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Richard Garriott held several conversations with Challenger Learning Centers and schools via downlinked conversations while in space. The events were broadcast live and open to the general public.
Click here to view the Live Downlinks with Richard Garriott.
Video Downlink
Richard Garriott, private space explorer and son of NASA’s Skylab Astronaut Dr. Owen Garriott, talked with students through a NASA sponsored live video teleconference, broadcast via the Internet on October 20th at 12:30pm ET during his flight to the International Space Station. The downlink event was held in Reston, Virginia in coordination with KZO Innovations with students from two D.C. Metropolitan area schools and four Challenger Learning Centers. Students will ask Mr. Garriott original questions about living and working in space.
Students posed intriguing questions, such as; ”What are you looking for in space? What does the Earth look like from space? Do you think that someday we will live in space? Is there another planet on which humans can live?” and in support of one of Richard’s planned on-orbit activities for students, playing the football in space challenge, “How will you compensate for your players lack of ability to gain momentum?”
Students involved were from Hunter Woods Elementary in Reston, Virginia and Ardmore Elementary from Springdale, Maryland, the Lower Hudson Valley Challenger Learning Center in Suffern, NY, the Buehler Challenger and Science Center in Paramus, New Jersey, the Challenger Learning Center for Science and Technology in Woodstock, Illinois and the Brownsburg Challenger Learning Center in Brownsburg, Indiana. To see all of the questions, see our Downlink from Space student page.
Click here to view the Live Downlinks with Richard Garriott.
Amateur Radio Downlinks
Richard Garriott talked to students from seven Challenger Learning Centers through live amateur radio downlinks during his October flight to the International Space Station. The downlinks were held during Garriott’s flight on Thursday, October 16th and Friday, October 17th with special guest, Richard's father former NASA Astronaut Owen Garriott. The event was broadcast live.
Students from Howard B. Owens Science Center’s Challenger Center in Lanham, Maryland, Challenger Learning Center of Columbia in South Carolina, Verizon Challenger Learning Center at MOSI in Tampa, Florida and the Brownsburg Challenger Learning Center in Indiana asked their questions about living and working in space of Mr. Garriott on October 16th. Students from the Indianapolis Challenger Learning Center in Indiana, Challenger Learning Center at Paducah in Kentucky and Challenger Learning Center—St. Louis in Missouri talked to Mr. Garriott on Friday, October 17th.
Click here to view the Live Downlinks with Richard Garriott.
ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
With the help of Amateur Radio clubs and ham radio operators, space shuttle astronauts have been speaking over the ham airwaves while in orbit. They are talking directly with large groups of the general public, showing teachers, students, parents and communities how Amateur Radio energizes youngsters about science, technology, and learning. The program was called SAREX, the Space Amateur Radio Experiment and is now called ARISS, Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.
ARISS is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Check out the ARISS project’s website:
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
The American Radio Relay League
To learn more about Ham Radios, check out these resources from NASA:
Amateur Radio uses in School Curriculum
