Upcoming Educational Contacts – ARISS | Amateur Radio on the International Space Station

As of November 20, 2024

Center for the Development of Children and Youth Creativity in the City of Pugachev, Saratov Region, Russia, direct via TBD (Aleksey Ovchinin)
- Wed 2024-11-20 15:16 UTC
Escola Secundária Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, Caldas da Rainha, Portugal, direct via CS5SS (Don Pettit KD5MDT)
- Fri 2024-11-22 16:37:40 UTC 31 deg
- Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/QzZOq7bhOas
Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via RКØJ (Alex Gorbunov)
- Thu 2024-11-21 11:24 UTC
Colégio do Castanheiro, Ponta Delgada, Azores, direct via CQ8CDC (Don Pettit KD5MDT)
- Tue 2024-11-26 14:57:32 UTC 74 deg
- Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/ORRXzIPnjvg
Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia, direct via TBD (Ivan Vagner)
- Thu 2024-11-28 15:05 UTC
Scuola Media “Giovanni Verga”, Caltanissetta, Italy, direct via IT9AOI (Don Pettit KD5MDT)
- Fri 2024-11-29 11:01:30 UTC 59 deg
- Watch for Livestream at https://meet.google.com/bdb-hoaf-iaf and also on https://www.youtube.com/@scuolamediafilippocordova

ARISS News Release No. 24-81

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Erie Migration District School, Kingsville, Ontario, Canada

November 16, 2024—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 Erie Migration District School located in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Erie Migration District School, opened in September 2024, is a K-12 school located in Kingsville, Canada, and is state of the art. The school accommodates about 1000 Elementary and 800 Secondary students, and is a dual track school, offering French Immersion and English streams.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Sunita Williams, amateur radio call sign KD5PLB. 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 ground station will use the call sign, IK1SLD to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for November 18, 2024 at 11:41:47 am EST (ON, Canada) (16:41:47 UTC, 10:41 am CST, 9:41 am MST, 8:41 am PST).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. How does your suit help you breath?
2. What do you do when you are up there? Are there certain tasks that you have to do every day?
3. How long would it take to build another space station and are there plans for one?
4. What happens if you get sick in space?
5. What is the process of becoming an astronaut? How long does it take one to get the opportunity to go to Space?
6. Have you learned anything that has a major impact on our planet by being in space?
7. When was your decision to become an astronaut and was there someone who inspired you to become an astronaut?
8. Have you ever had something scary happen to you in space?
9. Is it realistic for humans to one day live on another planet? Or even to use other planets as a travel destination for leisure?
10. Is it easier or harder for the human heart to pump blood through the body in space, because of the lack of gravity?
11. What projects are you working on and how will they affect us on Earth?
12. What does it look like when you are leaving the Earth’s atmosphere?
13. How do you keep healthy and exercise in space?
14. Is there a certain sickness that you only get in space? If so, how do you treat it from space?
15. What’s the greatest challenge you face as an astronaut?
16. Which planet, in our galaxy or other, is closest to having an atmosphere conducive to human life (water, temperature, oxygen)?
17. How do you know if it is day or night and is that important to know?
18. What happens if you throw a boomerang in space?
19. What do you have to do to prepare yourself to go into space?
20. What do you do with your spare time?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-80

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Cottam Scouts, Cottam, Ontario, Canada

November 14, 2024—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 Cottam Scouts located in Cottam, Ontario, Canada. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Scouting came to Canada in early 1908 with three troops established almost simultaneously inspired by Robert Baden-Powell’s Boy Scouts movement in the UK. Throughout the decades, Scouting has adapted to societal changes, introducing programs focusing on environmental stewardship, leadership, and inclusivity. The Cottam Scouting group emphasizes their local heritage, incorporating outdoor skills like camping, hiking, canoeing along with other key elements of youth development, like community service leadership. For this ARISS contact, neighboring Scouting Groups and their families have been invited to attend this event.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for November 16, 2024 at 1:17 pm EST (Ontario, CAN) (18:17 UTC, 12:17 pm CST, 11:17 am MST, 10:17 am PST).

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

Have you seen any aliens in space?
What is their favourite planet?
How many stars are there in the Universe?
What do you eat and how do you cook in space?
How did you become an astronaut?
What can you see from outer space? Can you see Lake Erie?
How do you get back from the ISS?
Have you been to the moon?
How long does it take to get to space?
How long do your air tanks last?
Have you found any life on Mars yet?
How much schooling does it take to be an astronaut?
Can you see more constellations from space?
How much does a black hole weigh?
How cold is it in space?
What is your favorite sci-fi movie? Are there any that annoy you?
What are you studying in the space station?
Do you believe we ever will be to travel through space infinite distances in milliseconds?

ARISS News Release No. 24-79

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at

Bishop O’Connell High School, Arlington, Virginia, USA

November 13, 2024—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 Bishop O’Connell HS located in VA, USA. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Bishop O’Connell High School is a diocesan Catholic college-preparatory high school founded in 1957 and located in Arlington, Virginia. About 1,200 students are drawn from the diverse population of Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. The school offers a technology-infused, student-centered, learning environment, with an average class size of 17. The curriculum includes classes in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)–including a Project Lead the Way engineering curriculum–dual credit offerings with Marymount University, and an optional Global Studies program.

Students also have the opportunity to pursue independent research projects and participate in supplemental club activities and programs with a STEM focus. Faculty at O’Connell collaborate through STEM-driven projects/activities that include using innovative technology solutions such as the use of big data to solve real-world problems. These activities include building and tracking satellites, small chip payload development, high-altitude experiments, underwater robotics, Coding, and Amateur Radio.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Nick Hague, amateur radio call sign KG5TMV. 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 Andergrove, Mackay, Queensland, Australia. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign VK4ISS, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for November 15, 2024 at 1:06:21 pm EST (VA) (18:06:21 UTC, 12:06 pm CST, 11:06 am MST, 10:06 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtube.com/live/qlIufW_FCBU?feature=share

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

What implications could the recent circadian rhythm studies aboard the ISS have for our use of artificial light fixtures?
How do you overcome the language barrier when working with astronauts from other countries? Do you ever use sign language?
What did it take in high school that led to you becoming an astronaut?
When you go to sleep, what position do you fall asleep to and when you wake up, have you ever woken up upside down?
How does being in space change your perspective on life on Earth?
How often do you see meteoroids close to the international space station?
How closely does your training mimic the actual conditions of space?
What do you miss most about earth when you’re in space?
Have you ever experienced a communication blackout with mission control while in space?
What personal items did you choose to bring with you and why?
Hypothetically, if you could show an alien any item from earth, what would it be and why?
What was the biggest challenge you had to face on the ISS?
Can you describe the feelings you have as you look at the Earth and stars?
What is something or someone that you miss that you didn’t know you would miss when you went into outer space?
How does NASA plan to continue human exploration as the ISS nears the end of its mission?
How did your view on life change from before you went to space from after you went to space?
If you could bring a new space food item to be sent on future missions, what would it be and why?
Have your dreams or sleep patterns changed since being in space, and have you noticed any interesting themes or experiences in your dreams?
How has being in space altered your sense of home or comfort, and what do you do to create a sense of familiarity while living in space?
How does your perception of time differ while in space?

ARISS News Release No. 24-78

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ARISS SSTV Event

Planned Interruptions

November 12, 2024 — Please note that the ARISS SSTV Event currently in operation, will be experiencing planned interruptions as noted in the list below:

Wednesday, Nov. 13 – Progress Test

Off: 12:35 UTC/7:35 am ET On: 13:15 UTC/8:35 am ET

Thursday, Nov. 14 – Soyuz Test

Off: 09:05 UTC/4:05 am ET On: 09:30 UTC/4:30 am ET

Friday, Nov. 15 – Contact with Virginia, USA

Off: 17:05 UTC/12:05 pm ET On: 19:00 UTC/2:00 pm ET

Saturday, Nov. 16 – Contact with Ontario, Canada

Off: 17:55 UTC/12:55 pm ET On: 19:30 UTC/2:30 pm ET

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 24-77

ARISS SSTV Event Scheduled for Next Week

November 6, 2024 — Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announces an SSTV event to be held next week. The event is scheduled to begin on Monday, November 11 at 11:50 UTC and to end Monday, November 18 at 13:40 UTC. SSTV transmissions will be paused during scheduled school contacts on November 15 and 16. Downlink transmissions will be at 145.800 MHz and the mode is expected to be PD 120.

The transmissions will consist of 12 images featuring activities from the 2024 40^th Anniversary Celebrating Amateur Radio in Human Spaceflight. If you are a past participant in our SSTV events, please note that we will be using our newly updated gallery at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/ .

ARISS has a new way to request a special certificate. When participants successfully receive at least one image and submit it at the new gallery, participants will be moved to a thank-you page. There, a person can read text about data protection, and press the button that says “I agree,” and receive an email in two weeks or sooner with a certificate. If a person submits additional images, the thank-you page tells them they have already asked for a certificate.

Thanks to our user community for participating in ARISS.

ARISS News Release No. 24-76

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Bandello Primary School, Castelnuovo Scrivia, Italy

November 5, 2024—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 Bandello Primary School located in Castelnuovo Scrivia, Italy. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Bandello Primary School is located in Castelnuovo Scrivia, a town in the countryside located in the North of Italy. It is a small primary school, with 11 classes, a gym and a computer lab. Students have been studying the science of space since last year.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Meadow Spring, Australia. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the call sign VK6MJ, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for November 7, 2024 at 8:56 am CEST (Italy) 7:56 UTC, 2:56 am EST, 1:56 am CST, 12:56 am MST, 11:56 pm PST).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Do you dream while sleeping in space?
2. Can you get sick in space?
3. Which food do you miss the most on the ISS?
4. Did you always know you wanted to be an astronaut?
5. What have you learned on the ISS that will help future human exploration of space?
6. How do you handle any conflicts between crew members with different cultural backgrounds?
7. How long does it take to wear the EVA suit?
8. What do you feel observing the Earth from the ISS?
9. What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen in space?
10. How do you perceive time passing on the space station?
11. Are you more eager to go to space or to return home?
12. What sensations do you feel during the first days in space?
13. How do you move around the ISS while on an EVA?
14. Is it difficult to get used again to gravity when back on Earth?
15. How a carpenter’s bubble level behaves in space?
16. Do you see stars twinkling or not, since you’re out of the atmosphere?
17. What’s your favorite city to look at from space?
18. Is there a typical smell on the ISS?
19. What is your favourite experiment on the ISS?
20. Can you see other planets from the ISS?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-75

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Instituto Privado Rivadavia, Alderetes, Tucuman, Argentina

November 1, 2024—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 Instituto Privado Rivadavia located in Alderetes, AR. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The school is in the interior of the Province of Tucuman in Argentina. Their science and technology program of study includes robotics and artificial intelligence.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions astronaut Sunita Williams, amateur radio call sign KD5PLB. The downlink frequency of 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 Alderetes, AR. Amateur radio operators using call sign LU5KHF, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for November 4, 2024 at 10:02 am ART (Argentina) (13:02 UTC, 8:02 am EST, 7:02 am CST, 6:02 am MST, 5:02 am PST).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What are you doing in space?
2. Is this your first mission?
3. How many people are there with you in the spacecraft?
4. Are you scared in space?
5. What is your favourite thing to do in space?
6. What was your favourite part of the mission?
7. How do you prepare physically and mentally for a space mission?
8. Are you happy to be an astronaut?
9. Do you see aliens in space?
10. Do you have a favourite planet?
11. How do you talk to your family from space?
12. Did you meet any other astronauts in space?
13. What inspired you to become an astronaut and explore space?
14. How do you prepare for a space mission?
15. What is the most challenging part of being in space?
16. Did you have to fix any problems on the spaceship?
17. Did you bring any souvenirs from home?
18. Can you tell us about a particularly exciting experience during your time in space?
19. What kind of scientific experiments do you conduct in space, and how do they contribute to our understanding of the universe?
20. What advice would you give to students like me who are interested in pursuing a career in space exploration?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-74

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Colegio Parroquial el Savador, Yerba Buena, Argentina

October 28, 2024—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 Colegio Parroquial el Savador located in Yerba Buena, Argentina. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Colegio “El Salvador” is a 60-year-old, non-profit catholic school belonging to the archbishopric from Tucumán, Argentina. The high school has about 400 students ages 12 – 17. Courses include economics and management, humanistic and social sciences, English, science, and computer science.
Every year, students participate in competitions (inter- school Olympics) in math, literature, economics and natural studies, and others. These competitions are carried out at a local, provincial and national level. Students also participate in various student clubs with teacher oversight. In addition, the school hosts a student exchange program (with students from Italy and Poland currently attending).

