DUTCH ASTRONAUT ANDRE KUIPERS ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS OF THE WINNING CLASSES AT SPACE EXPO

Saturday April 24 2004 the five winning classes of the “Zeg het ISS” competition, organised by ESA’s ISS Utilisation Strategy and Education Office, gathered at Space Expo, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

The ESTEC Amateur Radio Club had set up a satellite radio station in the Ariane room with tracking antennas on the roof of the building.

At 07:50 UTC, which was 09:50 local time, Joerg DL3LUM started calling NA1SS operated by PI9ISS. Very soon André Kuipers came on the air and started answering in Dutch language the questions prepared by the schoolchildren.

All the 18 questions were answered and before the International Space Station went over the horizon the Dutch astronaut could hear the tremendous applause from the audience and sign off the contact.

Several TV and radio broadcast stations as well as newspapers covered the event.

The audio of the contact is available at the appended link.

Gaston Bertels

ARISS-Europe chairman

Space Expo audio

© photo ESA, A. van der Geest 1
© photo ESA, A. van der Geest 2
© photo ESA, A. van der Geest 3
© photo ESA, A. van der Geest 4