MARCH 14th, 2002

The "Peter Anich" High School for Surveyors in Bolzano, Italy had a wonderful contact today with astronaut Dan Bursch, KD5PNU.

During the 10 minutes long radio contact 10 students put 18 questions to Dan on widely varied topics, ranging from ISS electrical power consumption and oxygen production to ultraviolet and cosmic rays exposure.

The language used for this contact was English. It is interesting to note, that Bolzano is located in the Alpes of South Tirol, a region in Northern Italy, where the language spoken is german.

The regional Television station "ORF-Suedtirol Heute" had a reporter's team in the room during the contact, covering the event for the evening news. This TV station transmits in North Tirol (Austria) and in South Tirol (Italy), in german language.

The major regional newspaper "Dolomiten" had also dispatched a reporter.

High School teacher Peter Kofler, IN3JHZ did a splendid job preparing the space talk. He also operated the telebridge contact in the school.

Bursch and his crewmates Yuri Onufrienko, RK3DUO, and Carl Walz, KC5TIE, passed over Australia during this session. Tony Hutchison, VK5ZAI, in Paringa, performed the radio contact which was relayed by Worldcom, Inc. to Bolzano and to Brussels where ARISS mentor Gaston Bertels, ON4WF moderated the session. Tim Bosma, W6ISS had scheduled the contact and set up the telebridge.

Peter Kofler, speaking for the school management and for the students, expressed their gratitude to NASA and to ARISS for offering this unique and exciting learning opportunity.