A former sailor stationed at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station returned to the island this week and shared his experiences in space with elementary school students.

Jake Garn visited students at Broad View Elementary School Wednesday morning to talk about his experiences serving as a payload specialist for the space shuttle Discovery during a mission in 1985.

He touched upon the rigors a body goes through from blasting off into space. He went from weighing 595 pounds as measured by gravitational force when he blasted off to weighing nothing when he entered orbit.

"You unbuckle and can make a jet engine out of your mouth," Garn told the students from all grades at Broad View and from HomeConnection. While in space he conducted experiments on the muscle deterioration the body endures through space flight.

When he returned from his shuttle mission he had difficulty picking up his then 3-year-old daughter and he almost tipped over.

Garn vividly recalled the stunning rainbows that were visible during sunrises and sunsets, which were an occurrence that happened approximately every 90 minutes when he was in space.

"I thought I was going to quit breathing looking down at the earth," Garn said.

Students asked him a variety of questions ranging from whether he saw any aliens to the training he had to undergo to be successful in space.

He visited Broad View as part of the education efforts of the Association of Space Explorers, which is an international group of former astronauts that formed more than 20 years ago. When the organization holds its annual convention, members visits schools throughout the region. Garn said members ranged as far away as eastern Washington to visit schools. Another former astronaut, Pinky Nelson, was tapped to speak to the students at Broad View, but Garn switched places because he wanted to return to the island he lived for three years.

He was stationed at the Whidbey Island Seaplane Base from 1957 to 1960. As a member of VP 50, he flew P5Ms on antisubmarine patrols. His oldest daughter was born at the Oak Harbor Naval Hospital during his tour at the base. When he saw an Oak Harbor elementary school on the list of places to speak, he saw an opportunity to come back for a visit.

He focused on the importance of education in the students' lives, especially considering how far technology had advanced in his lifetime.

The kids gasped in shock when they heard Garn's hometown didn't have television until he was 16.

"How could I anticipate the amazing changes and opportunities in my life," Garn said.

He said he was inspired to go into space when he heard about the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957. It took him nearly 30 years to reach his goal.

By the time he went into orbit, he was serving as a United States Senator from his home state of Utah. He served until 1992.

Joyce Swanson, Broad View Elementary School principal, complimented Garn on the emphasis he placed on the importance of education.

"I'm very pleased with the message," Swanson said.

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