[sarex] ARISS Followup -- University of Cork

["Scott H. Stevens / N3ASA" <n3asa@xxxxxxxxx>]

LEROY CHIAO TALKS WITH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK, IRELAND

Friday 17 December 2004 at 13:52 UTC, US astronaut Leroy 
Chiao, KE5BRW on board the International Space Station 
answered questions from students gathered in University 
College Cork, Ireland.

ESA, the European Space Agency, had set up an educational 
event for several schools in Ireland and ten classes 
participated to the venue in Cork. The students had 
prepared 10 questions and Leroy answered all. When 
Danielle asked "What can you see when you look out the 
window of the space station?", Leroy said he could see 
cities, airports, etc but he was still looking to see the 
Great Wall of China.

This space talk was done by "telebridge". The day of the 
Cork event the passes of the ISS over Ireland were very 
early in the morning. Therefore it was decided to do the 
contact by one of the ARISS ground stations. VK5ZAI, Tony 
Hutchison, located in Kingston, south-east Australia, 
provided the radio contact in the amateur two meter band. 
MCI, the world telecom company, offered the phone link to 
Ireland as well as to the USA from where Will marchant, 
K6ROL, moderated the contact. Moreover, the audio was 
circulated by IRLP, thank you Wayne.

In Cork, an audience of over 300 students, teachers and 
VIP listened to the space talk. On a big screen, showing 
the world map, they could see the ISS approaching from the 
Indian Ocean and crossing the Australian continent. Jeremy 
Sheehan EI5GM operated the phone and presented the mike to 
the students. The signals were crystal clear.

Several newspapers, a TV station and the Irish national 
radio broadcast station covered the event.

The ESA representatives and the academic authorities were 
delighted and extended thanks to the ARISS volunteers for 
a job well done.

Gaston Bertels, ON4WF
ARISS-Europe chairman
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