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March 29. 2022

3/29/2022

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PictureKerry Banke with MVPS Device
ARISS News Release                                                                No. 22-16

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

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.

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March 18, 2022

3/18/2022

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ARISS News Release                                                          No. 22-15

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Toyonaka High School, Toyonaka, Japan


March 18, 2022—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between astronauts on-board the International Space Station (ISS) and Japanese students at the Toyonaka High School in Toyonaka, Japan.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on-board the ISS.
 
Toyonaka High School, founded in 1921, is one of Osaka’s prefectural high schools, located in Toyonaka, Osaka.  The school is designated as one of the Global Leader’s High Schools, and also designated as one of the Super Science High Schools. Members (about 30 students) of the Toyonaka High School Science Club, as part of their science activities, hold scientific labs for elementary school children a few times a year.  This year’s science club activity involves 20 elementary school children that are participating in this ARISS contact.  Science club members helped the children think about questions to ask astronauts on board the ISS and translate the questions into English.  After the contact, Toyonaka High School students will also participate in space science activities with the elementary school students. The Kansai ARISS project team is assisting the school with this contact.
 
This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio and students will take turns asking their questions of Astronaut Kayla Barron, amateur radio call sign KI5LAL. Local Covid-19 protocols are adhered to as applicable for each ARISS contact. 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 ground station.
 
Amateur radio operators in Toyonaka, Japan will use call sign 8J3THS to serve as the amateur radio ground station.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for March 21, 2022 at 5:46 pm JST (JPN) (8:46:32 UTC, 4:46 am EDT, 3:46 am CDT, 2:46 am MDT, 1:46 am PDT).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
 
1. What is your favorite space food?
2. How do you go to the bathroom in space?
3. How do you take a bath in space?
4. How are injuries and illness treated in space?
5. Because of COVID-19, people all over the world have to wear masks. Do you wear a mask on the ISS, too?
6. What kind of training do you do in space?
7. What happens if you throw something on the ISS?
8. Can you see lightning from the ISS?
9. How can you see stars and constellations from space?
10. What are the hardest things on the ISS?
11. What are fun things to do on the ISS?
12. What do you want to eat after coming back to the earth?
13. What were you interested in when you were 11 years old?
14. What made you want to become an astronaut?
15. What kind of effort did you make to become an astronaut?
16. What is your dream for the future as an astronaut?
17. What do you do on the ISS?
18. What is the biggest problem of weightlessness?
19. Can you distinguish a heavy object and a light object in zero gravity?
20. How can you get along with other crew members from different countries?

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March 15, 2022

3/15/2022

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ARISS News Release                                                                No. 22-14

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Youth Members of
Kids Star Club Sayama, Sayama, Japan

March 15, 2022—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between astronauts on-board the International Space Station (ISS) and Japan youth members of the Kids Star Club Sayama in Sayama, Japan.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on-board the ISS.
 
Prior to this ARISS event, the Kids Star Club has held an amateur radio licensing seminar for the youth members, as well as lessons about radio waves, electricity, and space. Those successfully licensed youth will participate in the Q&A portion of the ARISS event. English will be the language used for this contact.
 
This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing these youth to take turns asking their questions of Astronaut Mark Vande Hei, amateur radio call sign KG5GNP. Local Covid-19 protocols are adhered to as applicable for each ARISS contact. 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 ground station.
 
Kids Star Club youth members in Sayama, Japan will use the amateur radio ground station with call sign 8J1KSC to contact the ISS for this ARISS contact.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for March 17, 2022 at 7:21:47 pm JST (JPN) (10:21:47 UTC, 6:21 am EDT, 5:21 am CDT, 4:21 am MDT, 3:21 am PDT).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
 
1. What is the most beautiful constellation that you can see from the ISS?
2. What was your job before becoming an astronaut and how does it influence your job now?
3. Did you see a lot of space debris from the ISS?
4. What food do you like to eat while in space?
5. What is the most unusual phenomenon that can be seen from space? What kind of phenomenon is it?
6. How does a paper airplane "fly" in the space station?
7. Can analog clocks work in space?
8. Do you think humans can really live in space?
9. How did you first feel when you got into space?
10. What do you want to do first when you return to Earth?
11. What do you enjoy the most in space?
12. How do you brush your teeth in space?
13. Which is easier, life with gravity or life without gravity?
14. How is the view of the sun rise from the ISS?
15. Is there any space food that can only be eaten in space?
16. What's the hardest thing you have ever done in space and how did you overcome that?
17. How do you feel when you look at Earth from space?


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March 3, 2022

3/3/2022

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ARISS News Release No. 22-13

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. 

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Amateur Radio on the International Space Station is a program that lets students experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crew members of the International Space Station.  Learn More

ARISS appreciates our partners and sponsors:
National Amateur Radio Societies and AMSAT Organizations in Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the USA.


Member of the Space Station Explorers consortium.


Funded in part by the ISS National Lab.
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