Chiddix students talk to astronauts on International Space Station

Posted on October 24, 2017
Chiddix Junior High
Students at Chiddix Junior High talked with astronauts on the International Space Station on Monday. (Photo courtesyWMBD-TV)

By Breanna Lee/WMBD-TV

NORMAL – A Unit 5 school made radio contact with astronauts on the International Space Station on Monday.

Chiddix Junior High School is one of 11 schools in the U.S. that’s been given the chance to talk to the space station through ham radio this year.

They were given the opportunity through the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Program.

One student applied for the opportunity many times until Chiddix was finally approved.

“I think it went amazing today because we got all 16 students in and we got all of round two questions in with two minutes to spare,” said eighth grader Dhruv Rebba. “So it went really good.”

Rebba said he will still experiment in ham radio even though the project is over.

“I think it went better than I’d hoped because we were able to, all of our students got a chance to ask their questions, and we had a few extra questions in store, just in case there would be some time left,” Grant Zehr, Team Lea dor ARISS HAM Radio. “And we got all those questions asked. And Mrs. Hopper got a chance to thank the astronaut.”

Every question the students asked the astronaut had to be submitted to the space station ahead of time.

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