KUALA LUMPUR: It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for 10 students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Sultan Hisammudin Alam Shah, Kuala Lumpur, as they communicated directly with NASA astronaut Captain Sunita Williams.
The opportunity came through the 'ISS Contact 2024' programme, held at the National Planetarium, providing a unique experience for students from Year One to Year Six.
National Planetarium senior principal assistant director, Mohd Zamri Shah Mastor, said the students communicated directly with Williams using the Amateur Radio Station aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
"We communicated directly for about nine to 10 minutes with the ISS, which is between 300 and 435 kilometres from the earth's surface, traveling at a speed of 26,700km per hour. I hope this initiative inspires the students to take an interest in space," he told reporters.
The ISS Contact 2024 programme is an annual event held in conjunction with the 24th World Space Week, organised by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) from Oct 4 to 10.
Mohd Zamri Shah also noted that students were introduced to radio technology used at the Amateur Radio Station to study global climate change.
"We hope programs like this will encourage students to explore radio technology, space science, and climate change in the future," he said.– BERNAMA