Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:13:10 -0400WeeblySat, 05 Sep 2026 00:26:41 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/ariss-news-release-no-26-51-ariss-welcomes-daryl-young-as-director-of-operationsSeptember 3, 2026—ARISS-USA is excited to introduce our new Director of Operations, Daryl Young, K4RGK. Daryl is a long-time Technical Mentor with ARISS-USA, supporting many of our direct and telebridge contacts. His responsibilities in this new role will include leading all ARISS Technical Mentors along with heading up other activities related to STEM contacts.

Most recently, Daryl led our operations initiative to develop a consortium of ground stations around the world to track Artemis II as the Artemis crew traversed from the Earth to the moon and back. The AREx Artemis ground station consortium successfully tracked Artemis and provided Doppler data to NASA during the mission. This represents a huge first step into lunar operations, which is vitally important for our lunar future.

Please join us in welcoming Daryl to this new position!

]]>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 17:20:15 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/ariss-news-release-no-26-52-ariss-ascends-with-fall-appointments-of-krenzischek-lebair-and-tuckerSeptember 3, 2026—ARISS-USA is pleased to announce three “people moves” that will strengthen the core functions of the organization.

Ryan Krenzischek, formerly the ARISS-USA Director of Operations, will take on the newly created role of Chief Information Officer, where he and his team will manage ARISS’s websites and other backend systems to ensure the seamless, efficient and secure flow of information. An ARISS-USA Technical Mentor since 2013, Ryan’s background also includes work with the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), and as Training Officer for the Navy-Marine Corps Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) and Army MARS Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 4. In this capacity, he ensured that radio operators were well-prepared for emergencies, boosting community resilience during crises.

Deborah Lebair, KC3YWM, currently the ARISS-USA Metrics Lead, will join the ARISS International Board as its secretary. She will also keep her role as Metrics Lead. Deb began her professional career as an aerospace engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the Attitude and Control Branch. Shen then earned her teaching certificate and taught high school mathematics for two decades.

Megan Tucker, KQ4MAM, is the new ARISS-USA Logistics Manager. A member of the ARISS-USA education team and an experienced educator focused on STEAM and aerospace education, Megan in this new role will manage the growing number of ARISS-USA public events, including participation at educational conferences and hamfests.
Please join us in welcoming Ryan, Deborah and Megan to these new roles!

For the latest ARISS news and events, please check out and follow our ARISS Facebook, X, Instagram, BlueSky, Mastodon, LinkedIn, YouTube and Discord social media channels.
]]>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 18:00:06 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/ariss-news-release-no-26-45-message-to-us-educators-amateur-radio-on-the-international-space-station-contact-opportunityCall for Proposals

Proposal Window Open Now through September 30, 2026
 
August 25, 2026 --- 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, 2027 – June 30, 2027. 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.
 
Proposals are due to ARISS by September 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. To help you get started, an informative video is available at youtube.com/arisslive. Detailed guidelines and expectations can be found at ariss.org, and the proposal form is available via the online ARISS Contact Application.
 
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 education@ariss-usa.org .
 

]]>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:23:17 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/ariss-news-release-no-26-44-jackie-blumer-kc9leh-appointed-as-ariss-associate-directorAugust 4, 2026—ARISS-USA is pleased to announce that Jackie Blumer, KC9LEH, has been appointed Associate Director of ARISS-USA (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station). Jackie is a nationally recognized science educator with an emphasis on space education.
 
In her work as an educator, she has often incorporated amateur radio into her curriculum as a teaching tool. In addition to her many responsibilities at ARISS-USA, Jackie has recently served as Business Development Coordinator and Logistics Manager for ARISS-USA.
 
In her new position as Associate Director, her focus will be on developing relations with other space-related organizations. She will also be seeking educational opportunities to collaborate on projects in conjunction with the commercial space industry. 
 
Please join us in congratulating Jackie Blumer, KC9LEH, on her appointment and wishing her continued success in her new role with ARISS-USA.

]]>Fri, 08 May 2026 21:57:30 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/may-08th-2026
May 8, 2026 — Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announces a Slow Scan TV (SSTV) event to be held this weekend. The event is scheduled to begin Friday, May 8  at 10:30 UTC | 6:30 AM ET and end on Tuesday, May 12 at 16:30 UTC | 12:30 PM ET and using a transmit power of 10 W. Images will be transmitted at 437.55 MHz (+/- Doppler Shift) using SSTV set at Robot36 mode. The transmission sequence will be 36 seconds on and then 2 minutes off before the next image transmission begins.
 
