenger, which was lost in 1986.
Before students at Challenger Center in Alexandria, Va., asked questions, they were welcomed by June Scobee-Rodgers, the widow of Challenger Commander Dick Scobee.
"Barbara, we have been standing by waiting for your signals from space for 21 years," said Scobee-Rodgers. Morgan was the back up to the first Teacher In Space, the late Christa McAuliffe. NASA accepted Morgan as a mission specialist in 1998.
The first student asked about weightlessness, and Morgan explained how she has adapted, after being disoriented the first day in space.
"Now, it doesn't matter whether you're upside down or right side up," said Morgan.
Another student asked about sleeping in space.
"You can sleep in any position," said Morgan, as Drew demonstrated a space sleeping bag. "You can clip it anywhere you want."
Students laughed when Morgan popped out orbs of water that wobbled and floated. She demonstrated how water behaves in space in response to a student's question about swimming in space.
"How could you swim on the surface when there's water everywhere," asked Drew, who encouraged students to do a little research. "If you were going to design a pool to be in space, how would you do it?"
Asked about her favorite space food, Morgan told students how she prepares beef Stroganoff in an individual package after adding water.
"We mush it around with our fingers a little bit and stick it in the oven," she said. "We also enjoy things like M&Ms."
And Morgan chided a student who said she was not good at science, which is a prime field of study necessary to become an astronaut.
"I don't believe that," said Morgan, who encouraged the girl. "A lot of times when you're not good at science it's because you haven't learned how yet."
Drew demonstrated how to brush his teeth in space, which was familiar except for getting rid of the used toothpaste by spitting it in a towel.
"There's no sink to spit in," said Drew. "And if there was, there wouldn't be any gravity to take it down the drain."
A science savvy student asked how the International Space Station will help the U.S. plan of returning to the moon and going to Mars.
Drew explained the space station will be used for scientific research to solve the problems of muscle wasting, bone loss and radiation exposure.
"The hard part is going to be how humans live in space for long periods of time," he said.
And asked if she had a special teacher, Morgan replied with a sensitive answer.
"Some of my mentors who meant more than anything to me are seven very special people, who I belive are mentors to you too. And that was the Challenger crew," said Morgan. "They were my teachers, and I believe they are teaching us today still. The benefits of what you are able to do in the Challenger Centers are available because of their great teachings."
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