Spaceflight pioneer Aaron Cohen, a former director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, died Thursday, Feb. 25, after a lengthy illness. He was 79.

Cohen had a 33-year career with NASA. He was a steady hand at the helm of Johnson as NASA recovered from the shuttle Challenger tragedy and returned the space shuttle to flight. Cohen left the agency in 1993 to accept an appointment as a professor at his alma mater, Texas A&M University. At the time, he was serving as acting deputy administrator at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

"Aaron Cohen was one of my early mentors here in NASA and he was instrumental in the success of numerous pivotal achievements in human space flight." said NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden from Headquarters in Washington. "His engineering expertise and rigor were tremendous assets to our nation and NASA. Aaron provided the critical and calm guidance needed at the Johnson Space Center to successfully recover from the Challenger accident and return the space shuttle to flight. We will miss him as a colleague, mentor, and a friend. Our hearts go out to his wife, Ruth, and the rest of his family."

Astronauts orbiting 220 miles above Earth will discuss science and living in space with students from Mueller Aerospace and Engineering Discovery Magnet School in Wichita, Kan., on Tuesday, March 2.

The call between the students and International Space Station Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineers T.J. Creamer and Soichi Noguchi will take place from 10:35 to 10:55 a.m. CST. The event will be held at Exploration Place in Wichita. Reporters interested in attending the event should contact Susan Arensman of Wichita Public Schools at 316-973-4582.

NASA has a number of employees who work in the station's mission operations who are from Wichita or attended Wichita State University. Journalists interested in speaking with these employees should contact Kelly Humphries at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston at 281-483-5111.

Topics in this report:
1. Upcoming School Contact
2. Timothy Creamer Chats with Doncaster Students via ARISS Contact
3. ARISS Annual Report 2009 Posted
4. ARISS News on Amateur Radio Newsline

1. Upcoming School Contact
Expedition 22 astronaut Soichi Noguchi, KD5TVP will participate in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with Hamasuka Junior High School in Chigasaki City, Kanagawa, Japan on Thursday, March 4. This is a direct contact and is scheduled for 10:09 UTC. Noguchi is an alumnus of the school.

2. Timothy Creamer Chats with Doncaster Students via ARISS Contact