Earlier this week, a fourth-grade Pakistani teacher from Karachi spoke to her students about space and how vast it is. Aimun Faisal, during her lesson, encouraged her students to look beyond the horizon and send their questions to astronauts at NASA and other institutions. Taking to Twitter, she shared a list of questions together with pictures of the students who asked the questions and tagged NASA.
“These fourth graders have some questions for you,” she wrote. The letter then included six questions from students, Alisha, Minahil, Haniyah, Mahrukh, Anabiya, Rayyan. Not thinking anything would come of it, much to Aimun’s surprise, her tweet started circulating on the microblogging site with netizens sharing her original tweet and tagging relevant accounts.
These fourth graders have some questions for you.@NASA @Space_Station @NASAEarth @NASA_Johnson @NASA_Astronauts @NASAKennedy @MarkRober @DestinSandlin @TheSpaceGal @neiltyson
(Please share) pic.twitter.com/TiV0WCD1vG
— Aimun (@bluemagicboxes) October 14, 2020
Soon after, a German astronaut and an aerospace centre answered the children’s questions but there had not been any response from NASA itself. And now, NASA and its sister accounts have finally responded to the queries of the students. Aimun once again took to Twitter to share the answers that NASA had given to the students.
Minahil had asked what she should study in order to enroll in NASA, to which the educational wing responded, “Hi Minahil, there are a variety of careers to explore! Star-struck STEM fields are a great starting point! Check out http://nasa.gov/stem, sharpen those STEM skills and you are on your way to launching an amazing career! Rocket Let’s see if NASA, @ISS_Research, & @NASA_LSP can help!”
These fourth graders have some questions for you.@NASA @Space_Station @NASAEarth @NASA_Johnson @NASA_Astronauts @NASAKennedy @MarkRober @DestinSandlin @TheSpaceGal @neiltyson
(Please share) pic.twitter.com/TiV0WCD1vG
— Aimun (@bluemagicboxes) October 14, 2020
Another student, Anabiya had asked about the most interesting thing they had encountered in space, to which NASA responded, “We’ve discovered many things in the 20 years humans have been working on the @Space_Station! From how our bodies change in space to the creation of new potential medicines, we’ve learned a lot. Students like you are even conducting some of that science!”
Hi Minahil, there are a variety of careers to explore!?
STEM fields are a great starting point! Check out https://t.co/qEpWN5ZtSm, sharpen those STEM skills & you are on your way to launching an amazing career!?
Let's see if @NASA, @ISS_Research, & @NASA_LSP can help!
— NASA STEM Engagement (@NASASTEM) October 16, 2020
Further, Alisha wanted to know the kind of fuel space shuttles use to go into space. NASA revealed that, “A spaceship, or “launch vehicle” is rocket-propelled & used to carry a spacecraft or humans to space. They may look similar, but no two are alike as they are very complex! NASA rockets are powered by burning solid, liquid or gas rocket fuel.”
http://brownidentity.com/2020/10/15/fourth-grade-pakistani-students-thrilled-to-have-their-questions-answered-by-astronauts/
To conclude their interaction with the students, NASA shared some final yet encouraging words with the students. “Alisha, Minahil, Haniyah, Mahrukh, Anabiya and Rayyan – we’re so happy you reached out! Star-struck We hope the stars align, so we can see you one day,” the official account tweeted, adding, “Stay curious and keep reaching for the stars, we believe in you.”
Alisha, Minahil, Haniyah, Mahrukh, Anabiya, & Rayyan – we're so happy you reached out! ? We hope the stars align, so we can see you one day. ? Until then, we have virtual tours for you: https://t.co/GogRaIVUPx
? Stay curious & keep reaching for the stars. We believe in you!
— NASA (@NASA) October 16, 2020
