On 1st December 2008 the students of St. Anthony’s College had the unique privilege of having a live interaction with the astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS). The event was held in the packed auditorium of the college. In addition to the staff and students of the college, students from the neighboring schools had also come to witness this unique event. The participants had a ten-minute question and answer session with Mike Finke, the commander of the Expedition 18 at the ISS. Mike is married to an Assamese girl, whose father was also a student at St. Anthony’s College.
Prior to this event on 1st December, a dry run of the program was done with Rajen Barua in Houston on Friday, 21st November 2008.
Based on the experience of the dry run, all deficiencies were identified and corrected. We identified that the sound system needed to improve. We hired Mr. Ba Tony, who brought in the state-of-the-art sound system that radio stations use for their telephonic call in programs. By 12.30 PM the auditorium was full. Fr. Ioannis Warpakma, the Principal of the college welcomed everyone and requested Dr. S.I. Ahmed to make a presentation. Realizing there was enough time before the actual connection, he made a presentation showing pictures of the ISS with its history, particularly highlighting Exepedition 18 and its commander Mike and the astronauts who are carrying out several research projects, including some related to health and environment, combustion science, material science, fundamental physics, etc. He spoke of the family of Mike and Renita. Since there was time till 1.15 PM, the presentation kept the large audience involved. Thereafter, Fr. Ioannis requested Patricia and Bidyananda both on the dais to speak to the audience.
Before the actual connection with ISS took place with Mike, operators from NASA ground station established the radio link between Amateur Radio Volunteers that was established from Honolulu (Nancy) and Brussels and relayed to Shillong. Nancy called us and we assisted in conducting two trial runs for the interaction with the students. Nancy gave us continuous feedback about the sound level. Accordingly the students were directed to speak clearly and loudly to be audible by Mike.
The live interaction began at 1.45 pm (IST). Fr. Ioannis Warpakma, the Principal introduced the college and greeted Mike and his team at ISS. It was then Mike’s turn and Mike began by greeting the audiences with Khublei Shibun (“Thank you” in Khasi). Everyone was thrilled!
The participants then asked the questions given to them one by one and Mike had an interesting answer for each. When asked by the one of the students whether he could see man-made objects like the Great Wall of China and the pyramids from the space station, he said he could see both the structures very clearly from the space station. Asked if he could see the effects of pollution or climate change, Mike said climate change was a gradual process but the effects were indeed visible from space. “What do you do when one of you gets sick?” was a question posed by student Eti Roy. Mike’s reply was, “We try not to get sick. We are in perfect health. Even if we need some advice, the doctor is only a phone call away”. In response to a question on what type of food they eat and drink while in space, he said they took Russian and American food from the refrigerator but his wife had packed some paneer too. Mike, while responding to another query, said oxygen was made in the space using Russian technology. When asked what he missed most about the earth while in space, he said, “I miss my family and my home”.
There was also a question in Assamese and he answered it rather well to the interest of all. Mike also sang a few lines on seasonal greetings in Assamese from the space station. His ability to speak the language so fluently amazed all the people who were inside the auditorium. There was an air of excitement and expectation as the audience that included visitors from Assam waited eagerly for the satellite link-up.
The last part of the session was a Khasi song from the Music Department of the college. Mike and his team at ISS had thus the privilege of hearing a song of Shillong and the unique chance of having our melody from Shillong in the outer space. For the first time ever, students of St Anthony’s College sang a popular Khasi song Ksing Lynti as a token of love and appreciation for astronaut and commander of International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 18 Mike Fincke. He later said he was deeply touched by the song and that he would play it while in space.
Mike repeated Khublei Shibun and the interview was over. The entire event was coordinated and sponsored by Dr. S I Ahmed, an Anthonian of the 1969 class who is now an active member of the group Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters (FASS). FAAS is a non-profit, non-governmental organization and an international ‘think-tank’ that is aimed at providing inspirational energy and a motivating force for overall revival and development of the Northeast India in all its spheres.
Mrs. Patricia Mukhim, Editor, Shillong Times, who is a member of FASS in Shillong presided over the entire function. At the end of the function all participants and the singers were given Certificates of Participation by the guests.
The College will ever remain grateful to Dr. Ahmed and to the other members of FASS for this singular privilege and in the future, we look forward to more interaction with them. Dr. Ahmed has also promised us next, a live lecture from ISS to the students of the College. We at St. Anthony’s College see this as a singular chance on our journey towards excellence in keeping with our motto of Ever More and Better Ever.
By Father Joseph Joby, St. Anthony’s College, Shillong, and S.I. Ahmed
- Log in to post comments