May 06, 2021

Manchin Applauds Pocahontas County School Chosen For Contact With International Space Station

Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) applauded the announcement that Green Bank Elementary-Middle School (GBEMS) in Pocahontas County will be contacting astronaut Mark Vande Hei on the International Space Station on Friday, May 7th at 8:00 am. GBEMS was chosen through a competitive application process by Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), which is an international program that inspires students to pursue STEM careers.

“West Virginia has a rich history contributing to NASA’s developments and achievements from the important contributions of ‘Hidden Figures’ Katherine Johnson and ‘Rocket Boys’ Homer Hickam to the many West Virginians working on NASA projects today. I want to congratulate Green Bank Elementary-Middle School for their remarkable achievement of being chosen for the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Program, where only a handful of schools across the world get selected for this opportunity. I am excited for the students to make contact with astronaut Mark Vande Hei on the International Space Station and hope this experience inspires and encourages the students to pursue jobs in STEM. I will continue to advocate for funding and resources for hands-on educational experiences and opportunities for students in the Mountain State,” said Senator Manchin.

GBEMS is located near the Green Bank Observatory, which is home to the largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world. This event will be livestreamed from Green Bank Observatory’s Facebook page.

To watch the event on Friday, click here.