Desert Messenger

January 18, 2017 www.DesertMessenger.com 5 Youngsters talk with Space Station! Quartzsite General Store, LLC Beer & Wine Fresh Retail & Wholesale Meats Homemade Sausages Arizona Lottery & Pick Fish & Game Licenses A.P.S. Pay Station Accept EBT, Debit & Credit Cards HOURS 8am - 6pm every day! Quality Meats at VERY Affordable Prices! For all your GROCERY NEEDS & MOORE! Fresh Produce Daily! Hamburger Ground Fresh Daily! GREAT LOW PRICES! Welcome Back Snowbirds and Vendors! Come in for the BEST MEAT & Prices in Town! 410 E. Main Street, Quartzsite • 928-927-6310 585 N. Central Quartzsite Open Mon-Fri 8-5 928-927-8787 Johnny DelPino, Owner BEST AUTO RV & TRUCK REPAIR SERVICE YOU CAN DEPEND ON! We sell U-HAUL BOXES Local youth had an out-of-this-world experience last week when they took over the Quartzsite Improvement As- sociation (QIA) for their once-in-a- lifetime appointment with space! On Wednesday morning, January 11, 2017, a direct contact was made Commander Shane Kimbrough of the International Space Station (ISS). Nine La Paz County students, most of which are licensed Amateur Radio operators, asked two questions each during the short time the space sta- tion flew over Quartzsite, Arizona. The students only had a 10 minute window to communicate with Commander Kimbrough as the ISS was speeding through space at 17,000 miles per hour during the conversation. Since the ear- liest days of the Space Shuttle, many astronauts have become licensed radio amateurs to communicate to stations on earth while traveling in space and on the International Space Station. The event took over a year of planning which was organized by QuartzsiteIn- Motion, MyLaPaz.org and World Gen- esis Foundation, Heather Caton and Dave Anderson, and Quartzsite Ama- teur Radio Club. The World Genesis Foundation operates with a mission to "leave no child without hope for the future." Quartzsite in Motion is a pub- lic/private partnership with the town of Quartzsite that operates to "promote health, education and community" in Quartzsite and surrounding towns. Students participating in the event come from six small schools in five town towns in rural western Arizona. Members of the Quartzsite Amateur Radio Club operated radio equipment that put the students in touch with the ISS as it crossed over the United States. The team had to manually ad- justed minute by minute to capture the signal from the Space Station as it flew overhead at 17,000 MPH. Opera- tors were Gordon West WB6NOA, rec- ognized as America's leading amateur radio teacher, R. Neil Hayes W6FOG of California Rescue Communications, and Quartzsite's own Dave Anderson K1AN, of MyLaPaz.org. All 18 questions were answered with time left over for ISS Commander Shane Kimbrough, KE5HOD to say "W6FOG, this is NA1SS over and out," at 16:20 UTC. 400 students, 40 volunteers, and about hundreds of adults were in at- tendance, along with Quartzsite Mayor Norm Simpson and council members. The coordinating organizations have provided training and support materi- als to administrators and teachers at every participating school. The contact is part of a year-long program designed to encourage students to study and pur- sue work in science, technology, engi- neering and math. A huge thank you to all the supporters & over 40 volunteers: • Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) • Arizona Power Service (APS) • Parker Industrial Development Authority • Everybody at the QIA (Quartzsite Improvement Association) • World Genesis Foundation • LaPaz County Sheriff's Office • MyLaPaz.org • The Salvation Army • Addicted to Deals • Quartzsite Cap and Embroidery Radio Clubs: • Quartzsite Amateur Radio Association • Desert Waves Amateur Radio Club Here's the students and their questions: Kenna (KI7DDD,) Ehrenberg Elemen- tary: What is the weirdest thing you have seen in space? Are you able to grow plants in the ISS? Sarah (KI7BFV), Quartzsite Elemen- tary: Did you want to be an astronaut as a kid? Has your understanding of the universe changed since seeing it from space? Danny (KI7AVD), Salome Elementary: What is it like with no gravity? What kind of games or things do you do for entertainment there? Jafet, Quartzsite: Ed Options: Can a person be in space too long? What are the effects on the physical body and/or their mental state? Stephen, Wenden Elementary: What are your favorite science experiments that you've been a part of in space? What has been one thing you have learned from your studies there that surprised you? Zevren, Bouse Elementary: What you do when you're not in space? You go through so much training for your jour- ney. Is there one thing that you were not prepared for? Kevin (KI7FYN), Salome Elementary: What kids of hazards are you exposed to in space? What have been your latest missions outside the space station? Derek (KM6EJT) Blyth CA, Palo Verde High School: How has Robotics played a role with the ISS? How has technolo- gy, for example, 3D printing been used on the ISS? Ashtyn (KI7HHU) Quartzsite, AZARA Radio Club (Home School) Can you share a story that sticks out in your mind sense becoming an astronaut? What's your advice to young people dreaming of becoming involved in NASA's space programs? For students who have never thought about the exploration of space, being involved in an amateur radio event such as this can be an eye-opener and pave the way for them to dare to dream and for those dreams to come true. "The ARISS program is all about in- spiring and encouraging by reaching the community and providing a chance for schools to interact with local techni- cal experts. It also brings the space pro- gram to their front door." Check out PHOTOS on Page 40 To view the whole video visit Quartz- siteTV's YouTube site or type it: https://youtu.be/bbW9KrJzXUQ

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