ARISS lets students worldwide experience the excitement of talking directly with crew members of the International Space Station, inspiring them to pursue interests in careers in science, technology, engineering and math, and engaging them with radio science technology through amateur radio.

The ARISS program was created and is managed by an international consortium of amateur radio organizations and space agencies including National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the USA, Rosaviakosmos in Russia, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in Canada, Japan Aeronautics Exploration Space Agency (JAXA) in Japan and European Space Agency (ESA) in Europe.  Read More

ARISS SSTV Event Scheduled for This Week

October 8, 2024 — Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announces an SSTV event to be held this week. The event is scheduled to begin from 1415 UTC to 1600 UTC UTC on Tuesday, October 8. SSTV transmissions will be paused from 0725 UTC to 1450 UTC on Friday the 11th because of the multiple school contacts scheduled for that day. The event shutdown runs from 1410 UTC to 1420 UTC on Monday, October 14. Downlink transmissions will be at 145.800 MHz and the mode is expected to be PD 120. The transmissions will consist of 12 images developed by the students at Southwest State University (SWSU) in Kursk, Russia.
 
Because the SSTV system has been brought back into operation after a year, it is very important that the user community submit (via the https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ web site), their received images allowing ARISS to discern the quality of the system’s operation. 
 
ARISS invites you to use the  https://www.amsat.org/status/ site to report if you can, or cannot, hear the SSTV signal.  It is very important to the operations team that the community report that they are, or are not, hearing transmissions by using the "ISS SSTV" pulldown in the "Submit Report" form below the status page. 

The operations team view both the submitted images and at the reception reports on the AMSAT site to give the on-orbit crew updates on how the system is working. 

If you are new to SSTV then take a look at the https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/faq.php page for some suggestions to get started.  A handheld radio and a smartphone, with SSTV decoding software, are enough to capture fun images.

The ARISS team expects to make a special certificate available via the https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/ site for those who successfully receive at least one image.  Please visit that page for more information about claiming a certificate to commemorate your reception report.

Thanks to our user community for participating in ARISS.

------------------------

3 US Schools Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process

July 3, 2024: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased to announce the US schools/host organizations newly selected for 2025 ARISS contacts. A total of 3 of the submitted proposals during the recent proposal window have been accepted to move forward in the processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur radio contact with crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) activities and raise their awareness of space communications, radio communications, space exploration, and related areas of study and career possibilities.
 
The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for the 3 US host organizations during the January - June 2025 time period. They are now at work starting to implement their 4–6-month education plan which was outlined in their proposal.  These STEAM based educational activities help prepare students for their contact as well as create an on-going exploration and interest in aerospace and amateur radio topics. They are also completing an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by ARISS, the final selected schools/organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities offered by NASA.
 
The schools and host organizations are:
 

Message to US Educators - Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity

Call for Proposals  - New Proposal Window is July 8th, 2024 – September 6th, 2024

July 2, 2024 --- The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS.  ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between January 1, 2025 and June 30, 2025. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.
 
The deadline to submit a proposal is September 6th, 2024.  Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at www.ariss.org. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on July 22nd at 7 PM ET.  The Zoom link to sign up is:  https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErf-ihrDktG9OphYxAjfz7nbONV0YcwY55
 
The Opportunity
Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.
 
An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.
 
Amateur Radio organizations around the world with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations’ volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using Amateur Radio. 
 
Please direct any questions to [email protected] .

Nine US Schools Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process


April 18, 2024: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased to announce the US schools/host organizations newly selected for 2024 ARISS contacts. A total of 9 of the submitted proposals during the recent proposal window have been accepted to move forward in the processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur radio contact with crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) activities and raise their awareness of space communications, radio communications, space exploration, and related areas of study and career possibilities.
 
The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for the 9 US host organizations during the July - December 2024 time period. They are now at work starting to implement their 4–6-month education plan which was outlined in their proposal.  These STEAM based educational activities help prepare students for their contact as well as create an on-going exploration and interest in aerospace and amateur radio topics. They are also completing an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by ARISS, the final selected schools/organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities offered by NASA.
 
The schools and host organizations are:

Message to US Educators - Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity

Call for Proposals - New Proposal Window is April 8, 2024 – May 19, 2024

April 5, 2024 --- The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS.  ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between January 1, 2025 and June 30, 2025. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.
The deadline to submit a proposal is May 19, 2024.  Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at www.ariss.org. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on April 17 at 7 PM ET.  The Zoom link to sign up is: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUodOGhqTsuEtBOfYY1vlVtoLQcqiQSLt4n
 
 
The Opportunity
Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.
 
An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.
 
Amateur Radio organizations around the world with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations’ volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using Amateur Radio. 
 
Please direct any questions to [email protected] .

Six US Schools Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process

December 27, 2023: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased to announce the schools/host organizations selected for the July-December 2024 window. A total of 6 of the submitted proposals during the recent proposal window have been accepted to move forward in the processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur radio contact with crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) activities and raise their awareness of space communications, radio communications, space exploration, and related areas of study and career possibilities.

The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for the 6 US host organizations during the July-December 2024 time period. They are now at work completing an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by ARISS, the final selected schools/organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities offered by NASA.

The schools and host organizations are:

2023 Year End SSTV Event Pass Schedule

December 31, 2023 0000 UTC - The event is conclulded.  Thank you so much for your participation!  Over 800 images have been reported to the gallery by more than 400 people. 

ARISS ground stations plan to send two images during each pass on the repeater downlink of 437.800 MHz in PD120 SSTV format.  Please do not use the repeater for other contacts during these passes.  Please publish reception reports to the www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ gallery.  Status reports to www.amsat.org/status/ are appreciated.  And a special electronic certificate will be offered at ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/

**NEWS Bulletin**
2023 Year End SSTV Event!

December 25, 2023 — Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announces a special SSTV experiment to be held this week.  The ISS Voice Repeater will be our downlink and several ARISS selected ground stations around the world will serve as SSTV uplink stations.  Two special images will be sent on 437.800 MHz using PD120 formating. 

