NASA boss visits Alabama school seeking brainpower for future space projects



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He came with a right hand extended, a smile and telling everyone he met to call him "Jim."

Bridenstine may be easier. But for the NASA Administrator Visiting Arab High School on Friday, Jim Bridenstine is trying to make it easier for Americans to reach the moon in 2024.

He visited with pre-engineering students at the school about 30 miles south of Huntsville.

He watched a demonstration of a robot built in a six-week, after-school crash program earlier this year by the school's robotics students – a robot that competed in the world championships in Houston in April.

Bridenstine made no mention of the major announcement at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville – that the center would oversee the lunar lander program.

Aimed at a career in the world, it is possible to have a career in that field, it might be a bit of a brainstorm in the room that it would help to make a reality.

"I have heard wonderful things about this high school," said Bridenstine as he spoke to students and school administrators. "Clearly, you guys are doing amazing things here." "And maybe someday, NASA will be able to enlist you in some of the projects we're working on."

Bridenstine came to Arab High at the invitation of U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, who is the top Republican on the science appropriations subcommittee that funds NASA.

When Robert says, 'Hey, Jim, why do not you help with that or come back to the 4th District of Alabama,' the answer is 'Absolutely, we will be there,' "Bridenstine said. "He's the guy who writes our checks."

Of course, it takes more money to get the NASA into space and the administrator lauded the students with the challenges in front of them and teachers for guiding the way.

He asked a question about the construction of the moon buggy and saluted the robotics program for bringing real-world projects into the classroom.

After the robotic demonstration, Bridenstine said, "This is a very important program, it closely mimics what NASA does.

Bridenstine said, "There is no shortage of opportunity for the folks in this room."

Of course, any NASA event is always better than an astronaut. Ricky Arnold, a two-time veteran of missions to the International Space Station, commented on the topic of traveling astronauts space station.

"What I want you thinking about is something you can do from this journey," Arnold told the students.

So does Bridenstine. He invoked the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing as he spoke to students.

"We want it to be sustainable," Bridenstine said. "We want it to last.We loved the Apollo program.The challenge is that it came to an end.This time when we go to the moon, we want it to be sustainable."

From a high school classroom to Arab to the moon to Mars to … hey, who knows?

"What we're trying to do now," said Bridenstine, "we're doing a great job in exploring 50 years from now, we're going to be celebrating today."

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