ARISS News Release                                                   No. 23-60

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at New Heights School & Learning Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

November 14, 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 New Heights School & Learning Services in Calgary, CAN.  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.
 
New Heights School is a private school for autistic and neurodivergent students, serving 123 students, grade levels ranging from Kindergarten to Grade 12. The school has small class sizes of 10 or 11 students with about two teaching staff in each class and therapists throughout the school. Leading up to this ARISS contact the school has involved all students in a “Life in Space” themed science month. Each classroom focused on one unique project, which integrated subjects that included; Sky Science, Space Exploration, and Electromagnetic Energy. Students were able to demonstrate their learning through research projects, creating posters, creating websites, creative writing activities and public speaking.
 
This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Andreas Mogensen, amateur radio call sign KG5GCZ. 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 November 17, 2023 at 10:06:45 am MST (Alberta, CAN) (17:06:45 UTC, 12:06 pm EST, 11:06 am CST, 9:06 am PST).
 
The public is invited to watch the live stream at: Watch for possible Livestream www.ariotti.com starting 15min before AOS.
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What was it like exiting Earth and boarding the ISS?
2. How do you sleep?
3. What is the scariest thing that has happened in space?
4. When was the last time you were on Earth?
5. What kind of food do you eat in space?
6. What kind of experiments do you perform?
7. What is the strangest thing you have seen in space?
8. How do you go outside of the ISS without floating away?
9. How much power does the ISS use every day?
10. What is the longest spacewalk you have done?
11. Has any space junk threatened the structural state of the ISS?
12. How do you dispose of garbage on the ISS?
13. Do you exercise?
14. How old do you have to be to go to space?
15. Can you watch videos or play online games on the ISS, or can you only enjoy board games while on board?

ARISS News Release                                                                 No. 23-59

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Halls Head College, Mandurah, Western Australia, Australia

November 3, 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 Halls Head College in Mandurah, Western Australia, AUS.  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.
 
Halls Head College is a co-educational Independent Public School with just under 1400 students in Years 7 to 12.  The school offers a wide range of subjects from general courses to ATAR and has a large selection of Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses offered both on and off campus. Prior to this ARISS contact, a cross-curricular STEM approach has been implemented as well as developing community partnerships with professional and university lecturers in the fields of space exploration.
 
This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Loral O’Hara, amateur radio call sign KI5TOM. 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 Paardekraal, South Africa. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign ZS6JON, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
 
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for November 6, 2023 at 3:52:56 pm AWST (Mandurah) (7:52:56 UTC, 2:52 am EST, 1:52 am CST, 12:52 pm MST, 11/5/23 11:52 pm PST).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What is the main thing you miss about Earth?
2. What have you learned that you didn’t know before going to the ISS?
3. What/who was your biggest inspiration?
4. What has been the most challenging obstacle you have had to face?
5. What is your everyday routine on the ISS?
6. What was the most memorable part of your astronaut training (good or bad)?
7. What qualifications do you need to become an astronaut?
8. What is the weirdest thing that has happened in space?
9. What is the first step to becoming an astronaut and how long does the training take?
10. What effect does being in space have on the human body?
11. Can you boil water in space?
12. Do you think space would have a smell? How would you smell it?
13. What type of food do you eat in space and what is your favourite?
14. Do you have a regular job on Earth?
15. What is your objective on the ISS?
16. How has your view of the Earth changed since being in space?
17. What is your role on the ISS?
18. Is it ever boring up there?
19. Are you looking forward to the new space station?
20. What kinds of exercises do you do in space?