January 3, 2009

ISS COMMANDER MIKE FINCKE TALKS WITH STUDENTS AT TECHNOPOLIS, BELGIUM

Saturday 3 January 2009, students invited by Technopolis Science Center located in Mechelen, Belgium, enjoyed a space talk with ISS Commander Michael Fincke, KE5AIT.

A telebridge had been set up with ARISS ground station VK4KHZ, located in Queensland, Australia and operated by Shane Lynd. Just before AOS, when Shane was starting to call the ISS, the phoneline broke down. Graham Lawton G7EVY, who operated the EchoLink feed, alerted the phone operator and the line was restored just in time for the first question.

The signals were excellent. Mike Fincke answered the 16 questions prepared by the students and time was left to exchange Season's Greetings.

Question: "What are your feelings during launch, when you leave the earth?"

Answer: "When we leave it's an amazing feeling. Of course we feel the physical forces of the rocket pushing down on you, but that is easy. It's the emotional forces of feeling so happy to go to do something that you like to do. It's so happy."

Three TV stations (VRT Een, VTM, RTV) and two newspapers (Laatste Nieuws, Gazet van Antwerpen) covered the event.

Gaston Bertels, ON4WF

ARISS-Europe chairman

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