Bellefonte Students Make Direct Contact with Space Station:

eHam.net News – BELLEFONTE — The opportunities that lie ahead for students after graduation are robust, but having once-in-a-lifetime experiences while still in school is something Bellefonte Area School District really strives for. One of those experiences took place on Feb. 26 in the Bellefonte Area Middle School, also known as BAMS. Students had the opportunity to make real-time contact with astronaut Scott Tingle of the International Space Station as he flew overhead the school. This was part of a new initiative aptly called “BAMS in Space.” “This event may have brought to light many things that the students might not have been interested in until now,” said Bellefonte Area Middle School Principal Sommer Garman. “I hope they feel special to have been a part of an opportunity that so few get to do. It was amazing to see the support from all of the students and staff and how willing everyone was to jump in and bring this event together.” During the event, which was livestreamed, students asked a panel of local experts from Penn State and AccuWeather various space-related questions before the much awaited direct contact took place. Several pre-chosen students then got to ask Tingle space- and NASA-related questions for approximately nine minutes. For many years, there has been a program called Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) that allows students across the world to make make contact with members of the International Space Station. The purpose is to inspire students to explore interests in careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, while also having them engage with amateur radio technology.

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