This limited experiment will be conducted on several passes over Europe, Australia and the USA between Wednesday Dec. 27 to Saturday Dec. 30, 2023.

We hope radio enthusiasts will download the images and follow along with the event.  We appreciate all hams holding off from using the repeater for voice contacts during the event.  Watch www.ariss.org and ARISS social for pass information and more beginning on Tuesday Dec. 26.

ARISS 40th Anniversary SSTV Event
Scheduled for December 16 – 19, 2023
EVENT UPDATE

December 16, 2023 — The ARISS 40th Anniversary SSTV Event is currently experiencing technical difficulties. We have received a number of reports stating that no images have been received during passes. The problem is being investigated and we will continue to provide updates of changes in the operation status as they occur. Please refer to our social media listings below for the latest updates.

ARISS 40th Anniversary SSTV Event
Scheduled for December 16 – 19, 2023

December 16, 2023 — In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of STS-9, an ARISS Slow Scan TV (SSTV) event has been scheduled from the International Space Station (ISS). The event begins on December 16 at 10:15 UTC and runs through Tuesday, December 19 at 18:00 UTC. Images will be downlinked at 145.8 MHz +/- 3 KHz for Doppler shift and mode of operation is PD 120. Radio enthusiasts participating in the event can post their received images on the ARISS SSTV Gallery at https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ . ARISS SSTV awards can be applied for at
ARISS SSTV Award (pzk.org.pl)

40th Anniversary Celebration of the Positive Impact of
 Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight

Picture
October 24, 2023 — Astronaut Owen Garriott, amateur radio callsign W5LFL, pioneered amateur radio communication from space on his STS-9 Space Shuttle Columbia flight, conducted November 28 to December 8, 1983. In his free time, during the STS-9 mission, Garriott became the first ever person from space to communicate with amateur radio operators on the ground. He was also the first to be heard directly from space by the public using simple FM receivers and scanners. 

Dr. Garriott's mission, 40 years ago, transformed astronaut communications from space forever, allowing amateur radio operators (hams) and the public to communicate with people in space. Prior to this, only a few mission controllers and heads of state could talk to an astronaut in space. Garriott represents the first of many spacefarers that employed amateur radio on the Space Shuttle, Mir space station and the International Space Station for public engagement, family connections and educational outreach. To date, well over a million people on Earth have participated directly in these astronaut radio contact engagements. The educational youth contacts, coupled with pre-contact education initiatives, have inspired, engaged and educated youth around the world and encouraged them to study and pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). 
 
As the ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) team approaches the threshold of the 40th anniversary of human spaceflight amateur radio, we would like to gather the volunteer teams, astronauts, space agency officials, educators, and space and amateur radio enthusiasts to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to recognize and celebrate the past forty years of this inspiring, educational, and free service and to share the excitement of what’s to come. 
 
The conference entitled “The Positive Impact of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight: 40th Anniversary Conference” will be held February 22-24, 2024, at the Center for Space Education: Astronauts Memorial Foundation, located adjacent to the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center. 
 
Highlights of the 40th Anniversary Conference include tours of the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center, human spaceflight amateur radio exhibits, networking sessions in the exhibit area, STEM education demonstrations, and two conference days packed with astronaut panel sessions, presentations by youth alumni in STEM careers, and recollections by educators and volunteer team alumni that supported Shuttle, Mir and ISS hardware development, flight operations and youth STEM engagement.
 
We encourage your attendance at our special celebration this February!  For information on registration and special event pricing at local hotels, visit our event website at www.ariss.org and choose the drop-down menu tab labeled “40th Anniversary.”
 
Special Request:
 
Countless students, worldwide, have participated in our SAREX (Shuttle/Space Amateur Radio Experiment), Mir and ARISS programs over the past 40 years.  If you are one of those students or if you know of a student that participated in our program and is in a STEM career, we would be delighted to hear about this and feature them as part of our celebration either through in-person participation, a video submission, email, or letter. We would also appreciate getting educator testimonials on the impact of SAREX, Mir and/or ARISS in their schools. Please provide this information to: [email protected].

Message to US Educators Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity

Call for Proposals -  New Proposal Window is October 1, 2023 – November 10, 2023
 
September 25, 2023 --- The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS.  ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between July 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.
 
The deadline to submit a proposal is November 10, 2023.  

Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at www.ariss.org. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on October 5 2023 at 7 PM ET.  The Eventbrite link to sign up is: https://ariss-proposal-webinar-fall-2023.eventbrite.com
 
The Opportunity
Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.
 
An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.
 
Amateur Radio organizations around the world with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations’ volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using Amateur Radio. 
 
Please direct any questions to [email protected].

Tanya C. Anderson joins ARISS-USA Team as Director of Education

August 31, 2023 - Tanya C. Anderson has been selected as Director of Education for Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, Inc. (ARISS-USA). Tanya has been a classroom educator for 18 years, the last 16 years teaching middle school science at St. Joan of Arc in Lisle, Illinois. Her science curricula cover earth and space science, life science, and physical science. Her career focus has been curriculum development in various fields of science.
 
In addition to her responsibilities as a middle school educator, Tanya has shown her passion as a results-oriented leader in a myriad of science, technology engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) initiatives such as NASA HEAT 2022 where she helped develop and test science curriculum for teaching heliophysics and system science. She also has served as a team leader in NASA’s Teaching from Space Microgravity Education Program, working with students to create an experiment that was tested on NASA’s microgravity aircraft.  Tanya is also a NASA Airborne Astronomy Ambassador and a Space Foundation International Teacher Liaison.  She received the 2015 Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Educator of the Year. 
 
When informed of her selection, Tanya exclaimed, “I am excited to be a part of the ARISS organization and cannot wait to see what the future holds for amateur radio as commercial space stations are built and lunar exploration evolves. I look forward to sharing my passion for STEAM and space education with other educators while we work together to inspire, engage, and educate the next generation.”
 
