Friday,
January 9, 2015 at 10:10 UTC, 11:10 local time and at 11:45 UTC, 12:45
local time, students at "Scuola Santa Teresa del Bambino Gesu" in Roma,
students at "Istituto Salesiano Villa Sora" in Frascati and students at
"Scuola Pontificia Pio IX" in Roma, Italy established two ARISS
contacts with ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF onboard the
International Space Station. These were direct/telebridge contacts
performed by Amateur radio ground stations IK0USO, located at "Scuola
Santa Teresa del Bambino Gesu" in Rome, and IW0CZC, located at "Istituto
Salesiano Villa Sora" in Frascati, and via telebridge station IK1SLD
for "Scuola Pontificia Pio IX" in Rome.
Scuola Santa Teresa del Bambino Gesu
The
school “Santa Teresa del Bambino Gesu” is a catholic primary school in
Rome, established to answer to the needs and demands for Catholic
education by the local population. The school belongs to the
Congregation of Missionary Carmelitane Sisters of Saint Therese of Jesus
Child. The school is open to families that take care of the religious
education and formation of their children. Preparation for the ISS radio
contact has been underway for a long time, including educational
projects on different scientific topics to support the special event.
Istituto Salesiano Villa Sora
Villa
Sora is located on the side of the ancient Roman boulevard (now Via
Tuscolana) in an area known as Tusculanus ager, which is full of
sumptuous villas, including those of Cicero, Lucullus and Sulpicius
Galba. This villa was built as a country house in the same grounds of
Lucullus` villa in the mid-16th century and it was originally known as
“Torricella”. The earliest documentation of its history dates back to
1546, when the Chapel of Sancta Sanctorum of Rome owned the villa. The
land currently measures over 6 acres and includes, in addition to the
house and the school, a large park with several building lots.
The
school of Villa Sora has a notable historical tradition. Since 1925,
it has a primary school and a liceo classico. The liceo scientifico was
founded in 1966 and in 1986 its admission was opened to girls. In
1989, the middle school was created, and finally, in 2011, a new liceo
economico sociale was founded. The middle school now has 200 students
divided in three classes. The liceo classico has 180 students, the liceo
scientifico 280 and the liceo economico sociale 80, for a total of 740
students.
Pontificia Scuola Pio IX was founded in 1859 by Pope
Pius IX. It is an institute of a reknown tradition in Education, and it
is based on the idea of educating students globally. It hosts both Roman
Catholic students and students of different faiths, beliefs and
religions. It is situated near the Vatican but most of the students
come from neighboring districts which have a younger population. The
students come from different social classes and there are also students
from different countries.
It offers the following courses:
• Nursery School
• Primary school
• Secondary school (Scientific and Human Science)
The
school has got modern equipment and spaces constantly used to achieve
its cultural goals and objectives. The school syllabus includes projects
of international breath to stimulate the students and their
citizenship. The school from its origins contemplates innovation and
tradition.
Mentor Francesco De Paolis IK0WGF proposed to the
radio coordinators Mr. Marcelo Teruel IK0USO, Mr. Srefano Castriotta
IW0CZC and Mr. Emanuele D'Andria I0ELE the sharing of events and this
was accepted. A phone conference call allowed the full sharing of the
events between all the contact sites involved, coordinated by Mr.
Claudio Ariotti, IK1SLD. The sequence of questions was made alternately
by the students at three contact sites involved.
Contact was
established at 10:10 UTC, 11:10 local time with IR0ISS via IW0CZC. Mr.
Stefano Castriotta IW0CZC proposed to astronaut continue the contact
during the following orbit.
ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti
IZ0UDF agreed. During the first scheduled contact Cristoforetti answered
8 questions from students.
Samantha Cristoforetti was really very accurate in giving the answers and full of details.
At 11:45 UTC, 12:45 local time, contact was established again with IR0ISS.
During the second random contact Cristoforetti answered 12 questions from students, exchanged greetings and closed the contact.
Signals from the ISS were good during both ISS passes, but suffering a few moments of fading.
The
first contact established with IR0ISS was live on national radio
broadcast RADIO RAI3 SCIENZA, coordinated by Mr. Andra Borgnino IW0HK.
Both contacts were recorded by national television, RAI Parliament, for a special on AMSAT Italia and ARISS school contacts.
Regional and Local Televisions and newspapers covered the event also.
About 700 students, parents, visitors and media attended the events at contact sites.
Streaming video on:
http://www.livestream.com/amsat_italia
The event was announced on ESA Portal - National News:
http://www.esa.int/ita/ESA_in_your_country/Italy/Pronto_ISS_Siamo_tre_scuole_italiane_ci_passate_Samantha
Congratulations to IK0USO, IW0CZC and IK1SLD teams!
73
Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF
ARISS Mentor
Source directe : ARISS
From : f6agv (AT) free.fr
F6AGV : ACTUALITE du RADIO AMATEURISME
