Watch 9 awesome moments with NASA astronauts in space in 2021

The International Space Station is a state-of-the-art laboratory where astronauts perform hundreds of important experiments every year — but that does not mean that life on orbit is all work and no play for the outpost’s crews.

In between their other assignments, NASA astronauts take part in in-flight educational downlinks with schools around the country, answering students’ questions about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) topics. Some of those exchanges are a source of fun, too!