Japanese Schoolchildren Enjoy Successful ARISS Contact
CLICK HERE to listen to the ARISS contact between students at EXPO 2005 in Japan and NA1SS [10:25]
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Some of the media and other onlookers at EXPO 2005, site of the September 2 ARISS contact. A total of eight newspapers covered the event. [Photos and information courtesy of Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ]
With photos of the International Space Station and its crew in the foreground, students taking part in the ARISS contact express their enthusiasm for the chance to talk to an astronaut in orbit around the Earth.
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NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 9, 2005--As some 150 people looked on, a group of Japanese schoolchildren spoke September 2 with the International Space Station via 8N2AI, a station set up at the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture (near Nagoya). The scheduled contact with NA1SS was arranged by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program.
In response to a question, NASA ISS Science Officer John Phillips, KE5DRY, told the students that he is able to see air pollution over large cities, forest fires in the US and agricultural fires in Central and South America. Another student asked about housekeeping chores around the space station. "We have air filter systems that constantly clean the air," Phillips responded. "In addition, once a week we use a vacuum cleaner and a wet cloth to make sure we clean up all the dust."
Asked if he thinks there is life elsewhere in the universe, the astronaut replied: "Yes I do. I base this belief on the enormous number of other stars, many of which probably have planetary systems, but I've never actually seen any evidence of life elsewhere."
Control operator at 8N2AI was Naoyuki Iso, 7L1FFN. Onlookers were joined by reporters from eight newspapers and the official EXPO TV.
About 15 million visitors are expected at EXPO 2005, which runs through September 25. The Japan Amateur Radio League is sponsoring 8N2AI. More photos of the event are available on a Web site commemorating the event.
ARISS is an international educational outreach with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.
Page last modified: 12:34 PM, 12 Sep 2005 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2005, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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