Tanya currently holds a Technician Class amateur radio license, with the callsign KD9BQZ, and has attended the ARRL Teacher Institute on Wireless Technology Workshop. In 2014, Ms. Anderson organized and held a successful ARISS contact involving the entire student body at St. Joan of Arc School. For the ARISS contact, she developed an extensive curriculum preparing students for their ham radio connection with Astronaut Alexander Gerst. Her first-ever ham radio contact was with Astronaut Gerst on the ISS. Tanya’s passion for education and ham radio continued outside the classroom as a troop leader for 6 years with the Boy Scouts of America. Tanya used her educational and amateur radio abilities to immerse the scouts in STEAM as well as help facilitate scout participation in Jamboree on the Air and radio merit badge classes.
 
ARISS-USA Executive Director, Frank Bauer remarked on Tanya’s selection, “Competition for this position was extensive and selection was challenging, given the number of truly outstanding candidates. We are thrilled to welcome Tanya to our ARISS leadership team. Her leadership experience, passion and educational prowess will serve ARISS well, guiding our education volunteers and supporting the implementation of the ARISS 2.0 vision--to develop more comprehensive educational outcomes for youth and life-long learners.”    

Special SSTV Experiment Scheduled for ARRL Teacher’s Institute

July 18, 2023— Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) in collaboration with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), plan to carry out a special Slow Scan TV (SSTV) experiment from the ISS on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. During the event, the Columbus Module Repeater, transmitting at 437.800 MHz, will carry a message to be received by teachers attending the ARRL Teacher’s Institute class. The pass will be over the Mid-Atlantic / New England area with transmissions scheduled to begin at 20:05 UTC (16:05 ET) and ending at 20:20 UTC (16:20 ET). If necessary, a backup window will be 21:40 UTC (17:40 ET) to 21:55 UTC (17:55 ET).

Radio enthusiasts are welcome to download the message and follow along with the event, but we ask that all hams please refrain from using the repeater for voice contacts during the event. 

Please understand this is a special experiment conducted through ARISS and the ARRL. All regular operation of the repeater should continue to take place in voice mode only.

Check ARISS Social Media below for any updates on this event.
 
Find us on social media at:
Twitter: ARISS_Intl
Facebook: facebook.com/ARISSIntl
Instagram: ariss_intl
Mastodon: [email protected]
Check out ARISS on Youtube.com.

Update:  Application Deadline Extended to July 31, 2023

ARISS-USA seeking an experienced educator with extensive leadership experience to serve as our
Director of Education

July 12, 2023:  ARISS-USA Director of Education Advertisement

July 12 Update:  Application Deadline Extended to July 31, 2023

Overview
ARISS-USA, a 501(c)(3) educational and scientific non-profit organization, is seeking an experienced educator with extensive leadership experience to serve as our Director of Education. This is a part-time, remote position in the USA which includes a one-year probationary period.

ARISS provides and operates Amateur Radio systems on International Space Station (ISS) and elsewhere to inspire, educate, and engage youth and communities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) and to support ISS backup communications. For more detailed information on ARISS, see the About ARISS-USA section, below, or visit the ARISS web sites: www.ariss.org and www.ariss-usa.org.

Responsibilities
  • ARISS Education Senior Leadership: As the Director of Education, work with the ARISS team to develop strategies and a vision to maintain and expand the educational outcomes of youth that participate in the ARISS experience.
  • Education Engagement Volunteer Team (EEVT) Leadership: Serve as the leader of the ARISS education engagement volunteer team, fostering passion within the team, recruiting new team members, and ensuring each radio contact opportunity meets ARISS’ objectives of inspiring, engaging, and educating youth in STEAM/STEM and encouraging youth to pursue careers in these fields.
  • Host Organization Contact Competitive Selection: Coordinate the semi-annual request for proposal (RFP) process to solicit and select host organizations (e.g., schools and informal education organizations) for ARISS astronaut radio contacts. Staff the proposal selection team, maintain RFP selection rubric and RFP process, conduct host organization information sessions, serve as the selection official, and coordinate with the ARISS executive team on endorsement of final selections and on ensuring host organizations and external media are promptly and accurately informed of the results.
  • ARISS Education Ambassadors (AEA): Recruit, train and guide AEAs, selected from the EEVT ranks. AEAs track their appointed ARISS contact host organizations to gather details and insight into how these contact teams are following their educational objectives as outlined in their proposals. AEAs also gather data to document ARISS contact educational outcomes, including photos, parent permission slips, student engagement descriptions, metrics and post-survey compliance. 
  • Diversity and Inclusion: Develop team strategies that explicitly target improvements in ARISS’ engagement with diverse and underrepresented youth and provide opportunities for these youth that motivate them to pursue STEAM careers.
  • ARISS Lesson Plans: Create or coordinate the development of lesson plans and educational kits that support the educational outcomes of ARISS host organizations. Compile external lessons that can serve ARISS host organizations, including lessons developed by our NASA and ISS National Lab sponsors. Maintain dedicated areas on the ARISS web site for posting these lessons for distribution.
  • National Science Standards Alignment: Ensure ARISS education initiatives—including the contact experience, lesson plans, and educational kits—align with National Science Standards.
  • Metric Collection: Work with the education volunteer team to ensure contact metrics and post-contact surveys are submitted. Conduct post-contact surveys and track survey performance over the course of the program. Present metrics and survey results to ARISS executive team and prepare materials and present results of educational outcomes to sponsors, stakeholders and prospective new partners.
  • Networking: Participate in meetings, conferences, workshops and other opportunities to convey the educational breadth and depth of the ARISS Experience to space agencies, educators, sponsors, stakeholders, education departments, and federal and state governments.
  • International Coordination: Work with ARISS educators in other countries to develop best practices and to convey the activities and methods employed by the ARISS-USA educator team.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • Demonstrated leadership in a formal or informal education setting.
  • 3+ years of teaching experience in a formal or informal education environment
  • Graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in education, education administration or a related field.
  • Proficient in the use of virtual technology, including Zoom, and ability to learn other virtual tools, such as Google Meet, Teams, Webex, Dropbox, Google docs and Office 365 products.
  • Enthusiasm in providing education experiences in the STEAM field.
  • Enthusiasm learning about amateur radio and wireless technologies and to enthusiastically convey these to educators and youth.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • Basic understanding of amateur radio; possessing an amateur radio license preferred; obtaining an amateur radio license required post-hire.  License training will be provided upon hiring.
  • Educator that has previously conducted an ARISS contact.
  • Experience and/or ability to work and lead a virtual, distributed, nationwide team.
  • Experience in coordinating experiences, lessons learned and best practices with ARISS international colleagues.
  • Experience in coordinating with partners, stakeholders and sponsors.
  • Experience interfacing with space agencies or space organizations.

