Texas youngsters log 170th ARISS school group QSO

A group of elementary schoolers in Denton, Texas, used ham radio to quiz International Space Station Expedition 10 Commander Leroy Chiao, KE5BRW, about life in space.

The direct VHF contact between W5NGU at the Science Discovery Center at Pecan Creek Elementary School and NA1SS was arranged by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program. It marked the 170th ARISS school group contact since the first crew came aboard the ISS in 2000.

Chiao told the pupils he believes the development of human space travel will parallel the earlier development of air travel. "In the beginning of the airplane, there were only a few people that got to fly in them, and now we've got air travel, it's pretty commonplace for everyone," Chiao replied. "The same thing's going to happen with space. It's just taking a little bit longer because it's a little harder and a little more challenging to get up into space." Noting ventures under way to privatize space travel, Chiao said he thinks that's the direction human space flight will take in the future.

Among other things, Chiao also told the kids that education is very important to becoming an astronaut. Most members of the NASA Astronaut Corps, he said, have advanced degrees, and training in various aspects of technology is ongoing. "We're always kind of in school," he remarked.

One youngster wanted to know if the ISS crew members log all the new things they see or learn during their duty tours for later study. Chiao said that some astronauts keep journals as part of one of the science experiments aboard the ISS.

"I've been keeping a journal that I put in my thoughts maybe two or three times a week, depending on how much time I have, and those will be used later to study different social aspects of being on board a space station for so long," he said. Chiao and his Expedition 10 crewmate, cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov of Russia, have been aboard the ISS since last October. They're due to return to Earth later this month.

In all, the Pecan Creek students put 15 questions to Chiao before the ISS went out of range. At one point during the contact, Chiao looked out the window and observed that the spacecraft was passing directly over the Dallas area. He commented that looking at Earth and taking photographs was a favorite spare-time activity aboard the ISS.

Amateur satellite veteran Keith Pugh, W5IU, served as mentor for the ARISS contact. Members of the Denton County Amateur Radio Club, W5NGU, set up the ground station equipment and handled control operator duties. They also arranged for other schools to view the contact live via amateur TV.

About 50 parents and guests along with members of the school faculty joined some 300 of the participating pupils' schoolmates to witness the contact. The Science Development Center contact got media coverage from two TV stations and two newspapers.

ARISS is an international educational outreach
with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.

Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The American Radio Relay League

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