Programme ARISS – Luxembourg makes its first contact with space!

A first contact event occurred in Luxembourg, and before you ask, no, not with an extraterrestrial race, but with humanity’s most advanced technological marvel, the International Space Station. Students from Lycée Vauban had the unique opportunity to speak live with an ESA astronaut and ask a series of compelling questions, selected across various Luxembourg schools and grades. This event was made possible by the ARISS programme—an international educational project supported by NASA and ESA—in collaboration with the amateur radio community in Luxembourg and support of the Asteroid Foundation, ESERO Luxembourg, and the Luxembourg Space Agency.

Contact ARISS, an unforgettable moment

"Appel général, appel général à Oscar Roméo 4 India Sierra Sierra, de Lima X-ray 26 Lima Victor, over," repeated Claude, a member of the Association des Radioamateurs du Kayl Dall (ADRAD), as students from CP all the way to Terminale held their breath.

The tension in the hall was palpable, the International Space Station (ISS) was about to fly directly overhead, yet the speakers offered only silence. Two years of meticulous preparation had culminated in this brief, fleeting window, and mission success wasn’t a guarantee. Claude tried again. Suddenly, through the static and radio hiss, a feminine voice filled the room.

Magnifique, je vous reçois 5 sur 5,  bonjour au Luxembourg !

Flying 430 kilometres above the Earth at a staggering 28,000 km/h, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot—the 84th woman to go to space and the second French female astronaut after Claudie Haigneré—had answered the call. The room erupted in pure emotion and excitement, but the students quickly regained their composure, they knew that every second mattered from then on.

Copyrights: ESA/NASA

With roughly ten minutes before the station flew out of range, the operation had to be executed with surgical precision. One after the other, students stepped up to the microphone. When asked what message she had to share for young girls aspiring to become astronauts, Sophie replied:

"For everyone who wants to become an astronaut, not just girls: go for it! It’s a magnificent job where you learn a lot. Vary your activities so you know how to do many different things. Over."

By addressing everyone equally, Sophie reminds us that space is a human endeavour. The qualities to reach the stars lie within each of us regardless of gender. We must be curious and dare to explore all the fascinating aspects the space field has to offer. There’s a place for all skill sets, and all kinds of expertise are needed to guarantee the success of space missions.

Another emotional moment came from a question by Lily-Mai, 2023 Astronaut For A Day contest winner and LSA Space Ambassador, who asked if Sophie had experienced the famous "Overview Effect"—a phenomenon where astronauts typically feel a sense of awe and unity when seeing the Earth from above.

"Yes, absolutely," Sophie replied. "For me, it was an intense joy, a euphoria. I couldn't stop smiling. The Earth is truly beautiful, and you really feel a sense of unity and harmony... You understand that all human beings are together on a single spaceship called Earth."

Read all the questions here and watch the live stream here to hear Sophie’s answers.

The technical aspect behind the signal

Connecting a school hall in Luxembourg to a laboratory hurtling through low Earth orbit requires immense technical expertise. ADRAD guaranteed the link, configuring equipment, managing transmission power, and anticipating the heavy constraints of orbital communication. On the ground, two complete radio stations utilised directional antennas mounted on motorised rotors, constantly adjusting to track the space station’s rapid trajectory across the sky.

The complex callsign used by Claude at the beginning of the transmission is a standard amateur radio protocol. The International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, commonly known as the NATO phonetic alphabet, replaces standard letters with distinct words—such as Oscar for O and Romeo for R—to prevent communication errors. This is necessary because many letters, like "B" and "D," sound identical over radio frequencies affected by interference or signal degradation. By using multi-syllabic words with unique acoustic structures, operators ensure that the callsign is correctly identified as the specific European radio station aboard the International Space Station, regardless of the listener's native language or the quality of the audio signal.

The call is initiated with “Appel général,” which is typically used to call anyone or everyone listening. “Oscar Romeo 4 India Sierra Sierra” is the call sign for the ARISS amateur radio station aboard the International Space Station: OR4ISS. The amateur radio station is located in the Columbus module and is part of the Belgian contribution to the international ARISS project. AMSAT Belgium and UBA are permanent members of the ARISS international working group, a collaboration of amateur radio associations from countries affiliated with the ISS. The most curious of you may consult the OR4ISS logbook here.

