Space talk: Mysuru school students to interact with astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on July 4

By The Hindu Bureau

Mysuru’s Excel Public School (EPS) students will participate in a live interaction with astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla (VU2TNI), currently stationed aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom Space AX-4 mission. The event, scheduled for Friday (July 4) at 3:47 pm IST, will take place through the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) initiative in coordination with the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru.

“This is a rare and prestigious opportunity that allows students to establish direct communication with the ISS using amateur radio frequencies, an extraordinary instance of STEM education meeting real-world application. Excel Public School is the only school in the city to participate in this live Q&A,” the school said.

Licensed student HAM operators from EPS – Bhuvan P.M., Namasyu A., Tanish Tejaswi M.S., Pranav C.N., Vishruth R., and Sanat Raj G. — will represent the school in the ISS interaction, guided by their mentor and Amateur Radio club custodian Mahesh M.B.

“The contact will be made using amateur radio transceivers configured to uplink and downlink signals through the ARISS ground station infrastructure, allowing students to engage in Q&A from Earth to space via RF transmissions. The interaction will occur as part of a global network of scheduled ARISS school contacts that introduce young learners to space science, communications technology, and orbital research,” according to a press release.

Months of hard work

The students from EPS said, “As licensed student HAM operators, we’ve spent months learning the science behind radio communication, tracking satellites, and assembling and testing antennas. Being able to apply all of that by connecting with the International Space Station is an experience we never imagined we’d have at this stage in our learning journey.”

“This contact is the result of sustained effort by the students, from clearing their ASOC exams to building antennas and decoding signals from the ISS. It’s a practical demonstration of what they’ve learned,” said Mahesh M B, EPS’s Amateur Radio Club Custodian.

‘Historic moment’

EPS’s Amateur Radio Club, operating under the call sign VU2TQA, was licensed on November 6, 2023, by the Ministry of Communications. EPS has been recognised as an ISRO Space Tutor School, the release added.

EPS Principal Mathew K.G. said, “It’s a matter of great pride for our students to be part of this historic moment for India and to have the opportunity to speak to Mr. Shubhanshu Shukla.”

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