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Don Pettit, amateur radio call sign KD5MDT. 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 Yerba Buena. Amateur radio operators using call sign LU5KHF, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 30, 2024 at 12:32 pm ART (Argentina) (15:32 UTC, 11:32 am EDT, 10:32 am CDT, 9:32 am MDT, 8:32 am PDT).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Which kind of training course or studies do you take for being an astronaut?
2. Which medical test do you undertake before going on a space mission?
3. Do you need any special diet or physical training before a mission?
4. How do you deal with a lack of sunlight and vitamin D? How does it affect your health? Do you take supplements?
5. Which kind of food do you eat a mission? How do you eat?
6. How do you sleep in space? Do you take turns?
7. Do you have any means of entertainment during a space mission? Which ones?
8. What do you do with rubbish in space?
9. What does an eclipse look like from space?
10. What do you do to take care of your mental health?
11. What do you miss the most being on a mission?
12. How long does a mission to space last?
13. Do you have the same mealtimes that you do on Earth? How often do you eat? Is digestion different in space?
14. How do you drink water?
15. What kind of psychological training do you need for going on a mission?
16. What is the process of coming back to Earth?
17. Do your intestinal microbiota change by eating the same food? Do you have different diets?
18. How does space exploration help combat climate change?
19. Have you experienced any unusual situations in space? If so, could you give us examples?
20. What does the sun look like from space?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-73

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Coastal Community School, Satellite Beach, Florida, USA

October 28, 2024—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 Coastal Community School located in Satellite Beach, FL. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Coastal Community School is located in Satellite Beach, Florida, a town on one of Florida’s east-coast barrier islands in the shadow of Kennedy Space Center and just a few blocks from Patrick Space Force Base. Founded in 2014 by Sarah Angrisani, an educator and school psychologist, Coastal Community School is a hybrid learning system in which students are in a classroom setting Tuesday through Thursday. On Mondays and Fridays they are learning at home. The school has about 150 students in pre-K through 8th grade.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Sunita Williams, amateur radio call sign KD5PLB. 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 Satellite Beach, FL. Amateur radio operators using call sign KD4GPI, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 30, 2024 at 9:42 am EDT (Florida) (13:42 UTC, 8:42 am CDT, 7:42 am MDT, 6:42 am PDT).

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Do you want to go to Mars or back to the moon first?
2. What do you miss most about Earth when you are on the ISS?
3. Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet?
4. How is what you are doing today in space going to benefit me as a 2nd grader in the future?
5. What is your favorite project on the ISS?
6. What are your 3 favorite things about being in space?
7. What is the hardest thing to do in space?
8. Why did you choose to go to space?
9. Describe what it felt like to launch into space both physically and emotionally.
10. How does re-entry into the atmosphere feel different than liftoff?
11. What was the most challenging part of training to go into space?
12. Did your childhood interests motivate you to seek a space-related career?
13. I enjoy 3D printing. What kinds of things and how frequently do you 3D print on the ISS?
14. What is the scariest moment you had in space?
15. If the ISS is over Cape Canaveral during a liftoff, can you see the rocket coming at you?
16. What current experiment are you working on?
17. How many spacewalks have you done and what is your favorite part of a spacewalk?
18. What is one thing you didn’t take that you wish you would have?
19. What do you do for fun?
20. What happens when you get sick in space?
21. How is the real ISS different from what we see in the movies?
22. What do you hope to have learned when your time on the ISS is complete?
23. What is your favorite thing to eat while on the ISS?
24. Do you celebrate holidays on the ISS? If so, how?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-72

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Ceip San Ignacio Del Viar, Alcalá Del Rio, Spain

October 24, 2024—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 Ceip San Ignacio Del Viar located in Alcalá Del Rio, Spain. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The San Ignacio del Viar Early Childhood and Primary Education School is a rural school with about 80 students and a staff of 11 teachers.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Nick Hague, amateur radio call sign KG5TMV. 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 San Ignacio del Viar. Amateur radio operators using call sign EG7SIV, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 25, 2024 at 11:56:08 am CEST (Alcalá Del Rio) (09:56:08 UTC, 5:56 am EDT, 4:56 am CDT, 3:56 am MDT, 2:56 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/live/N-aRpG-nz1M
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Is the Sun the only source of energy on the ISS?
2. How do you strengthen mental and physical health on the ISS?
3. Is Artificial Intelligence used on the ISS?
4. What is the most important thing to do on the ISS when you wake up?
5. We have a vegetable garden in our school. Do you usually grow plants on the ISS?
6. Will amateur radio still be in the future of the space age?
7. Are you doing any research for missions to the Moon and Mars?
8. Are animals usually brought to the ISS?
9. What advice would you give to children who want to be astronauts?
10. What have you learned from working in space with your international crew members?
11. How do you recycle on the ISS?
12. Is space debris being a problem space junk ISS?
13. How do you generate water and oxygen?
14. What kind of studies are being conducted on climate change?
15. What is the main challenge of a human colony on the Moon?
16. What is the most uncomfortable thing about living on the ISS?
17. What is the impact that the body experiences caused by lack of gravity?
18. What is teamwork like with the other astronauts?
19. What is it like to sleep in microgravity?
20. How are astronauts Butch and Suni, and what role do they currently play on the ISS?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-71

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Magnet Innovation Center, Inlet Beach, Florida, USA

October 22, 2024—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 Magnet Innovation Center located in Inlet Beach, FL. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Magnet Innovation Center is the newest public high school in Walton County School District and provides a STEAM program of study in the fields of biomedical science, computer science, digital design, engineering, fine arts through theatre, and game design. For the last year, students have had the opportunity to research space exploration in preparation of this ARISS contact. Students in the school’s Wireless Technology Club have been instrumental in the preparation for this contact. They helped build and install radio equipment that will be used during this contact. The entire school will be in attendance for this contact, while the local elementary and middle schools will be watching via livestreaming.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Inlet Beach, FL. Amateur radio operators using call sign WD9GIU, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 24, 2024 at 10:23 am CDT (Inlet Beach, FL) (15:23 UTC, 11:23 am EDT, 9:23 am MDT, 8:23 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtube.com/live/L1ykXRXIUvs?feature=share and https://live.ariss.org/
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Do training regimens differ for shorter missions compared to extended missions?
2. How do you think space travel and exploration will further humankind?
3. How long does it take to readjust to Earth’s gravitational force when you return home?
4. What ongoing research aboard the ISS is being conducted that could speak to terraforming Mars or increasing the likelihood of habitability on another planet, and do all countries represented on the ISS have equitable access to this research?
5. How did you feel when you saw the Earth from space for the first time?
6. Why is space exploration important?
7. How do you cope with the isolation and confinement of space, and how has it affected you mentally, physically, and emotionally?
8. What bacteria can live in the biome of Mars or other planets being considered for future human habitation, and what makes them able to do so?
9. Do you have the technological capacity to see beyond the infinitesimally small portion of the light wave spectrum visible to the naked eye while in outer space from that much closer of a vantage point to cosmic phenomenon; if so, how has it shaped your view of the universe?
10. In the same way that vehicular emissions cause concern for Earth, are there any concerns for how emissions or even the newfound presence or introduction of new particles into space will have ramifications we might not possibly yet know or understand; if so, what processes are in place to mitigate the effects?
11. Have you ever seen something in space that you can’t explain?
12. Is the construct of time different or perceived differently in space given the 16 daily passes across all time zones on Earth an astronaut may experience on any given day aboard the ISS; if so, how, and does it impact your circadian rhythm?
13. Are rigorous medical examinations completed for all astronauts before being sent into space to reduce the likelihood of contamination of communicable disease; do all astronauts from various countries on the ISS submit to a similar standard battery of medical exams to screen for and prevent the spread of communicable disease?
14. Can you describe the role of computer vision algorithms that are used to guide spacecraft landings and how the systems or structures that encase this sensitive technology protect it from the extreme heat and pressure of re-entry?
15. What is the most exciting or awe-inspiring moment you have experienced in space?
16. How are operations for future crewed lunar missions progressing?
17. What do you love most about space?
18. Besides rehydrating food, what are other ways to prepare food in space?
19. What preparation did you undergo to become an astronaut?
20. In what ways does the design of the rocket affect its aerodynamics?
21. What is your exercise regimen in space?
22. In the 21st-century, to what extent did virtual reality play a role in your training to become an astronaut?
23. What was the best moment you’ve experienced during your time as an astronaut?
24. How do you receive medical attention while in space?
25. What is the most trivial thing you miss about being on Earth?
26. If you had the ability to create artificial gravity inside the ISS, would you want it, or would you rather stay in zero gravity floating; why?
27. Do you grow plants on the ISS; if so, how?
28. What is your primary research objective on this mission?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-70
Rescheduled

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at The Robert Drake Primary School, Essex, United Kingdom

October 19, 2024—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 Robert Drake Primary School located in Essex, UK. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Robert Drake Primary School (with about 313 students) is located in Benfleet, Essex about 30 miles east of London along the Thames estuary.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Greenbelt, Maryland, U.S. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign K6DUE, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS Contact with The Robert Drake Primary School, Essex, UK has been rescheduled for Monday, October 21, 2024 at 14:57 pm BST (UK) (13:57:46 UTC, 9:57 am EDT, 8:57 am CDT, 7:57 am MDT, 6:57 am PDT) and will be a telebridge via VK4KHZ.
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What do I need to learn to be an astronaut?
2. What do you do to have fun in space?
3. How long has the international space station been in space?
4. Is time different in space?
5. Do you watch TV? If yes, what do you watch?
6. What do you eat and how do you eat it?
7. What advice would you give kids like me who may want to be an astronaut in the future?
8. How do people drink on the space station?
9. How do you get food and water in space?
10. What is your favourite part of Earth to fly over and why?
11. Have you ever walked in space?
12. What is your favourite part of being an astronaut on the space station?
13. Does it take long to get use to gravity back home?
14. Do you get chance to speak to family in friends and how do you do it?
15. Have you seen any shooting stars or comets whilst on the space station?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-66

