Would'nt it be strange to met an astronaut
somewhere on the street ?? And to say hello and to shake hands just that simple ? i did it .........Today i wass walking with my family, wife and two kids, on the street in my qth Ghent (Belgium).
There was a Carnaval party going on. (those guys who do not now what carnaval meens mail me :) )
Suddenly my wife was jelling , look that's Frank. I did'nt realized it who wass "Frank" . I know lots of "Franks" .
Untill he was standing before me . I started to shake on my legs. That could not be possible .
We shaked hands and started to talk about my qso with RS0ISS Valerie. He loved my story. He told me this: one of the reasons that the digi is not working is that they need to shut it down to save energy.
Normally the sunnpanels are pointed to the sunn but in that possition the ISS becomes in a draggposition.
By that it will be on a lower orbit so they have to use the engines to much to keep it in a steady orbit.
That they must save on energy is because the shuttle program has been changed to suply the iss. Dirk is a really nice guy, i wish i could see him again.
This was a really big day : after a worked the ISS in voice with an simple set-up, i made an eyeball-qso with one of the astro's.
tnx Dirk.
And to all of you : a 73 from DIRK ON1DWN