Students at Ysgol Cemaes on Anglesey had a virtual encounter with NASA astronaut Frank Rubio on Wednesday. Rubio, who is slated to be part of the crew for the Artemis III mission aiming to return humans to the Moon in 2027, answered questions from the pupils about his experiences in space. He previously spent over a year aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to a spacecraft issue that extended his stay.

The virtual session allowed students to inquire about the realities of living and working in space, as well as the challenges and excitements associated with space travel.

This is not the first space-related initiative for the primary school. Earlier this year, pupils participated in a project to design a badge that was successfully sent to space and observed floating in zero gravity aboard the ISS. This connection to the space industry has been fostered by former pupil Dr. Melanie Coathup, a scientist who works closely with astronauts.

Guto Rhys, acting headteacher, described the students as "extremely excited" for the meeting, noting their prior preparation which included studying videos of life on the ISS and in space. The pupils had prepared numerous questions for Rubio.

A man in a white shirt, behind a colourful wall in a school. He has dark hair, with a stubble and is smiling at the camera

Harry, aged 9, and Sofia, aged 8, were among the students who heard Rubio discuss his experiences. Harry shared that learning about NASA and Frank Rubio was the most interesting aspect of his day. Sofia mentioned their classroom activities involved learning about medical kits for space and the methods for brushing teeth and sleeping in orbit.

Lola, 9, expressed her delight at seeing Rubio hold a badge designed by one of the school's pupils. She recalled learning about Rubio's extended mission duration, initially planned for six months but extended to a year, and noted her cousin designed the winning badge.

An image of two school pupils, one boy on the left and one girl on the right. They are both smiling at the camera. The boy is slightly taller than the girl, and they are both wearing a blue school uniform

Ruby, 10, described the experience as "very cool," emphasizing the rarity of such an opportunity for schools in Wales. She learned about the existence of the space station in orbit. The school intends to design another badge for a future space mission next year.