Location
Remote, within the USA.

Anticipated Salary
Part time, 20-hour per week salary range is $23,000-$34,500 per year, depending upon experience.
 
Hours worked per week and during the day are flexible, as long as the candidate supports meeting engagements, meets deliverable times, and works an average of about 20 hours per week.
 
Other Position Information
Candidates accepted into this position will be required to first serve a one-year probationary period. All candidates must be U.S. citizens.
 
To Apply
If you are interested in making a difference as an ARISS-USA team member, please send your resume or CV to [email protected]. Include a cover letter explaining your interest in the position and why you are the optimal candidate for this position.
 
All position applications are due no later than midnight (Eastern Daylight Time) July 31, 2023
 
About ARISS-USA
ARISS-USA, a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization, is the United States arm of the international ARISS working group. ARISS inspires, engages and educates youth in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) by providing once-in-a-lifetime educational opportunities for youth to conduct ten-minute question and answer interviews directly with crew members on-board the International Space Station (ISS). Through these ARISS ham radio connections, students ask the ISS crew questions about life in space, career opportunities or other space-related topics. Students spend about four to six months in formal and informal education settings preparing for their contact. Preparation for the experience motivates youth to learn about radio waves, space technology, ISS research, science, geography and the space environment. In many cases, the students help write press releases, convey ARISS activities through social media and give presentations on the contact to their fellow students and to the local community. They also can fully engage in the ARISS contact by helping set up an amateur radio ground station at the school and then using that station to talk directly with the onboard crew member. ARISS youth activities span many youth educational domains, including public and charter schools and universities (K-16), scout groups, museums, libraries, after school programs, and national or international events.

Recently unveiled, ARISS 2.0 represents a new STEAM education vision for the future of amateur radio on human spaceflight missions. ARISS 2.0 will augment the current ARISS education, operations, and on-board hardware capabilities to provide more extensive educational outcomes for our next generation. This will be accomplished through new, engaging education projects and lessons plans that will leverage our on-board space assets and interactive wireless radio kits on the ground. It will encompass multiple human spaceflight vehicles in low Earth orbit and deep space, including ISS, commercial space stations, such as Axiom, and may include cislunar opportunities on Gateway, Artemis, and lunar landers. These diverse, on-board wireless capabilities will be available to youth and lifelong learners 24/7, inspiring, engaging and educating participants across the globe.

11 US Schools Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process

May 17, 2023: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased to announce the schools/host organizations selected for the January-June 2024 window. A total 11 of the submitted ARISS Education Proposals during the recent proposal window have been accepted to move forward in the processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur radio contact with crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) activities and raise their awareness of space communications, radio communications, space exploration, and related areas of study and career possibilities.

The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for these US host organizations. They are now at work completing an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by the ARISS operations team, the final selected schools/organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities offered by NASA in January through June 2024.

The schools and host organizations are:

ARISS at 2023 Dayton Hamvention

ARISS will be joining in the Dayton Hamvention experience this year with a booth, a forum and four mini-forums.  Dayton Hamvention is May 19-21 in Xenia, Ohio this year.
 
ARISS’ International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, will lead the main forum, “ARISS 2.0: The future vision for Amateur Radio on the International Space Station” on Saturday at 12:10 PM in Forum Room 2. 
In December 1983, Astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL, electrified the world via his ham communications from the Space Shuttle Columbia. Starting at Hamvention 2023, ARISS will spend a year celebrating 40 years of amateur radio on human spaceflight vehicles! Our new vision, ARISS 2.0, will expand ARISS youth education outcomes, ham-in space operations, flight hardware systems, and even our space platform (in addition to ISS, think commercial space stations and lunar operations). Learn what ARISS is doing to support ham radio operations on human spaceflight vehicles – now and over the next 40 years. Expect some surprise guests and new announcements.
 
The ARISS booth will be in building 4, the “Volta” building.  Four mini-forums will be hosted in the booth area.  Those include:
 
Friday - 10:00 AM: ARISS Educational Opportunities: SPARKing Interest in Amateur Radio in Teachers and Students
Presented by: Dan White (AD0CQ) ARISS-US Education Committee and professor of electrical and computer engineering at Valparaiso University                          
Learn how ARISS engages educators and students, including a demonstration of the SPARKI kit. Unsh Rawal will join for an update on the Space Telerobotics using Amateur Radio, AKA *STAR* kit.
 
Friday - 2:00 PM: ARISS Engineering
Presented by: Randy Berger (WA0D), ARISS-USA Director of Engineering
Find out more about how ARISS integrates with the space program partners and new design concepts.
 
Saturday – 10:00 AM: ARISS How To - Intro to working the repeaters on the ISS –
Presented by: Randy Berger (WA0D), ARISS-USA Director of Engineering
Want to know how to get started making contact with and through the ISS or interested in becoming an ARISS technical mentor, find out more in this session.
 
Saturday – 2:00 PM – ARISS Post-Forum Q&A / Meet and Greet
Hosted by: Frank Bauer (KA3HDO) – ARISS International Chair and the ARISS team
Meet some of the team that makes things happen behind the scenes and get all your ARISS questions answered.

Message to US Educators: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity

Call for Proposals - New Proposal Window is February 20, 2023 – March 31, 2023

February 15, 2023 --- The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS.  ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between January 1, 2024 and June 30, 2024. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.
 
The deadline to submit a proposal is March 31st, 2023.  

Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on March 1st, 2023 at 8 PM ET.  The Eventbrite link to sign up is: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ariss-proposal-webinar-for-spring-2023-proposal-window-registration-515706320487
 
The Opportunity
Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.
 