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at TEACH-NW Charter School, Springfield, Oregon, USA

October 16, 2024—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 TEACH-NW Charter School located in Springfield, OR. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

TEACH-NW, is a K-12 virtual school serving 650 students. In advance of this ARISS contact, students have been involved in hands-on workshop allowing them to construct a high-gain antenna that will be used for this radio contact with the ISS. Through STEM studies and virtual talks about NASA’s Artemis program and Mars Rover missions, students have been learning about space travel and the scientific principles behind space technology and experiments conducted in space. Additionally, English Language Arts teachers have introduced modules on Mars and space travel, utilizing both scientific texts and science fiction to spark imagination and deepen their understanding.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Springfield, OR. Amateur radio operators using call sign KJ7NLL, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 18, 2024 at 11:27 am PDT (Springfield, OR) (18:27 UTC, 2:27 pm EDT, 1:27 pm CDT, 12:27 pm MDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/@KJ7NLL/streams
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Does the International Space Station make its own oxygen for the astronauts?
2. What kind of plant experiments happen on the International Space Station?
3. Are there any projects you have worked on that make travel to other planets a possibility?
4. How do you communicate with the other astronauts if everyone speaks different languages?
5. What is your mission while you are up there?
6. What does your day-to-day look like at the International Space Station?
7. How has spending time in space changed your perspective on life on Earth?
8. What is your favorite astronomical sight that you’ve gotten to see that is not the Earth?
9. Do astronauts ever get bored in space?
10. Is your favorite food from Earth something they were able to dehydrate and send to space?
11. What is your favorite study that you have been a part of?
12. What is the most challenging thing about being an astronaut?
13. Throughout your whole experience of becoming and being an astronaut, if there were to be one thing you could change, what would that be?
14. Why did you decide to become an astronaut?
15. Have you seen the Aurora Borealis from space?
16. How does it feel to be weightless?
17. Who is the youngest person up there?
18. Have any astronauts brought a pet to the ISS?
19. If you eat or drink something, does your body digest it the same way as it would on Earth?
20. What is your favorite part of being an astronaut?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-65

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Colegio Cervantes, Torreon, Mexico

October 16, 2024—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 Colegio Cervantes located in Torreon, Mexico. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Colegio Cervantes is an 84-year-old institution located in northern Mexico, in Torreón Coahuila. The school has about 1,600 students (elementary – 12th grade). The school’s STEM learning and robotics project will enable students to better understand and appreciate this ARISS contact.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Don Pettit, amateur radio call sign KD5MDT. 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 radio contact is scheduled for October 18, 2024 at 10:59 am CST (Torreon, Mexico) (16:59 UTC, 12:59pm EDT, 11:59 am CDT, 10:59am MDT, 9:59 am PDT).

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What is the greatest benefit that humanity has obtained from space exploration?
2. What will be NASA’s next mission?
3. What is the distance that the rocket or spacecraft needs to reach after launching to separate and keep flying freely into space?
4. What is the most marvelous thing that you have experienced in space?
5. Is there any activity made by robots in the international space station?
6. What happens when an astronaut gets sick while in space?
7. What is the most wonderful thing about being an astronaut?
8. Since the station orbits the Earth every 90 minutes with 16 sunrises and sunsets per day, how do you manage to sleep?
9. What type of research are you working on at the moment?
10. Can you describe what is it like to do a spacewalk?
11. What do you feel when looking down at Earth?
12. What is the most ambitious project that NASA is currently working on?
13. What has been the most difficult and the happiest experience you have had in a space mission?
14. In terms of exploration, where are we going next?
15. How do you prepare physically and psychologically for space missions?
16. If something happened on Earth, could we go to Mars? What conditions does that planet have that would make it possible for us to live there?
17. Has your perspective on Earth and life changed after being in space?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-64

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Istituto Comprensivo “Elena Lucrezua Corner”, Fossò, Italy

October 15, 2024—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 Comprensivo “Elena Lucrezua Corner” located in Fossò, Italy. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Istituto Comprensivo “Elena Lucrezua Corner”, will engage secondary and primary level students (ages 6 to 14) during this ARISS contact. Students have been preparing by watching videos about life on the ISS, participating in the Mission AstroPi Zero challenges, and tracking the ISS in the nighttime sky. Amateur radio operators are supporting students with their studies in radio communications, SSTV, and ISS TV.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Fossò, Italy. Amateur radio operators using call sign IQ3RW, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 18, 2024 at 11:09 am CEST (Fossò, Italy) (9:09 UTC, 5:09 am EDT, 4:09 am CDT, 3:09 am MDT, 2:09 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRrMf-fP3p0
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Which sensations do you feel in the ISS?
2. How long was your longest journey in space?
3. What kind of sounds/noises are there in space?
4. How do you preserve muscle strength and bone mass on the ISS?
5. What happens if, during a spacewalk, an astronaut accidentally loses the grip?
6. What happens if a crew member gets sick? How do you heal him?
7. Which school did you attend to become an astronaut?
8. How many degrees are there in space?
9. What’s your typical daily routine?
10. How do you distinguish which part of the day it is, since in space its dark all around?
11. Do you miss family and friends while on the ISS?
12. What was the most fascinating discovery you did on the ISS?
13. How do you manage your daily activities in space like washing yourself, toilet and eating?
14. What was the strangest experiment that you have done?
15. Why haven’t we gone back again to the Moon since 1972?
16. How do you prevent floating around while working on the ISS?
17. How many times have you been in space so far?
18. Did you discover any life forms in space?
19. Can animals be brought on the ISS?
20. How do you divide tasks on the ISS?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-62

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Greenville Jr High School, Greenville, Illinois, USA

October 9, 2024—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 Greenville Jr HS located in Greenville, Illinois, USA. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Greenville Junior High School (GJHS) and Greenville Elementary is within the rural Bond County Community Unit School District 2. GJHS is hosting this ARISS contact for both the high school students and the elementary students. Encouraged by their previous 2011, ARISS contact (with 48 4th grade students having earned their Ham licenses at that time), ten students from GJHS STEM Club have earned their ham licenses in 2024. The school is again partnering with the Okaw Valley Amateur Radio Club (AD9OV) for this ARISS contact. Students are preparing for the contact, which involves earth/space mini-lessons, Ham Radio workshops, and STEM Nights that are ongoing in the months leading up to the contact.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Greenville, IL. Amateur radio operators using call sign AD9OV, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 11, 2024 at 9:30 am CDT (Greenville, IL) (14:30 UTC, 10:30 am EDT, 8:30 am MDT, 7:30 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://live.ariss.org
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Why should students today consider a role for themselves in the future of space exploration?
2. What was it like when your rocket left the launch pad?
3. What advice would you give a kid who wants to be an astronaut?
4. How did being in space the first time compare to learning about space and seeing pictures of it?
5. What happens to the trash on ISS?
6. What are some daily struggles that happen in space, but not on Earth?
7. What is one thing that you’ve always wanted to achieve as an astronaut?
8. What is the most challenging part of your job?
9. What do you do for fun on the station?
10. What is astronaut training like?
11. What is one food you have had in space that you wish you could take home?
12. Is it physically or emotionally painful getting to and from space?
13. What encouraged or inspired you to be an astronaut?
14. Was experiencing zero gravity the first time how you expected it?
15. Does it feel like the days are longer or time moves slower in space?
16. If you had to choose one word to describe space, what would it be?
17. What do you do if a member of the team gets sick or injured up there?
18. How long does it take for a radio signal to get down to Earth?
19. What is food like on the ISS?
20. Do you personally think humans will live on other planets someday?
21. Do stars look different in space?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-61

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Jaanimmarik Ilinniarvik School, Jaanimmarik Iliniavik, Kuujjuaq, Quebec, Canada

October 9, 2024—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 Jaanimmarik Ilinniarvik School located in Kuujjuaq, Quebec, Canada. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Jaanimmarik School has about 400 students from Grade 4 to Secondary 5 (grade 11). The school teaches three languages, Inuktitut (offered to all indigenous students), and either English or French as a second language. Kuujjuaq is the regional center for Inuit homeland in Quebec, which is called Nunavik 2. None of the villages that are part of Nunavik have road or rail service to southern Canada and can only be accessed by aircraft, or by boats in the summer.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 11, 2024 at 9:11:27 am EDT (Quebec) (13:11:27 UTC, 8:11 am CDT, 7:11 am MDT, 6:11 am PDT).

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. How many years of school to become an astronaut?
2. Do you follow normal time like we do on Earth?
3. How do you go to the bathroom in space?
4. How does it feel to float in zero gravity? How does take-off feel?
5. How will the 2 Starliner astronauts return to Earth?
6. What was your scariest moment in space? Have you brought any souvenirs from space? Does space smell?
7. What do you do if you run out of food? Do you grow plants up there or do you stock up for a whole year or months?
8. What keeps you entertained up there?
9. Do you believe that the universe is infinite?
10. Will we still see the evidence of the moon landings when we go back to the moon?
11. How does it feel to come back to Earth after being in space for a long time and are you sick or does your body feel heavy? Can you walk as soon as you are back?
12. How are you tested to become an astronaut, and does it involve a lot of math and science?
13. Have you come across a portal in space that could possibly lead to another universe?
14. Have you ever seen a black hole from ISS?
15. What do you most like to do in your free time?
16. Why, since the Apollo missions, have we not returned to the moon?
17. Do you want to go to the moon someday?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-60

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at European School of Varese, Varese, Italy

October 9, 2024—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 European School of Varese located in Varese, Italy. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The European School of Varese, founded in 1960, is one of the 13 existing European Schools, and the only European School located in Varese. It has about 1300 pupils and is connected to the Joint Research Centre (JRC). The school is divided into five language sections (Dutch, English, French, German and Italian) and offers mother tongue tuition in all European Union official languages. The European School system consists of Nursery School (ages 4-5), Primary (ages 6-10), and Secondary (ages 11-18) education. Studies of astronomy and physics is included in the syllabus in addition to the study of aerospace engineering and other STEM studies.

