ARISS News Release                                                           No. 23-11

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Lana’i High and Elementary School, Lana’i City, Hawaii, USA

March 20, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Lana’i High and Elementary School located in Lana’i City, Hawaii.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
 
Lāna’i High and Elementary School is the main school on the small island of Lāna’i, west of Maui. Lāna’i is the sixth largest Hawaiian island with an area of 140 square miles and a population of around 3,200 residents. The school (with 572 students in Pre-K to 12th grade) engages students in STEM/ PBL (project-based-learning) curriculum. In preparation for this ARISS contact, their curriculum is supplemented with studies that include amateur radio equipment, Earth and space science, radio astronomy, and amateur radio licensing. The school has enlisted community support from Everest Innovation Lab (in Hawaii), Emergency Amateur Radio Club Hawaii, Ohana Kilo Hoku, Kekulamamo, the Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope Corporation, the Hawaii Dept of Education, and the Manele Koele Charitable Fund.  Amateur radio operators are providing support for this event as well as presentations on the ARISS program.
 
This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Warren Hoburg, amateur radio call sign KB3HTZ. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the telebridge station.
 
The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Aartselaar, Belgium. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign ON4ISS, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for March 23, 2023 at 8:22:52 am HST (HI) (18:22:52UTC, 2:22 pm EDT, 1:22 pm CDT, 12:22 pm MDT, 11:22 am PDT).
 
The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxm5Ca2y0HD_NxXlZWXv11A
_______________________________
 
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. How do astronauts celebrate their birthdays?
2. How long does it take to repair stuff in space?
3. What is your suit made out of?
4. What is one of the most exciting discoveries you have made?
5. What type of work is the ISS currently doing?
6. How do the suits produce air?
7. Are all the disadvantages such as working out so much, missing your family, and eating that crazy food worth being up in space that long? 
8.  What are the ISS walls made out of?
9. What kind of experiments do you perform on the outside platform?
10. What are some of the effects that happen to your body once you arrive on Earth from space?
11. How do you store air in the ISS?
12. Do you miss anyone?
13. Do you notice the days/time passing by?
14. How long does it take to get to space?
15.  How long do astronauts usually stay in space?
16.  What was one major event that caused difficulty in space?
17.  What would happen if an asteroid hit the space station?
18. What is the most difficult part of putting on your suit?
19. How does earth look from the ISS?
20. What have you learned from being in space?

ARISS News Release                                              No. 23-10

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Jumeirah College Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

March 04, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Jumeirah College Dubai located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
 
Jumeirah College Dubai is a GEMS education establishment founded in 1999, and has 1136 students enrolled (from 65 nationalities), ages 11-18. This British school provides the National Curriculum for England from years 7 to 13, is registered with the Department for Education and Skills in London, and is an examination center for the appropriate UK examination boards. The College has integrated this ARISS contact event into their STEM-based curriculum by holding a college-wide Science Week to observe the culmination of human achievement and explore space sciences. The College has also developed partnerships with external agencies in order to expand the educational horizons of their students and introduce them to the wider opportunities of STEM topics at higher levels. These agencies include, the Al Thuraya Astronomy Center, MBRSC and the UAE Space Agency.
 
This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio and students will take turns asking their questions of Astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, amateur radio call sign KI5VTV. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the telebridge station.
 
The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Glenden, Queensland, Australia. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign VK4KHZ, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for March 7, 2023 at 12:45 pm GST (Dubai) (8:45UTC, 3:45 am EST, 2:45 am CST, 1:45 am MST, 12:45 am PST).
_______________________________
 
