8-year-old makes contact with ISS astronaut using ham radio and gets a response

Virgin Radio

19 Aug 2022, 08:41

An eight-year-old girl from Kent has managed to have a conversation with an astronaut on board the International Space Station using her Dad’s ham radio kit.

Isabella Payne was delighted to chat with Kjell Lindgren as he passed over her house from space earlier this month, and the American astronaut later tweeted the conversation was one of his “favourite contacts so far.”

You might be thinking, ‘how on earth did an eight-year-old from Kent contact an ISS Astronaut?’

Well, Isabella used her father Matthew’s amateur radio kit and managed to set up the interaction - despite it being highly unusual for contact to happen with this piece of equipment.

Speaking about the experience, Isabella said (via Metro): “It was really amazing and a dream come true.

“I can’t wait to tell my friends all about it. I hope it inspires other young girls to do science as it should be for both girls and boys.”

The conversation lasted around 45 seconds, and Isabella was asleep when contact was first made but her Dad quickly woke up her up to tell her the news.

She told the astronaut: “My name is Isabella, I’m eight-years-old.”

Dr Lindgren replied from space: “Isabella it’s so great to chat with you. Thank you for getting on the radio and saying hello.”

She said: “Thank you, fly safe.”

To which he replied: “Thank you Isabella.”

Of course, arranging unscheduled contact with someone on the International Space Station is no easy task, especially if all you have is a ham radio.

Matthew admitted it was hard to do, and explained: “It’s very unusual and may happen once every five or six years.

“Everything has to line up and then you have to have an astronaut on board using the equipment and who’s willing to chat.

“It was such a great experience for Isabella. But I have to say I was just a little bit jealous.”

Isabella’s interest in space and science started after she met astronaut Tim Peak when she was two-years-old at an event her father had organised.

Now six years later, she has actually made contact with someone in space.

Following their conversation, Matthew took to Twitter to share the experience and said: “April 23, 2016. A 2 year old sat on my knee and watched the students of Wellesley House school chat with @astro_timpeake, an event I helped organise. Today she got her chance. Thank you so much @astro_kjell, you have changed her world. #iss #NASA #ARISS.”

To which Dr Lindgren replied: “I've had a lot of fun using the #ARISS amateur radio station #NA1SS on the @Space_Station to talk with ham radio operators all over the world. I've even (unofficially) worked stations on all continents! But this may be my favorite contact so far. Thanks Isabella and @m0lmk!”

In other cool space news, scientists have discovered that the earth is actually spinning at a faster rate and it might effect time as we know it!