This ARISS contact is supported by members of JRC Radio Club (IQ2XH). The JRC (based at Ispra, Italy) is a Science Organization acting as scientific support for the EU policies and decisions. Hundreds of scientists from the 27 countries of the EU work in the JRC. Among these are the radio amateurs who created the JRC Radio Club and who are providing the equipment and technical expertise for this ARISS contact.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is on the school campus in Varese, Italy. Amateur radio operators using call sign IQ2XH, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 11, 2024 at 10:20 am CEST (Italy) (8:20 UTC, 4:20 am EDT, 3:20 am CDT, 2:20 am MDT, 1:20 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/live/x6t1vRa07JU
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What are your thoughts on the planned decommissioning of the ISS, and how do you think it will impact the future of space exploration?
2. Among the experiments carried out is that of wound healing on the skin. Is cell healing and restoration faster in microgravity?
3. How do you perceive time passing on the space station, since you can see the sun rise about 16 times?
4. How long do outside maintenance operations take and how many steps do you have to follow?
5. How does it feel to receive news from Earth while being amongst the few people that are outside our planet?
6. Since you have many things to do every day, do you have any free time? If yes, what do you do with it?
7. What do you think about the countless tasks that you have to do to keep yourself healthy and clean, just because you’re in space?
8. Do you think that the geopolitical situation of the world could interfere in the relationship between scientists on the ISS?
9. What’s the strangest sensation you experience in microgravity during daily life?
10. What has been the most surprising discovery or experiment you’ve been involved in?
11. How do you manage the internal temperature in the ISS when it is -100 to + 100°C outside?
12. How do you get the oxygen to breathe in the space station?
13. Are there festive moments on the space station?
14. Do you miss your normal life on earth?
15. What are the major physical ailments you experience in microgravity?
16. How do you handle any conflicts between crew members?
17.How long did it take you to prepare for your mission?
18. What did you study in school/university to become an astronaut?
19. What emotions did you feel during liftoff?
20. How much time do you normally need to adapt to live in space and what is the harder thing to adapt?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-59

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tengku Ampuan Hajjah Afzan Pahang, Jerantut, Malaysia

October 5, 2024—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 Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tengku Ampuan Hajjah Afzan Pahang located in Kuala Lumpur West Malaysia. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

This ARISS contact coincides with the annual national event, World Space Week, which was instituted in 2007 since Malaysian astronaut, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, flew to the ISS October 10, 2007. This was accomplished under an agreement between the governments of Malaysia and the Russian Federation resulting in the development of the Angkasawan (Malaysian for astronaut) Program to fly the first Malaysian citizen aboard the ISS. Shukor spent nine days aboard the ISS conducting six life science experiments and education demonstrations. This ARISS contact is supported by the National Planetarium, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, with ground station support (9M2RPN).

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Amateur radio operators using call sign 9M2RPN, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 7, 2024 at 7:58 pm MYT (Kuala Lumpur) (11:58 UTC, 7:58 am EDT, 6:58 am CDT, 5:58 am MDT, 4:58 am PDT).

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What does the view of the Earth look like from the ISS?
2. What is the most surprising thing about living in space that you did not expect?
3. What is the biggest challenge you have faced living on the ISS?
4. What is your favorite part of living on the ISS?
5. How do you manage daily routines like sleeping and eating in space?
6. What kind of scientific experiments are you currently conducting on the ISS?
7. What do you miss most about the Earth while you are on the ISS?
8. What is the coolest thing you have seen from the ISS?
9. What do astronauts do to relax after a long day?
10. Have you ever witnessed any strange or unexpected phenomena in space?
11. What advice would you give to young people who want to become an astronaut?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-58

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at 213 RCSCC Qu’Appelle (Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corp), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

October 2, 2024—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 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corp located in Winnipeg, Canada. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps (RCSCC) Qu’Appelle was formed on February 23, 1968. RCSCC Qu’Appelle is one of 4 Sea Cadet Corps in the City of Winnipeg. The Cadet Program is a national program for youth between the ages of 12 to 18 and is supported by both the Department of National Defense and the civilian counterpart of the Sponsoring Committee.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Jeanette Epps, amateur radio call sign KF5QNU. 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 radio contact is scheduled for October 5, 2024 at 11:05 am CDT (Winnipeg) (16:05 UTC, 12:05 pm EDT, 10:05 am MDT, 9:05 am PDT).

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. How do astronauts drink on the space station?
2. What are day to day activities like on the space station?
3. Do you always float on the space station?
4. What is the strangest thing that has happened to you on the space station and how has that impacted you?
5. What is the training like to become an astronaut?
6. How long did it take you to be an astronaut?
7. How do you exercise?
8. What is your morning routine?
9. What’s the toughest thing you have to deal with being in space?
10. How has this experience changed your life?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-57

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Centre de Formation de la Base Aérienne de Payerne, Payerne, Switzerland

October 2, 2024—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 Centre de Formation de la Base Aérienne located in Payerne, Switzerland. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Centre de Formation de la Base Aérienne de Payerne (Swiss Air Force Base) is located in the town of Payerne, 40 km south-west of Berne in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The center offers young people an apprenticeship in a well-equipped environment for about 30 students ages 16 to 20. Since the beginning of the year, the students have been working on technical projects related to space. The ARISS contact will be held at the Clin d’Ailes Military Aviation Museum at Payerne Swiss Air Force Base and is one of the events organized to mark the 80th birthday of Swiss astronaut Claude Nicollier, HB9CN, (during the Payerne Space Days 2024).

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Mike Barratt, amateur radio call sign KD5MIJ. 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 Payerne, Switzerland. Amateur radio operators using call sign HB9SPACE, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 5, 2024 at 4:44:48 pm CEST (Payerne, Switzerland) (14:44:48 UTC, 10:44 am EDT, 9:44 am CDT, 8:44 am MDT, 7:44 am PDT).

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Greetings ESA Astronaut Claude Nicollier, HB9CN
2. Greetings ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, Daniel Neuenschwander
3. Greetings NASA Astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman
4. How many people are currently on board the ISS, what are their nationalities?
5. Do you have any luggage to pack before going to the ISS?
6. What’s the most surprising thing you have experienced in space?
7. What to do if you fall sick in space?
8. Do the stars shine brighter in space?
9. What does it smell like inside the ISS?
10. Is there a quiet place to recharge your batteries inside the ISS?
11. How long does it take to recover from a long stay in space?
12. What qualifications did you need to establish ARISS contacts with students?
13. Do you have to count the calories and sources of nutrients for the day’s meals to avoid deficiencies?
14. How does your body behave in relation to the objects around it in the absence of gravity?
15. Did you have trouble sleeping at the start of your stay on board the ISS?
16. What are the three most important daily habits you have to adopt on board the space station?
17. Do you carry out scientific experiments on board the ISS? If so, how often and of what type?
18. What was your first emotion when you discovered the Earth from the ISS?
19. How many hours and what type of sport should you practice a day to avoid losing muscle mass due to the lack of gravity?

Questions Translation:

1. Greetings ESA Astronaut Claude Nicollier, HB9CN
2. Greetings ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, Daniel Neuenschwander
3. Greetings NASA Astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman
4. Maxime (16): Combien de personnes se trouvent actuellement à bord de l’ISS, quelles sont leurs nationalités?
5. Thomas (16): Avez-vous des bagages à préparer avant de vous rendre à l’ISS?
6. Nora (18): Quelle est la chose la plus surprenante que vous ayez vécue dans l’espace?
7. Mathieu (19): Que faire si vous tombez malade dans l’espace?
8. Sofia (13): Les étoiles brillent-elles plus fort dans l’espace?
9. Guillaume (18): Quelle est l’odeur à l’intérieur de l’ISS?
10. Lisa (14) : Y-a-t ‘il un endroit au calme pour se ressourcer à l’intérieur de l’ISS?
11. Noah (19): Combien de temps faut-il pour se remettre d’un long séjour dans l’espace?
12. Tess (16) :Quelles sont les qualifications dont vous avez eu besoin pour établir des contacts ARISS avec les étudiants?
13. Emilien (18): Devez-vous compter les calories et les sources de nutriments pour les repas de la journée afin d’éviter les carences?
14. Noé (18): Comment votre corps se comporte-t-il par rapport aux objets qui l’entourent en l’absence de gravité?
15. Timeo (15): Aviez-vous des difficultés à dormir au début de votre séjour à bord de l’ISS?
16. Leni (16): Quelles sont les trois habitudes quotidiennes les plus importantes que vous devez prendre à bord de la station spatiale?
17. Gregory (17): Réalisez-vous des expériences scientifiques à bord de l’ISS? Si oui, à quelle fréquence et de quel type?
18. Mael (15): Quelle a été votre première émotion quand vous avez découvert la Terre depuis l’ISS?
19. Alexis (16): Combien d’heures et quel type de sport devez-vous pratiquer par jour pour éviter de perdre de la masse musculaire à cause de l’absence de gravité?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-56

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Members of the Girlguiding Surrey West County, Shepperton, United Kingdom

October 3, 2024—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 members of Girlguiding Surrey West County, at the Brooklands Museum and Brookland Innovation Academy, located in Weybridge, UK. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Girlguiding Surrey West is a charity organization for girls and young women. Girlguiding wants to inspire their members to learn skills in science, technology, engineering and math with fun guiding activities and science-based activities. The Brooklands Innovation Academy, established in 2022, creates inspirational STEM experiences for young people. The age range of the participants for this ARISS contact are 5 to 19 years old. By hosting this ARISS contact they are also demonstrating real-world application of STEM concepts (an important principle at Brooklands Museum) to space missions and are encouraging the girls to complete their space interest badge. The group is being supported by the Radio Society of Great Britain and the ARISS UK Team to establish the radio link.

Girlguiding patron, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh will attend and take part in the ARISS contact to help in promoting the engagement and involvement of girls and young women in STEM.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Weybridge, UK. Amateur radio operators using call sign GB4GGB, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 5, 2024 at 2:05:37 pm BST (Weybridge, UK) (13:05:22 UTC, 9:05 am EDT, 8:05 am CDT, 7:05 am MDT, 6:05 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://live.ariss.org/
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Who or what inspired you to become an astronaut and what advice would you have for any of these girls here today who might want to become an astronaut?
2. Do you have any free time and if so what do you spend your time doing?
3. There are many international time zones so how does time work on the ISS?
4. If you were not an astronaut, what job would you like to have instead?
5. What things do you like to take with you to remind you of home?
6. What is the hardest part of your job?
7. How does the food and drinks do you have in space compare to foods on earth?
8. What do you miss about Earth?
9. How long have you been on the international space station?
10. What was your reaction when you found out you had been selected to fly to the ISS?
11. What stars or other things have you seen in space?
12. Is space hot or cold?
13. Does space smell of anything?
14. How do you sleep in space?
15. What is your favorite planet and why?
16. Have you done a spacewalk? If so, what was it like?
17. The spacesuits look very heavy, are they uncomfortable to wear?
18. What is it like floating in space? Have you ever lost anything from it floating away?
19. What things do you like to take with you to remind you of home?
_______________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-53

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Khazar University, Dunya School, Baku, Azerbaijan

September 26, 2024—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 Khazar University, Dunya School located in Baku, Azerbaijan. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Professor Hamlet Isakhanli and his wife Naila Isayeva founded Khazar University, the first private higher education institution in Azerbaijan. The Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the main sponsor of this ARISS contact. Prior to this ARISS contact, Baku Dunya School students have been participating in many regional competitions in technical sciences. Local members of the Azerbaijan Radio Amateur Society are supporting this ARISS radio contact.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Baku, Azerbaijan. Amateur radio operators using call sign 4K6EH, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for September 28, 2024 at 1:13:29 pm AZT (Baku, Azerbaijan) (9:13:29 UTC, 5:13 am EDT, 4:13 am CDT, 3:13 am MDT, 2:13 am PDT).