As for “Lima X-ray 26 Lima Victor” (LX26LV), it is a callsign specifically designed for the sender, identifying LX (Luxembourg), 26 (2026), and LV (Lycée Vauban).

Inspiring Luxembourg's future innovators

The ARISS contact was part of a broader educational event celebrating space talent and it was broadcast to other schools and even countries, notably at the Euro Space Center in Belgium thanks to the Asteroid Foundation’s livestream on YouTube.

Among other things, it featured a session on “Space Goes to School” presented by ESERO Luxembourg and a “speed projects” session where ten students gave flash presentations on their own tech projects—3D-printed humanoid robots, video games, CanSats, and even a light saber were among the projects! The Lycée Vauban Makerspace, a creative and multidisciplinary workspace, is where these projects come to life under the supervision of science teacher Jérôme Metzler.

Moments before the radio contact began, a surprise video message from former Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Julie Payette was broadcast to the assembly. Her message offered a perspective of hope and encouragement, inspiring the students to pursue their own ambitions. 

Let’s dare to dream big together!

Contact ARISS proved just how important it is to support initiatives that inspire local talent. Bringing space to Earth demonstrated that the space field isn’t some distant abstract concept but something within reach, accessible to anyone who dares to follow their passions.

Léonore and Lily-Mai, 2023 Astronaut For A Day contest winners and LSA Space Ambassadors, contributed greatly to the success of this historical moment and today, they share their thoughts with us on this whole experience and how AFAD encouraged them toward pursuing a career within the space industry. 

Q: How do you feel about this whole experience?

Leonore: I’m very honoured. It’s a unique experience; it’s not every day you get to contact an actual astronaut in space. There was so much effort from the school and the radio amateurs, and I’m so thankful to them.

Q: You were the one who asked Sophie Adenot about the "Overview Effect." Did you get to choose that question?

Lily-Mai: It was assigned randomly, but I was so lucky to get that one. It was quite an emotional question for Sophie, and it’s wonderful to imagine what she was seeing at that exact moment. It was exactly what I wanted to ask.

Q: Does it feel special that the astronaut was a French woman?

Leonore: I loved it because she is French and, of course, a woman. I actually spent a week with Sophie during an ESA internship preparing for an EVA (spacewalk). Hearing her in space after meeting her on Earth was magical. She told me that being an astronaut is just the "cherry on the cake," and the cake is everything you do to get there—the studies, the physics, and projects like this.

Lily-Mai: As a French student, I was incredibly proud to hear from a French woman in space. It is wonderful to see women becoming more and more represented in this field, but beyond that, her message was simply universal. She is an inspiration to all of us.

Q: What is the main difference between learning about space in a classroom and an event like this?

Leonore: I love school, but this is way more fun! You are with friends and teachers who share the same passion. You take what you learn in books and actually do it. It’s incredibly rewarding.

Lily-Mai: It makes it real. You realise it’s the "real world" and it’s actually possible. It’s not just something written in a textbook; you see that you can actually do it.

Q: Why was it important to have so many young children in the audience?

Leonore: I think the school wanted to show them that science is reachable and concrete. It starts in school and then spreads into your later career. We wanted to show them that if you are passionate, you can do something more than just sit at a desk and study.

Q: You moderated the entire event today. Did your previous experience with "Astronaut for a Day" help you?

Leonore: Absolutely. Before that project, I was shy and my English wasn't fluent. We had training on how to express ourselves in front of crowds and the media. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to take part in this if it weren’t for that. It skyrocketed my passion for space.

Q: Is it true you used to be afraid of flying?

Leonore: Yes! Even though I wanted to work in space, I was terrified of planes. I felt like a fraud! But during my "Astronaut for a Day" zero-G flight, the second we touched down, the fear was gone. Now, I actually want to be a pilot. My advice? If you’re afraid of flying, take a zero-G flight—it makes a normal flight feel boring!

Before launching to the ISS in mid-February, Sophie Adenot's first words from the rocket were, "Osons rêver grand ensemble" (Let’s dare to dream big together). It is with this legendary tagline that we hope to open a new chapter for the newer generations of spacefarers out there willing to join us in this adventure.