January 15: HamCation in Orlando, FL, the second largest annual ham radio convention in the US, gives awards that honor outstanding ham radio operators. The 2024 Gordon West Ambassador of the Year winners are ARISS volunteers Fred and Anita Kemmerer of Hollis, NH. The two, recognized nationally for promoting technology learning and amateur radio, developed technical educational activities for youth and for ham operators as lifelong learners wanting to try new modes of radio communications.  Fred, an ARISS Technical Mentor, has assisted 20 schools in the preparations for their ARISS contact. He and Anita help guide these schools’ students, also, in electronics and communications hands-on activities.  

January 15: ARISS volunteer Charlie Sufana met with 10 students and the Dean of the College of Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL. Charlie serves as the ARISS Technical Mentor for the school’s ARISS contact scheduled in April. He and the undergrads reviewed progress on getting all the equipment needed for their contact’s radio set-up. He talked to them also about a number of education and technical aspects of the ARISS program beyond school radio contacts. In the evening, he presented a talk on ARISS to the Daytona Beach Amateur Radio Club. Attendance totaled 25 people, including 3 youth.  

January 7: ARISS opened a window to accept ARISS Education Proposals from education groups hoping to host an ARISS radio contact. The window closes on February 29.  The ARISS contacts would be held between July 1 and December 31, 2024. ARISS distributed a news release about the window opening and media outlets picked up the information. ARISS sent a detailed blurb to NASA EXPRESS, which went to 60,624 subscribers and was shared through the NASA Office of STEM Engagement social media tools; these efforts resulted in shared content going to over 1 million followers.

ARISS Upcoming Events
Jan 24: IC Istituto Comprensivo, Gioiosa Marea, Italy-ARISS contact, ARISS-Europe Team
Jan 25: Youth Group, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia—ARISS contact, ARISS-Russia Team
Jan 29: Ömer Cemile Güler Imam Hatip School, Selçuklu, Türkiye-ARISS contact, ARISS-Europe Team
Jan 31: Bandırma Şehit Güvenç Anatolian HS, Bandırma, Türkiye-ARISS contact, ARISS-Europe Team
Jan 31: Bilingual Montessori School-Lund, Stiftelsen, Lund, Sweden-ARISS contact, ARISS-Europe Team
Feb 22-24: Human Spaceflight Amateur Radio: 40th Anniversary Celebration, KSC Ctr for Space Education, Titusville FL—ARISS conference/gala, ARISS-I Team