Spacewalk is "Ultimate Experience," Astronaut Tells Kuwaiti Students

NEWINGTON, CT, Jul 6, 2006--Students at the Scientific Center of Kuwait spoke June 28 via teleconference link and Amateur Radio with astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ, at NA1SS aboard the ISS. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program arranged the event, which marked the first such QSO with a school in the Middle East. Responding to one question, Williams told the youngsters what it's like to perform a spacewalk.

"Spacewalking is the ultimate experience up here," Williams said. "To go outside and literally be a spacecraft yourself and to be just hanging on the outside and seeing the entire Earth in one view is absolutely incredible."

Another youngster wanted to know why and how Williams became an astronaut.

"Early in my career I was a pilot, and I've always wanted to be an explorer," he replied. "I love flight, and this is the ultimate way to fly, and I became an astronaut by setting goals early in life when I was in school and working very hard to meet those goals."

Williams said his favorite leisure-time activity is taking photographs of Earth "and looking at all those wondrous sights below."

The astronaut also told the students at the Scientific Center that there's "continuous noise" aboard the ISS.

"It's not very loud, but there's a lot of fans aboard to move the air around to keep the air healthy for us, and that's primarily what we hear-- the noise is from the different fans." Earlier ISS crew members have explained that the air-moving fans are necessary because of the lack of convection currents in the microgravity environment.

In all the students asked 22 questions, and as the event drew to a close, Maryam Aljoaan, 9K2MD, who coordinated the 10-minute radio contact at the center, thanked Williams for taking time to speak with the youngsters, who expressed their appreciation with applause. "Thank you so much! 73," Aljoaan said.

Serving as the Earth station for the Kuwait contact was Nancy Rocheleau, WH6PN, in Hawaii. Verizon Conferencing donated a teleconference link to handle two-way audio between Hawaii and Kuwait.

Listen to the contact between astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ, at NA1SS, and students visiting the Scientific Center of Kuwait: [9:38] (NOTE: Occasional echo on the audio apparently resulted from anomalies on the teleconference link.)

The Scientific Center of Kuwait, located in Salmiyah, is dedicated to advancement of the sciences and cultural heritage of Kuwait and promotes environmental awareness. It opened in 2000. On hand for the occasion -- in addition to the students -- were some 40 visitors, including members of the media.

The NA1SS signal was a bit noisy at the outset, but cleared up as the contact progressed. ARISS-Europe mentor Peter Kofler, IN3GHZ, called the event "a success in every aspect."

ARISS is a nine-nation international educational outreach, with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA

[Source: ARRL]