Alamo School Makes Contact With International Space Station

BY JANE McINNIS

Students at Rancho Romero Elementary School had the chance to speak to an astronaut traveling on the International Space Station from a homemade radio and antenna as it soared over Alamo.

Rebecca Rubsamen of Alamo helped students make radio connection with astronaut Mike Hopkins for 10 minutes, using a VHF radio and antennas she built in her backyard. 

Rubsamen, 16, a sophomore at Bentley Private School in Lafayette, is a licensed amateur radio operator. She applied for permission to direct contact to the ISS almost two years ago, and was one of 15 applicants approved nationwide.

"The average age [for applicants] is 65 and living in Europe," laughed Rubsamen, who was the sole applicant approved from the state of California.

Rubsamen found out she was awarded permission for direct contact in March, and spent the summer building the multi-element beam Yagi antenna in her backyard, along with a radio filled with circuit boards.

"It's hard to wrap your head around how they live up there," Rubsamen said about the astronauts, who usually spend 6 months in outer space.

Rubsamen's father, Reid Rubsamen, is a long-time amateur radio operator. He helped her coordinate the project.

Students at Rancho's sister school, Coronado Elementary in Antioch, got to listen in to the event.

Fifth grader Casey Cox, 10, asked astronaut Hopkins into a microphone if he was interested in science when he was younger. Hopkins answered that he was more interested in spending time with friends.

Cox said she was instructed to speak clearly and say "over" at the end of her question.

The antenna moved with the satellite, and the ground team was able to maintain contact for a 10-minute pass over Alamo and Danville. The space station wasn't visible from the ground, but the antenna's movement signaled when it was nearby.

The station orbits the world 16 times a day.

Rubsamen hopes to donate the antennae to the community with a permanent installation on Mt. Diablo.

Those who are interested can view the full video of the connection on Rubsamen's website here, expected to be posted upon completion.