An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.
 
Amateur Radio organizations around the world with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations’ volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using Amateur Radio. 
 
Please direct any questions to [email protected] .

ARISS Slow Scan Television (SSTV) Update

Dec 22, 2022 - The ARISS SSTV capability is currently not operational.  The SSTV card that interfaces with the ISS computer was damaged and cannot be reliably used.  Also, ISS has recently switched to a new complement of laptops, which requires the ARISS Russia team to develop a new computer interface to support SSTV.  ARISS Russia has been actively working this new development and is consulting with the ARISS International hardware/software team on these efforts. Sergey Samburov, RV3DR, ARISS Russia leader, has stated that they expect to complete the SSTV development effort early next year and launch the hardware on a future Progress flight later in the year.  Until then, SSTV operations will be down. 
 
The ARISS International team will keep all informed about SSTV status through our web site www.ariss.org and our social media outlets.

Message to US Educators: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station  Contact Opportunity

Call for Proposals - New Proposal Window is October 1, 2022 to November 13, 2022

Oct 3, 2022 — The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS.  ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.

The deadline to submit a proposal is November 13, 2022.

Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa/. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on October 13, 2022, at 8:00 PM ET.  The Eventbrite link to sign up is: https://ariss-proposal-webinar-fall-2022.eventbrite.com

The Opportunity
Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.

An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.

Amateur Radio organizations around the world with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations’ volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using Amateur Radio.

Please direct any questions to [email protected].


Happy Launch Anniversary, ARISS Hardware Team!!

September 8, 2022--On September 8, 2000, 22 years ago today, the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, starting the STS-106 Space Shuttle mission. On-board this mission was the ARISS Ericsson radio, a packet module/power supply and other hardware that became our first operational radio system on ISS. Just two months later, on November 13, 2000, the Expedition-1 crew installed this hardware system in the Zarya (FGB module) and operated it for the first time.

On behalf of the international ARISS team, I want to extend our heartiest of congratulations to all in the hardware team that made this radio system a reality!

73 (Best Wishes),

Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
ARISS International Chair

Simultaneous Operations of APRS and
Voice Repeater now a Reality on ISS

August 12, 2022—ARISS is pleased to announce that starting yesterday, August 11, simultaneous operations of the ARISS Voice Repeater and digital APRS communications on the International Space Station (ISS) is now a reality.  Current ARISS operations include voice repeater transmissions with the JVC Kenwood D710GA in the Columbus module and APRS packet operation from an identical radio in the Service Module (Zvezda).  Packet operations are on 145.825 MHz.

The ARISS Russia and USA teams have been working for several weeks to prepare the Service Module radio for APRS operations.  ARISS Russia team member Sergey Samburov, RV3DR, led the effort, working with Russian mission controllers and the on-board ISS cosmonauts to configure the Service Module radio for APRS ops.  On August 11, final checkouts were completed and the APRS packet mode was switched on for amateur radio use.

ARISS-International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO states, “Simultaneous operation of APRS and the voice repeater on ISS is transformative for ARISS and represents a key element of our ARISS 2.0 initiative, providing a interactive capabilities 24/7 that inspire, engage and educate youth and lifelong learners—especially life-long learning in ham radio operations.”  Bauer continues, “Our heartfelt thanks to Sergey Samburov, RV3DR, for making this crucial ARISS 2.0 initiative become a reality.”

The Columbus Module radio uses the callsign NA1SS and the new Service Module radio uses RS0ISS.  Aside from the callsigns, the radios are identical and packet operations are the same as before.  You can use RS0ISS, ARISS, or APRSAT as the packet path.  Also, both radios are expected to be on full time, except during educational contacts, EVAs, and dockings or undockings.

You can find operational status and expected downtimes of the ISS radios at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.

ARISS Offers More Fun to ARRL Field Day Operators

June 20, 2022—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) plans to have its ARISS InterOperable Radio System (IORS) in crossband repeater mode for ARRL Field Day. The IORS ham station is located in the Columbus Module of the International Space Station. 

ARRL Hq has confirmed that successful radio contacts made through the ARISS IORS, in crossband repeater mode, will count for an ARRL Field Day QSO point, but also for Field Day bonus points! Another fun opportunity for points. Don’t forget the rule limiting stations to 1 QSO per any single channel FM satellite. On-orbit astronauts always have very busy schedules, but if a voice contact were to be made with them, it would count as a QSO credit but not for satellite bonus points. Only an ARISS crossband repeater QSO qualifies for the bonus. Crossband repeater contacts are also valid for AMSAT Field Day for satellite operations, held concurrently with the ARRL event.  
 
Frequencies for ARISS crossband repeater operation are as follows: 145.990 MHz up, 67 Hz tone and 437.800 MHz down. If you haven’t used the ISS repeater yet, be sure to practice with it before Field Day (June 25 - 26, 2022). These contacts can be tricky, but hams can practice right now…can you do it?

Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc. (QCWA)
Provides Donation to Support ARISS

June 7, 2022:  Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, Inc. (ARISS-USA) is very pleased to announce that the Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc. (QCWA) has made a highly notable contribution--$4,500—to support the ARISS program.  QCWA President Ken Oelke (amateur radio call sign VE6AFO) presented the generous gift to ARISS-USA at the 2022 Hamvention in Xenia, OH, during the ARISS Forum. ARISS is the acronym for Amateur Radio on the International Space Station. 
 
Ken hopes the funding will catalyze individuals and other groups around the globe to follow suit and contribute to ARISS.  He commented: “I had asked Rosalie White (amateur radio call sign K1STO), the ARISS-US Delegate for ARRL, about new initiatives ARISS may have and learned of new education programs set into motion and about ARISS’s enhancements being developed for its amateur radio station on the International Space Station (ISS). Those things are in addition to the ARISS team’s daily operating activities—ARISS educational radio contacts for schools and education groups with astronauts orbiting on the ISS. I believe ARISS provides a great opportunity to the QCWA to stand out in the Amateur Radio Community, and to carry out QCWA’s education mandate described in its constitution.”
 
