May 19: Faculty and students at Monaro High School in Cooma, NSW, Australia hosted an ARISS contact with Mark Vande Hei. He answered 20 questions with a listening audience in the very-low-Covid locale comprised of 130 parents, the mayor, an Eden-Monaro federal member, and supporting radio club members. Many commented that Vande Hei very thoughtfully and candidly replied to students. Prior to hearing him, the audience viewed a recording of students’ STEM projects and activities. People were intrigued enough to ask more questions afterward about space and radio. The school streamed the contact on its Facebook page, garnering 3,228 views. The contact was heard by 18 listeners via Echolink. Faculty had modified student courses to include content on communications and space habitation, and had shared lesson ideas with all surrounding schools.
May 20: Lycée Jean Moulin (LJM) students in Les Andelys, France made an ARISS contact with Thomas Pesquet who answered 16 questions. Students, staff, and media (National TV-TF1 and Regional TV France-3) were at the school following Covid guidelines. 200 social-distanced people watched a livestream, and later, 1,946 more. Everyone saw a review of students’ space and astronomy activities, and facts about the area’s primary and junior high schools that took part in related studies. LJM offers internships in aeronautics and space industries. The school partners are ArianeGroup, Normandy Aerospace Club, and Radio Club de Vernon; all support aerospace and engineering projects such as: build and program rovers and develop star-tracking technology for telescopes.
May 13: ARISS announced the nine education organizations accepted for an ARISS contact between January and June 2022. Organizations will typically begin preparing related STEM activities as the fall school semester begins. The ARISS team wrote and distributed a news release, which was picked up by many media outlets. The organizations are:
- Bellefontaine High School Bellefontaine, OH
- Carter G. Woodson Middle School Hopewell, VA
- Lewis Center for Educational Research Apple Valley, CA
- Matinecock District, Suffolk County NY Boy Scouts Medford, NY
- McBride High School Long Beach , CA
- Old St. Mary’s School Chicago, IL
- Salem-South Lyon District Library South Lyon, MI
- Sussex County Charter School for Technology Sparta, NJ
- Space Hardware Club Huntsville, AL
May 22, 24: Youth at Reunion Island’s Ecole Elémentaire de Saint Leu Centre, as well as a group of students in Russia at a school in Aznakaevo, the Republic of Tatarstan, each had an ARISS contact. Some details should be known in a few days.
Upcoming Events
- May 24 Gagarin from Space program in Saratov Region, Russia, ARISS contact, ARISS-Russia team
- May 25 Windsor School & Liceo Industrial de Valdiva, Chile, ARISS contact, ARISS-Canada team
- May 27 ARISS Orientation Webinar for Jan-Jun ARISS contacts, K. Lamont, J. Kludt