Former Hanson teacher now part of space mission

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

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Former Charles County public school teacher Richard Arnold is currently part of a NASA space walk on the Discovery's STS 119.

The teacher-turned-astronaut is a former teacher at John Hanson Middle School in Waldorf. Many Students at Hanson were able to participate in a Web seminar recently where they were able to ask astronauts questions live through the Internet and learn about Arnold.

Students were unable to talk with Arnold that day but got a chance to see video of him preparing for his space walk.

According to Charles County public schools spokeswoman Katie O'Malley Simpson, John Hanson has paid special attention to Arnold's mission and has a display up with information about Arnold and about his space walk.

Arnold taught at Hanson from 1989 to 1991. O'Malley Simpson said assisting Arnold and his crew was John Mularski, an engineer who trains astronauts for their spacewalks. Mularski is a 2001 Maurice J. McDonough High School graduate and son of Theresa Mularski, a math teacher at Hanson.

Go to www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/.