Astronaut tells youngsters that
he's craving fried chicken
Now four months into a six-month tour of duty aboard the International
Space Station, astronaut Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, says he's developed a craving
for fried chicken.
Fincke was speaking via Amateur Radio with youngsters gathered at the
Challenger Learning Center on August 16 at the Prairie Aviation Museum
in Bloomington, Illinois.
The direct 2-meter contact between W9AML on Earth and NA1SS in space
was arranged by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
program. Fincke told the students that although he misses his family -
he has a baby daughter whom he has not yet seen - and his home, there
are some foods that he misses as well.
"Lately I've really been missing some fried chicken, and I don't
know why, because I don't eat it very often on the planet," Fincke
said. "But, boy, what I wouldn't give for a nice box of fried chicken
at this time." The astronauts' diet consists primarily of reconstituted
freeze-dried foods,
Fincke explained in another answer, and Fincke said he's especially fond
of the vegetables.
Responding to a question about experiments under way aboard the ISS,
Fincke mentioned that one involved how to use a soldering iron in space.
Although Fincke did not elaborate in his answer during the ARISS contact,
the Science@NASA Web site this week reported a fascinating soldering phenomenon
that Fincke encountered: As the temperature increased, a droplet of rosin
clinging to the outside of a molten blob of solder began to spin around--seemingly
orbiting the solder globule. (The Science@NASA
site includes a video
of the phenomenon).
Fincke's experiment was part of NASA's In-Space Soldering Investigation,
which aims to discover how solder behaves in a weightless environment
- important information should astronauts need to repair electronic gear
on a long space journey. Fincke also mentioned ongoing ultrasound experiments
to help determine the effects of long-term stays in space on the human
body.
Another youngster wanted Fincke to explain the importance of the ISS.
"What we're really doing is working really hard to explore the future,
not just for you kids but so you and your kids and your kids' kids can
all have a better future," he said. Fincke described humans as "a
race of explorers" and noted that he and ISS Commander Gennady Padalka,
RN3DT, were "the only two human beings not on the planet right now."
Near the contact's conclusion, the Challenger Center's Director Janet
Moore took the microphone to thank Fincke for giving the students at the
museum the opportunity to speak with him. "You are truly an inspiration
for all of us," she said.
Fincke exhorted the students to "be a good person, always do the
right thing if you can." He also told the youngsters to study hard
and not give up on their dreams.
"I never gave up on my dreams," he said, "and now every
day I'm flying aboard the space station and I couldn't be happier."
Members of the Central Illinois Radio Club set up the equipment for the
VHF contact, and the club loaned its call sign for the occasion. Fourteen-year-old
Roxie Able, KC9CSV, was at the W9AML microphone for the contact.
She had assistance from Grant Zehr, AA9LC, who served as the control operator.
ARISS is an international educational outreach with US support from ARRL,
AMSAT and NASA.
Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The
American Radio Relay League
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