NASA astronaut Leland D. Melvin landed on St. Croix with a high-stakes mission to inspire children to live their dreams and reach their goals. On Thursday at the Boys & Girls Club in Christiansted, he talked about his second mission on the space shuttle Atlantis in November 2009.
As co-manager of NASA’s Educator Astronaut program, Melvin travels around working to engage students in the excitement of space exploration and maybe inspiring them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
Hailing from Lynchburg, Va., Melvin holds a master’s degree in science from the University of Virginia. He began working at the NASA Langley Research Center in 1989 and started training as an astronaut in 1998.
“It is important as a nation to stay in the forefront of technology,” Melvin said. “Children need to think about the opportunities out there.”
Almost 50 children from both St. Croix Clubs were all ears as they sat quietly listening to his experience in space.
Melvin ‘s video presentation showed the children how astronauts work and live weightless in the shuttle. It showed crew members out in space working on the shuttle and space station with Melvin inside the shuttle working a robotic arm. The children got a kick out of the crew hamming it up, flipping spoons while eating, and catching floating food. He pointed out in the photographs how various places on Earth look from space.
Melvin, dressed in a royal blue NASA jumpsuit emblazoned with patches, asked the students if they had any idea how fast the Atlantis travels. He then gave a definitive explanation saying, “The shuttle flies so fast we saw sunrise and sunset every 45 minutes.”
Following the presentation children posed some typical kid questions that are never answered—even on the Discovery Channel.
One child asked how astronauts use the bathroom. Melvin sat on the stage in a resin chair and gave all the details on elimination – gas and all. The children were all giggling at this point when another student asked what happens if astronauts puke.
“They have to clean it up,” Melvin said. “You have to be very careful because infections can start that way.”
Another child was curious about how they slept.
“We have a sleeping bag attached to six cables,” Melvin said, adding that their pillows are strapped to their heads with Velcro. “Velcro is your friend in space.”
After presenting the club with a framed montage of pictures, flags and patches of the Atlantis crew, Melvin told the children he wanted to see the first person on Mars to be from St. Croix. He encouraged them to study, be a team player and to listen to their parents and teachers. He urged them to dream big and live their dreams.
Melvin also gave presentations at Elena Christian and John H. Woodson Junior High Schools and Charles H. Emanuel Elementary School.
Saturday he will be the Grand Marshal in the Mardi Croix parade at Cane Bay.