Wick High pupils make first amateur radio contact with ISS from Scotland
Pupils at Wick High School spoke to Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk on the International Space Station in Scotland's first amateur radio contact with the ISS, asking all 20 questions.
The Full Story
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Pupils at Wick High School, one of the most northerly schools in the UK, have made amateur radio contact with the International Space Station. The link is the first ever amateur radio contact with the ISS from Scotland. It was made at lunchtime as the station passed over the English Channel.
The ISS was travelling at about 17,000 mph in low orbit. The latest launch from Cape Canaveral on 1 October had taken four astronauts to the station. During the contact, pupils spoke to Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk. The opportunity came with help from NASA. The link lasted about seven minutes, and pupils used it to ask questions.
Logan asked Kutryk how he felt when he was chosen to go to the space station. Kutryk said he loved the question and felt very lucky, and still felt lucky and privileged to be doing the job. Lyra asked how much the phonetic alphabet is used in space. Pupils later described the experience as spectacular and a big opportunity for a small rural area. One pupil said the detail that stuck most was how difficult it is to brush your teeth in space.
Those running the contact said they were never sure whether all 20 questions would be asked. In the end, every child got to ask theirs. The event gave pupils a rare direct link with astronauts on board the station.
On screen
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Key Claims
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| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Wick High School pupils made the first amateur radio contact from Scotland with the ISS, speaking to Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and every child asked a question. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel framed the event as a local human-interest first, highlighting that a small rural school in one of the UK's most northerly communities had reached the ISS. Its tone was warm and accessible, with pupil reactions and a brief technical explanation of the station's speed and orbit. It did not explore how the amateur radio link was arranged beyond crediting NASA, or place the event in a wider space or education policy context.
- “It's the first ever amateur radio contact made with the ISS from Scotland and for about seven minutes, pupils were able to ask questions.”
- “I love that question and honestly, I felt very lucky and I still feel very lucky, privileged to be here doing this job. Over.”
- “We were never quite sure if we were going to manage to make all 20 questions, but I'm so pleased to say that every single child got to ask their question.”
Broadcast Timeline
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