Cookeville's Tennessee Technological University and Congressman Bart Gordon will host a live conversation between more than 120 students and NASA astronaut Barry E. Wilmore on Sunday, Nov. 22.

Capt. Wilmore is the pilot of Space Shuttle Atlantis. He is a Tennessee native with a master's degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee Tech and an M.S. in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee. Atlantis launched Nov. 16 on an 11-day mission to the International Space Station.

The live call from orbit will take place between 11:08 a.m. and 11:28 a.m. CST. Students ranging from kindergarten to college age will ask questions of Wilmore and fellow astronauts Nicole Stott and Leland Melvin. Stott has served as a flight engineer and member of the Expedition 21 crew living aboard the International Space Station for more than two months. She will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Melvin is a mission specialist and crewmate of Wilmore's aboard Atlantis.

Rep. Gordon is the chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee. Wilmore was born and raised in Gordon's district in Tennessee.

The downlink is one in a series with educational organizations in the U.S. and abroad to improve teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is an integral component of NASA's Teaching From Space office. The office promotes learning opportunities and builds partnerships with the education community using the unique environment of human spaceflight.

Tennessee Tech University and WCTE, the local PBS affiliate, will carry a live feed of the event at www.tntech.edu and at WCTE.

(Source: NASA)