- Home
- International Space Station
On Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 09:54:08 AM Atlantic (12:54 PM UTC) participants of the 2009 Nova East Star Party
(http://halifax.rasc.ca/ne/) will have the unique opportunity to speak directly with the
International Space Station using Amateur or HAM Radio.
This is made possible through the international educational outreach program called ARISS or Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (http://www.rac.ca/ariss) and the cooperation of the Space Agencies from Canada, the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and the crew members on the International Space Station. Local technical support is provided with members of the Halifax Amateur Radio Club.
As the ISS speeds over Smileys Provincial Park (the site of the Nova East Star Party) at
28,000 KPH specialized radio equipment will track the spacecraft in what will amount to
a 10 minute "pass" window stretching from horizon to horizon. During that time 20
questions on a variety of topics will be directed to Canadian Space Agency Astronaut
Dr. Robert (Bob) Thirsk
(http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/biothirsk.asp).
Dr. Thirsk is acting as a Flight Engineer for ISS Expedition 20 and 21 and is Canada's
first astronaut to live onboard the ISS for an extended period of time. He will return
to the Earth in October of this year.
With the assistance and cooperation of the Nova Scotia Provincial Office of Emergency Management and Bell Aliant the event will be supported by a LIVE 1 hour webcast from the site for world wide exposure. The host site is http://www.bellaliant.net/SpaceStation.
The content of the webcast will include representation from the Astronomical community at local, National and International levels as well as a "nuts and bolts" explanation of how the communication and webcast are supported. The webcast concludes with the actual conversation with the Astronaut.
* in order to play to this live stream, your browser may require the Windows Media Player Plugin.
