Kuala Lumpur Students Connect With NASA Astronaut

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- It was a lifetime opportunity for 10 students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Sultan Hisammudin Alam Shah, Kuala Lumpur when they communicated directly with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) female astronaut Captain Sunita Williams. 

The opportunity came about through the 'ISS Contact 2024' program held at the National Planetarium, providing an unique experience for all of them from Year One to Year Six.

National Planetarium senior principal assistant director, Mohd Zamri Shah Mastor said that students could communicate directly with Williams through the program, which uses the Amateur Radio Station on the International Space Station (ISS).

"We communicated directly for nine to 10 minutes with the ISS which is between 300 and 435 kilometres (km) from the earth's surface (going) at a speed of 26,700km per hour. I hope this initiative will inspire them to be interested in space," he told reporters here today.

The ISS Contact 2024 program is an annual event in conjunction with the 24th World Space Week organised by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) from 4 to 10 Oct.

Mohd Zamri Shah said students were also allowed to delve into the field of radio technology used at the Amateur Radio Station to study global climate change.

"We (National Planetarium) hope programs like this can encourage students to venture into the field of radio technology in addition to being able to understand space science and climate change in the future," he said.

-- BERNAMA