The direct radio link will be between the Bellefontaine High School Amateur Radio Club and Barron, and will last for about 10 minutes as the ISS passes overhead. Members of the Champaign Logan Amateur Radio Club provided equipment and worked with students to set up the antennas and radios.
Barron, part of the 2017 Astronaut Class, has a master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Cambridge and served as a submarine warfare officer prior to joining NASA, the release stated. She was a part of the NASA SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station that launched on Nov. 10, 2021; has done two spacewalks as part of the mission; and is a part of the Artemis Team that is tasked with sending the first woman and next man to walk on the moon in 2024.
“We look forward to all Bellefontaine students being able to experience the excitement of applying radio, science, and technology concepts in the real world while having a personal connection to a hero,” said Simon Kauffman, Bellefontaine High School Amateur Radio Club Secretary and Trustee.
Bellefontaine is one of nine groups in the U.S. to talk to ISS astronauts using amateur radio through the Amateur Radio on the ISS program, which helps inspires students to pursue interests and careers in science, technology engineering and math through amateur radio communications opportunities with the ISS, the release stated.
A livestream of the contact will be available on the WBCS TV Bellefontaine High School YouTube page at youtube.com/watch?v=6t5ZQOw2j68.
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