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What inspired you to become an astronaut?
2. How did you prepare yourself mentally and physically for the journey to the Space Station?
3. How did you feel during the launch of the spacecraft?
4. At which point did you feel a change in gravity during your journey to space?
5. What are some of the differences between the simulation training and experiencing real-life space travel?
6. What was the most surprising aspect when you arrived at the Space Station?
7. Do you ever get homesick while in space? If so, how do you deal with it?
8. What does it feel like when you are wearing a spacesuit?
9. How is a build-up of waste managed on the Space Station to stay sustainable?
10. What type of work and research do you do on the Space Station?
11. Do you feel cold while living on the Space Station?
12. What sounds can you hear around the Space Station and do they distract you?
13. What is the scariest thing that has happened to you in space?
14. How do you clean the inside and the outside of the Space Station?
15. Do you find it difficult to sleep on the Space Station?
16. How do you entertain yourself when you're on the Space Station?
17. What personal items did you bring with you to the Space Station and why did you bring them?
18. What is your favourite food to eat on the Space Station?
19. What does the future of space exploration hold for humanity?
20. What physical changes happen to your body when living on the Space Station for a long duration mission?

ARISS News Release                                                    No. 23-09

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Istituto Statale di Istruzione Superiore “Il Pontormo”, Empoli, Italy

February 21, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Istituto Statale di Istruzione Superiore located in Empoli, Italy.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
 
Istituto Statale di Istruzione Superiore “Il Pontormo” (Institute) is located in the municipality of Empoli, in the heart of Tuscany, and is attended by about 740 students aged between 14 and 19. The Institute includes the Liceo Scientifico with a 5-year curriculum in the STEM disciplines: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and Earth sciences. The institute also provides courses (and instruction in laboratory practice in their lab facilities) in applied sciences, which allows students to gain advanced skills (and their applications) in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, Earth sciences, and computer science. The Institute has partnered with the Italian Radioamateur Association of Empoli (Sezione A.R.I. Empoli), club call sign IQ5EM, whose members/operators will operate the ground station for this ARISS contact. Members of Sezione A.R.I. Empoli have been collaborating for years with schools in the territory in order to interest youth in the world of amateur radio.
 
This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Koichi Wakata, amateur radio call sign KI5TMN. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the relay ground station.
 
The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Empoli, Italy. Amateur radio operators using call sign IQ5EM, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 23, 2023 at 10:32:56 am CET (Italy) (9:32:56 UTC, 4:32 am EST, 3:32 am CST, 2:32 am MST, 1:32 am PST).
 
The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.ilpontormoempoli.edu.it/notizie/la-vita-della-scuola/eventi-e-attivita/1468-spazio-al-pontormo.html
_______________________________
 
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What are your thoughts and feelings before liftoff?
2. On the ISS, what is the prevailing feeling since you are flying kilometers away from the Earth in a limited livable space?
3. Which experiences on the ISS have excited you the most and which ones were unexpected?
4. How does the perception of time and space change from staying on Earth and flying on the ISS?
5. What is the relationship among crew on ISS with so many different nationalities represented?
6. Does living in microgravity affect your sleep-wake mechanism and how do your dreams change when you are in Space?
7. Has there ever been a significant emergency since you arrived on the ISS? If so, how did you sort it out?
8. Are there any aspects of your training which have turned out to be useful in your everyday life and are there any habits you have taken up in Space that you maintain after you get back to the Earth?
9. A few years ago, the ISS was proposed for the Nobel Peace Prize. Where do you see the future of international collaborative space efforts going forward?
10. How do you get used to terrestrial gravity when you get back to the Earth?
11. What are the main challenges you daily overcome during your stay on the Space Station?
12. What are the aims of the scientific research you conduct on the ISS? What limits are there for space research?
13. Excluding ground control, who are you in touch with on Earth and how do you maintain this contact?
14. What leads you to explore and study Space? Is it irrepressible curiosity, thirst for knowledge or the will of being the first to make new discoveries?
15. How did your passion for exploring Space come about and what suggestions would you give to a teenager eager to become an astronaut?

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 ariss.us.education@gmail.com .

