|
November 1, 2001
Calling the Space Station...Are You There?
By Bernadette McCarver Snyder
"For a moment...we have a glimpse of ourselves and of our world islanded in its stream of stars--pilgrims of mortality, voyaging between horizons across the eternal seas of space and time."
--- The Outermost House, by Henry Beston
Recently, on a spring morning, in mid-America, I was privileged to watch as a group of 9th graders voyaged into the seas of space--and said hello to the International Space Station! Afterward, I agreed when one of the students whispered, "It was awesome."
Instead of the hi-tech facilities we see in the movies when an astronaut says, "Houston, we have a problem," the classroom was filled with what might be considered old-fashioned technology--lots of ham radio equipment. In the front of the room, a large colorful screen showed the map of North America and a circle with a dot in the middle was moving slowly across the screen. The dot signified the school's station and the circle indicated the station's radio range. We were told that when the circle reached our spot on the map, we would make contact.
At first, the room was abuzz with chatter but as the circle moved closer, there was total silence. A young boy stepped to the microphone and said nervously, "This is KCOPCH calling the Space Station. Over."
Suddenly we heard a sharp crackling of static and then a few chills went up my spine as the voice of astronaut James S. Voss came over loud and clear, greeting the students at Parkway Central High School in Chesterfield, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. A huge smile broke over the face of the persevering teacher, Mary Jo Kohunsky, who had been working toward this moment for more than five years.
Nineteen 9th-graders and one 7th-grader took turns at the microphone to ask the astronaut rapid-fire questions. Time was of great importance because contact would be broken when the ISS moved past our spot on the globe.
The questions poured out: "My name is Marc. Do you as an astronaut feel lucky to be in space?... My name is Paul. During a space walk, how is it that you can maneuver and accomplish tedious tasks in such cumbersome space suits?... My name is Elyse. Do you ever grow any of your own foods or is it all dehydrated?... My name is Jordan. When you are up in space and you look down at the Earth, does it change your perspective on your religious beliefs or existence?"
Voss spoke with the young people as though he was an old friend, quickly answering each question with care and addressing the students by name. He explained that he felt very lucky and that the space suits were designed so well, it was just like wearing work gloves when he had to do space work. As for gardening, he said he was growing some herbs and hoped to add them to the food that he thought was already very tasty. He noted that because the American astronauts were sharing this mission with the Russians, they alternated weeks having Russian and American food and this made for a nice variety. And Voss said that he had strong religious beliefs, which had not changed. However, his perspective of the Earth had changed; in seeing the planet from space, he was especially aware of how important it is for us to protect this beautiful place we call home.
Conducted by ham radio and satellites, the conversation was transmitted to other students throughout the district, carried online by MSNBC, and picked up by ham radio operators around the country.
A week later, thanks to the ARISS program (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station), Voss completed an on-air conversation with students at the Moran Prairie Elementary School in Spokane, Washington. The students asked questions ranging from bone density to space exercise, radiation and solar flares. Voss told them, "I think your brain does work a little bit differently up here...you're floating around, and your mind has to do a lot of things that aren't natural...as if you're interpreting the way you see things upside down."
For the Parkway School in Missouri, this amazing space travel adventure began in l996 when Ms. Kohunsky, a 9th-grade science teacher, went to a convention and learned about the possibility for students to speak with astronauts through a program run by amateur radio operators. She immediately put Parkway on the waiting list.
Since then, with the help of mentors who are ham radio enthusiasts, the school was able to purchase equipment and set up and operate a small communications center in the school's library. For the space station Contact-Day, tables were filled with radio paraphernalia; the mentors had seen to it that every single piece of equipment had a backup. No one wanted last-minute problems after five years of waiting, months of planning, multiple postponements, and even overcoming diplomatic and technological hurdles. Thankfully, there were none.
For the special occasion, Ms. Kohunsky wore silver space shuttle-shaped earrings she had gotten at Space Camp. The radio class wore sweat shirts designed by the school's business students. The shirts had the ARISS and NASA symbols, and the school's radio station call letters ran down one sleeve.
Voss told the Parkway students that several astronauts, both American and Russian, had become ham radio operators because the medium is a good way for the astronauts to communicate while in space with their family and friends. Their space tour of duty can last four months--a long time to be away from home In answer to a Missouri student's question, Voss said his most prized possession in space is a group of about 30 photographs he brought along of his family, friends, and dog. He displays a few photos at a time on his workstation and alternates them each week. Although homesickness could be a problem, he explained, "We stay so busy, we don't have much time to think about it."
In answer to a Washington student's question, Voss indicated that micro gravity can be fun, saying, "Sometimes I do things with the zero gravity, floating around and doing flips and somersaults; it's like playing in space."
When a Missouri student asked if it was difficult to sleep in space, Voss's response sent a flurry of giggles around the room. He said, "It's easy. You just float. I have my sleeping bag on the wall so I just sleep on the wall." He added, "It's like sleeping on a waterbed without the water."
Voss noted that because the Earth is covered with many expanses of water, from space you see a lot of blue with white clouds floating above. Yet the deserts are a surprising sight--their brilliant orange contrasts with the greens and blues of Earth. He said, "The Earth is quite a gorgeous place and pictures we take don't translate this beauty."
At the Parkway School, just as the last student asked his question, the crackling static suddenly stopped--as though a light switch had been turned off. The Space Station had moved beyond our receiving area to continue its mission around the world.
The group of students had been so totally centered on that static sound, that voice from space, that for a second we sat stunned, caught in the headlights of sudden silence. Then, as one, clapping and cheering, we leaped to our feet. And the students beamed with delight at their accomplishment, their reach beyond the stars.
Voss, astronaut Susan Helms, and Russian crew commander Yuri Usachev are scheduled to return to Earth in July.
Programs such as these can show teachers, parents, and communities how to energize students to learn more about science, space, and technology. Schools can start a ham radio club, set up a short-wave receiver, and eavesdrop amateur radio transmissions. Schools, too, can apply for a future ARISS contact. NASA offers materials and resources for educators. Specific mission and payload information can be obtained from NASA, via the shuttle mission home page. What a way to go into The Great Beyond!
Email: Bernadette Snyder
Bernadette Snyder is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. She visited Parkway Central High School to observe students communicating with astronauts. The classroom teacher is Mary Jo Kohunsky
Editor's Note: In order to transmit on ham radio bands, the control operator of the station must be a licensed amateur radio operator. Other people may speak on the microphone as long as the licensed ham is in control of the transmitter. There are ham radio operators in most every community who would be willing to help teachers set up activities like the one in this article. Teachers can contact local ham radio clubs, or contact the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111.
|
