Shanthi 4S7WP/KE5CUN waits to show his collection of QSL cards to astronaut Eileen Collins, KD5EDS

Shanthi meets Shuttle Commander Eileen Collins

This photo appeared in The Citizen daily news paper in Bay Area Houston on the 17th September.

It was taken at a lecture held on the 10th September 2009 at the Clear Lake University Garden Room, where astronaut and first female shuttle commander Eileen Collins, KD5EDS gave a lecture sharing her hopes for NASA's next journey.

On the right is Shanthi 4S7WP/KE5CUN, now in Houston on holiday, awaiting his turn to show his QSLs of confirmed contacts with STS-45 and the ISS, all of which were made from Sri Lanka, using a Kenwood TR7400A and a J-Pole antenna.

It was the first time that anybody from Sri Lanka had talked to an astronaut.