Successsful ARISS contact for Lycee Descartes at Montigny-le Bretonneux, France

Monday January 9, 2012 an amateur radio contact was established at Descartes college, located in Montigny-Le-Bretonneux, France, with ISS commander Daniel Burbank. The radio signal from space was excellent and the conversation was conducted flawlessly in English. Frank (F8CRH) set up the radio contact and Jeoffray (F0GWD, a newly licensed college student) put the questions prepared by the group. The astronaut gave detailed answers on 9 topics.

All along the contact, the audio quality was perfect. This aspect was underlined by ESA astronaut Leopold Eyharts, who participated to the venue. He said the quality of the radio link was even better than some regular service communications onboard the ISS.

Before the pass was over, Leopold Eyharts, whose amateur radio call sign is KE5FNO, exchanged greetings with his colleague Dan Burbank KC5SZX. Among the audience, enthused by the space talk, we noted several civil and academic personalities as well as representatives of CNES, the French space research center.

After about ten minutes, the ISS went over the horizon. Before the radio contact was lossed, a huge applaus reached the space station.

The space conversation and the preceding presentations were distributed live on the Internet by streaming video. Over 1000 visitors connected.

.

A memorable day, crowning 18 month of intense preparation by lycee Descartes in Montigny-le-Bretonneux (near Paris) and by the radio-club of Saint-Quentin en Yvelines.

Congratulations to all.

ARISS France team

.