NEWINGTON, CT, May 2, 2002--South African space tourist Mark Shuttleworth surprised several amateurs May 1 by cranking up NA1SS on the International Space Station during a pass over North America. Shuttleworth's solo casual operation--at the encouragement of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program--resulted in a string of contacts.
 "Space tourist" Mark Shuttleworth (left) and Flight Engineer Roberto Vittori, IZ6ERU, of the European Space Agency clasp hands in the Unity node of the ISS. Shuttleworth, Vittori and Soyuz Taxi Commander Yuri Gidzenko arrived at the orbital outpost on April 27. [NASA Photo] |
"As you can imagine, I was thrilled to work him," said Stan Vandiver, W4SV, in Hanna, Indiana, who was at or very near the head of the line in working Shuttleworth as the ISS swept across the continent some 220 miles in space. "He was doing a pretty good job fielding the calls." Those who routinely monitor the ISS 145.80 MHz downlink frequency got a hint that something was up when they began hearing Shuttleworth's British-accented English instead of packet bursts.
Vandiver says he dropped in his call sign, and Shuttleworth came back with a "loud and clear" report. On a second transmission, Shuttleworth responded to Vandiver's comments about the view from space.
"I think that any view from up here is just magnificent," Shuttleworth said. "It's quite an extraordinary experience."
Vandiver says he hopes the experience was as much fun for Shuttleworth as it was for the earthbound amateurs who worked him. "I hope that he gets a good taste of Amateur Radio and will follow through with his licensing when he returns to Earth," he said.
Rosalie White, K1STO, who is ARRL's representative to ARISS, expressed confidence that Shuttleworth "had a blast" operating NA1SS. "We had asked him to CQ over the USA this morning, and I'm glad he found time between science experiments to do so," she said.
 The NA1SS/RS0ISS QSL card. |
"Wow!" was the simple reaction of Bruce Weaver, K3LTM, the advisor to the Cowanesque Valley School Amateur Radio Club in Knoxville, Pennsylvania, after the school's KB3BRT club station made its own brief contact with Shuttleworth.
"The class shouted 'hello' to him, and I told him our QTH and some info about the school," Weaver said in a posting to AMSAT's SAREX (Space Amateur Radio Experiment) reflector. "It was very exciting for everyone."
Among several other stations, Shuttleworth also spoke briefly with ARISS International Group Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO. "Thanks, Frank. Thanks very much for your help with A-R-I-S-S," Shuttleworth said, spelling out the acronym.
Listen to Mark Shuttleworth operating NA1SS during a May 1 pass over North America. [7:35]. ARRL thanks Stan Vandiver, W4SV, for providing this audio clip. |
Shuttleworth also worked Randy Shriver, KG3N, the ham who snagged the first-ever casual ham contact with Expedition 1 crew commander William "Shep" Shepherd, KD5GSL in November 2000. Al Lark, KD4SFF, also got in on the fun, making contact from his mobile in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, while on a coffee break. Lark used the Experimenters' Group Amateur Radio Club call sign N4ISS.
So far this week, Shuttleworth has completed two scheduled ARISS school contacts, and two more are scheduled. The 28-year-old businessman reportedly paid Russia some $20 million for his week in space.
QSL requests for NA1SS (FM voice) and RS0ISS
(packet) contacts from US stations go to Margie Bourgoin, KB1DCO, ARRL, 225
Main St, Newington, CT 06111.
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