Scouts to grill astronauts

Published on Nov 24, 2002

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will talk for 20 minutes with scouts coming from around the world for the 20th World Scout Jamboree in Chon Buri next month.

Thida Denpreukdham, senior editor of 100-Watt magazine, said Thailand would be the first country in Southeast Asia to host real-time communications with the ISS via the "Amateur Radio on the ISS" programme after similar shows in Japan and China.

Using Nasa tracking software, a satellite ground station will connect with the ISS by radio on 145.80MHz at midnight on December 30. The scouts will then can ask the astronauts 20 questions on matters like what they eat, where they take a shower and how they do their laundry.

Morrakot Tuntichareon, director of the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotech), said all the 30,000-plus boy and girl scouts participating in the the jamboree will learn how to live together, work as a team and solve problems through games and fun activities.

One of the youth-programme highlights is the module called the City of Science and Technology, which will showcase scientific and technological breakthroughs featuring computers and robotics, information and communication technology, life sciences and studies on the Earth and the universe.

Biotech will spend Bt8 million to organise activities for the event, which is being held from December 28 to January 7 on Yao beach in Sattahip district.

THE NATION