NASA Space Shuttle astronauts land in Gateshead
Jul 9 2009 by Linda Richards, The Journal
IT was a day that many Tyneside youngsters won’t forget.
The chance to meet five real-life astronauts was the treat in store for thousands of schoolchildren.
In spectacular style, the team-of-five from Space Shuttle STS119 landed by helicopter at Gateshead International Stadium and were whisked to the famous sports arena in a limo.
The NASA crew’s visit yesterday is part of a two-day trip to make studying science, engineering and maths more sexy.
And it did just that for some of the 100 pupils from Blaydon West Primary, in Gateshead. who were among the audience who heard Astronaut Mission Commander Lee Archambault and crew members John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Tony Antonelli, and Joe Acaba, dressed in their blue mission jump suits, talk about how they flew to the International Space Station in March to carry out assembly work on board and completing three space walks.
Thomas Robson, 10, said: “It was really exciting getting to know people from NASA and really interesting to hear how they walked in space.
“I’ve seen a couple of things on the news about space but it’s not the same as meeting them in person. I would quite like to go into space – it would be fun.”
Ellie Brain, also 10, said: “I liked the movie where you saw them drinking water. It turned into a bubble and they caught it in their mouths.
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