WALLINGFORD Aarna Gupta waited patiently among 18 children for her chance to speak to two astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

The Wallingford Public Library hosted a live Skype downlink with NASA astronauts Jack Fischer and Peggy Whitson Thursday, and kids in grades K-5 got to ask them questions.

Gupta, 7, attends CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering Elementary School in Rocky Hill. She wanted to know what got them both interested in space to become an astronaut.

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Sunnie Scarpa, head of childrens services, said the event drew more than 200 people, most of whom sat on the floor of the Community Room.

Theres no way we could have fit enough people with chairs, she said. We had a lot of interest.

A live feed played in an adjoining room and in the Collaboratory. The downlink lasted 20 minutes as the ISS drifted over South Carolina toward the Atlantic Ocean.

Kids had submitted questions for the astronauts in the weeks leading up to the event.

The questions the kids came up with were really good ones, Scarpa said. They ask whats important to them.

Fischer and Whitson were energetic and engaging, demonstrating eating, bathing, exercising and even back flips.

What was going through your mind and what were you feeling when you were taking off? Hans-Peter Hansen, 11, asked.

I was just so excited, Fischer said from space. I had flown a lot of cool planes, but nothing with as much thrust as a rocket.

Fischer is a pilot and Air Force colonel.

Hansen said he chose his question because I wanted to know what it felt like to be an astronaut, so he could put himself in their shoes, or more aptly, their spacesuit.

Whats the most interesting thing youve seen and what does it mean to the world? asked Emily Rochniak, 8.

The most interesting thing about being in space, is actually just being in space, Whitson said. This laboratory provides a unique opportunity for scientists to do lots of different kinds of studies that they cant do on Earth.

My mom helped me think of it, Rochniak said of the question, adding she wanted to know what they saw when they looked out the window.

Taryn Casanova, 8, took her question in another direction.

Which questions do you wish people would ask more, and what are the answers to those questions? she asked.

It would be, why is the space station special, Fischer said. Fifteen countries came together to build this place. We have astronauts from all over the world on here.

I couldnt think of anything else, Casanova said of the question, so I decided to ask them what (are) the questions they want people to ask.

When Whitson answered Guptas question about what inspired them to become astronauts, she said the year she graduated high school was the first year NASA picked female astronauts.

That was what inspired me to believe that I could also become an astronaut, she said.

Whitsons answer left Gupta grinning, and with even more questions for her new role model.

One of the questions (I wanted to ask) was, why did they want a girl to do it,? Gupta said.

Whitson became the first female commander of the space station in 2007. In April, she broke the record for most consecutive days in space by a NASA astronaut.

Scarpa said the addition of Whitson to the event, which originally was going to be just with Fischer, was good for all the girls This is something they can aspire to.

LTakores@record-journal.com 203-317-2212 Twitter: @LCTakores

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Astronauts aboard space station connect with children at Wallingford ... - Meriden Record-Journal