As of February 7, 2026

Hilltop Elementary, Canfield, OH, telebridge via via K6DUE (Chris Williams KJ5GEW)

Contact is go for Mon 2026-02-09 18:44:58 UTC 57 deg

Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/@ARISSlive/videos and https://live.ariss.org/   


ARISS News Release No. 26-05 ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Hilltop Elementary, Canfield, Ohio, USA

February 7, 2026—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 Hilltop Elementary located in Canfield, Ohio.  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.

Hilltop Elementary School, serves about 500 students in kindergarten through fourth grade. Students participate in many activities both inside and outside of school that include academics, the arts, STEM, community service, and sports. Hilltop benefits from strong parental involvement and community partnerships which help enhance learning opportunities.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Chris Williams, amateur radio call sign KJ5GEW. 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 Greenbelt, Maryland. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the call sign, K6DUE, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 9, 2026 at 1:44:58 pm EST (Canfield, Ohio) (18:44:58 UTC, 12:44 pm CST, 11:44 am MST, 10:44 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/@ARISSlive/videos and https://live.ariss.org/ 

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What different challenges do you face in space than on Earth?

2. What is your biggest goals at the ISS?

3. How long did it take you to get used to low gravity?

4. My dad is an ER doctor. If astronauts get hurt in space, who helps them?

5. What science are you documenting on space station?

6. Have you discovered anything new on space station?

7. What is the most important thing that kids can start doing now if they want to be an astronaut?

8. What is the most unusual thing you have seen out of the ISS window?

9. How did your rocket get in space?

10. Is there sound in space?

11. How will researching black holes help us in the future?

12. What is the most challenging part of being an astronaut?

13. What do astronauts hope to find out most from space?

14. What is your most valuable tool?

15. How do you train on Earth to live and work in space?

16. How do astronauts train to stay calm and respond to an emergency in space?

17. Do you see any other planets besides Earth from ISS?

18. What do you do when you have down time in space?

19. What did it feel like when your rocket lifted off for Space?

20. Has NASA seen any signs of life on the Moon or Mars?

ARISS News Release No. 26-04 ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Klimop Tongeren, Tongeren-Borgloon, Belgium

February 3, 2026—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 Klimop Tongeren located in Tongeren-Borgloon, Belgium. 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.

BULO Klimop primary school provides personalized learning pathways for children with special educational needs. Technology education at BULO Klimop is about exploring and discovering, learning how things work, understanding systems and recognizing technology in everyday life. From an early age, children are immersed in the world of technology, encouraging problem-solving skills, curiosity and hands-on learning.

This will be a telebridge contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Chris Williams, amateur radio call sign KJ5GEW. 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 February 5, 2026 at 1:21:51 pm CET (Belgium) (12:21:51UTC, 7:21 am EST, 6:21 am CST, 5:21 am MST, 4:21 am PST).

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. How do astronauts celebrate their birthday in space?

2. How do you wash yourself in space?

3. How long does it take to get used to gravity on Earth again?

4. Can you keep in touch with your family and friends on Earth?

5. What do you like most about being in space?

6. What does a day as an astronaut look like?

7. What is your main job on board?

8. How does it feel to see the Earth from space for the first time?

9. How do you sleep in a rocket or space station without falling out of bed?

10. What do you eat in space? Do you have a favorite meal?

11. What kind of training did you need to become an astronaut?

12. Can you bring personal items into space? If yes, what did you bring?

13. Can you exercise in space? If yes, how do you do that without gravity?

14. Can you see the stars or the Sun better from space?

15. What is your favorite science experiment aboard the space station now?

16. What would you still like to explore or do in space?

17. What message would you like to give to children who want to become astronauts one day?

18. What helps you stay calm when something unexpected happens in space?

 ARISS News Release  No. 26-03 ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Conn Magnet Elementary School, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

 January 28, 2026—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 Conn Magnet Elementary School located in Raleigh, North Carolina, 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. Conn Magnet Elementary School is an Entrepreneurial Design Magnet that teach students how to think like designers and innovators through their Entrepreneur IDEAS Design Cycle: Identify, Develop, Execute, Assess, and Share. Students participate in micro design challenges, using innovative design, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking to solve real-world problems. This includes using 3D printers, growing herbs and vegetables and planting tomato seeds that were on the ISS for eight weeks, and composting lunch trays to demonstrate sustainability in the garden. Through partnerships with local companies, universities, and community organizations, students have opportunities to apply their ideas. This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Chris Williams, amateur radio call sign KJ5GEW. 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 Raleigh, NC. Amateur radio operators using call sign K4EB, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection. The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for January 30, 2026 at 10:10:53 am EST (NC, USA) (15:10:53 UTC, 9:10 am CST, 8:10 am MST, 7:10 am PST). The public is invited to watch the live stream at:  https://youtube.com/live/tOj-SpbmA30?feature=share and https://live.ariss.org/_______________________________ 

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What kind of job do you do once you leave space? 

2. What is the feeling like when you are blasting off into space? 

3. Where does the trash go that you generate on the ISS? 

4. What is something you would like to do in space, but are not allowed to do?

 5. What personal technology can you bring to space that has pictures, videos, and audio of family and friends? 

6. What are you looking forward to the most when you return to Earth? 

7. Do planets look different in space? 

8. What games do you plan in space when you are not working? 

9. Are there similarities with your favorite food in space and on Earth? 

10. Have you ever seen a hurricane in space? 

11. Knowing spaceflight can be risky, why did you choose to still be an astronaut? 

12. What is the hardest part of your life by being in space on the ISS? 

13. What is your favorite view you have seen from space so far? 

14. What advice do you have for students who love to build, design, and dream about the future? 

15. We apply our IDEAS Design Cycle each day. How do you and the crew on the ISS discuss possible solutions to problems and then decide an action to take? 

16. What does looking out into space look like when you are in the shadow of the Earth? 

17. If you could design a new space mission for kids to help with, what would it be? 

18. What is something you saw in space that no photo or video could ever show? 

19. How much water is used on an average day on the ISS? 

20. Is there an age minimum to go to the ISS?