Richland native NASA astronaut Kayla Barron was in town for a Women in Engineering session hosted by Washington River Protection Solutions.

Kayla answered questions and shared her adventure aboard the space station as a member of the SpaceX Crew 3.

97.1 KXRX logo
Get our free mobile app
NASA
NASA
loading...

Her 177 days aboard the International Space Station were challenging and rewarding.

"Spacewalks are a good example of the teamwork that it takes to get our job done up there. Everyone is involved in these operations. You have people suiting you up. We have a lot to get done in a limited time. It's a very complicated environment to work in."

NASA
NASA
loading...

When asked about the food in space, Barron replied, "It's kind of like meals ready to eat. It's food in packages that we put in a food warmer. It's like camping food. It's actually pretty good."

The astronaut stressed the importance of mentoring.

She stays in touch with students at the US Naval Academy and encourages them into higher leadership roles. "I think it's important to have role models." Her closest role model at the Naval Academy was a history professor who she stays in touch with to this day. Barron also reiterated that it's important to reach out and tell people what you're hoping to accomplish.

What's it like readjusting to gravity?

"Everything feels heavy back on Earth." Balance was an issue, she compared it to vertigo. It took about 5 days to adjust. Kayla keeps up with training for spacewalks, flying, and robotics training. She also plans to keep up on speaking Russian. The crew learned to speak the language due to interaction with the Russian Space Agency.

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

LOOK: Stunning vintage photos capture the beauty of America's national parks

Today these parks are located throughout the country in 25 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The land encompassing them was either purchased or donated, though much of it had been inhabited by native people for thousands of years before the founding of the United States. These areas are protected and revered as educational resources about the natural world, and as spaces for exploration.

Keep scrolling for 50 vintage photos that show the beauty of America's national parks.

See How School Cafeteria Meals Have Changed Over the Past 100 Years

Using government and news reports, Stacker has traced the history of cafeteria meals from their inception to the present day, with data from news and government reports. Read on to see how various legal acts, food trends, and budget cuts have changed what kids are getting on their trays.

More From 97.1 KXRX