Have you seen or heard anything weird and/or unexplainable in space?

How do you relax in space?

What will you do when you return to Earth?

Young students in Northwest Arkansas got answers to these and other pressing questions about outer space in real time — from a real astronaut — this week.

On Monday, students from Lakeside Junior High and Sonora Elementary School of Innovation in Springdale made direct contact with astronaut Nichole Ayers, who's aboard the International Space Station. The out-of-this-world experience was made possible through Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), a program that allows students to speak with astronauts using amateur radio when the space station passes directly above their region.

Ayers was launched as pilot of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission on March 14 to conduct research, technology demonstrations and maintenance activities aboard the microgravity laboratory.

The contact event was held at the packed Lakeside Junior High gym and live-streamed on the Springdale Public Schools YouTube channel.

Vinson Carter, who teaches STEM education in the College of Education and Health Professions at the U of A, has been working with the EAST — Education Accelerated by Service and Technology — programs at Lakeside and Sonora for about a year to help them prepare for the big day. Carter is the RSO adviser for the U of A Amateur Radio Club and the education coordinator and Elmer 911 coordinator for the Bella Vista Amateur Radio Club, the state's largest amateur radio organization. Members of both clubs were also instrumental in making the students' space dreams come true.

U of A students in the college where Carter is an associate professor also participated in the event. These future educators plan to teach technology and engineering education and elementary STEM after graduation.

Fifteen elementary and junior high students stood in line to ask the astronaut their prepared, rapid-fire questions. They only had about 10 minutes with Ayers before the space station — which is 250 miles above Earth and travels 17,400 miles per hour — moved too far away.

"This is a big deal for the state of Arkansas, and it has been 30 years since the U of A Amateur Radio Club helped make this happen at a local school," Carter said. "The last time was 1995 during the Space Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) at Watson Elementary School in Huntsville."

He said the purpose of the ARISS program is to encourage students to learn about radio and electronics and how to communicate clearly over ham radio.

"Students also learn about space research, satellite communications and wireless technology," Carter added. "I hope that some of the students are inspired to follow their dreams and maybe even pursue a career in a STEM field or even become an astronaut."

As part of the ARISS proposal process, the Springdale schools were required to develop a four- to six-month education plan, which EAST teachers thought would be an ideal class project. 

When the proposal was accepted last summer, the real work began. The U of A amateur radio club removed its satellite station from atop the Science and Engineering Building and placed the antennas on Lakeside Junior High for Monday's contact. Nearly 800 feet of cable and the cooperation of multiple adults and students were also needed to make it happen.

The students had several practice rounds with the ham radio setup. Students also participated in the past two ARRL School Club Roundups. During the event in October, students from Lakeside and Sonora teamed up and received 2nd place in the nation. In February, only the students from Sonora were able to participate, but they received 1st place in the nation, making 253 contacts, including four Canadian provinces, two DX entities (countries outside of the US and Canada), a plane at 35,000 feet over Georgia, a freighter ship in the Gulf of Mexico and over 25 other schools and 29 states.

The students were well prepared for Monday's once-in-a-lifetime event. They joined Carter and their teachers in cheering when they actually made contact with Ayers on the space station. She was funny, warm and brief, answering about 20 questions in the allotted time, including those at the top of this story:

Yes, sometimes we get these little radiation flashes that you can see through your eyelids.

I like to drink hot cocoa and look at the view out of the cupola.

I think I might go get a burger on the beach.

Over.