In late 2020, Astronaut Chris Cassidy (amateur radio call sign KF5KDR) installed ARISS’s new radio system on the ISS. Crew members with ham radio licenses began using it for scheduled ARISS education radio contacts. In addition to supporting these student interviews, the radio system allows amateur radio operators to engage with the ISS using Automated Packet Reporting System (APRS), making cross band repeater contacts, and downloading special slow-scan TV (SSTV) images downlinked by cosmonauts.
                                                                                                                                                   
ARISS-International Chair Frank Bauer (amateur radio call sign KA3HDO) thanked QCWA members for their tremendous support, stating: “This funding will help propel forward some of the ARISS educational activities that were recently put in motion. Also, the gift will spur on the ARISS team working on radio system enhancements.” He noted: “It is fantastic to see amateur radio groups such as QCWA generously offering a gift to ARISS. It shows potential future ARISS benefactors, foundations and corporations that the amateur radio community believes in ARISS and wants to further ARISS’s goals.”
 
Rosalie thanked Ken for the QCWA Board of Directors and members standing with ARISS, and said: “The entire ARISS team conveys its deep appreciation for this exceptional generosity! We hope your members are enjoying ARISS packet and cross band repeater contacts and ARISS SSTV sessions while knowing countless students are engaged in science and technology activities tied to space and radio.”
 
Individuals and groups wanting to help ARISS can go to https://www.ariss.org/annual-fund.html, and in many cases, gifts are tax deductible donations.  Donors giving $100 or more are awarded a beautiful ARISS Challenge Coin.     
 

9 US Schools Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process

May 13, 2022: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased to announce the schools/host organizations selected for the January-June 2023 window. A total of 9 of the submitted proposals during the recent proposal window have been accepted to move forward in the processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur radio contact with crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) activities and raise their awareness of space communications, radio communications, space exploration, and related areas of study and career possibilities.
 
The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for the 9 US host organizations during the January-June 2023 time period. They are now at work completing an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by the ARISS Technical Mentors, the final selected schools/organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities offered by NASA.
 
The schools and host organizations are:

ARISS SSTV Event Scheduled for April 11 - 13

April 9, 2022— An ARISS Slow Scan TV (SSTV) event is scheduled from the International Space Station (ISS). The event is slated to begin on April 11 at 16:30 UTC for setup and operation and continue until April 13 ending at 12:00 UTC. These times are tentative and are subject to change due to crew availability.
Images will be downlinked at 145.8 MHz +/- 3 KHz for Doppler shift and the expected SSTV mode of operation is PD 120. The theme for this event will be celebrating Cosmonautics Day and Women in Space. Radio enthusiasts participating in the event can post and view images on the ARISS SSTV Gallery at https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ .
 

Kerry Banke to be honored with the 2022 Hamvention Special Achievement Award

PictureKerry Banke with MVPS Device
The Hamvention awards committee recently announced that Kerry Banke, N6IZW, has won the 2022 Hamvention Special Achievement Award for his efforts in the design, development, manufacturing, and human spaceflight certification of the ARISS Multi-Voltage Power Supply (MVPS). The MVPS is a foundational element of the ARISS next generation radio system, which is now on-orbit. The Hamvention Special Achievement Award is given each year to a deserving amateur that has made an
outstanding contribution advancing the art and/or science.

 Now retired, Banke spent most of his career in the research and development of electronics systems as a microwave RF (Radio Frequency) electrical engineer. This included 14 years as Qualcomm engineer, developing innovative microwave wireless technologies. Kerry’s electronic interests span DC (Direct Current) to light with particular interest and expertise in microwaves. His ham radio operations have included transmissions on 136 kHz through Laser. Since 1982 he has served as host of the San Diego Microwave Group’s monthly meeting, sharing his expertise with other hams of like interest.
 
Mr. Banke’s exceptional support to Human Spaceflight Amateur Radio began in 1994 where he served as a school technical mentor and certified ground station for the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) program. When NASA transitioned from the Shuttle to the International Space Station (ISS), Kerry became an exemplary member of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) hardware team. For seven years, working from his home and electronics lab garage in La Mesa, California, Mr. Banke led the circuit design, breadboarding, flight circuit board layout, assembly, and testing of the MVPS. The MVPS, which occupies a volume roughly the size of two stacked reams of paper, can connect into different ISS power sources (120 VDC and 28 VDC) and simultaneously power up to 18 devices with multiple voltage level input needs.

ARISS USA Executive Director, Frank Bauer, said “The ARISS team is proud of Kerry’s sustained exemplary support to ARISS. His contributions to our next generation radio system are transformative, enabling expanded ARISS operations for ham radio operators and enhanced STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education outcomes for youth.” Through this system 60 to 80 foreign and domestic ARISS school contacts are conducted each year with 150,000 to 200,000 students, teachers, and members of the public engaged. Amateur radio operators also enjoy over 100,000 digital and voice
repeater connections from this radio system each year.

ARISS to Support Axiom Space Crew Members
on First Private ISS Mission

March 3, 2022— Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, Inc. (ARISS-USA) is pleased to announce that two crew members scheduled to fly on Axiom Mission-1 (Ax-1), the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, will utilize the ARISS on-board radio resources to conduct six school connections via amateur radio. 
 
These ARISS school contacts will be conducted with Ax-1 crew members Mark Pathy, from Canada, and Eytan Stibbe, from Israel.  Both Pathy and Stibbe are fully trained on the use of the ARISS radio system, located in the ISS Columbus module, and have studied and passed their amateur radio license exams.  Mark Pathy’s amateur radio callsign is KO4WFH.  Eytan Stibbe’s amateur radio callsign is 4Z9SPC. 
 
As part of the "Rakia" mission, Eytan Stibbe will use ARISS facilities aboard the International Space Station to hold talks with middle school and high school students in Israel while the ISS will be above Israel. A total of 40 school classes are expected to participate in the project, and in the weeks preceding the launch, the students from Israel will participate in theoretical and practical sessions to learn about radio-based communication.
 
