In the new Story Time From Space (STFS) project, ISS crew members will read from a selection of books aimed at kids. There is a  a Kickstarter campaign to fund STFS publicity and distribution of their materials.

Story Time From Space
Now Available to the Children of Earth

Stories read by astronauts on the International Space Station now available online.

HOUSTON, TX, May 7, 2014 – In another space flight first, Story Time From Space (STFS), partnered with Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), has debuted the first children’s book reading from the International Space Station on www.storytimefromspace.com.

“What you cannot imagine, you cannot do,” said Alvin Drew, NASA Astronaut and co-founder for STFS. “It is incredible to see this exciting concept finally debut online. The videos paired with the cross content curriculum will be a powerful tool for educators and families”

Five books by astrophysicist and author Jeffrey Bennett launched to the International Space Station on January 9 aboard the Cygnus spacecraft. The first book making an appearance on the website is “Max Goes to the International Space Station” read by astronaut Mike Hopkins from the space station’s seven window observatory known as the Cupola. The story follows Max the dog as he learns about life on the space station and explores the unusual effects of microgravity.

The books were selected by the founders Alvin Drew and space educator Patricia Tribe for their solid science and inspirational stories. The content makes the books a perfect spring board for the coming science demonstrations that will be flown in the fall. Nine experiments designed by veteran astronaut Bjarni Tryggvason will be conducted on the space station then used to develop curriculum to complement the science concepts in each book.

“The equipment we are building to fly to the space station is fairly sophisticated,” said Bjarni Tryggvason, veteran astronaut and lead science developer for STFS. “For instance, we are flying a spectrometer that will measure wavelengths of light as the sun rises and sets through the Earth’s atmosphere. This information gives us fantastic data on the atmosphere’s composition and has interesting applications for understanding climate change.”

Story time From Space is a project of the Global Space Flight Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and plans to make the STFS content available for free to families, schools and libraries. To fund the distribution and program expenses, STFS has launched a Kickstarter campaign.

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About Story Time From Space:
Story Time From Space (STFS) is a project of the Global Space Flight Education Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit. The group has partnered with NASA and CASIS to have books read in space as part of an innovative program to combine science and literature. For more information visit www.storytimefromspace.com

About CASIS:
The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) was selected by NASA in July 2011 to maximize use of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory through 2020. CASIS is dedicated to supporting and accelerating innovations and new discoveries that will enhance the health and wellbeing of people and our planet. For more information, visit www.iss-casis.org.

About the ISS National Laboratory:
In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the International Space Station as the nation’s newest national laboratory to maximize its use for improving life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse users, and advancing STEM education. This unique laboratory environment is available for use by other U.S. government agencies and by academic and private institutions, providing access to the permanent microgravity setting, vantage point in low Earth orbit, and varied environments of space.