Pupils from 23 schools joined Wellesley House School, in Kent, to quiz astronaut Tim Peake in space
In April, children made contact with Tim Peake during his six months on the International Space Station (ISS). Wellesley House School, Kent, was one of 10 schools to host a live amateur radio communication with the ISS. This was part of a series of nationwide events designed to inspire a buzz around science, a collaboration between Amateur Radio on the ISS (ARISS), the Radio Society of Great Britain, the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency.
Pupils speaking to Tim Peake on the International Space Station
Making Contact
There were a few heart-in-mouth moments as connections were established and the amateur radio societies worked hard to link with the space station 400km above the Earth. The moment when communication was finally established was breath-taking. The school?s Space Explorer Club allowed pupils Ethan Becket and Benny Yu to obtain amateur radio licences, letting Ethan launch the contact with the ISS with confidence.
Question Time
Children were able to ask Tim Peake a range of questions, such as: ?What happens to a compass in Space"? Ellie (7); ?Have you played any jokes on your colleagues on the ISS"? Benny (12); and ?What space exploration do you think we will be doing in 200 years"? Ethan (12).
The event followed a host of space-related activities: moon rocks and meteor samples; a launch party to celebrate Tim Peake?s arrival in space...