[Boringiss] News

[Tree N6TR]

Read the second section - talks about the IMAX file the whole
school is going to see.

Tree

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The ARRL Letter
Vol. 21, No. 17
April 26, 2002
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==>FLORIDA YOUNGSTERS, FRENCH TEACHER QUIZ ASTRONAUT VIA HAM RADIO

Youngsters at Shenandoah Elementary School in Orlando, Florida, and a
teacher in Arles, France, this week chatted via Amateur Radio with
astronaut Carl Walz, KC5TIE, operating NA1SS aboard the International
Space Station. The contacts were arranged by the Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) program.

On April 23, 15 Shenandoah Elementary pupils were able to talk with Walz
about life aboard the ISS. One youngster, Alessandra Patteson, wanted to
know if Walz was able to communicate with his family while in space and,
if so, how often. Walz explained that he speaks with his family almost
daily using an Internet telephone system.

Another student, Charles Babir, asked Walz if he had time to read while
aboard the ISS and, if so, what he enjoyed reading. Walz said that he
reads several electronic newspapers, including the New York Times.

Austin Gentry posed an out-of-the ordinary question: "What would you do if
your ship went out of control because of a black hole?" Walz allowed that
such an unlikely occurrence would be scary, since the ISS would not be
able to escape a black hole. He went on to explain that the ISS did
experience control problems some time ago because of computer problems,
and that the controllers in Houston and Moscow helped the crew to regain
control of the spacecraft.

Kimberly Campbell, KG4IZR, did double duty as both the organizing teacher
and the control operator at Shenandoah. Assisting were local amateurs Joe
Singer, N4IPV, who provided a lot of the equipment; Ed Cox, K3SWJ; and Lou
McFadin, W5DID.

On April 25, schoolteacher Christophe Candebat, F1MOJ, at the Louis
Pergaud Primary School in Arles, France, got a chance to interview US
astronaut Walz as his young charges and students from a second school
observed. Invited to the demonstration were students of the nearby Lycee
Jeanne d'Arc. During the contact, Walz answered 16 questions as
Jean-Pierre Roux, F1EVQ, operated the station for the direct contact.

Walz answered questions in English. To overcome the language barrier, two
teachers translated his answers into French and displayed them on a
computer screen so the pupils could better understand what was being said.

ARISS-Europe representative Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, called the Arles
contact "a splendid success" that culminated a longstanding educational
project. Bertels said that for the past two years, the class has been
involved in projects centered on space science. The youngsters' studies
incorporated mathematics, French, history, astronomy, geography,
physiology, botany and radio-wave propagation.

"They observed the apparent movement of the sun, built models and sundials
as well as a meteorological station," Bertels explained. The pupils also
participated in the Starshine 2 and Starshine 4 projects
<http://www.azinet.com/starshine/index.html> by polishing aluminum mirrors
for the satellites.

ARISS is an international project, with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT
and NASA. For more information, visit the ARISS Web site
<http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/>.

==>IMAX FILM SPACE STATION CALLED "BREATHTAKING

ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, used the words
"fantastic" and "breathtaking" to describe the world premiere of the IMAX
film Space Station on April 16 and 17. The film, now showing (or scheduled
to show) in selected theaters nationwide, includes a segment on the
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program. ARISS set up a
display booth at the movie's opening at the National Air and Space Museum
in Washington, DC.

"It was pretty awesome to see Bill Shepherd [KD5GSL] talk to the Texas
students with our ARISS equipment in 3D," Bauer said afterward. "This is a
must-see movie." Space Station is the first 3D IMAX space movie. Made
possible by NASA, the film is presented by Lockheed Martin and narrated by
Academy Award nominee Tom Cruise.

Seabrook Intermediate School in Texas provided the earthbound setting for
ARISS' role in the IMAX production. Footage with Shepherd answering a
question during a school contact was shot in January 2001 during
Shepherd's tour of duty as Expedition 1 commander. The question segment
and the answer segment then were matched up during editing for the final
production.

Bauer said that seeing Space Station is the closest one can get to
experiencing space without actually going there. "It was spectacular from
the perspective that you really felt like you were there," he said.

The ARISS display at the National Air and Space Museum premiere attracted
visits from member of Congress, Bauer said, as well as officials from
NASA, IMAX and Lockheed Martin.

Among the special guests were Shepherd, the ISS Expedition 1 crew
commander; Yuri Usachev, the Expedition 2 commander, Brian Duffy, N5WQW,
an ardent SAREX/ARISS supporter on several shuttle flights; Toni Meyers,
the IMAX film producer; and Jack Dailey, the museum's curator.

"We now have a permanent legacy in film," Bauer said. For more
information, visit the IMAX Web site
<http://www.imax.com/spacestation/>.--AMSAT News Service provided some
information for this report