ARISS News Release                                             No. 23-07

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Stella Maris College, Gzira, Malta

February 13, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Stella Maris College located in Gzira, Malta.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
 
Stella Maris College is part of a network (La Salle Malta) of Lasallian Colleges that include De La Salle College and the Mellieha Retreat Centre. La Salle Malta was founded as a single school in 1903 by the Brothers of the Christian Schools and is now the La Salle Malta’s Lasallian Colleges, run by the Malta Trust of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Stella Maris College is hosting this ARISS contact for participating students in grades 5 through 10 (ages 9-15 years). Stella Maris College has partnered with members of the Malta Amateur Radio League (MARL) (9H1MRL) who will provide support during the ARISS contact. Members of MARL have also made presentations to students about amateur radio, and demonstrated satellite tracking and talking to other hams through amateur radio satellites. As a member of MARL, Stella Maris College has previously operated their own amateur radio station. Members of other organizations that are also part of educational activities surrounding this ARISS contact include; the University of Malta, the Malta College for Science and Technology, Malta Council for Science and Technology and Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology.
 
This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Josh Cassada, amateur radio call sign KI5CRH. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the relay ground station.
 
The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Gzira, Malta. Amateur radio operators using call sign 9H1MRL, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 15, 2023 at 1:48 pm CET (Malta) (12:48UTC, 7:48 am EST, 6:48 am CST, 5:48 am MST, 4:48 am PST).
 
The public is invited to watch the live stream at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk-Onkbr6PY
_______________________________
 
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What do astronauts normally eat or drink on the space station?
2. How do you sleep in space? Is it comfortable?
3. What do you do in your free time?
4. How long is the training to actually go in space?
5. Why do astronauts wear space suits?
6. Is there a maximum time limit for staying in space?
7. How do you stay healthy (physically and mentally): in space?
8. When you are going up in space, crossing the ozone layer does it hurt?
9. What side effects do you get when returning from space?
10. Can kids go to space?
11. Did you discover something new from another galaxy?
12. What does space food taste like?
13. How does it feel like living in low gravity?
14. What inspired you to work in space and the International Space Station?
15. What are your emotions during lift-off?
16. Do astronauts need to go to the hospital or get checked out when they return to Earth?
17. What do you miss most from Earth when you are in space?
18. How is one chosen to go on the ISS? What inspired you to become an astronaut?
19. What does the training to go to space consist of?
20. Why is there no gravity in space? How does it feel?
21. At what speed does the ISS travel and how many times do you circle the Earth in a day
22. How is air generated inside the ISS?
23. What is the best thing to do when you are in a rocket?
24. How would you describe the spacewalk in a few words?
25. What is the hardest part when living in space?
26. What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen in space?

ARISS News Release                                                     No. 23-06

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Gymnasium Christian-Ernestinum, Bayreuth, Germany

February 12, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Gymnasium Christian-Ernestinum located in Bayreuth, Germany.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
 
Christian-Ernestinum (GCE) Gymnasium is one of five high schools in the city of Bayreuth, and was founded in 1664 by the sovereign Margrave of Brandenburg, Christian Ernst. GCE teaches Latin and English languages to all students, but also offers French, and Spanish. GCE’s STEM program offers studies in the fields of physics, chemistry and computer science, and maintains a student exchange program with Italy, France and Greece. They also include elective courses on research and advances in the natural sciences, astronomy, electronics and robotics.
GCE, as the host to this ARISS contact, recognizes that direct radio contact with an astronaut in space is a unique and extraordinary experience for students. Therefore, GCE has partnered with local radio club: DARC Ortsverband Bayreuth, whose members have provided technical support by setup/operation of the amateur radio station as well as technical instruction to students during workshops. DARC members also enabled students/teachers to participate in the world-wide, Ham Field Day event, with support for Ham licensing. Students also participated in a special supporting program that included presentations/workshops on astronomy/physics.
 
This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Koichi Wakata, amateur radio call sign KI5TMN. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the relay ground station.
 
