Students invited to participate in new monthly audio blog forum with Richard Garriott

Alexandria, VA - Wednesday April 30th, Richard Garriott, the next civilian to visit the International Space Station in October, 2008, joined Founding Chairman of Challenger Center for Space Science Education, Dr. June Scobee Rogers, for the first in a series of monthly audio blog podcasts. Dr. Rodgers and Richard discussed various topics from his childhood to the motivation that brought him to where he is today. Students are encouraged to visit the Audio Blog Forum and post comments and submit questions for Mr. Garriott at Challenger Center's website: www.challenger.org

All Challenger Center podcasts are free and open to the general public. To listen to any of Challenger Center's previous podcasts, please visit the Challenger Center website at www.challenger.org.

Richard, a former student of Dr. Rodgers, will continue the mission of Teacher-in-Space Christa McAuliffe, as did Educator Astronaut Barbara Morgan, as he engages students, teachers and Challenger Learning Centers around the world in educational interactive activities before, during and after his flight. Students of all ages will have the opportunity to participate in amateur ham radio conversations, select targets to be photographed from space, and perform experiments that can be replicated by students using everyday objects to demonstrate important concepts in physics. "Like father, like son," says Dr. Rodgers, commenting on her former student's plans. "Dr. Owen Garriott also taught student science lessons from space on his Skylab mission, as Richard plans to do on his flight."

Challenger Center for Space Science Education was founded in 1986 by the families of the astronauts of the space shuttle Challenger 51-L mission. It is dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission and impacts over 300,000 students and 25,000 teachers each year. Challenger Learning Center programs at 50 centers around the world continue the crew's mission of engaging teachers and students in science, mathematics, engineering and technology. To locate a Challenger Learning Center near you, visit www.challenger.org.

For program information, please contact:

Shannon Rush, Development and Communications Associate
Challenger Center for Space Science Education, Alexandria, VA
703-683-9740; srush@challenger.org

If you are a member of the media and would like to request an interview with Richard Garriott, please contact:

Stacey Tearne, Space Adventures
703-894-2192, stearne@spaceadventures.com