Robinson students filled the school’s auditorium and field house for a live video chat with 1991 graduate Kjell Lindgren, who is currently a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station. Photo by Tim Peterson.
Robinson Secondary School principal Matthew Eline knew the event would be special when he received a package from NASA. The space agency sent him a “digital hybrid device” to link up phone, television and camera services so Robinson students could take part in a live chat with 1991 graduate Kjell Lindgren, a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station.
Lindgren’s classmate Bryan Hazard, standing on the main auditorium stage on Oct. 5, addressed a towering projection of his friend, floating upright in a cabin in space. “How do you read me?”
After a short pause, Lindgren replied “I read you loud and clear,” to a roaring applause from the students filling Robinson’s main auditorium. The rest of the student body watched a live feed in the field house.
Lindgren, valedictorian of his 1991 class, was selected to the 20th NASA astronaut class in 2009 and joined the International Space Station launch on July 22. Among his varied work on the space station, Lingdren spoke to the students about studying the effects of microgravity on the human body and growing a lettuce plant.
“Growing a green plant was a lot of fun,” he said, “and psychologically beneficial.”
Students had a chance to ask Lindgren a series of questions, which he answered while performing somersaults, spinning his microphone in midair and snatching floating pieces of trail mix.
When he first arrived at the space station, Lindgren said “I was surprised at how clumsy I was.” He also explained more about space adaptation syndrome, a type of motion sickness.
To conclude, Lindgren offered the advice to “make that goal and work toward it every day.” For students interested in becoming astronauts themselves, being part of the generation that explores the planet Mars, he encouraged them to take courses in science, technology, engineering and math.
“That’s the language of space flight,” Lindgren said.
Lindgren’s parents Randahl and Anita, both Burke Centre residents, were in the audience on Monday morning. On seeing their son on the big screen, Anita said, “It was wonderful.”
The family had talked earlier that morning, so they didn’t exchange many words during the presentation. The Lindgrens said they talk with Kjell weekly, and that he’s in constant contact with his own family in Texas.
After the call, principal Eline expressed his pride and relief that the connection had been successful. “He was fun, intellectual and spoke to the kids well,” he said.