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 Previous: FCC Fines Continue to Mount in Gerritsen Case |  Next: A View from the Other Side of DX |
 Robespierre students visit the F6KFA Amateur Radio station set up at their school for the contact with NA1SS. |
 ARISS-Europe Board Member Christophe Mercier introduced the event to the audience and provided information on ARISS, Amateur Radio and the technical aspects involved in contacting the ISS. |
 Seoul, South Korea, is featured in this nighttime digital photograph by Expedition 10. Chiao said the crew enjoys looking at Earth. [NASA Photo] |
 Chiao participates in a training session in the ISS Destiny Laboratory. [NASA Photo] |
NEWINGTON, CT, Jan 26, 2005--International Space Station Commander Leroy Chiao, KE5BRW, estimated that he and his Expedition 10 crewmate, cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov, have traveled "many millions" of kilometers through space since their mission began last October. The Expedition 10 crew marked its 100th day in space January 21. Chiao made the comment in response to a question put to him January 19 during an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact between NA1SS on the ISS and Robespierre School in Rueil Malmaison, France.
"If you figure we orbit Earth once every one and a half hours, and we're going to be up here six months, you can figure it out. It's going to be many millions," Chiao said, inviting the youngsters to do the math for themselves.
As hard as he worked to become an astronaut and earn a place on an ISS crew--he and Sharipov trained for more than three years for their mission, and Chiao described getting into the astronaut program as "pretty competitive"--Chiao said he had no desire to spend his life off the planet.
"I really love being in space, I love being on space missions, but I miss my family and friends and other things about the earth," Chiao said. "I miss nature and fresh fruits and vegetables, so while I like being in space, I do want to come back to Earth."
While he's in space, however, Chiao said looking at Earth is one of his and Sharipov's favorite pastimes, and he said they can see a lot with the naked eye, including continents and cities. "I'm still looking for the Great Wall [of China]," Chiao said. "I haven't seen it yet."
Chiao also mentioned the then-pending spacewalk to install some research and utility equipment. He and Sharipov successfully completed their 5-1/2 hour trip outside the space station January 26. It was Expedition 10's first spacewalk.
An audience of more than 300 turned out for the event at
the primary school near Paris, more than 200 of them students. Handling Earth
station duties for Rueil Malmaison Amateur Radio Club station F6KFA at the
school was Joseph Lemoine, F6ICS, with antenna-tracking help from Christophe
Riviere, F5IWN.
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The enthusiastic audience erupted into loud applause as the QSO drew to a close. Cheers broke out after Chiao offered his now-traditional parting comment to "follow your dreams and reach for the stars."
Among the media covering the event was Radio Monte Carlo, two newspapers and a local cable television channel.
Said ARISS-Europe Chairman Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, "Congratulations to the Rueil Malmaison Amateur Radio Club for a job well done."
ARISS is an international educational outreach with US
participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.
| Previous: FCC Fines Continue to Mount in Gerritsen Case | Next: A View from the Other Side of DX |
