International Space Station – Image Credit NASA

Ahead of the amateur radio link up with ISS astronaut Tim Peake GB1SS, planned for 1440 GMT on Friday, February 26, 120 pupils aged 10 to 18, from 21 schools across Norfolk and Suffolk, gathered at City of Norwich  (CNS) for a special Ground Control Day.

Tim Peake KG5BVI preparing for his spacewalk in January

The Eastern Daily Press report:

As well as a keynote speech from Helen Mason, a reader in solar physics at Cambridge University, the event covered the technical side of the radio link itself, and issues to do with physics and space more generally.

Tim Hare M6HTJ, a Year 10 pupil at CNS who is himself a radio ham enthusiast, will lead the space linkup, said: “It’s going to be incredible. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that very few people will be able to have.”

Maddy Flett, a Year 8 pupil at CNS, said science is “not a subject I would jump to first”, but she really enjoyed Ground Control Day.

She is one of 10 pupils chosen to question Mr Peake, and will ask what astronauts do if they cut themselves.

Read the full EDP story and watch the video at
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/education/ground_control_day_sees_pupils_prepare_for_space_station_link_up_with_astronaut_tim_peake_1_4417620

ARISS Principia site https://principia.ariss.org/

UK ARISS scheduled schools
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/02/03/all-uk-ariss-shortlisted-schools-are-now-scheduled/

What is Amateur Radio? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

Find an amateur radio training course near you https://thersgb.org/services/coursefinder/

In 2014 the UK PM spoke to Oasis Academy Brightstowe students – Image Credit Oasis Academy

Friday, February 19, 2016, at approximately 14:20 UT, an ARISS contact is planned for Oasis Academy Brightstowe, Bristol. The UK astronaut Tim Peake will be using the call sign GB1SS  while the Academy will use GB1OAB.

The ISS signal will be audible over the British Isles and Western Europe on 145.800 MHz FM. The contact will be webcast on the ARISS Principia website

UK astronaut Tim Peake KG5BVI / GB1SS

School presentation:

Oasis Academy Brightstowe is an independent Academy for 11 – 16 year olds, located in Shirehampton, North Bristol. We opened in September 2008 in the state-of-the-art buildings of the former Portway School. Our facilities here are second to none, with an on-site restaurant, great sports facilities and a well-stocked Library.

Oasis Academy Brightstowe was given £1.8million to develop a 21st century ICT capability, so students here have access to the very latest technology; including a fully equipped Library, access to Wi-Fi throughout the school, and a Virtual Learning Environment, designed to give students access to online learning provision.

The Academy has one of the highest computer-per-student ratios of any school in the area (better than one between two students) and we encourage students to be competent with the use of computers and the internet in their lessons.

The new technology is embraced by both staff and students and forms a key part of lesson planning and delivery. Interactive whiteboards are a feature of every classroom and teachers can instantly turn any workspace into an ICT suite using one of our eight portable laptop trolleys.

Principia Mission Patch

Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows.

1. Emily (12): From my research, I have found out that you are taking part in 265 experiments. Which one is the most important for us here on Earth?

2. Luke (15): In your opinion, will unmanned missions ever be equal to manned ones?

3. Francesca (16): In a microgravity environment, can dust, debris and liquids cause a danger, and if so how do you deal with it?

4. Seema (15): My aim is to be the first female Afghan astronaut. What would be the one most important piece of advice that you have for me?

5. Jack (11): Were you told what experiments you had to do, or did you get to choose?

6. Ashleigh (16): How many days supplies do you have on board should a resupply mission not would you potentially be able to live for, and how would you survive the longest?

7. Lewis (16): How did you build the confidence to go into space?

8. Natalie (16): Why should we continue to fund expensive space missions when we have more pressing problems on Earth?

Oasis Academy Brightstowe students learn about radio communications

9. Nazain (18): If the world’s leaders could see the earth from your current perspective, do you think there would be a better consensus to sort out the problems of the world?

10. Kerys (10): Did anything in your previous career or experiences, prepare you for space?

11. Jacob (9): Why did you want to become an astronaut?

12. Emily (12): When you push on the wall of the space station behind you to move forward, does the space station move backwards due to the principle of conservation of momentum?

13. Luke (15): What do you think of NASA’s planned one way Mars mission, and would you go if given the opportunity?

14. Francesca (16): Can you feel the ISS shake or wobble?

15. Seema (15): Being in a microgravity environment causes a decrease in muscle mass and bone density. Other than exercise, what measures are you taking to protect your health?

16. Jack (11): Considering that in space you are weightless and time has a different value, do you age at a different rate?

17. Kerys (10): Astronauts go through such lengthy and intensive training for their journeys. Was there anything that you were not prepared for?

18. Jacob (9): How are your experiments helping to save our Earth?

19. Natalie (16): What do you miss about being on earth?

20. Nazain (18): Other than the earth, can you tweet a picture of your favourite sight in space?

ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers onboard the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters’ interest in science, technology and learning.

73, Gaston Bertels, ON4WF
ARISS mentor

ARISS Principia site https://principia.ariss.org/

What is Amateur Radio? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

Find an amateur radio training course near you https://thersgb.org/services/coursefinder/

A free booklet is available aimed at introducing newcomers to the hobby that can also be used as a handy reference while getting started, see
http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/alex-discovers-amateur-radio-2/

Tim Peake KG5BVI preparing for his spacewalk in January

Steve Nichols G0KYA got some good publicity for amateur radio by letting his local media outlets know he had received a signal from Tim Peake on the ISS.

He was lucky enough to hear astronaut Tim Peake’s ISS contact with another UK school on Thursday, February 11, 2016. Not only did he record it, but he sent out a press release and ended up being interviewed about it by BBC Radio Norfolk on Friday.

Steve says: “If you do hear and record Tim do contact your local media as they are fascinated by the whole business and it brings good PR for amateur radio in general.”

Read Steve’s blog post and listen to a recording of his interview at
http://g0kya.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/radio-norfolk-interview-about-tim-peake.html

January – Local newspaper reports reception of Tim Peake on ISS
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/01/13/local-paper-tim-peake-iss/