The 4th‑ and 5th‑grade students at Meadowland Elementary welcomed a special guest on Wednesday, March 25, when NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Captain Barry Wilmore visited their school. Wilmore, a highly decorated astronaut who has spent more than 464 days in space across three missions, spoke with students about his work with NASA, including his unexpected extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
In June 2024, Wilmore served as one of two astronauts on Boeing’s Crew Flight Test to the ISS. Although the mission was originally planned to last just eight days, a thruster malfunction dramatically extended the mission, keeping Wilmore and fellow NASA astronaut Suni Williams on the station for more than nine months.
Wilmore was in the Washington, D.C. area to receive the 2026 Michael Collins Trophy for Current Achievement. While in town, he made time to visit Meadowland Elementary thanks to a long‑standing friendship between Wilmore, his wife, and Meadowland art teacher Lane Bolyard.
During the visit, Wilmore recounted highlights from his career, including the June 2024 mission. Speaking to students, Wilmore described space as “amazing. There are no words to describe the awesomeness of it.” He explained that astronauts aboard the ISS orbit Earth every 90 minutes, offering breathtaking views of the planet below.
Wilmore also described the experience of performing a spacewalk, which could last up to eight hours. He explained that a spacesuit functions like a one‑person spacecraft. Preparing for a spacewalk requires extensive training and repeated testing of the suit that protects astronauts in space.
Much to the student’s delight, Wilmore also provided some details about how water is recycled in space. Because water is limited aboard spacecraft, explained Wilmore, every drop of water is purified and reused. Wilmore assured students that the recycled water “tastes good.”
Wilmore closed his visit with words of encouragement. He told students that a strong foundation in math and science opens doors to countless opportunities. His message was simple: “Study, study, study, and learn, learn, learn. What you are learning now is building the foundation for what you will be able to learn later.”