_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What studies have you done to become an astronaut?
2. What are the advantages of space exploration?
3. How do you interact with your family members while being in space?
4. Do you use a watch in space for getting the notion of time there?
5. Is it difficult to walk when you come back to Earth?
6. Are there any disadvantages in space exploration that may negatively affect the planet?
7. What skills are required to become an astronaut?
8. Which is the more difficult – to leave or to come back to Earth?
9. At what age can we travel out the space?
10. How long can we stay in space?
11. What are the consequences of space in human body?
12. What were your feelings during your first trip to space?
13. When you were a child, did you ever think that you would become an astronaut one day?
14. What sort of food do you eat in the ISS?
15. If you had a second chance, would you choose the same profession?
16: When was your last space mission and what was it?
17. What do astronauts usually eat to keep their body healthy?
18. What do you enjoy most about space?
19. Which memorable or surprising experiences did you have in space?
20. What is the biggest challenge in space?
_______________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-52

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Kordylewski Youth Astronomical Observatory, Niepołomice, Poland

September 17, 2024—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 Kordylewski Youth Astronomical Observatory located in Niepołomice, Poland. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Youth Astronomical Observatory (Polish: Młodzieżowe Obserwatorium Astronomiczne, MOA) was founded in 1964, and named after Kazimierz Kordylewski, a Polish astronomer who was the first to observe large concentrations of dust at Lagrange points L4 and L5 of the Earth-Moon system. The observatory has a viewing terrace for portable telescopes, a planetarium building with a 4K laser projector and an 8m tower topped by a 5.5m dome with a modern 16′ telescope. MOA encourages youth to use the facility, using their telescopes to observe the Sun and stars, as well as exploring astrophotography and artificial intelligence through programming robots. MOA offers classes, training camps and teacher workshops in addition to planetarium shows and live night sky presentations.
On a separate platform at the observatory the Niepołomice Amateur Radio Club (SP9MOA) maintains several parabolic and Yagi directional antennas for long distance communication. The club also helps train young people to become licensed amateur radio operators, conducts electronics workshops, and build antennas and radio equipment. Club members are supporting the observatory during this ARISS contact.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Matthew Dominick KCØTOR, amateur radio call sign KCØTOR. 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 Niepołomice, Poland. Amateur radio operators using call sign SP9MOA, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for September 19, 2024 at 18:19 pm CEST (Niepołomice, Poland) (16:19 UTC, 12:19 pm EDT, 11:19 am CDT, 10:19 am MDT, 9:19 am PDT).

_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What was your first thought when you saw the globe from the ISS?
2. What was your first day on the ISS like?
3. Where would you like to visit after your return to Earth?
4. Has your stay on the ISS changed your perspective on life and our planet?
5. Is there anything that surprised you during the mission?
6. What’s your favorite place on the station?
7. Can you describe how life in a microgravity environment has changed you?
8. How long do astronauts sleep and what do they dream about in space?
9. What are the most challenging aspects of life on the ISS for you?
10. What plants are being researched for growth in space, and do you eat them?
11. Is the Earth flat or spherical?
12. Which of the experiments aboard the ISS are you most eager to participate in?
13. What about weightlessness surprised you the most?
14. What do you miss most from Earth?
15. What are the essential skills and character traits needed to become an astronaut and work on the ISS?
16. What tests did you have to pass to become an astronaut?
17. What has been your most memorable experience aboard the ISS so far?
18. Have you formed any friendships on board the ISS?
19. How does the large number of sunrises and sunsets affect the functioning of the biological clock of astronauts? How do you know when you should relax?
20. What time zone is used on the ISS?
___________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-51

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Instituto de Aplicação Fernando Rodrigues da Silveira (CAp-UERJ) and The State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

September 11, 2024—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 two schools in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Joint participation during this ARISS contact will involve students from the Instituto de Aplicação Fernando Rodrigues da Silveira (CAp-UERJ) and State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). The Instituto de Aplicação has 1100 students, ages 6 to 18 and is an academic unit of the Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), focused on basic education and the training of future teachers. University graduates have the opportunity to experience the school’s classroom environment as interns.
Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ) is a public research university with about 43,000 students, and 90 undergraduate programs, 63 master’s degree programs, and 46 doctorate degree programs. This ARISS contact is supported by members of the Liga de Amateurs Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão (LABRE).

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Rio de Janeiro. Amateur radio operators using call sign PY1AX, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for September 13, 2024 at 2:25:47 pm BRT (Rio de Janeiro) (17:25:47 UTC, 1:25 pm EDT, 12:25 pm CDT, 11:25 am MDT, 10:25 am PDT).

_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. At what age did you become interested and decide to pursue the astronaut job? What were the first steps that you took in order to kickstart your career?
2. What are your guesses for the future space missions?
3. How do you think leaving Earth and seeing space in its real scope can alter someone’s perspective about society and existence?
4. I want to know how someone adapts to gravity in space?
5. How many people can be on the ISS at the same time? When do you transfer to Earth? Do you have a time limit, get a radio call and just leave, or stay inside until you run out of resources, like food or water?
6. I would like to know what the routine is like on the ISS, how do you shower, sleep and eat?
7. After spending time in space, what are the main effects you have felt on Earth as a result of the difference in atmospheric pressure? Like, disorientation? headache?
8. What unexpected challenges or surprises have you encountered in microgravity that you didn’t anticipate during your training on Earth?
9. What happens if an astronaut gets sick or has any medical emergency on board the space station?
10. How does an astronaut regulate their sleep in orbit? Does it take time in the station or is it previously trained on land?
11. Do you ever get a day off, like Saturday or Sunday? If so, what activities or hobbies do you do when you are not working?
12. What has been most challenging so far about becoming an astronaut?
13. On the ISS, is there the use of programming languages for image processing? Or the use of satellite image processing to analyze the weather conditions of other planets?
14. How is the flavor of the ISS food?
15. How do you repair damaged parts of the ISS? Do you have a 3D printer on board? If not, how do you machine a part?
16. Are Earth’s climate changes noticeable by the space station crew? If so, how intense is it and what are astronauts’ perceptions of climate change on our planet?
______________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-50

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Fasta Villa Eucaristica School, Córdoba City Argentina

August 28, 2024—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 Fasta Villa Eucaristica School located in Córdoba City Argentina. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Fasta Villa Eucarística School (FVES) is a large Catholic school located in Córdoba City, Argentina with about 1800 students in 3 levels (Kindergarten, Primary School and Secondary School). This school is part of a network of 27 schools in Argentina (and in other countries) and includes the university RED FASTA – Fraternidad de Agrupaciones Santo Tomás de Aquino. FVES is involved in environmental issues and has been participating in the Globe Program since 2017. In all grade levels students study subjects that include, Earth studies, Space, the solar system/planets, global warming and weather.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Córdoba City Argentina. Amateur radio operators using call sign LU1HKO, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for August 30, 2024 at 12:29:39 pm ART (Argentina) (15:29:39 UTC, 11:29 am EDT, 10:29 am CDT, 9:29 am MDT, 8:29 am PDT.
_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Could you tell us what kind of scientific research you are doing at the moment and what benefits will it have for our lives?
2. What are your daily activities inside the station?
3. How do you measure time as you can see the sunsets and sunrises many times?
4. How do you get out of the station and how often? What are the reasons?
5. What role does teamwork play in the success of a mission?
6. What was the most difficult aspect of living and working in space?
7. Have you ever experienced a scary, unique or humorous moment while being on the Space Station?
8. We suppose that your perception of natural beauty has changed a lot since you are there, can you share an experience where the beauty left you speechless?
9. Carl Sagan’s poem ‘Pale Blue Dot’ shows the Earth as a tiny speck from space. How do you interpret this in light of the dignity and importance of human beings?
10. How have you changed as a person since you visited space?
11. What advice can you give to the students from our school Fasta Villa Eucarística to encourage them to be better and make a change?
12. Do you feel closer to God in space?
13. What is the most challenging part of being an astronaut? And what is the most rewarding aspect of it?
14. How do you stay in touch with your loved ones during the mission and did you take any special personal item with you?
15. What is your worst fear and how do you manage it?
16. Are we alone in the universe?
____________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-49

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Gymnasium der Stadt Meschede, Meschede, Germany

August 21, 2024—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 Gymnasium der Stadt Meschede located in Meschede, GER. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Gymnasium der Stadt Meschede is a medium-sized, municipal high school with about 700 students between ages 10-18 and about 55 teachers. The city of Meschede is in a rural area, about 50 km east of Dortmund in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany. Students are offered STEM learning at various grade levels. In level 5 (ages 10-11), students are introduced to scientific work with small experiments. In grades 9/10 (ages 14-15) students deal with topics related to “bits and bytes”, cryptography, astronomy and programming. In the upper school, students can choose subjects such as physics, biology or chemistry as advanced courses. Students are offered opportunities to participate in working groups/workshops in the STEM field. Students in recent years have also launched several stratospheric balloons with measuring instruments and cameras and have evaluated the data. Supporting the school and students during this ARISS contact are a number of local amateur radio clubs.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Meschede, Germany. Amateur radio operators using call sign DRØZ, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for August 23, 2024 at 10:05 am CEST (Meschede) (8:05 UTC, 4:05 am EDT, 3:05 am CDT, 2:05 am MDT, 1:05 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.instagram.com/gds_meschede/
_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Why did you choose to become an astronaut?
2. What education or profession did you have before your astronaut training?
3. What was the most interesting experience of your space flight which you would like to share with us?
4. What was the hardest part and what was the most exciting part of your training for the ISS?
5. What kind of experiments do you do right now?
6. What happens if an important part of the ISS breaks? How can you fix it?
7. How is the work on the ISS divided among the astronauts? Who does what?
8. What does the daily routine look like, when the sun rises and sets every 90 minutes?
9. Are there differences between the training of women and men?
10. What does zero-gravity feel like at the beginning and what is it like now? Do you get used to it?
11. How long do you think most astronauts would want to stay on the ISS for a single mission period?
12. Have you ever heard a weird noise from outside and if so, could you describe to us what it was like?
13. How can you contact your family members?
14. Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?
15. Do you work shifts or do you all work at the same time?
16. Did you ever have a collision with an object?
17. What do you do if you are bored?
18. What role does the ISS play in the preparation of future Mars missions?
19. Do the astronauts play computer games in their free time? If so, which ones?
20. How long were you trained before becoming an astronaut on the ISS?
________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-48

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Bayou Academy, Cleveland, Mississippi, USA

