November 2, 2007

SECOND DOUBLE ITALIAN SCHOOL CONTACT SUCCESSFUL

On Wednesday October 31th 2007 at 07:33 UTC, i.e. 08:33 local time, the high school Galileo Galilei, located in Civitavecchia, near Rome and the ITI - LST Mottura of Caltanisetta (Sicilia), established a radio contact with ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA, onboard the International Space Station.

Galileo Galilei is a high school with a scientific focus in Civitavecchia. The school counts 650 students 14 to 19 years old. The main subjects are maths, physics, natural sciences, Italian, English, history and philosophy. Our school is located in Civitavecchia near Rome. This is the most important harbour in Italy. Here Guglielmo Marconi conducted experiments with microwaves, RADAR, radio mobile telephone and the use of the moon as a natural satellite. He sent waves to the moon and received the reflections.

ITI - LST Mottura in Caltanisetta is the oldest mining school in Italy, founded in 1862. It offers three different specialized courses which are the scientific and technological orientation, electrical engineering and automation and the geo-environmental course. Among its extra activities there are the following courses: sound technology, aeronautic technology and virtual aviation, radio-astronomy, astrophysics and astronomy. There is a “Science Festival” every year. The school has a telescope and a radio telescope on the school’s roof. The number of students enrolled is 998.

Stefano Loru, IØLYO was the contact coordinator for this ISS contact in Civitavecchia. Michele Mallardi, IK7EVR was the contact coordinator for this ISS contact in Caltanisetta. The operator of the contact was ARISS mentor Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF. The questions were read by the students. The audience in the shack room was about 200 persons in Civitavecchia and more than 300 students, guests and media operators in Caltanisetta.

The audio was forwarded to EchoLink and IRLP by SkyPE. Thanks to Dieter Schliemann, KX4Y who fed the signals of the ARISS contact into EchoLink.

ESA Educational and ASI representatives participated to the event in Civitavecchia.

At 07:33 UTC, contact with IZ0JPA was established and Paolo Nespoli answered 10 questions. The signal and the audio from the ISS were excellent.  

Many TV stations, radio stations and newspapers covered the event.

Congratulations to the ARISS team in Civitavecchia and Caltanisetta!

73

Francesco De Paolis, IKØWGF, ARISS mentor

Galilei / Mottura audio
Mottura picture
Galilei picture 1
Galilei picture 2