NASA Astronaut Lee Morin, KF5DDB, will be a special guest at the 2012 ARRL National Convention at Pacificon -- held October 12-14 -- in Santa Clara, California. Morin, an ARRL member, served as a Mission Specialist on Atlantis for STS-110 that launched in April 2002. During this 13th shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS), he performed two extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) -- also known as spacewalks -- the first time that the station’s robotic arm was used to maneuver spacewalkers around the station. Morin currently serves in the US Navy at the rank of Captain. He also holds an MD and a PhD in Microbiology, both from New York University.

Pacificon attendees will have the chance to meet and greet Morin in the ARRL exhibit area (times and locations will be posted). He will also present a forum at Pacificon and will be the speaker at Saturday night’s banquet where he will share his experiences about spaceflight and his interests in Amateur Radio. ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, has also been confirmed as a banquet speaker.

NASA ISS Ham Radio Project Engineer Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO -- a key member of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program working group -- will also be a guest of the ARRL at Pacificon; ARISS is a cooperative venture of NASA, the ARRL, AMSAT and other international space agencies that organizes scheduled contacts via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the ISS and classrooms and communities. The ARISS program provides an educational opportunity for students, teachers and the general public to learn about wireless technology and space science through Amateur Radio, inspiring interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

The 2012 ARRL National Convention will be held in Santa Clara, California, October 12-14 at the Santa Clara Marriott Hotel. The convention is hosted by Pacificon, the annual convention of the ARRL’s Pacific Division and sponsored by the Mt Diablo Amateur Radio Club. Click here for more information on the 2012 ARRL National Convention at Pacificon.