August 20, 2024—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 Bayou Academy located in Cleveland, MS. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Bayou Academy is a rural, private school in the Mississippi Delta region, with about 600 students in grades K-12. Founded in 1964, the school is historically agricultural with many of their students from agricultural backgrounds and who are interested in the different types of agricultural-based research being conducted aboard the ISS. In preparation for this ARISS contact, the school will incorporate additional Space Education into their existing STEM lessons. Additionally, students currently attend STEM-related specials that have already incorporated several different space-related activities and projects. Members of the Mississippi State University Amateur Radio Club (W5YD) are supporting the school staff and students during this ARISS radio contact.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Cleveland, MS. Amateur radio operators using call sign W5YD, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for August 22, 2024 at 11:43 am CDT (Cleveland, MS) (16:43 UTC, 12:43 pm EDT, 10:43 am MDT, 9:43 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://live.ariss.org/
_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Thank you for joining us, how are you doing today?
2. How long did you train to become an astronaut?
3. What is your favorite thing about being in the ISS?
4. What was your favorite subject in school?
5. Do you have any fun hobbies on the ISS?
6. What is your favorite way to exercise in space?
7. What is your favorite memory from your time as an astronaut?
8. How do you celebrate holidays in space?
9. After you leave the ISS will you miss it?
10. Is it hard to get used to sleeping in the ISS?
11. What plants are growing on the ISS right now?
12. Is there anything that surprised you about space?
13. How do you manage communication barriers with people from other countries?
14. How long did it take you to get used to micro-gravity?
15. What was your training like for becoming an astronaut and preparing to live on the ISS?
16. How do you cope with or handle the stress of leaving your friends and family behind on Earth?
17. What has been your scariest experience on the ISS?
19. Did you play any sports or musical instruments while you were in school?
20. What is your favorite food to eat in space?
21. Have you made any friends while on the ISS?
22. How did it feel like leaving Earth’s atmosphere?
23. What were you most excited about when you were chosen to be an astronaut?
_______________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-47

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Tuskegee Airmen Inc. National Convention, Arlington, Virginia

August 15, 2024—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 Tuskegee Airmen Inc. National Convention located in Arlington, VA. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Tuskegee Airmen Inc. (TAI) has 50 chapters across the United States with the common goal of assuring the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII is used to inspire and motivate young people in the career fields of aviation and aerospace. The annual TAI National Convention (in the Washington DC area this year) affords high school students the opportunity to interact with aviation and aerospace professionals and engage in STEM related hands-on activities, including use of the ARISS’ SPARKI SDR (Software Defined Radio) kit, learning about the technology that makes student conversations with the astronauts on the ISS possible. This ARISS contact is to be a part of the TAI National Convention Youth Day with those high school student attendees participating in the contact.

An ARISS contact during the height of the convention, including attendees from all over the U.S., would be an experience that will spread far beyond the confines of our conference, as all take home first-hand exposure and expanded understanding of the vast possibilities of science in their lives. Post convention, the information on the ISS contact, SPARKI and ARISS programs will be shared with all chapters, and thus hundreds of communities across the country.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for August 17, 2024 at 1:34:57 pm EDT (Arlington, VA) (17:34:57 UTC, 12:34 pm CDT, 11:34 am MDT, 10:34 am PDT).
_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What was it like launching up into space?
2. What’s the biggest difference between a day on Earth compared to in space?
3. How do you navigate being able to float when there’s no gravity and do you ever get motion sickness?
4. What kind of experiments are you working on and why do them in space?
5. What do you do for fun during your downtime in space?
6. How and when do you sleep?
7. Is being in space going the way you thought it would go or have you had surprises?
8. If you got to go into space again, what would you change to improve your experience?
9. If you could bring one thing from Earth into space that you don’t have now, what would it be?
10. How long was the training phase to be able to go into space?
11. If you had to, how would you describe space in one word?
12. What’s the first thing you’ll do when you get back to Earth?
13. How has this experience impacted your life? Did it change your views of the world?
14. Why did you want to travel to space, and did you think it would be scary?
15. What’s the hardest thing about being on the space station and why?
16. What’s the easiest thing about being on the space station and why?
17. What do you miss on Earth most?
18. What is the coolest thing about being in space?
19. Do you to talk with your family every day?
20. Do you ever feel claustrophobic?
21. How do you tell time in space since there’s no sunrise or sunset?
22. Do you ever have any real privacy?
________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-46

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Participants at Pacific Science Center, Seattle, Washington, USA

August 13, 2024—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 teen participants at the Pacific Science Center located in Seattle, WA. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Pacific Science Center (PacSci), located in Seattle, Washington, began as the Science Pavilion in the 1962 World’s Fair. PacSci hosts numerous exhibits highlighting Space Exploration, Tropical Butterflies, Physics, the Brain to Body connection, Hands-on Making, and more. PacSci has a youth development program, Discovery Corps, made up of high school students who support PacSci staff members that work with many departments around the Science Center, serving guests, conducting research, and participating in unique STEM and education-related enrichment activities. This group of teens will be participating in this ARISS contact and have been actively preparing by developing an extensive curriculum with topics related to space and amateur radio. Some notable topics the teens have learned about in this curriculum include how the Ionosphere influences radio propagation, how solar events and space weather influence satellites, and Interviewing & Public Speaking etiquette. They also attended workshops, hosted by Tinker Tank, and successfully built a Yagi tape measure antenna, soldered an attenuator kit, and conducted a fox hunt around Seattle Center. Members of the West Seattle Amateur Club are supporting PacSci during this ARISS contact.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing youth to ask their questions of astronaut Jeanette Epps, amateur radio call sign KF5QNU. 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 Seattle, WA. Amateur radio operators using call sign W7AW, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for August 16, 2024 at 11:14:35 am PDT (Seattle) (18:14:35 UTC, 2:14 pm EDT, 1:14 pm CDT, 12:14 pm MDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/@pacificsciencecenter/streams
_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Did you always have the goal of being on the ISS?
2. What inspired you to become an astronaut?
3. What kind of training do you have to have before going into space?
4. How do you deal with emergencies or unexpected situations when you are in space?
5. What is the coolest thing you’ve seen while you’re in space?
6. How does an astronaut train for life in zero gravity?
7. What precautions does an astronaut need to take to safely adjust to life in space?
8. How do astronauts minimize the weight of necessities when traveling up to the ISS?
9. What personal items are you allowed to take to the ISS?
10. What do astronauts do in their free time while up in space?
11. What steps do you have to take before being an astronaut?
12. What barriers did you overcome to get to the ISS?
13. What experiments or discoveries have you been a part of that you’re most proud of?
14. How do you tell time in space?
15. What’s the oddest thing about living in space?
16. What’s the most challenging part about being an astronaut?
17. What do you find most interesting about space?
18. What laws do you have to follow in space?
19. When did you realize you wanted to go to space?
20. How do you utilize radio technology on the ISS?
_____________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-45

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Blackwater State High School, Blackwater, Queensland, Australia

August 12, 2024—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 Blackwater State High School located in Blackwater, QLD, Australia. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Blackwater State High (BHS) is a rural school on the Central Highlands in Central QLD with 350 students from Years 7 – 12. BHS has close links with local industry partners both in the coal mining industry as well as in agriculture. Approximately 25% of their students are indigenous. The school’s special education program caters to students with disabilities, approximately 33% of the student population. BHS has a STEM program and has twice run international study tours in 2016 and 2018 to a NASA Space camp. All year levels at BHS (Year 7 to Year 12) will be involved in this ARISS contact as well as their feeder primary students.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Matthew Dominick, amateur radio call sign KCØTOR. 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 August 15, 2024 at 7:43 pm AEST (Blackwater, Australia) (9:43 UTC, 5:43 am EDT, 4:43 am CDT, 3:43 am MDT, 2:43 am PDT).

Check facebook at facebook.com/ARISSIntl for live stream links that may become available for viewing the contact.
_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. How long will the International Space Station be up there for?
2. How do you eat in space and what effect does this have on your body?
3. What surprised you the most when you first went to space?
4. How did you get into NASA and what did you have to do to become an Astronaut on the ISS?
5. What research is being completed and what data have you collected while on the ISS?
6. What do you consider to be the future of space exploration?
7. If something breaks on the outside of the ISS, how long does it take to fix, and what happens if you don’t have the parts to fix it?
8. When you are not working in the ISS, what do you do to entertain yourself? How do you stay in the right mindset?
9. How do you measure time on the ISS? How do you know if it is morning or night and keep your body to a routine?
10. How long did it take you to adjust to the gravity changes in space?
11. Do you think that there are any other life forms in our universe?
12. What is the most interesting thing you have seen?
13. It is obviously a huge privilege to be on the ISS, but what did you consider when making a decision to apply to be in the space program?
14. Do you have to steer the ISS or is it completely programmed?
_____________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-44

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at the International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly 2024, Cape Town, South Africa

August 6, 2024—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 IAU General Assembly 2024 located in Cape Town, South Africa. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The 2024 International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly (GA) is for the first time being held on the African continent, in Cape Town from August 6 – 15. During this conference, the IAU is hosting this ARISS contact to enhance the experience of the expected 2000 astronomer-attendees, and over 1000 students from local schools. The GA 2024 scientific program includes symposia, invited discourses and meetings covering a wide array of cutting-edge science and technology topics, all completely open to the public to follow online for free. Over 1000 students from under-served schools in Cape Town will participate in the conference venue for talks and hand-on activities. On August 9th, the GA will also commemorate National Women’s Day by holding a special outreach event for families of all ages to celebrate women in astronomy and space science. NASA and ESA will also be contributing and participating in the GA 2024.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for August 9, 2024 at 1:55 pm SAST (Cape Town, SA) (11:55 UTC, 7:55 am EDT, 6:55 am CDT, 5:55 am MDT, 4:55 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://astronomy2024.org/
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What inspired you to become an astronaut?
2. Do you grow your own food on the ISS?
3. How do you know what is up and what is down in space?
4. Can you see Table Mountain from space?
5. How do you cope with the physical challenges of long-duration space flights?
6. What happens if an astronaut gets sick?
7. How has the view of Earth from space influenced your sense of responsibility towards our planet?
8. Do you get anxious being up in space?
9. How does space travel affect your perception of time?
10. What signature move would you bust out in a space dance-off with a rival alien crew?
11. What is a typical day like for you in space?
12. What do musical instruments sound like on the ISS?
13. What is your favourite space food?
14. Do you get jet lagged from space travel?
15. What is the most breathtaking moment you’ve experienced in space
16. What does space smell like?
17. What unexpected emotional challenges have you faced during your time in space?
18. Do you like being an Astronaut?
19. Do you do spectroscopic analysis experiments on the ISS?
20. What would your superhero name and special powers be based on your experience in space?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-43

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at SMPIT Nurul Ishlah, Banda Aceh, Indonesia

July 30, 2024—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 various schools located in the Indian Ocean region. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

This ARISS contact is part of the Tsunami United initiative, an educational project with UNESCO, which is engaging students about tsunami risk and ocean resilience in the Indian Ocean region and as part of the 20th commemoration of the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Participating students are from 12 countries in the Indian Ocean region which include the Maldives, Indonesia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Kenya, Madagascar, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Timor-Leste, Mauritius, and Myanmar.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for August 2, 2024 at 7:43 pm WIB (Jakarta, Indonesia) (12:43:07 UTC,8:43 am EDT, 7:43 am CDT, 6:43 am MDT, 5:43 am PDT).

