Service Sound had a somewhat unusual project we were called in to help out on last week.
One of our favourite schools that we work with, the Royal Masonic School For Girls in Rickmansworth, called us in to make sure that their main hall P.A. system which we installed, was in tip top order ready for an evening event with an unusual twist….the International Space Station!
They had been chosen as 1 of only 10 schools this year to be able to do a live Q&A with Tim Peake, the British ESA astronaut currently living and working on the International Space Station (ISS). In conjunction with the ESERO, PRINCIPIA and AR ISS, the event was set with the radio receiving station set up on the stage in the Great Hall to send and receive audio live from ISS as it passed overhead.
The audio from the pupils questions was sent via the P.A. system for the invited audience to hear and the live link return (Tim’s voice) came through the system too. Everything was setup and tested and working well and we ended up running the P.A. system for the event also.
The ‘window’ to connect was only about 10 minutes as the International Space Station passed overhead traveling at 17,000 miles an hour, 400 km above our heads. The radio masts tracked the ISS to keep a good connection and, for the first time ever, the ARISS team managed to get a live video link working too using a new camera that Tim took up with him for these events. As the projector screen suddenly flashed up with the live image there was a gasp from the audience and it truly was an awe inspiring moment for both pupils and adults alike.
A small planet in the bigger picture, but with technical means growing by the day. An amazing event to be a part of.