The amateur radio ground station for this contact is at the school in Bayreuth, Germany. Amateur radio operators using call sign DK0BT, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 14, 2023 at 11:20 am CET (GER) (10:20:12 UTC, 5:20 am EST, 4:20 am CST, 3:20 am MST, 2:20 am PST).
_______________________________
 
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. How long does it take to prepare for a space flight? What content is part of the training and what did you enjoy the most?
2. How long will you be on the ISS? And will you fly to the ISS a second time?
3. How does a rocket launch feel and how difficult is it to move in zero gravity?
4. Is the ISS decorated for birthdays or carnival?
5. What's the first thing you'll do when you get back to earth?
6. How does weightlessness and the changed day-night rhythm affect the psyche and how do you deal with it personally? Have you been homesick too?
7. Do you have free time on board and how can you use it?
8. What have you personally learned from this mission that you would like to pass on to everyone?
9. How often can you contact friends and family and how is this technically implemented (smartphone, internet, radio)?
10. What do you like best about living on the ISS?
11. Is there privacy on the ISS, e.g. a separate little corner or something similar?
12. How is the air in the ISS?
13. Friends and family aside, is there anything that's only on earth that you miss?
14. With the photos from the ISS you only ever see the earth, what does the view of the starry sky look like?
15. Can you hear or feel impacts from so called space debris on the ISS?
16. How does the food taste on the ISS and which earthly food do you miss the most?
17. Have you already been involved in an external mission and how is contact with the "spacewalker" maintained?
18. What do you think of space tourism?
19. What happens to all the equipment after the mission?
20. What do you do during the flight to the ISS and what are the biggest challenges involved?
21. What happens in case of extreme health emergencies?

ARISS News Release                                                         No. 23-05  

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Colegio Diocesano Santa María Nuestra Señora, Écija, Spain

February 6, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Santa María Nuestra Señora Diocesan School located in Écija, Spain.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
 
Founded in 1935, Santa María Nuestra Señora Diocesan School is located in the city of Écija (40.000 inhabitants), in the province of Seville (SPAIN) and offers pre-school, primary and secondary education with a student body ages 3 to 16 years. The school provides educational innovation in, STEAM, PBL (Project-based learning), programming and robotics. During the three years leading up to this ARISS contact, students learned about space exploration through hands-on activities that included constructing models of planets in our solar system, radio communications with members of the URE Seville (Union of Spanish Radio Amateurs) and completed projects from the European Space Education Resource Office-Spain (ESERO). These activities also showed students what it is like to live and work in the ISS, and included visits to the science and technology park to discover how this helps us in our daily live.
 
This will be a telebridge contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Josh Cassada, amateur radio call sign KI5CRH. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the telebridge station.
 
The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Casale Monferrato, Italy. The amateur radio volunteer team at the station will use the callsign IK1SLD, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 8, 2023 at 11:13:59 am CET (Spain) (10:13:59UTC, 5:13 am EST, 4:13 am CST, 3:13 am MST, 2:13 am PST).
 
The public is invited to watch the live stream at:  http://www.ariotti.com/.  They are also streaming at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nYFP7qzUtk.
_______________________________
 
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Is it cold in space?
2. How do astronauts sleep in space?
3. How can data be transmitted from space to Earth in real time?
4. What do you spend your time on? Are you always working on experiments?
5. What happens if you get injured, hurt or sick in the space?  Are there doctors on board?
6. How do astronauts eat and drink without gravity?
7. How do astronauts take a shower and go to the wc?
8. How can you breathe at the international station if there is no atmosphere/oxygen in space?
9. What is your main mission on the International Space Station?
10. How do you protect from orbital debris, or “space junk”?
11. What do astronauts like most about living in space?
12. Do you feel anything special as you go past the atmosphere and you stop feeling the Earth’s gravity?
13. How do you want or expect your mission to affect society?
14. What is the maximum time to stay on a space station?
15. Do your legs get numb being weightless?
16. Can plants and trees be grown on the space station?
17. How many astronauts can be on the space station?
18. Are unexplained UFO phenomena studied from the ISS?
19. What do you like most about being in space?
20. What kind of training is required to work on the ISS?