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What type of research do you conduct in space?
2. How do you monitor the ocean from space?
3. How are space and the ocean connected to each other?
4. Can you see disasters from space and did you witness any particular event?
5. Were the effects of the 2004 tsunami visible from space?
6. How can space monitoring help protect life and species in the ocean?
7. Do you study natural coastal barriers, like mangroves and coral reefs?
8. How do you cooperate with other astronauts in space?
9. What advice would you give to young people interested in science?
10. Can satellite technology help improve tsunami early warning systems?
11. How does living in space affect your body and mind?
12. What is it like to be an astronaut?
13. Have you seen a cyclone from space?
14. When you were my age, 15, did you dream of becoming an astronaut?
15. What training do astronauts undergo before going to space?
16. As an astronaut, which do you consider presents a greater risk: the ocean or outer space?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-42

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Kopernik Observatory, Vestal, New York, USA

July 28, 2024—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 Kopernik Observatory located in Vestal, NY. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Kopernik Observatory & Science Center is a non-profit informal educational institution that promotes interdisciplinary education in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This year is the 32nd summer of Kopernik STEM camps for students between 2nd and 12th grades. One of the camps offered this summer is entitled “Welcome Aboard the ISS”, where rising 5th and 6th grade students will learn about what it takes to become an astronaut, how they train for a mission and what research is being done on the ISS.

Opened in 1974, Kopernik is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a STEM education resource in the region. Kopernik’s resources include three permanent telescopes, a heliostat, weather station, three classrooms, computer lab, portable planetarium and amateur radio station (K2ZRO). It also offers an outreach program in which its educators bring programs directly into the classroom. Kopernik is the home of the Kopernik Astronomical Society and the Binghamton Amateur Radio Association (W2OW) whose members are supporting observatory staff in the set up and radio station operation during this ARISS contact.

This will be a direct contact via amateur radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Matthew Dominick, amateur radio call sign KC0TOR. 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 Vestal, NY. Amateur radio operators using call sign K2ZRO, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for July 31, 2024 at 2:17:25 pm EDT (NY) (18:17:25 UTC, 1:17 pm CDT, 12:17 pm MDT, 11:17 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtube.com/live/Tv3x3D0DTzU?feature=share
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. How does training underwater compare to the feeling of weightlessness in space? Does it actually feel pretty similar?
2. Looking out to space from the ISS, in what ways does it look different from a night sky on Earth?
3. Is artificial gravity just science fiction or a possibility in the future?
4. Does the ISS have any engine powering it forward?
5. How did they keep the ISS in orbit before there were astronauts on it and in between missions?
6. If the sun is the center of our solar system, and gives heat and light to the other planets, why is space cold and dark and not bright and hot?
7. What does a sunrise look like on the ISS?
8. What does Space sound like?
9. How long was your training for this ISS mission?
10. What’s it feel like to experience a rocket launch?
11. What was your inspiration to want to become an astronaut?
12. What is the most challenging thing you have encountered as an astronaut on the ISS? Did you create a solution or overcome it?
13. How do you get enough air on the International Space Station?
14. Do you eat food from a bag?
15. Can I go to space?
16. Is it hard or easy to pick things up in the vacuum of space?
17. What is the greatest danger on your mission?
18. What is it like in space (compared to earth)?
19. Can animals survive at ISS?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-41

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Narayama ARISS School Contact, Nara, Japan

July 26, 2024—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 located in Nara, Japan. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

School Story:
Nara City has a long history, with its capital established approximately 1,300 years ago. In addition, Nara Prefecture has many world heritage sites and is an international tourist city.
This will be the first time ARISS School Contact will be held in Nara Prefecture.
We selected the contact members from Sakyo Elementary School and Tsubai Elementary School in Nara City.

This will be a direct contact via amateur radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Mike Barratt, amateur radio call sign KD5MIJ. 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 Nara, Japan. Amateur radio operators using call sign JK3ZNB, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for July 29, 2024 at 7:52:51 pm JST (Japan) (10:52:51 UTC, 6:56 am EDT, 5:56 am CDT, 4:56 am MDT, 3:56 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQrUHun__6o
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Can you see lightning on earth from space?
2. What do you eat in space?
3. Is the earth really green when seen from space?
4. What kind of training does it take to go to space?
5. How do you dispose of toilet waste?
6. Have you ever seen any space debris while working outside the ISS?
7. Can you write with a pen in space?
8. What do you look forward to every day?
9. Is there any dust inside the space station?
10.How do you drink in space?
11. How do you exercise in space?
12. When you sleep in a sleeping bag in space, do you float in the sleeping bag
or does the sleeping bag itself float?
13. What happens when you throw a paper airplane in space?
14. How did you feel when you first went into space?
15. What is the Earth like as seen from space?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-40

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Arizona Science Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

July 24, 2024—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 Arizona Science Center, located in Phoenix, AZ. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Arizona Science Center (ASC), located in downtown Phoenix, features more than 300 hands-on exhibits, a state-of-the-art planetarium, a five-story giant-screen theater, live demonstrations, traveling exhibitions, and exciting science programs. The ASC offers programs for all ages, including Science on Wheels, CAMP INNOVATION, Teen programs, Professional Development, and Adults’ Night Out: Science With A Twist.

The telebridge ARISS contact is supported by local ham radio operators and ham radio volunteers from the Harkins HAM Shack team. Located on Level 3 of ASC, the Harkins HAM Shack allows guests to explore past and present radio technologies and participate in an international community with other amateur radio stations and operators worldwide using amateur radio. Run fully by volunteers, the Harkins HAM Shack provides a unique amateur radio learning experience for ASC visitors.

This will be a telebridge contact via amateur radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Matthew Dominick, amateur radio call sign KCØTOR. 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 Hollis, New Hampshire, U.S. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign AB1OC, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for July 27, 2024 at 11:24 am MST (AZ) (18:24 UTC, 2:24 pm EDT, 1:24 pm CDT, 11:24 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: The Center is planning to host a live stream of the contact.
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What kind of music do you like to listen to in space?
2. What protocols do you have to do every day?
3. How do you communicate with your families while in space?
4. What is the hardest thing to do in space?
5. How are your dreams in space? Are they different from your dreams on Earth?
6. Have you seen any other living life forms on planets?
7. What are the names of some of the space crafts?
8. What do your computers do?
9. How do they figure out how many steps it takes to get to the moon?
10. What is your favorite restaurant you miss on earth?
11. How do astronauts not get sick when they are flying around in space?
12. Is it fun having no gravity, just floating around in space?
13. How do you take showers?

Questions from adults at ASC if time needs to be filled:
1. What is your daily schedule?
2. What is something that is more fun to do on the ISS than it is to do at home?
3. What is the most interesting task you have been assigned on the ISS?
4. What was the hardest part of astronaut training?
5. What movie has the most realistic representation of space?
6. How do you deal with a medical emergency on the ISS?
7. What is the strangest physical sensation you have had in space?
8. Can your legs and arms still go numb in space?
9. Do you play Dungeons and Dragons in space?
10. What sport would be the most fun to play in space?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-39

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Scouts at Hokusetsu District Osaka Council Scout Association of Japan, Toyonaka, Japan

July 15, 2024—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 scouts located in Toyonaka, Japan. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Hokusetsu District is located in the northern part of Osaka Japan and has 670 Scout members in 24 Groups. Their scouts are made up of elementary school students, junior high school students, high school students, and university students with 450 scout leaders. Members of the amateur radio club in the Hokusetsu area (JJ3YDM) play an important role in mentoring these scouts in the practice of amateur radio.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Toyonaka, Japan. Amateur radio operators using call sign JJ3YDM, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for July 18, 2024 at 5:23:52 pm JST (Japan) (8:23:52 UTC, 4:23 am EDT, 3:23 am CDT, 2:23 am MDT, 1:23 am PDT).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Do you have an internet connection in the ISS?
2. What made you want to become an astronaut?
3. What kind of experiments do you have?
4. Is there any experience you had as a child that was useful to be an astronaut?
5. How many hours a day do you sleep?
6. What do you do in your spare time in space?
7. Do you feel your clothes are floating?
8. Where do you land when you get back to the earth?
9. What was the most difficult training to become an astronaut?
10. Do you feel the time passing in space?
11. Do you miss the Earth?
12. What do you do when you lose something?
13. What space food do you like?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-38

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Houjoudu Elementary School, Imizu, Japan

July 9, 2024—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 Houjoudu Elementary School located in Imizu, Japan. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Imizu City Houjoudu Elementary School in Toyama Prefecture has a 150-year history, and currently has 103 students. The Shinminato Amateur Radio club is assisting with this ARISS contact. Students have been preparing for this ARISS contact by watching images of the ISS and learning about Miura folding, a variation of the ancient Japanese tradition of origami. Miura folding method is named for Koryo Miura of Tokyo University’s Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science who was looking for efficient ways to fold and unfold the solar panels of spacecraft so that they can fit inside a rocket then unfurl in orbit to catch the sun’s rays. Miura folding method allows it to be easily opened and closed by applying force in one direction.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Imizu, Japan. Amateur radio operators using call sign JA9YQJ, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for July 11, 2024 at 7:48 pm JST (Japan) (10:48 UTC, 6:48 am EDT, 5:48 am CDT, 4:48 am MDT, 3:48 am PDT).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Can you use a mobile phone in the ISS?
2. Have you ever seen an alien?
3. Is it cold or hot in space?
4. Do you have trouble eating and drinking?
5. How fast does the spaceship fly?
6. How do you feel with no gravity?
7. What kind of feeling do you have watching the Earth from space?
8. Were you scared to go to space?
9. What is your favorite space food?
10. What is the first thing you want to do when you return to Earth?
11. What would you do if you got sick or had cavities on a spaceship?
12. Why did you decide to become an astronaut?
13. How much does the space suit weigh?
14. How do you sleep in zero gravity? Would you like to lie down?
15. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced adapting to life on the space station?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-37

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Participants at Youth On the Air 2024, Mount Saint Vincent University, Nova Scotia, Canada

July 5, 2024—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 youths at the Youth On the Air 2024 camp located in Mount Saint Vincent University, NS, Canada. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Youth on the Air (YOTA) Summer Camp is a week-long event for young amateur radio operators ages 15 to 25 from North, Central, and South America, as well as other parts of the world. This year’s YOTA, (July 7-12, 2024) is their fourth year of operation, providing young amateur radio operators a camping experience in Halifax. While at camp, these young hams are also gaining experience operating on high frequency ham radio bands from portable and permanent stations, learning how to log their contacts, exploring software defined radio, launching pico balloons, exploring Morse Code, learning electronics from kits, learning antenna theory and building antennas, participating in ham radio foxhunts, and communicating through amateur radio satellites. YOTA is working in tandem with Mount Saint Vincent University and the Halifax Amateur Radio Club and have provided peer led workshops on ham satellite communication prior to this ARISS contact.

