ARISS CONTACT FOR ESA ASTRONAUT PAOLO NESPOLI, IZ0JPA WITH “D'OGGIONO” SCHOOL SUCCESSFUL

Tuesday, 08 March, 2011 at 11:50 UTC, i.e. 12:50 “Istituto Comprensivo Statale Marco D'Oggiono”, Oggiono, Lecco, Italy”, established a ARISS contact with Italian astronaut PAOLO NESPOLI, IZ0JPA on board the International Space Station. ESA astronaut NESPOLI operated with the special Italian callsign IR0ISS that he will use during his mission. The “Marco D'Oggiono” State Comprehensive School in Oggiono, province of Lecco, Italy” operated the contact with callsign IZ2STR.

The Marco d'Oggiono school is located in the very center of Oggiono, a small town of about 8,000 people near Lecco. The school is attended by 1140 students: 122 in the infant school, 630 in the elementary school, and 388 in the middle school. The Middle School have Science lab, a Music room, two Art rooms and two well-equipped computer rooms, one with an interactive board. There is a gym, a canteen, a students library and a teachers library. In the Middle School we have a team of 48 teachers. The subjects studied are the following: Italian, History, Geography, Maths, Science, ICT, Technology, Art, Music and the following foreign languages: English, French, German and Spanish.

ARISS mentor Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF proposed to the radio contact coordinator in Oggiono, Lecco a direct contact with assistance by ARISS Telebridge station IK1SLD installed at Casale Monferrato Airport, Piemonte, Italy. Gianpietro Ferrario IZ2GOJ, radio contact coordinator for this ARISS event, decided in favor of a direct with assistance by IK1SLD telebridge station. The questions were read by the students at school where an audience of about 400 students, teachers and about 100 visitors and media assisted to the contact.

At 10:50 UTC, contact with IR0ISS was established by station IZ2STR. Astronaut Paolo NESPOLI answered 13 questions. Before the closing of the contact greetings were exchanged via IK1SLD. The signal from the ISS was loud and clear all the time.

Regional Television, local media and newspapers covered the event.

Streaming video counted about 50 connections on:

http://www.livestream.com/AMSAT_Italia

ARISS contact was announced by web story on ESA Portal - National News:

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM9Z9XTVKG_Italy_0.html

Congratulations to both ARISS “IZ2STR” and “IK1SLD” teams!

Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF

ARISS mentor

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