ARISS News Release                                                            No. 23-04

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Cache County School District, Millville, Utah, USA

February 5, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at Ridgeline High School located in Millville, UT.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
 
Cache County School District (District) is sponsoring this ARISS contact, which will take place at Ridgeline H.S. in the suburban community of Millville, UT. The District offers 12-week-long astronomy courses; about 150 astronomy students in grades 9-12 (ages 14-18 years) from both Ridgeline HS and nearby Sky View HS will be at Ridgeline HS for the contact. The District’s main organizational partner for this contact is the Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club (BARC), club call sign W7IVM. Members of BARC have provided technical expertise for the radio equipment setup and will be operating the ground station during the contact. Students have also been learning about amateur radio from BARC members during Ham radio license classes, and participating in hands-on activities during the club’s HF field contests and other ham classes. BARC members also provided Ham radio exam sessions for the students and the community. Other activities BARC members provided the astronomy students included participation in amateur radio satellite contacts, and a hidden transmitter hunt.
 
This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Josh Cassada, amateur radio call sign KI5CRH. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the relay ground station.
 
The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Millville, UT, USA. Amateur radio operators using call sign W7IVM, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 7, 2023 at 11:45:54 am MST(Utah) (18:45:54UTC, 1:45 pm EST, 12:45 pm CST, 10:45 am PST).
 
The public is invited to watch the live stream at: Astronomy students prepare to talk live with an astronaut on the International Space Station or at
The PodCACHE: Making Contact with the International Space Station
 
_______________________________
 
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What is your biggest, personal goal in relation to space?
2. What keeps you pushing your limits when you are struggling to find motivation?
3. Was there a specific book, movie, or show that inspired you to become an astronaut?
4. How excited do you feel about the Artemis program and its upcoming missions?
5. How fast are you able to spin in a weightless environment?
6. Despite all your training and preparation for space, what is something about living in space you didn't expect?
7. What is your favorite part about the ARISS program?
8. What are you currently researching?
9. What is the part of your job you look most forward to?
10. What is the most fun or interesting experiment you have conducted in space? 
11. Does sleeping in the sleeping bag trigger insomnia?
12. Do you ever get claustrophobic?
13. Which NASA project do you feel is the most important to us as human beings?
14. When did or what made you first realize you wanted to be an astronaut?
15. What's the most beautiful view you've seen from space?
16. How many repairs do you usually do to/on the space station daily?
17. If able to access music in space, what types do you usually listen to?
18. Is there a food you think is better in space than Earth?
19. Are plants grown aboard the ISS similar in size as the same plant grown on Earth?
20. What is your favorite 'trick' to do in a weightless environment?

ARISS News Release                                                          No. 23-03

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, Connecticut, USA

January 27, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Norwich Free Academy located in Norwich, CT.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
 
Founded in 1854, Norwich Free Academy (NFA) is a secondary school in eastern Connecticut, with a student population of more than 2,100, and serving local communities as well as international students from China, Canada, and Finland.
 
Leading up to this ARISS contact, NFA integrated an array of topics into the science curriculums for all grades. Students investigated Newtonian gravitational laws and Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion using a hands-on lab, a PhET interactive simulation, and video lessons. Students learned about the systems in place to help keep astronauts alive while living and working on the ISS; one student used NASA resources for a research project to discover how basic human needs (air, water, sleep, exercise, etc.) are met on the ISS. The NFA Amateur Radio & Engineering Club (ham radio call sign W1HLO) members and advisors installed an amateur radio satellite ground station on campus last year, thanks to a generous ARDC grant. Students in the club now get hands-on learning at the ham station for how to communicate using amateur radio satellites and how to receive weather satellite images.
 
Students will ask their questions of Astronaut Josh Cassada, amateur radio call sign KI5CRH, who will use ARISS’s ISS call sign NA1SS. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and audio may be heard by listeners within the ISS footprint that also encompasses the ground radio station at NFA. NFA club advisors and members, using the call sign W1HLO, will establish and maintain the amateur radio operations for this ARISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for January 30, 2023 at 1:55 pm EST (CT) (18:55:20 UTC, 12:55 pm CST, 11:55 am MST, 10:55 am PST).
 
