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Former NASA astronaut visits Indian school, praises Chandrayaan-3 mission
Mike Massimino interacted with PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya school students on Feb. 27.
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Mike Massimino at PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya in New Delhi / Ministry of Education
Mike Massimino, former NASA astronaut, visited PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya in New Delhi, where he praised India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, calling it a major achievement for both India and the global space community.
During his visit on Feb. 27, Massimino interacted with students and toured the school’s advanced facilities, including the AR-VR Lab, Atal Tinkering Lab, and language lab. He discussed the challenges of landing on the Moon’s South Pole and how this could provide valuable information about water sources needed for future human habitation. Massimino also stressed the importance of international cooperation in space exploration.
Massimino shared his journey, revealing how a movie about seven astronauts inspired him to pursue a career as an astronaut. He engaged with the students, answering their questions about life in space, including the food astronauts eat and the sleeping arrangements aboard the spacecraft. Students were also curious about AI's role in space exploration, and Massimino explained that AI helps make space missions more efficient, cost-effective, and safe.
When asked about the challenges of becoming an astronaut, Massimino encouraged students to explore a variety of fields, from soil science to marine biology, as they prepare for careers in space exploration. He also shared insights into the most challenging projects he worked on at NASA, and discussed the possibilities of human habitation on Mars. While he believes living on the Moon could become a reality soon, he noted that settling on Mars would take longer due to ongoing technological challenges.
Massimino's inspiring talk left the students excited about the possibilities of space exploration. He concluded by advising them on the subjects and skills they should pursue to follow in his footsteps.
Several distinguished officials from Kendriya Vidyalaya were also present at the event, including Somit Shrivastava, joint commissioner (Personnel), and B.K. Behra, deputy commissioner (Academics) at KVS HQ, among others.
Massimino, a former NASA astronaut, is a professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University and senior advisor for space programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. He holds a BS from Columbia University and MS and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT.
He flew on two space missions, including the Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions in 2002 and 2009. He set a team record for the most hours spent spacewalking in a single space shuttle mission and was the first person to tweet from space.
In his NASA career, he received several honors, including two NASA Space Flight Medals and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
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