HISD students talk to astronaut onboard International Space Station

A group of HISD students had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a long-distance phone call to an International Space Station astronaut.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Students at a southeast Houston elementary school got to make a very long-distance phone call -- one to the International Space Station.

Third and fourth grade students at HISD's Hartsfield Elementary School got to chat with Dr. Peggy Whitson, a NASA astronaut onboard the space station.

NASA chose Hartsfield for the special chat because of the school's magnet programs for math, science and engineering.