The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtu.be/pTkaCtam8m0 .
_______________________________
 
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What was the journey like for you to become an astronaut and is there anything you would recommend to someone aspiring to become one?
2. Can you tell us about how the ISS is resupplied and what kinds of things get delivered to you?
3. What experiments are going on in the ISS?
4. Are you concerned about disuse osteoporosis and what do you do in space prevent it?
5.  If you get sick in space, what would you do?
6. How do you use the bathroom in space?
7. What does your routine look like on the space station from when you wake up to when you go to sleep?
8. What does the food you eat taste like?
9. How do you keep in contact with friends and family?
10.  What were the hardest things to get used to while in space?
11. How do you stay clean in space?
12. What was the most dangerous thing you’ve experienced in space?
13. Have you gotten taller in space and if so, has it caused any pain?
14. Is it possible for things to collide with the ISS and what would you do if that happened?
15. What do you do on your free time?
16. What does it feel like entering and leaving space?
17. Has being an astronaut changed your views about society and our planet?
18. How do you sleep?
19. What is your favorite and least favorite part about being on board the ISS?
20. Why did you decide to be an astronaut after hearing all the dangers that come with it?
21. What is the grossest thing in space?
22. What is it like to go on a spacewalk?
23. Will you bring back any souvenirs from space?

ARISS News Release                                                                No. 23-02

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Brentwood Elementary School of Engineering, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

January 24, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Brentwood Elementary School of Engineering located in Raleigh, NC.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
 
Brentwood Magnet Elementary School of Engineering is located near downtown Raleigh and is part of the Wake County Public School System’s Magnet Programs. The school tries to inspire students’ interest in STEM, especially for those groups underrepresented in the STEM field. The school provides special engineering classes so that students are able to learn about engineering every day. The engineering challenges that students participate in are also related to their classes in language arts, math, science, and social studies. For instance, when pre-Kindergarten students are reading the story of the three little pigs, students work through a cycle of the engineering/design process to engineer a house that will withstand the huffing and puffing of the big bad wolf. In preparation for this ARISS contact, students have completed hands-on activities in the school’s MakerSpaces Labs that included coding space-related robots, and engineering rockets and parachutes that would meet certain NASA recommendations. Students have also met with a ham radio operator, guest speaker, and member of the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society.
 
This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Koichi Wakata, amateur radio call sign KI5TMN. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the telebridge station.
 
The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Aartselaar, Belgium. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign ON4ISS, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for January 26, 2023 at 12:31 pm EST (NC) (17:31:24UTC, 11:31 am CST, 10:31 am MST, 9:31 am PST).
 
The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://twitter.com/wcpssmagnets?s=20&t=wGpUbhsBiVLYDLbr88eM8g
_______________________________
 
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Have you met any of the astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, or Apollo Missions?
2. What made you decide to become an astronaut
3. What does space look like from the ISS?
4. What types of jobs did you have before becoming an astronaut?
5. Is it scary to travel or live in space?
6. What do you do for fun while you are in space?
7. What type of plants are currently grown on the ISS?  Are any of them food for astronauts?
8. How long will you stay on the ISS?
9. How do you get electricity in space?
10. When you are not training for a trip to the ISS what else do you do as an astronaut?
11. What kind of exercise do you do on the ISS and how often do you do it?
12. Have you been in space before?  If so, how does your body react when you return to earth?
13. What is the most fun experiment you’ve worked on while in space?
14.  What was your favorite class when you were in elementary school?  Do you think it helped you become an astronaut?
15.  What is the toughest and the best thing about being in space?
16. What activities require you to put on a spacesuit?  How long does it take to put it on?
17. What is a problem you have had while in space?  How did you solve it?
18. What kinds of experiments are you doing on the ISS?
19.  Besides snow, are there any weather phenomena you can see from space?
20. What is the first thing you want to do when you get back to Earth?