Natives talk to astronauts

Alaska students tune in for video link up with astronautsSpace shuttle Discovery astronauts took a break from their hectic schedule Thursday to talk to Alaska students during a video conference viewed by participants across the state, including some of the most isolated native communities.

The seven astronauts sat two rows deep, smiling into the camera as welcoming cheers erupted in the Challenger Learning Center in Kenai where local students posed questions to the crew during a live 10-minute interview. Students in several dozen other communities tuned in to watch the exchange on the crew's last full day in space.