SUCCESSFUL ARISS CONTACT IN SAN GIOVANNI VALDARNO, ITALY

Wednesday 8 January, 2014 at 12:21 UTC, 13:21 local time, Tecnico Industriale Galileo Ferraris, San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy established a ARISS contacts with JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA, onboard the International Space Station. This was a direct contact performed by Amateur radio ground station IQ5GX, located at school.

The Technical Institute Galileo Ferraris is active on the territory of the Arno Valley since 1979 and has trained over the years the engineers of the many industrial enterprises in the area.

The technical institute in fact offers a solid general education and training of scientific and technical basis necessary for both a rapid entry into the world of work and the professions and for the continuation of studies at university . In particular, enables the student to face the entrance test for the various scientific disciplines . Its strength lies in teaching laboratory accompanied by a solid theoretical and scientific .

Branches of study offered the institute is currently divided into the following specializations:

- Electronics and electrical engineering.

- Chemistry, Materials and Biotechnology

- Data processing and telecommunications

The time is for all specializations of 32 hours per week , spread over four days per week of five hours (from 8.10 am to 13.10) and two days a week for six hours (from 8.10 am to 14.10 ) .

The school is equipped with several laboratories and a large gym. Among these , for the two years , we have the laboratories of Physics, Chemistry , Drawing- CAD , Computer Science , for the three years, Chemistry, Electronics, Electrical Engineering , Computer Science, Mathematics , Technology Design and Planning , Automatic Systems , Information systems .

In addition, the active school every year internships at companies in the area and technical projects in cooperation with such companies .

Mentor Francesco De Paolis IKØWGF proposed to the radio coordinators Mr. Luca Mini IW5BVM and Alessandro Tesconi IK5EHI the direct contact supported by Telebridge Station IK1SLD and this was accepted. About 200 students, parents, visitors and media attended the event at contact site.

Contact was established at 12:21 UTC, 13:21 local time, with OR4ISS. Astronaut Luca Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA answered 19 questions by students. Signals from the ISS was loud and clear during the ISS pass.

Regional Television, local media and newspapers covered the event.

Streaming video on:

https://www.livestream.com/amsat_italia

The event was announced on ESA Portal - National News:

http://www.esa.int/ita/ESA_in_your_country/Italy/La_scuola_ricomincia_dallo_spazio_collegamento_radio_con_la_ISS

Congratulations to ARISS Toscany and IQ5GX Team!

73

Francesco De Paolis, IKØWGF

ARISS Mentor