Date:04/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/04/stories/2006020404671500.htm

International

To toss out old clothes

CAPE CANAVERAL (Florida): Here on Earth we get rid of our old clothes by dropping them off at the Salvation Army. But what do astronauts at the international space station do? Friday, they will stuff an old spacesuit with discarded clothes and a radio transmitter and toss it out the door. Complete with helmet and gloves, off it should float like a lost soul in space. The transmitter will send recorded messages in six languages to amateur radio operators for several days before eventually re-entering Earth's atmosphere and burning up, NASA officials said. The spacesuit project, known as SuitSat-1, was the brainchild of a Russian ham radio operator. Radio operators will be able to pick up the messages by tuning into FM frequency 145.990 MHz. — AP