Successful ARISS Contact for “Liceo scientifico Giacinto De Sivo”, Maddaloni, Italy

Tuesday, November  20, 2012 at 08.31 UTC, which is 09.31 CEWT, students at “Liceo scientifico Giacinto De Sivo – Fondazione Villaggio dei Ragazzi”, Maddaloni, Italy established an ARISS contact with NASA astronaut Kevin Ford KF5GPP onboard the International Space Station. Kevin operated with the ISS callsign OR4ISS. This was a telebridge contact performed by ARISS ground station IK1SLD installed at Casale Monferrato Airport, Piemonte, Italy.

The high school Liceo scientifico Giacinto De Sivo of the Fondazione Villaggio dei ragazzi of Maddaloni has been committed, since its foundation, to spreading scientific knowledge, focusing on the several domains of science. Its goal is to promote new teaching strategies, capable to dynamize students. Knowledge shall not be based on handbooks only, but approached by research and critical discussion. Liceo scientifico is part of the Villaggio dei Ragazzi foundation, which comprizes six fields of study: Technical, Aeronautics, Musical, Linguistic, Transports and Logistics and Scientific High Schools. All 1500 students of the Foundation were involved in the ARISS project, under guidance of the Scientific Lyceum. Questions asking students <ere aged 14-18.

ARISS mentor Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF proposed a telebridge contact to the radio contact coordinator Marcelo Teruel IK0USO, who decided in favor of this setup. The contact took place in the school, where an audience of about  300 students and visitors participated. Before the contact, Marcelo Teruel IK0USO presented the ARISS program and the procedures during a contact with the ISS via Ham Radio.

At 08:31 UTC, contact with OR4ISS was established by ground station IK1SLD, co-operated by Max Canepa IW1CNF. Using the Kenwood radio in the Service Module, Kevin Ford KF5GPP answered 15 questions from the students. During the pass, the astronaut asked to switch over a back up channel, due interferences from earth. Anyway, the signal from the ISS was loud and clear all tyhe time.

Live streaming video was available on:
http://www.livestream.com/AMSAT_Italia

Video of the contact is available here:
http://www.livestream.com/amsat_italia/video?clipId=pla_95c0bcc5-9972-4540-bfa5-6b50e6ded276

The ARISS contact was announced by web story on ESA Portal - National News:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM77Z81M9H_Italy_0.html

Congratulations to the school staff and to the ARISS Team!

73, Francesco IK0WGF
ARISS Mentor