Mark Pathy, under the personal mission theme of 'Caring for people and the planet', will connect with elementary and high schools across Canada while on board the ISS. Pathy will be answering questions developed by the students, ranging from how his body has reacted to being in space to how to do everyday things in zero gravity and thoughtful questions around the state of our planet. The conversations are part of Pathy’s educational program through which schools also benefit from STEM content and mentorship.

“The long-held dream of private missions to stations in space becomes a reality on Ax-1.  ARISS is proud to collaborate with Axiom Space, Mark Pathy, and Eytan Stibbe on this flight and support the Ax-1 crew members through amateur radio contacts that will inspire, engage and educate school students in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) topics,” said Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, Executive Director of ARISS-USA and Chair of ARISS International.
 
“Axiom is proud to help enable the educational work of ARISS-USA on this historic mission,” said Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar, Executive Vice President of Government Operations and Strategic Communications for Axiom Space.  “For years, ARISS and its programs have inspired students across the globe to pursue interests in science, technology, engineering and math, and we are pleased that Ax-1 will join the list of missions that have contributed to this important educational work.”
 
The Ax-1 mission includes an international crew of four with Axiom’s Michael Lopez-Alegria, former NASA astronaut and Axiom VP, serving as commander.  The Ax-1 mission is currently scheduled to launch on March 30, 2022.

Message to US Educators: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity

Call for Proposals
New Proposal Window is February 21, 2022 to March 31, 2022

February 16, 2022 — The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS.  ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between January 1, 2023 and June 30, 2023. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.

The deadline to submit a proposal is March 31, 2022 

Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa/. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on March 3, 2022, at 8:30 PM ET.  The Eventbrite link to sign up is: https://ariss-proposal-webinar-spring-2022.eventbrite.com

The Opportunity
Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.

An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.

Amateur Radio organizations around the world with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations’ volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using Amateur Radio.

Please direct any questions to [email protected] .

ARISS Europe to Perform Special Digital SSTV Experiment

February 16, 2022—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is planning for a special SSTV experiment. ARISS is the group that puts together special amateur radio contacts between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on the International Space Station (ISS) and develops and operates the amateur radio equipment on ISS.
As part of its ARISS 2.0 initiative, the ARISS International team is expanding its educational and life-long learning opportunities for youth and ham radio operators around the world.  ARISS Slow Scan Television (SSTV), which is the transmission of images from ISS using amateur radio, is a very popular ARISS mode of operation.  To expand ARISS SSTV capabilities, the ARISS Europe and ARISS USA teams plan to perform special SSTV Experiments using a new SSTV digital coding scheme. For the signal reception, the software "KG-STV" is required, as available on internet.
We kindly request that the amateur radio community refrain from the use of the voice repeater thin this SSTV experiment on 20th of February 2022 over Europe.
 
This is a unique and official ARISS experiment. We kindly request keeping the voice repeater uplink free from other voice transmissions during the experiment time period.  Also note that ARISS is temporarily employing the voice repeater to expedite these experiments and make a more permanent, more expansive SSTV capability fully operational on other downlink frequencies.
The first experiment in the series will utilize ARISS approved ground stations in Europe that will transmit these digital SSTV signals.  These will be available for all in the ISS footprint when SSTV transmissions occur.  The first SSTV experiment is planned for 20 February 2022 between 05:10 UTC and 12:00 UTC for five ISS passes over Europe.  Please be aware that this event depends on ARISS IORS radio availabilities and ISS crew support, so last-minute changes may occur.
To promote quick experimental SSTV investigations—to learn and improve--the ARISS team will employ the ISS Kenwood radio in its cross-band repeater mode.  The crossband repeater operates on a downlink of 437.800 MHz.  Each transmission sequence will consist of 1:40 minute transmission, followed by 1:20 minute pause and will be repeated several times within an ISS pass over Europe. 
The used modulation is MSK w/o error correction. For the decoding of the 320 x 240 px image, the software KG-STV is required.  The KG-STV software can be downloaded from the following link: "http://amsat-nl.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/kgstv_ISS.zip"
The ZIP file contains the KG-STV program, an installation and setup manual, some images and MP3 audio samples for your first tests as well as links for additional technical information about the KG-STV use.
The members of the ham radio community youth and the public are invited to receive and decode these special SSTV signals.
Experiment reports are welcome and should be uploaded to "[email protected]"
More information will be available on the AMSAT-NL.org web page: "https://amsat-nl.org/?page_id=568"
(for the team: Oliver Amend, DG6BCE)
-----

APRS Inventor and Architect of ARISS Kenwood Radio Crew Interface, Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, Passes Away


The ARISS international team mourns the loss of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, a genius who pioneered digital amateur radio techniques, invented the APRS digital signal protocol and designed the innovative ARISS Kenwood Radio Crew Interface.  Bob passed away on February 7, 2022 after a fearless 2-year battle with cancer and, in the end, succumbing to COVID-19. 

Bob’s brilliance permeated all through the amateur radio community, primarily via his invention of APRS, the Automatic Packet Reporting System.  In Bob’s words, APRS is a “two-way tactical real-time digital communications system between all assets in a network sharing information about everything going on in the local area.”  In APRS' nascent days, Bob joyfully shared, in real-time through APRS, the annual midshipmen 230 mile “running of the football” from the US Naval Academy to the Army-Navy game football stadium.  With the help of his Naval Academy students, Bob developed several innovative, low-cost amateur radio satellites that continue to be employed by hams worldwide.  He promoted the development of a network of APRS satellites in low Earth orbit on a shared frequency—145.825 MHz—and he was proud that the ARISS radio station was part of that network.  A replica of his first student satellite development, PCSAT/NO-44, is displayed at the Udvar-Hazy National Air and Space Museum in Northern Virginia, USA.

