DOUBLE CONTACT FOR ESA ASTRONAUT PAOLO NESPOLI, IZ0JPA WITH TWO SCHOOLS IN SOUTH ITALY

Saturday, 14 May, 2011 at 09:05 UTC and 10:41 UTC, i.e. 11:05 and 12:41 local time “Pasquale Luisi” primary school AND “Virgilio” middle school in Castelluccio Valmaggiore, Foggia, Italy established double ARISS contact with Italian astronaut PAOLO NESPOLI, IZ0JPA onboard the International Space Station. Astronaut NESPOLI operated with the special Italian callsign IR0ISS that he will use during his mission. The two schools operated the contact with callsign IK0USO/7.

Castelluccio Valmaggiore is a small mountain town that counts around thousand inhabitants close to the province of Foggia in Italy. The "Pasquale Luisi" primary school with 5 classrooms and with about 90 pupils is a detachment of the school of Troia, Foggia. The secondary school is a detachment of the "Virgilio" school of Troia, Foggia with 3 classrooms and a total number of 50 students aged 11 to 14. The ARISS activities will be performed in the building of the "Pascale Luisi" primary school in Castelluccio, Foggia, Italy.

ARISS mentor Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF proposed to radio contact coordinator in Castelluccio Valmaggiore to set up a direct contact with assistance from the ARISS telebridge station IK1SLD installed at Casale Monferrato Airport, Piemonte, Italy. Mr. Marcelo Teruel IK0USO, radio contact coordinator for this ARISS event, decided in favor of this set up. The questions were read by the students at "Pasquale Luisi" primary school where an audience of about 200 students, teachers, visitors and media participated to the ARISS event.

At 09:05 UTC, contact with IR0ISS was established by station IK0USO/7. Astronaut Paolo NESPOLI answered 11 questions. At 10:41 UTC, contact with IR0ISS was again established by IK0USO/7. Paolo NESPOLI answered 9 more questions by students and exchanged final greeting.

During both passes the signal from ISS was loud and clear.

Regional and local media and newspapers covered the event.

Live Streaming video for first contact was on:

http://www.livestream.com/AMSAT_Italia

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

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM8TTJSDNG_Italy_0.html

Congratulations to IK0USO and IK1SLD Teams!

Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF

ARISS mentor

audio recording pass 1
audio recording pass 2