SUCCESSFUL ARISS CONTACT AT ESA SPACE CAMP 2011, PISA, ITALY
Saturday July 23, 2011 at
09:45 UTC, i.e. 11:45 local time, ESA Space Camp 2011, San Rossore Park, Pisa, Italy
established direct ARISS contact with NASA astronaut Michael
E. Fossum KF5AQG onboard the International Space Station. Astronaut
Fossum operated with the ISS callsign OR4ISS. The ESA Space Camp 2011 operated
the contact with ARI “Versilia” club station callsign IQ5VR.
The ESA Space Camp is an
exceptional forum for reinforcing the ESA corporate spirit among the children
who take part and for learning about space and ESA activities, and a good
opportunity to do sports and socialize. More then 150 children and teenagers
from all over Europe will participate to the European Space Agency (ESA) Camp
which this year will take place in San Rossore, Pisa, Italy. The participants
are children of ESA employees, aged 8-17 years old, who will enjoy a rich
program of sport, nature and science activities during the two weeks of the
camp (16-30 July).
ARISS mentor Francesco De
Paolis, IK0WGF proposed to the radio contact coordinator for ARISS event to set
up a direct contact with assistance from the ARISS telebridge station IK1SLD
installed at Casale Monferrato Airport, Piemonte, Italy. Alessandro Tesconi IK5EHI, radio contact
coordinator, decided in favor of this setup.
The contact took place at
San Rossore Park, near Pisa where an audience of about 200 children, teenagers
and staff members participated to the ARISS event. Before the contact, ESA Astronaut Paolo
Nespoli IZ0JPA presented ARISS and the operation of a contact with the ISS via
Ham Radio. During the rehearsel session
of questions by the children of the ESA Camp, Paolo Nespoli kindly and
efficiently simulated the ARISS contact.
At 09:45 UTC, contact with
OR4ISS was established by station IQ5VR. ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli IZ0JPA
presented the event and exchanged welcome greetings with astronaut Michael
E. Fossum KF5AQG. Using the Kenwood radio in the Service Module, Michael Fossum
answered all 20 questions from he students. Paolo Nesoli IZ0JPA
exchanged final greetings with Michael E. Fossum
KF5AQG and closed the contact. During the pass, the signal from the ISS
was loud and
clear.
ESA covered the event.
Live Streaming video was available
on:
http://www.livestream.com/AMSAT_Italia
The video (and audio) of
the event is available here:
http://www.livestream.com/amsat_italia/video?clipId=pla_f2e91397-945a-4436-a609-ef6b8b8e59eb
Congratulations to IK5EHI
Team (and ARISS Telebridge station IK1SLD)!
73
Francesco De Paolis,
IK0WGF
ARISS mentor
photo 2
photo 3
photo 4
photo 5
photo 6
audio recording
