Helms Greets Parents During New Mexico ARISS QSO

NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 28, 2001--Astronaut Susan Helms, KC7NHZ, briefly greeted her parents via Amateur Radio June 27 before answering questions posed by youngsters visiting the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque. The contact was arranged at Helms' request by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station--or ARISS--program.

Susan Helms, KC7NHZ, at work aboard the International Space Station. [NASA Photo]

"Hi, Mom, hi Dad!" Helms said to her parents, before turning to the youngsters' questions. Patrick and Doris Helms live in Albuquerque and serve as volunteers at the museum.

It took several calls to raise Helms at the NA1SS mike aboard the ISS. Once contact was established, she reported being been able to hear the Earth station's calls for two or three minutes before NA1SS was heard on the ground. Gerry Schmitt, KK5YY, who set up the Earth station, said part of the museum building was in the signal path. Joe Huffman, KG5GM--also a museum volunteer--was at the mike of the Earth station to establish the initial contact.

Seven third, fourth and fifth-graders--all enrolled in the museum's Space and Astronomy Day Camp--stood by with their questions in hand. Given the tardy start and a mid-QSO change in frequency, not all youngsters had a chance to ask their questions, however. Elementary pupils from a nearby school also were on hand as visitors.

Listen to the ARISS contact with youngsters at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. [6:30] ARISS thanks MSNBC for making audio of this contact available.

Helms told the youngsters that music sounds the same in space and that the view from the ISS is "a spectacular sight," with the blue Earth and white cloud cover surrounded by a layer of air--although space, by contrast, is "absolutely dark, absolutely black," she said.

Helms said the astronauts are able to spot large physical features on Earth. "You can see the Grand Canyon and the Great Wall of China with no problem," she said.

Jayne Aubele, who heads the Education Division at the museum, helped organize the students. Schmitt, an engineer with Los Alamos National Labs, answered youngsters' questions following the contact.

The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science has a Web site. For more information on the ARISS program, visit the ARISS Web site.

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