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 Previous: Arizona BPL Field Trial Ends |  Next: FCC Affirms $21,000 in Fines Levied on Maine Radio Amateur |
NEWINGTON, CT, Mar 29, 2006--Tuesday, March 21, was a banner day for schools in Italy, Canada and the US, when students got the rare opportunity to talk with the commander of the International Space Station. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program arranged contacts between NA1SS and IZ7EVR at 1º Circolo Didattico Statale in Rutigliano, Italy, and VE6AFO at Sir James Lougheed Elementary School in Calgary, Alberta, in advance. A couple of contacts the same day with KG4EDK at Coloma Junior High School in Michigan came about through luck and happenstance. During the Rutigliano contact, ISS Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, predicted that humans one day will settle elsewhere in the universe.
"I think that is the destiny of mankind to leave the earth and colonize and settle other planets, and we will start by learning how to settle and live on the moon," McArthur said. In a similar vein, McArthur hypothesized in response to another question that the universe is larger than humans can fully understand. "And there are so many other stars and so many planets that the probability of life elsewhere in the universe is very, very high. I do not think we have ever met any however."
McArthur said he believes humans can remain in orbit as long as they have food, water and air and can get regular exercise, and he said he feels wonderful living in space.
Elettra Marconi Greets ISS Commander
 Rutigliano control op Michele Mallardi, IZ7EVR, prepares to call NA1SS. At his right is Princess Elettra Marconi. |
Surrounded by teachers, students and administrators, Elettra Marconi is honored with a bouquet and a commemorative plaque at Rutigliano. |
 ISS Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, at the controls of the Phase 2 ARISS station NA1SS. [NASA Photo] |
CLICK HERE to listen to downlink-only audio of the contact between IZ7EVR in Rutigliano, Italy, and NA1SS: <ariss-rutigliano.mp3> [5:18] |
On hand for the event was Princess Elettra Marconi, the youngest daughter of the wireless pioneer. "I feel that my father Guglielmo Marconi, father of radio, is near us," she said in part. "I am sure he would be encouraging you in your advancing in science for the benefit of humanity. My father was also very keen to share his inventions with school children. I am sure that it will inspire these young adults to follow a path of scientific exploration."
Responded McArthur: "We are able to do such grand things as explore space because of the inventions of your father. We are very grateful for the wonderful scientific work he did and are very honored to speak with you."
The Rutigliano ARISS contact marked the second time Princess Elettra has addressed the crew of the ISS via ham radio. In January 2003, she greeted ISS Expedition 6 Commander Ken Bowersox, KD5JBP, from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, during events marking the 100th anniversary of Marconi's first transatlantic wireless message.
ARISS Canadian Contact a Grand Success
 A Sir Lougheed Elementary School youngster asks her question of Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, at NA1SS. [Aaron Elekes, VE6YTV, Photo] |
 Veteran ARISS mentor Steve McFarlane, VE3BTD. [Lindsay Gavel, VE6GAV, Photo] |
CLICK HERE to listen to audio of the contact between VE6AFO in Calgary, Alberta, and NA1SS: <ariss-lougheed.mp3> [9:34] |
A bit later that day, a dozen pupils at Sir James Lougheed Elementary School in Alberta, Canada, quizzed McArthur on a variety of topics related to living in space. School Principal Deb Warmington took the microphone to open the contact. McArthur told the youngsters he believes there will be commercial space travel in their lifetimes, and the space station is one key to making that a reality.
"We think we need a space station because people want to explore, they want to learn new things, and many people would like us to go to other planets such as Mars," McArthur said. "And so, on the space station, we can learn how people can live and work in space and stay healthy."
Part of living in space is conserving resources, McArthur explained. He said the crew recycles water and, among other things, printer paper. "We always print on both sides," he said. Becoming an astronaut involves a lot of schooling, he advised the youngsters. "I never stopped studying to be an astronaut," he said. "Part of being an astronaut is you never stop learning."
The Lougheed kids asked 14 questions before the ISS slipped over the horizon and out of radio range. The direct contact originated from the school's gymnasium, which was decorated with student art portraying all things space. Some 300 visitors were in attendance, including veteran ARISS mentor Steve McFarlane, VE3TBD, and his wife, Lori--herself a teacher with ARISS school contact experience.
Past Radio Amateurs of Canada President Ken Oelke, VE6AFO, loaned his call sign for the occasion, while a team of radio amateurs coordinated through QCWA Wild Rose Chapter 151 set up the satellite station at the school. The contact attracted the attention of news media, local newspapers, the Calgary Board of Education and a Member of Parliament.
Michigan Teacher-Ham Lucks Out
 One of the students of earth science teacher Matt Severin, KG4EDK, at Coloma Junior High in Michigan puts his question to ISS Commander Bill McArthur. |
 Thirteen students took part in a longer QSO with McArthur after science teacher Matt Severin, KG4EDK, had some of his students take part in a shorter contact earlier in the day. |
CLICK HERE to listen to downlink-only audio of the impromptu contact between KG4EDK in Coloma, Michigan, and NA1SS: <ariss-coloma.mp3> [4:29] |
Not long after the Lougheed QSO, teacher Matt Severin, KG4EDK, at Coloma Junior High School briefly contacted McArthur while his earth science students listened in. When McArthur asked if any of Severin's students were there, "24 faces lit up," Severin recounted. McArthur told the class that earth science is an important topic. "We live it everyday as we observe the earth, and it's truly spectacular," he said.
On a subsequent pass, Severin reports, 13 somewhat better-prepared Coloma students had the opportunity to question McArthur themselves. One youngster wanted to know how hard college was.
"All in all, I think college was a lot of fun," McArthur replied in part, "especially graduate school when you're really only studying things in which you're most interested." Severin said the impromptu event spawned smiles all around. "No one could keep a straight face when the microphone was passed," he said.
Answering another question, McArthur also outlined the crew's daily activities.
"Our activities can range from anything from doing experiments--most of our experiments are on ourselves--or we can do maintenance around the space station, replace components or take them apart and repair," McArthur said. "We also may spend several hours a day just cleaning the space station."
He said that twice during the crew's nearly six-month mission, he and crewmate Valery Tokarev did spacewalks and also undocked the Soyuz capsule and moved it to another part of the station.
Assistant Principal Dave Ehlers said the youngsters were really excited about the contact. Severin said he knew the opportunity to contact the ISS was there and he had the right equipment but "I guess I got lucky," he added. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be able to provide this opportunity to my kids. This was the ultimate teachable moment. I couldn't let it pass by."
Severin's classroom station is remarkably modest--a handheld VHF transceiver and a homemade "copper cactus antenna stuck in a bucket of sand on the roof of the school," he said.
To date, McArthur has spoken with youngsters at 35 schools
around the world--a record for any ISS crew member. ARISS is an international educational
outreach, with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.
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