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 July 9, 2024 at 12:06:38 pm/am ADT (Nova Scotia, CAN) (15:06:38 UTC, 11:06 am EDT, 10:06 am CDT, 9:06 am MDT, 8:06 am PDT).
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As time allows, students wil ask these questions:
1. Can you describe the view of Earth from your perspective?
2. What new technologies are being tested on the ISS that could be crucial for future space missions or have applications on Earth
3. How different is it to operate a radio in space then on earth?
4. What college degrees do you recommend for becoming an astronaut?
5. Are solar events like the northern lights visible and how do you study them from up there?
6. Will you keep doing amateur radio activity after your mission?
7. What’s your favorite tool onboard the ISS?
8. How does space affect propagation?
9. How much does your space suit weigh?
10. How has your mindset and view of the world changed since going to space?
11. How often do you do amateur radio on the ISS?
12. If you were to take one thing special to you to the ISS, what would it be?
13. Have you talked to many countries from the ISS using amateur radio?
14. What are you doing on the ISS to prepare for putting people on the moon?
15. What studies have been done of the Earth’s surface from up there?
16. Do you think ham radio in space has a chance to expand to the moon?
17. If you could add a new module to the ISS, what would it contain?
18. Do you feel that being a ham operator has helped you while being on the ISS?
19. What experiment have you carried out aboard the ISS that you’ve liked the most?
20. What do you do when you get a runny nose in space?
21. What is the best part of being on the ISS?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-34

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at St. Luke’s College, Buenos Aires, Argentina

June 30, 2024—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 St. Luke’s College located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

St. Luke’s College is a secular school founded in 1980 for children in kindergarten, primary school and secondary school. The school provides students the opportunity to develop their artistic qualities with access to the school drama club, a choir group and a band ensemble. Prior to this ARISS contact the school’s Space Club has been focused on the International Space Station with student presentations to be given just prior to the contact. Members of the Radio Club Argentina (LURAA) are supporting students during this contact.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Matthew Dominick, amateur radio call sign KC0TOR. 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 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Amateur radio operators using call sign LU4AA, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for July 2, 2024 at 12:30:42 pm ART (Buenos Aires) (15:30:42 UTC, 11:30 am EDT, 10:30 am CDT, 9:30 am MDT, 8:30 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream via St. Luke’s College Instagram accounts

The school: @stlukes.college

Radio Club Argentino: @rca_sociedad_nacional
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What kind of process did you go through to be selected as an astronaut?
2. Could you tell us what kind of scientific research you are doing aboard the Space Station?
3. What is your favorite food to eat aboard the Space Station?
4. Did you take any special personal item with you into space?
5. Are you planning to take something back from space as a souvenir?
6. Can you tell us your favorite moment of your career as an astronaut?
7. How do EVA’s today compare to those of the Gemini or even Shuttle programs?
8. Have you ever experienced a scary moment while being on the Space Station?
9. Are you able to see the moon, the sun, other planets and stars from the ISS?
10. What is the most challenging part of being an astronaut? And what is the most rewarding aspect of it?
11. Does it ever get lonely in outer space? Are you able to communicate with your family and friends?
12. Do you think you have changed as a person since you visited space?
13. Do you think we are alone in the universe? Have you ever seen something that makes you think there might be life outside of Earth?
14. Do you think the people of the world will ever be able to travel to space every day in the same way that we use planes?
15. Do you think humans will ever go to planet Mars?
16. Do you have any advice for children living in Argentina that wish to become astronauts?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-33

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Moroccan School of Engineering Sciences, Casablanca, Morocco

June 29, 2024—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 Moroccan School of Engineering Sciences located in Casablanca, Morocco. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Moroccan School of Engineering Sciences (EMSI) operates 18 campuses in five Moroccan cities, (Casablanca, Fez, Marrakech, Rabat, and Tangiers) with about 13,000 students and 750 faculty.

EMSI provides a comprehensive foundation in core engineering disciplines and skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, design thinking, system thinking, and leadership. Their engineering programs include Computer Science, Civil Engineering, Automation and Industrial Computing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Financial Engineering. EMSI is also affiliated with the private higher education network in Africa, Honoris United Universities, which allows for international collaboration, and student exchange programs.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for July 1, 2024 at 1:02 pm WEST (Morocco) (12:02 UTC, 8:02 am EDT, 7:02 am CDT, 6:02 am MDT, 5:02 am PDT).
_______________________
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. If you had the choice, which planet would you choose to discover?
2. If there’s a damage or a problem on the ISS that can’t be fixed, what would you do in that case?
3. If you could send a message back to yourself on Earth before you embarked on this mission, what would you say to yourself?
4. How does NASA benefit from software and computer systems to support astronauts during missions?
5. Before going to space what preparations should every astronaut make to cope with the Space Environment?
6. Are there any effects on the astronauts’ health after being in space for a long time?
7. How did you decide to become an astronaut?
8. Does time work differently in Space, and how do astronauts keep track of their ages?
9. What is the last thing you did before going into space?
10. What advice would you give to someone passionate about astronomy and wants to make a career out of it?
11. Could financial experts and space agencies like NASA team up to manage resources better for space missions?
12. What is the nature of dark matter and dark energy, and how do they influence the universe’s structure and expansion?
13. Is there any evidence for the existence of other universes beyond our own, and what do the latest Nasa discoveries say about the multiverse theory?
14. Astronauts often come from different academic backgrounds, so what did you study to become an astronaut?
15. What is the recent experiment you conducted in space that may have an impact on scientific research or daily life on Earth?
16. How does AI contribute to the success of space missions?
17. How do you manage daily tasks in a zero-gravity environment?
18. How does a SAFER work if you become detached from the ISS during an EVA?
19. What are the physical conditions and requirements that astronauts must meet?
20. What’s first thing you want to do after landing on Earth and coming back home?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-32

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at The Educational Complex Nuestra Señora de Fátima No 1139 and No 8119, Pérez, Argentina

June 24, 2024—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 Complejo Educativo Nuestra Señora de Fátima located in Pérez, Argentina. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Educational Complex Nuestra Señora de Fátima, (comprised of schools No. 1139 and No. 8119) is a comprehensive educational institution covering primary and secondary levels. The school fosters students’ interest in and vocational development in the sciences by implementing a series of activities, such as their annual workshops on physical and chemical phenomena. These workshops promote discovery through experimentation and allows students to explore and understand the fundamental principles that govern these two sciences. Among the topics covered for the 6^th grade program are the scientific method, experiments on energy transfer, waves, sound and light, telescopes, and setting up a weather station. The 7th Grade program covers the solar system, Earth-Moon-Sun system, Moon landings, the ISS and life in space, the importance of caring for the Earth, celestial maps and constellations, stars, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. The schools collaborate with a group of amateur radio operators and astronomy enthusiasts, which allows student access to expert and specialized guidance.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Meadow Spring, Australia. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign VK6MJ, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for June 27, 2024 at 10:38 am ART (Pérez, Argentina) (13:38 UTC, 9:38 am EDT, 8:38 am CDT, 7:38 am MDT, 6:38 am PDT).
___________________________|
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What can you see through a window that doesn’t face Earth?
2. How do astronauts readapt to living on Earth after returning from space?
3. What happens if an astronaut is left floating in space without anything to hold onto?
4. How do you cut your hair?
5. Are there any smells in space? What does space smell like?
6. What’s the first thing you would like to do when you return to the Earth?
7. What do you do if an astronaut gets sick? Are illnesses different in space?
8. What happens if there is an accident?
9. How does being in space affect sleep?
10. What is the most amazing thing you can do in space?
11. What inspired you to become an astronaut?
12. What’s the most beautiful thing astronauts have seen on the ISS?
13. Does the Sun affect you when you go into space? How?
14. Can astronauts cry in space? Can your tears drop?
15. How do astronauts film outside the ISS?
16. How has being an astronaut affected personal relationships?
17. How does it feel to be in space for 6 months or more?
18. How did you prepare to become an astronaut?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-31

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Agrupamento de Escolas Dr. Serafim Leite, São João da Madeira, Portugal

June 4, 2024—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 Agrupamento de Escolas Dr. Serafim Leite located in São João da Madeira, Portugal. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Agrupamento de Escolas Dr. Serafim Leite has more than 800 students, aged 6 through 18 years. All levels of students are involved in the preparation of this ARISS contact. Prior to this contact, the class curricular included material related to the study of space, communication, and technology that focus on “Climatic Emergency”. School clubs (Programming and Robotics and Astronomy) have included activities that demonstrated tracking of the ISS and observation of nearby stars and planets. Local amateur radio operators are supporting the school during this contact.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Matthew Dominick, amateur radio call sign KCØTOR. 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 São João da Madeira. Amateur radio operators using call sign CS2ASL, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for June 6, 2024 at 11:33:44 am WEST (Portugal) (10:33:44 UTC, 6:33 am EDT, 5:33 am CDT, 4:33 am MDT, 3:33 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/live/15Na–NoW1Y
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. How many hours of exercise should an astronaut do each day?
2. Do you have any specific type of food when you are on mission?
3. How long do astronauts train to be able to go on space missions?
4. Whom and what do you miss most?
5. Tell us about your adventure in space.
6. What recent advances in space exploration do you believe have a significant impact on future space exploration and/or in society in general?
7. At what speed does ISS move? And how many orbits do you manage to conclude in 24 hours?
8. What are the most challenging scientific goals that space missions are trying to achieve?
9. What made you become astronauts?
10. What feeling do you have when travelling into space?
11. What does it feel like to gravitate?
12. What is your daily routine like?
13. What effects does space have on the human body and how do you control them?
14. When you have a health problem, what do you do?
15. How many G-forces do you experience on the liftoff and landing and how does it feel?
16. Can you deal well with the little contact you have with the social world on Earth?
17. In case you have to get outside the international space station, how long do the suits have oxygen autonomy?
18. How do you feel having a job that millions of kids wish to have in their future?
19. Do you have any free time? If so, what do you do?
20. What is the most beautiful thing you ve seen in space?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-30

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Belmont Elementary School, Woodbridge, Virginia, USA

June 1, 2024—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 Belmont Elementary School located in Woodbridge, VA. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Belmont Elementary is a public-school south of Washington DC with about 500 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. In preparation for this ARISS contact, twelve of their 5^th grade students are helping with logistical support for this school event. Students have been participating in activities that included; how astronauts work in space during a spacewalk, how microgravity impacts life on the ISS, construction of straw rockets, and launching a mock Mars lander. Members of the Woodbridge Wireless Amateur Radio Club are supporting the school during this event by conducting Technician level classes for students, and providing hands-on activities relating to basic electronics and amateur radio.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Jeanette Epps, amateur radio call sign KF5QNU. 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 Woodbridge, VA. Amateur radio operators using call sign KM4TAY, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for June 3, 2024 at 12:03 pm EDT (VA) (16:03 UTC, 11:03 am CDT, 10:03 am MDT, 9:03 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://live.ariss.org/ and a possible backup link is https://www.youtube.com/@PWCSNews/streams
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What happens to sweat in space?
2. Do you ever get allergies in space?
3. How do you communicate with your family?
4. When you have free time, what do you do to pass the time?
5. What is your favorite thing to do in space?
6. Do you still have to learn Russian to be able to travel to the space station?
7. When you’re sleeping in space, do you get claustrophobia or uncomfortable?
8. When you are launched up into space, does your blood pressure feel like its goes up to your head, like on a rollercoaster?
9. Can microgravity impact the human body in any harmful ways?
10. If you get motion sickness, how do you deal with that?
11. How was the change to life in zero gravity?
12. When you were a kid, what was your dream job, and did you ever expect to be an astronaut in the future?
13. How do you get oxygen in the Space Station?
14. What would happen if you never worked out in space? How badly would your bones hurt?
15. Have you seen any natural disasters on Earth from the ISS?
16. Do you have medicine for any sickness?
17. Where do you put the trash?
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