By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Area students will be able to speak to NASA astronaut Nick Hague live from the International Space Station after he launches Thursday from Baikonor Comodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-month mission as flight engineer.

The Hoxie native and former Peabody Elementary school student will address his audience through a “Skype-style” connection during a 20 to 30 minute-long public meeting tentatively set for May 10 at Peabody-Burns Junior Senior High School’s gymnasium at 810 N. Sycamore St., Peabody.

District curriculum director Kathy Preheim said the audience will see and hear Hague who will only be able to hear them.

“The kids are super-excited,” Kathy Preheim said.

Hague’s high school community of Hoxie, Blue Valley schools, officials with the Cosmosphere, and schools in and around Hutchinson have been invited to attend. State representatives will be special guests and will be invited to speak.

A NASA official will be in Peabody in late April to work out final details.

Hague was part of an aborted mission to the space station in October.