A group of Hawai'i students took a field trip 200 miles in space yesterday, sharing a rare opportunity to see and talk to space shuttle astronauts via a satellite link as they orbited Earth.

As the sun rose over Makiki, about 20 students from nine public and private schools gathered at an auditorium at Punahou School to chat with the crew of the Discovery.

The seven astronauts huddled close in front of the video camera, filling the big screen at the Twigg-Smith Pavilion. Students asked questions and — following a nine-second transmission delay — heard the replies as the astronauts floated the microphone to each other in the zero-gravity cockpit.

They could see the astronauts, but the astronauts could only hear them. About 100 people in all attended the event to watch the crew on a big screen and listen.

Students said they were honored, inspired and excited about the opportunity, even though they were not all interested in becoming astronauts.

"The astronauts seemed so enthusiastic about their accomplishment," said Reyn Fernandez, a Punahou senior. "I was pretty inspired by all their enthusiasm."

Student questions covered an array of interests.

La'akea Deboma, a Pearl City Elementary School fourth-grader, wanted to know the similarities of living in space, under water and on Earth. The astronauts replied that each place has beautiful spots but that managing personal property in each place was a challenge.

Casey Hara, a Punahou senior, asked about their most memorable experience in space. Astronaut Rick Arnold, a teacher, said it was the view from the spacewalk and the sense of accomplishment from completing the job they were sent to do.

Patricia Paulino, a Lincoln Elementary School fifth-grader, wanted to know which generation would live on the moon or on Mars permanently.

"I think the reason this crew is here and the current crew is up on the space station is we're hoping it's your generation," Arnold said.

The program was sponsored by Punahou, Hawaii Space Grant Consortium, 'Olelo Community Television and the state Department of Education.

Art Kimura, with the Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium, said yesterday's session was the only live downlink on this mission in which students would be able to ask questions of the astronauts.

Among the crew are two teachers, and both walked in space, Kimura said.

"It was 'chicken skin' to think about our colleague doing something like that," said Kimura, program director of Future Flight Hawaii.

One of the teachers aboard the shuttle, Joe Acaba, had previously spoken at Punahou and tried to steer the downlink opportunity to Hawai'i, Kimura said.

"I did mention to them that the host school, Punahou ... was the president's alma mater," Kimura said. "I'm sure that must have made a difference, not a big difference, but a lot of things came together very nicely for us."

Adults attending the program were excited, especially parents.

Randy Jackson, a Marine, said he wondered if his daughter realized what a rare experience it was to speak directly to astronauts in space. As a youth, he said, he watched space missions on television.

"Now with the technology, kids take everything for granted," Jackson said. "Everything is so fast."

Darian Jackson, his daughter, said she felt honored to have been chosen as the only sixth-grader from Pearl City Elementary to attend. She said she wants to be an attorney.

"Education is the key because in order to be whoever you want to be or whatever you want to do, you always have to have education," she said.