DOUBLE CONTACT FOR ESA  ASTRONAUT PAOLO NESPOLI, IZ0JPA WITH ITALIAN SCHOOL AND TALK ABOUT 10TH  ANNIVERSARY OF STUDENTS CONVERSATIONS WITH ISS ASTRONAUTS

 

Saturday, 15 January, 2011 at 09:02 UTC and 10:37 UTC, i.e. 10:02 and 11:37 local time, “Istituto Comprensivo Via Toscana 2” in Civitavecchia, Rome, Italy, established a double contact with Italian astronaut PAOLO NESPOLI, IZ0JPA on board the International Space Station. Astronaut NESPOLI operated with the special Italian callsign IR0ISS that he will use during his mission. The “Istituto Comprensivo Via Toscana 2” in Civitavecchia operated the contact with callsign IK0WGF.

 

"Istituto Comprensivo Via Toscana 2" is a middle school located in Civitavecchia, near Rome. The school was named Ennio Galice, one of its best teachers as well as a well-known painter. The present school is the result of the union of two pre-existing ones and today, with its five branches, it operates on a very large area and is attended by 750 students aged 3 to 14. Thanks to experienced teachers, sensitive to social as well as environmental problems, the students have always been willing to participate to projects covering wide ranging themes.

 

ARISS mentor Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF, radio contact coordinator for this event in Civitavecchia, decided to set up a direct contact with assistance from ARISS Telebridge station IK1SLD, installed at Casale Monferrato Airport, Piemonte, Italy. The questions were read by the students at “Autorita Portuale “ in Civitavecchia (Port authority of Rome) where an audience of about 300 students, teachers, visitors and media assisted to the contact. Th President of the Italian Space Agency, Eng. Enrico Saggese, participated to this event, as well as many distinguished guests.. Before the contact, ARISS mentor Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF introduced the event and presented the ARISS project.

 

At 09:02 UTC, contact with IR0ISS was established by station IK0WGF. Astronaut Paolo NESPOLI answered 12 questions and before LOS the President of ASI (Italian Space Agency) and radio amateur Enrico Saggese, IW0DGF exchanged greetings with ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA.

 

At 10:37 UTC, contact with IR0ISS was again established by station IK0WGF. Paolo NESPOLI answered 8 more questions and talked about the 10th anniversary of the 1th ARISS contact, emphasising the importance of ARISS school contacts. He spoke in Italian and in English and exchanged greetings before closing the conatct. The signal from the ISS was loud and clear all the time during each pass.

 

National Television RAI, local media and newspapers covered the event.

 

Streaming video counted more than 60 connections on:

http://www.livestream.com/AMSAT_Italia

 

The ARISS contact was announced by web story on ESA Portal - National News:

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMMC84SNIG_Italy_0.html

 

Congratulations to both ARISS “IK0WGF” and “IK1SLD” teams!

 

73

 

Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF

ARISS mentor

 

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recording English
recording Italian