I managed to get this into the local free newspaper:

http://icnorthants.icnetwork.co.uk/marketharborough/news//tm_headline=pictur...

Pictures direct from space to Market HarboroughOct 23 2008

By Lawrence John

A RADIO ham from Market Harborough has been sent pictures direct from space. Millionaire space tourist Richard Garriott this week sent colour pictures to Andy Thomas from the International Space Station in orbit. Richard is legendary NASA astronaut Owen Garriott’s son, now a multi-millionaire who made his fortune with computer games. As a space tourist he sends radio pictures “live” from the space station while it is in space. The pictures are captured by radio amateurs - hams - across the world. Market Harborough radio ham Andy Thomas received a number of images live from the space station last weekend. He said: “These are stunning colour photos live from the International Space Station. “There are the tops of clouds over England, and then you can see the whole of France and Spain from the porthole of the space station. On the next orbit, Richard Garriott turns the camera away from the porthole and you can see the astronauts working inside. Sometimes they look upside down - but there’s no up or down without gravity. The camera system works like a webcam. It takes a photo then sends it over ham radio for 30 seconds. Computer sotware then decodes it. There is a new photo every 30 minutes."

It's difficult to explain the mission to local journalists, and some of it as printed is just plain wrong, hi, but I hope I have done Richard's "ham radio" mission some justice. The point of the story for me was the photos - I haven't seen the print edition yet but will source it tomorrow and Saturday, hopefully there will be the great photos from Richard received last weekend. I hope it will inspire some people.

BTW my QTH is in central England IO92NL

73 de andy G0SFJ