Astronaut in Space Gives Mahopac Kids the Time of Their Lives

A group of fifth, sixth, and seventh graders experienced the time of their lives while conversing with a Japanese astronaut residing on the International Space Station flying 2,000 miles above earth at 70,500 miles per hour.

Last week's unusual event took place at the Mahopac Public Library, when 10 children enrolled at the Lakeview Elementary School, Mahopac Middle School, and St. John's School actually chatted with Koici Wakata via a telebridge connection made possible through the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program.

The children gathered at the library in a second-floor room used for technology, with librarian Clair Magnesio, several parents, and five members of the Putnam Emergency Amateur Radio League—David Keaton, Thomas Poole, Mike Troy, Tom Fegan, and Duncan Craven— when, at the appointed hour, transmission got underway via a speaker phone between the library and a moderator in Brussels, Belgium.

One by one, the children asked the astronaut a series of questions. Kristin Komendowski wanted to know how it felt blasting off into outer space. Wakata replied: "It's a very quick jolt!"

Katherine Posniak inquired, "Is it fun to float in the aircraft?" The astronaut responded, "It's outstanding flying in space. I even have my iPod to listen to classical music."

Samantha Nogula wanted to know if "stars in space look different than they do from earth."

Wakata explained in outer space, "we see all stars. On the ground all you see are the stars in the northern hemisphere. Up here, we see all the stars in both hemispheres and they are all very beautiful."

Catherine Galente asked if it was "fun without gravity." The astronaut said, "everything has to be tied down. Even when we exercise, we must anchor ourselves so we don't float around."

Nicholas DiGrandi asked the astronaut if he liked living in space. Wakata told the 10-year-old that he has been on the space station for the past two months with "one more month to go. It's wonderful to live here in outer space but I do miss my family back in Houston."

Erin Butler was interested in finding out what astronauts do in their spare time. Wakata told the 5th grader, "We are very busy most of the time, but when we are not working we take pictures of the earth and have time to read books."

The transmissions were incredibly clear for the seven minutes allotted the Putnam children when the space station was in close proximity to Belgium. However, when the station began to drift away, the radio link was lost and static was the result.

Gaston, who acted as moderator in Belgium, announced that the telebridge had ended. Gabrielle Zelley, a 7th grader, said she was only sorry that she couldn't properly thank the astronaut and say 'goodbye."

Erin called the experience "the coolest thing I've ever done. What a great encounter!"