 
 
Submitting your received images
 
Please note that the Image Library at the ARISS SSTV Gallery is currently off-line.
Hold your decoded images for future information on restoration
and event certificate.
 
Thanks to our user community for participating in ARISS.
 
]]>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:17:06 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/ariss-news-release-no-26-15-message-to-us-educators-amateur-radio-on-the-international-space-station-contact-opportunity-call-for-proposalsARISS News Release No. 26-15 Message to US Educators Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity Call for Proposals

New Proposal Window is April 6, 2026 – May 22, 2026
 
March 31, 2026 --- 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, 2027 – June 30, 2027. 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.
 
This proposal is due to ARISS by May 22nd, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at www.ariss.org. An informational webinar will be held at 8pm ET on April 30th.  Here is the zoom link for that webinar  https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3yid9dxzRkmYfVroIP0nWA .
 
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 education@ariss-usa.org .
 

]]>Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:38:07 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/ariss-news-release-ariss-sstv-event-scheduled-for-this-weekNovember 11, 2025 — Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announces a Slow Scan TV (SSTV) event to be held this week in recognition of Scouting and in celebration of 25 years of the International Space Station. This event will feature 12 images that will be transmitted at 145.800 MHz using SSTV and using mode PD120. The transmissions will be the standard 2 minutes on and then 2 minutes off before the next image transmission begins.     The operation times are as follows and are tentative: SSTV- date/start time: Nov.12, 2025 at 17:05 UTC    
SSTV - switched off: Nov.16, 2025 at 14:30 UTC to accommodate school contact event.  SSTV - switched on: Nov.16, 2025 at 15:05 UTC following school contact event.   
SSTV - switched off: Nov. 18, 2025 at 10:05 UTC to accommodate school contact event. SSTV - switched on: Nov. 18, 2025 at 10:30 UTC following school contact event.              SSTV event scheduled to end on Nov.19, 2025 at 14:55 UTC    
Follow ARISS Social Media for any updates in operation.    

For submitting your received images
Go to https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/ to submit your received image for posting at the ARISS SSTV Gallery online. Be sure to fill in your email address while completing the ARISS SSTV Image Submission application in order to receive an Award Certificate. You must submit the application within 72 hours after the SSTV event has ended to receive the Award. The Award Certificates are delivered via email, so be sure to check your Inbox and Spam folder for delivery of your Certificate.   Thanks to our user community for participating in ARISS.
]]>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:29:40 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/ariss-news-release-no-25-66-4-us-schoolsorganizations-moved-forward-in-ariss-selection-processNov. 7, 2025: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased to announce the US schools/host organizations newly selected for 2026 ARISS contacts. A total of 4 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 4 US host organizations during the Jan 2026 – June 2026 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:  
Organization                                                              Location
Hilltop Elementary School                                       Canfield OH
Walnut Grove Elementary School                           Suwanee GA
The Lewis Center for Educational Research          Apple Valley CA
Emporia State University                                         Emporia KS
]]>Tue, 07 Oct 2025 01:01:47 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/ariss-news-release-no-25-54-message-to-us-educators-amateur-radio-on-the-international-space-station-contact-opportunity-call-for-proposalsNew Proposal Window is October 6th, 2025 – November 14th, 2025
 
October 6, 2025 --- 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, 2026 and December 31, 2026. 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 14th, 2025.  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 15th at 8 PM ET.  The Zoom link to sign up is: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hijg24mPRK69uGC0gUq8zw
 
 
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 education@ariss-usa.org .

]]>Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:39:39 GMThttps://www.ariss.org/press-releases/ariss-news-release-no-25-52-ariss-sstv-event-scheduled-for-this-week
October 4, 2025 — Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announces an SSTV event to be held this week in recognition of the 68th anniversary of the launch of the world’s first satellite, Sputnik-1 on October 4, 1957. This event will feature 12 images that will be transmitted at 145.800 MHz using SSTV mode PD120.

The operation times are as follows and are tentative:

Oct. 3 Start time: 12:20 UTC / 08:20 AM ET

Oct. 9 End time: around 7:30 UTC / 3:30 AM ET

(Expect interruptions due to scheduled ARISS educational contacts.)

For submitting your received images
Go to https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/ to submit your decodes. Check the box after submis-sion to the SSTV gallery for an award certificate. You must submit your decodes and your re-quest for an award certificate within 72 hours after SSTV event transmissions end. Certificates are delivered via email (watch your spam folder).
For more information about the ARISS SSTV Award Certificate, go to https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/ .

Thanks to our user community for participating in ARISS.
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