President Obama calls Space Station crews

Obama speaks with astronauts on Station today. (White House)

President Obama called up the crews of the International Space Station and the docked shuttle Endeavour today to send congratulations and ask questions as students and congressional leaders looked on.

Speaking from the White House's Roosevelt room, the president spoke directly to the eleven residents aboard earth's orbital outpost beginning at 5:19 pm EST.

"Hey Guys... well its great to talk to you guys," Obama began as large group of students, teachers and government officials surrounded his chair. "We have a bunch of excited young guys here."

"I just wanted to let you know how proud we are of all of you," the president added.

The 23-minute discussion included questions to the astronauts from middle school students who traveled to the nation's capital from Michigan, Florida and North Carolina.

Today's White House photo-op comes three weeks to the day in which the president canceled NASA's Constellation project which was to carry Americans to the space station in 2015 and the moon some five years later.

"We just wanted to let you know that the amazing work that's being done on the International Space Station, not only by our American astronauts but also our colleagues from Japan and Russia, is just a testimony to human ingenuity. A testimony to extraordinary skill and courage that you guys bring to bear, and it's also a testimony to why continued space exploration is so important. And it's part of the reason why my commitment to NASA is not wavering," the president radioed the crews.

Constellation's cancellation will cause thousands of professionals their jobs here on America's Space Coast.

President Obama Places a Phone Call to the Crews

During the first space shuttle flight of Barack Obama's administration, the new president made a long distance phone call to the crews aboard the orbiting Discovery- Space Station complex this morning as it soared 220 miles high.

"Thank-you so much for taking the time to speak with us," Mr. Obama stated to the crews above. "This is really exciting!" The call from the Roosevelt room of the White House began at 9:52 am EDT, and concluded at 10:20 am.

"We are really proud of the work our American astronauts are doing... I know that we have our Japanese and Russian counterparts on their as well, " both of whom addressed the president.

The American President asked several questions from how do you attach a huge solar array to the station; to what kinds of experiments are you running; and to "I understand you will be speaking to my Alma matter [Hawaii] later; Do you use email up in space; and later allowed the local school children from Washington, D.C. to ask several questions to both space crews.

One child's question directed at the crew, "how many stars are in space", was responded in part by Mr. Obama's statement, "I would like to know the answer to that".

Senator's Kay Baily Hutchinson of Texas and Florida's Bill Nelson [who flew aboard Columbia in 1986] asked questions from health experiments to when will the station be full blown ready, respectively.

Surprise White House Call to Shuttle Crew Upcoming

The final full day of docked operations between shuttle Discovery and the international space station has begun, and with news of a special call upcoming from the Roosevelt room this morning.

At about 9:49 am EDT today, President Barack Obama will call the crews of the shuttle & station - from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in what NASA's Mission Control is keeping as a surprise for the crews. Mr. Obama will be joined by local school children and senators.

Discovery's crew awoke this morning at 6:13 am EDT, to the music of Andrew's Song by the band Tree Stump (mission specialist John Phillips' daughter plays base guitar in the group) while the shuttle-station complex sailed 220 miles over the northwestern Pacific Ocean while in orbital darkness [above image].