The second set of 10 questions were submitted to Clayton on October 17, 2007 and were returned on October 22, 2007.
Joey, Age 7- Exeter, NE
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Q:
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What is your job in space?
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A:
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I am Flight Engineer 2. That means I do whatever the commander tells me! I do spacewalks and fly the
robotic arm (from Canada!). I also help the Russians do tasks to fix things and I fix things that break
in the US segment of the Station. I also perform lots of science experiments and take pictures of places
on the Earth. It's a great job!
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Will, Age 7 - Lincoln, NE
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Q:
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Are you learning some Russian so you can talk to Commander Yurchikhin and FE Kotov?
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A:
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Absolutely! I have been trying to learn Russian for many years now. It's a very difficult language, but
I am having some success. I just wish I could speak it like they can. By the way, their English is excellent,
so if I don't understand what they say in Russian, they can usually tell me most of it in English.
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Colin, Age 8 - Lincoln, NE
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Q:
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Do you have any free time, and if so, what do you do during your free time?
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A:
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I don't have much free time. When I do I answer all of my e-mail and call my family and friends using our
special computer telephone that we have on board. I also am trying to learn how to play the guitar that
we have up here and I spend some time playing on the Station's electronic keyboard.
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Mark, Age 9 - Fairbury, NE
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Q:
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What things can I learn in Scouting that would help me to be an astronaut?
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A:
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Teamwork is the most important thing. Knowing how and when to help your buddies is very important.
Also, as a Scout you have probably had experiences in campouts. Living on the Station is a lot like a campout.
You must take care of all of your personal things (get them together, pack them in your backpack, etc.)
by yourself...always know where your things are and keep them in good working condition. Great habits
to have if you want to be an astronaut.
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Alex, Age 9 – Waverly, NE
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Q:
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What do you need to do to become an Astronaut? I am nine years old and I would like to be an Astronaut when I grow up.
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A:
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Do well in school and then go to college. You can get a college degree in just about anything, but make sure it is
centered in math and some type of science. Computers are also a great way to go! Good luck...maybe I'll be reading
about you on Mars someday.
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Peyton, Age 9 - York, NE
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Q:
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My little brother and I were born with a rare disorder called Pediatric Neurotransmitter disease. Our muscles don't
work right because they don't get enough of the messages that our brain is sending them. Our physical therapist has
always said how she would love to get us in a weightless room because gravity is our enemy. She thinks that we would
be able to move much easier with out gravity holding us back. What is it like to move and get around in space?
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A:
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Peyton...imagine yourself flying through the air like Superman! It is a pretty cool feeling. One of the things to remember
is that you have to "push off" or "pull on" something to initially start your movement in microgravity. Once you do,
you'll continue "sailing" through space until something (like a wall!) stops you! At first it is easy to go too fast
and be out of control. But now, I can do flips and spins and twirls and know exactly where I will end up...it's way cool!
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Joshua, Age 10 - York, NE
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Q:
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Do you have fun with the other crew members in space?
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A:
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Absolutely! When we are working or relaxing we have fun with each other. We talk about what we did during the day, what
problems we have had and we talk about our families. We like to tell stories and jokes to each other as well.
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Jacob, Age 10 - York, NE
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Q:
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What is the food in space like? Does it look like toothpaste or regular food?
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A:
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It looks pretty regular and it tastes pretty good. We have food that you can heat up in our "food warmers" or you
add hot or warm water to a bag and the food is rehydrated. I have enjoyed both Russian and American food and I think
I like Russian food best! But, I can't wait to have a cheeseburger or a pizza back on Earth!
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Hayden, Age 11 - York, NE
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Q:
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Were you scared during your first flight?
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A:
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Hayden, I was never scared. I was a little bit anxious, but never scared. All of the people that work to get the
Shuttles and the Station ready, know their jobs well. They do everything they can to make us safe. Our training
is also designed to teach us the right thing to do during an emergency, so we feel very confident that we can
recover from almost anythng that may go wrong.
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Derrick, Age 12, - Hickman, NE
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Q:
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How many times does the space station circle the Earth each day, and how often does it pass over Nebraska?
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A:
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We fly around the Earth at 17,500 miles per hour! That's 5 miles each second and we go completely around the Earth
every 90 minutes! So, if you do the math, you will find that we orbit "once around" every 90 minutes (24 hours
divided by 90 is about 16). That's 16 sunrises and sunsets each day! We usually fly over Nebraska quite a bit...but
sometimes it's nightime in Nebraska so we can't see much. But if it's daytime and clear, I try to fly to the window
and take pictures of my home state!
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