Bob’s contributions and creativity in Human Spaceflight Amateur Radio are many—spanning nearly forty years.  In early 1985, prior to Astronaut Ron Parise, WA4SIR's, planned flight on STS-51E in March 1986 (which was delayed after the Challenger accident), Bob worked with an AMSAT team to develop protocols and software for rapid message exchange via a packet “Robot.”  In Bob, WB4APR’s own words, these “discussions helped firm up ideas on how APRS could be used not only as positioning tool, but also as a communication capability allowing rapid status and message reporting.  Thus, allowing lots of people to rapidly make exchanges during a brief satellite pass.” The packet robot was used heavily in our SAREX (Shuttle) program, starting with Ron's STS-35 flight in December 1990.  APRS remains a key staple in our ARISS on-board systems.   

In the early 2000s, when ARISS was developing its second-generation radio system, Bob became the chief architect of the ARISS Kenwood D-700 radio program modes (see above photo). Our chief requirement was to make the crew interface simple and easy to switch between operations modes. Bob distilled our requirements into an elegant crew interface with five program modes, to support school contacts, voice repeater, APRS/data relay, experimental operations and backup communications.  Bob's program mode crew interface is also embedded in our Next Generation InterOperable Radio System that employs the Kenwood D-710 GA radio system.  Each time you use the ARISS radio system in any of its operations modes, you can thank Bob’s brilliance for making it happen.

On behalf of the ARISS International Team, I would like to convey our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Bob’s wife, family and his many friends. Bob, we thank you for your unquenching drive to innovate radio communications and your pioneering spirit that transformed your brilliant ideas from a dream to reality.  Because of you, your APRS signals continually serve as an amateur radio beacon of inspiration, hope and peace throughout the infinite universe. 
 
73, 

Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO
ARISS International Chair
ARISS-USA Executive Director

Eight US Schools Moved Forward in
ARISS Selection Process

January 11, 2022: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased to announce the schools/host organizations selected for the July 1 through December 31, 2022, time period. A total of eight of the submitted proposals during the recent proposal window have been accepted to move forward in the processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur radio contact with crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) activities and raise their awareness of space communications, radio communications, space exploration, and related areas of study and career possibilities.

The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for the eight US host organizations during the July 1 through December 31, 2022, time period. They are now at work completing an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by the ARISS Technical Mentors, the final selected schools/organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities offered by NASA.

The schools and host organizations are:

The ARRL Foundation Grants an Award
for the ARISS *STAR* Keith Pugh Memoriam Project

January 5, 2022
 
ARISS‐USA is known for engaging students in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) subjects by arranging live question-and-answer sessions via amateur radio (ham radio) between K‐12 students and astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). In the last two decades, over 1,400 contacts have connected more than one million youth using amateur radio, with millions more watching and learning. ARISS is constantly pursuing educational opportunities that inspire student interest and outcomes.
 
ARISS-USA is pleased to announce that the ARRL Foundation awarded funding for the first year of a two-year project called the “ARISS *STAR* Keith Pugh Memoriam Project” with *STAR* being the acronym for Space Telerobotics using Amateur Radio. The ARRL Foundation very generously provided $47,533. The project honors the memory of highly-respected Keith Pugh, whose call sign was W5IU (Silent Key, May 2019). He was an expert supporter of ARISS for many years, a star ARISS Technical Mentor assisting schools with their ARISS contacts, finding educators who might be interested in learning about ARISS, and going to schools to lead youth in a variety of lessons about wireless radio technology.
 
ARISS *STAR* (short for ARISS *STAR* Keith Pugh Memoriam Project), is a brand-new education program that will enable US junior high and high school education groups to remotely control robots through digital APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) commands using amateur radio. Year 1 focuses on systems development and initial validation of *ARISS* STAR, and Year 2 focuses on evaluation and final validation. Systems development and evaluation will be led by university staff and students who will undertake hands-on-wireless and telerobotics lesson development, learn about Amateur Radio, and support the development of the *STAR* engineering hardware and software. Next, youth teams will be selected to experiment and critique *STAR* telerobotics scenarios along closed courses and radio lessons. Some participating students will want to prepare for, and earn, their amateur radio licenses, using ham radio to learn and practice concepts in radio technology and radio communications.
 
Overarching goals for *STAR* are to improve and sustain ARISS STEAM educational outcomes with youth. Robotics is gaining popularity among youth and adults alike. Telerobotics adds a wireless accent to robotic control.  *STAR*, therefore, gives ARISS a new educational dimension to attract the attention of more education groups and their students and educators—outreach that promises to attract new audiences.
 
The ARRL Foundation was established in 1973 by ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio ®, and advances the art, science and societal benefits of the Amateur Radio Service by awarding financial grants and scholarships to individuals and organizations in support of their charitable, educational and scientific efforts. ARISS-USA Executive Director Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, praised the ARRL Foundation, saying, “ARISS team member, Keith Pugh, W5IU, poured his energy into inspiring, engaging and educating youth in space and in amateur radio endeavors.  What a better way to honor Keith than through the ARISS *STAR* initiative.  We thank the ARRL Foundation for their vision to move this initiative forward. Maybe someday one of our ARISS *STAR* students will use their telerobotics skills to control scientific rovers on the Moon or Mars!”

About ARISS:
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the ISS National Lab‐Space Station Explorers, and NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program (NASA SCaN). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands‐on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss-usa.org, www.ariss.org.

About ARISS
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) receives funding from and uses resources of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory. ARISS is a member of the Space Station Explorers consortium.
ARISS is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS).  In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org.
About the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory:
In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the ISS as the nation’s newest national laboratory to optimize its use for improving quality of life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse users, and advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The ISS U.S. National Laboratory manages a portfolio of both basic and applied research projects to support the transition of low Earth orbit to a robust space economy. A fundamental component of the ISS National Lab mission is to make the unique properties of the low Earth orbit environment available for use to non-NASA U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. Through management of a comprehensive and diverse research portfolio, the ISS National Lab is driving innovative science that can benefit life on Earth and demonstrate the value of space-based research to the American public.
Space Station Explorers is a consortium of organizations that use the power and appeal of the International Space Station to engage students.  Consortium members develop and deliver high-quality educational programs that feature science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts and skills. This includes the opportunity for students to design, build, launch and/or operate their own experiments on the ISS.  The consortium works with educators, learners and explorers of all ages.