Astronaut Aboard International Space Station Inspires Colorado Students
DENVER (CBS4)- Astronaut Kjell Lindgren is stationed aboard the International Space Station more than 200 miles above Earth. On Thursday, he talked to students in Colorado live from space.
Lindgren has degrees from Colorado State University, the University of Colorado and the Air Force Academy. Now he's inspiring students who want to learn about space and possibly explore space.
Lindgren joined the International Space Station in July. He shared his experiences with students at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Thursday as he was orbiting around the Earth.
He answered all kinds of questions like, "What is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen up in space?"
"There have been a couple of times that we've actually flown over the Aurora greens and purples and just bands of it snaking around... absolutely beautiful, gave me goosebumps," said Lindgren.
A student in Boulder wanted to know how did Lindgren get through all the training necessary to become an astronaut, "Did you have any problems you had to overcome that made you want to give up and quit? And if so, how did you overcome them?"
"I had terrific friends and family, teachers and mentors around me that I could rely on people encouraging me, people I could go to for help," said Lindgren.
The crowd on Earth was entertained by Lindgren but not everyone in his audience was drawn to the idea of becoming in astronaut.
When one student was asked if he could imagine being in space for a year, he replied, "No, I can't even stay in the car for a couple of hours."
Lindgren began working as a flight surgeon at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, in 2007 before being selected as an astronaut in 2009. Lindgren launched to the International Space Station as part of Expedition 44/45 on July 22.