Students talking to Peggy Whitson: (L-R) John Madigan, KB9ZRX (partially out of view); Mary Ann Nimtz, N9YHI (holding microphone); Janna Zimmerman, Anton Grazin, Troy Brinker, and Renula Mitra. Rick Nimtz, N9TJG, looks on from the background. |
(L-R) Mary Ann Nimtz (with microphone) with students Paul Baranay, Renula Mitra, Troy Brinker, Manuel Garcia, and Mary Mahon awaiting their turns. |
The W9AB antenna used for the ARISS contact. [Dan Caesar, NI9Y, Photos] |
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 6, 2002--Students at the Stanley Clark School in South Bend, Indiana, started out their school year on a high note on September 4. As an audience of about 200 fellow students and 50 adults looked on, 13 fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students at the school spoke via Amateur Radio for about 10 minutes with US astronaut Peggy Whitson, KC5ZTD, operating NA1SS aboard the International Space Station. Whitson had visited the school in 1999. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact was the first with a US school since last spring.
"The Earth is incredibly beautiful, but I think the most interesting thing is seeing how thin the atmosphere is," Whitson told the youngsters in response to one question. "It looks very fragile and like something we should take care of." Whitson said there are several windows in the ISS Service Module so the crew can observe Earth from there.
| Listen to MP3 audio of the Stanley Clark School ARISS contact with astronaut Peggy Whitson, KC5ZTD, at NA1SS on the ISS [11:15]. ARRL thanks Rick Nimtz, N9TJG, for providing this audio clip. |
Replying to a question about the debris shields on the ISS, Whitson said that at a speed of 17,000 MPH, any debris is a threat. "We see damage by things as small as paint chips," she explained.
Students always seem to be interested in the food aboard the ISS, and the South Bend youngsters were no exception. "I think the food on the ISS is pretty good, but I tell ya what, after several months up here, I am a little bored with it." Her favorites are the rehydrated strawberries and cookies, she said.
So far, she told the Stanley Clark students, she has not experienced cabin fever, "maybe because I got to go on a space walk." She didn't think her two Russian crewmates were having problems with cabin fever either.
Whitson, an Iowa native, said that when she was very young, she saw the first astronauts on TV when they walked on the moon, "and I think that had a big effect on me," she said.
Students spoke with NA1SS via W9AB, with Mary Nimtz, N9YHI, at the controls. W9AB is the club station call sign of the Michiana Amateur Radio Club in South Bend. The contact was marred at points by QRM from a local paging system, but 15 questions were asked and answered.
Crews from two South Bend TV stations were on hand to provide media
coverage. Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, was the ARISS mentor for the
Stanley Clark School contact.
Among the approximately 60 people on hand at Israel's Givatayim Observatory ARISS QSO was the guest of honor, Israel Space Agency Chairman Aby Har Even. |
Kursk High School No. 55 student Valery, RA3WPK, talks to Peggy Whitson during the school's ARISS contact. [Valery Pikkiev, RW3WW, Photo] |
Earlier this month, Whitson spoke with youngsters in Israel, where 2002 has been declared "Space Year" in honor of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who will be aboard shuttle mission STS 107. Youngsters from several Israeli schools gathered September 2 in the Givatayim Observatory for the QSO. Using an earth station set up by AMSAT-Israel President Shlomo Menuhin, 4X1AS, 15 students got to put 20 questions to Whitson as the ISS passed overhead. The participating students--ranging from 10 to 15 years old--were selected for their high scores in space-related activities and study projects.
On August 29, Whitson also spoke with students at Kursk High School No. 55 in Russia got to chat with the ISS during two passes. In all, 10 questions were asked. "Now we have experience, so we are ready anytime for new radio communications with the ISS," said Valery Pikkiev, RW3WW. Students used the school's RK3WXZ club station call sign.
ARISS is an international project, with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.--thanks to Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, Gene Chapline, K5YFL, and Gaston Bertels, ON4WF
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