NASA astronaut Sandra Magnus, a Missouri University of Science and Technology graduate, launched into orbit aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on Nov. 14, 2009. The space shuttle dropped Ms. Magnus off at the International Space Station for a four-month stay, during which time she will be contributing to a Missouri S&T blog aimed at getting more kids interested in science.

Last July, kids attending Aerospace Camp at Missouri S&T wrote down questions for Ms. Magnus. She has provided answers to some of those questions in advance of her trip, and she’ll also be checking in from the space station. The questions and answers, along with other commentary and interactive NASA links, will be available at www.spacebook.mst.edu.

Sample questions include:

• How long does it take to get out of the Earth’s atmosphere?

• What is it like to sleep in zero gravity?

• How do you go to the bathroom in space?

• Is the space station anchored at all?

Elementary school teachers and the general public are invited to follow along and submit new questions for Magnus at www.spacebook.mst.edu. Updates will be posted almost daily for the next four months.

The primary mission for Ms. Magnus and other crew members during this voyage is to install equipment needed to support a six-person crew aboard the space station. Currently, the station only has a crew of three people. Next summer, that number will double.