Oasis Brightstowe students talk to Tim Peake

Seema talking to astronaut Tim Peake GB1SS

On Friday, February 19, 2016 students at the Oasis Academy Brightstowe were able to use amateur radio to question astronaut Tim Peake GB1SS about life in space.

One of those asking a question was 15-year-old Seema who came to the UK from Afghanistan in 2013 joining Oasis Academy Brightstowe in February speaking hardly any English. By the autumn term of 2013 she had achieved enough to move into top sets in all her subjects. Her aim is to be the first female Afghan astronaut, Tim told her it was a “wonderful idea and ambition” and that she should “follow her dreams”.

HamTV dish antenna at Goonhilly – Credit Frank Heritage M0AEU

As well as the two-way voice amateur radio contact the students were able to see Tim Peake via a Digital Amateur Television (DATV) HamTV transmission from the International Space Station on 2395 MHz.

This transmission was received at an amateur radio station installed by British Amateur Television Club (BATC) and AMSAT-UK members at Goonhilly and streamed to the school via the web. There was an additional mobile DATV receiver at the school, developed by volunteers from BATC, which received the ISS amateur TV transmission directly.

Watch the BBC TV News report at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-35612764

A list of the questions asked by the students is at
http://amsat-uk.org/2016/02/14/tim-peake-oasis-academy-brightstowe/