July 31-August 3: Four ARISS team members, Frank Bauer, Randy Berger, Diane Schuler, and Kelly Cammarano traveled to the International Space Station Research & Development Conference (ISSRDC) in Seattle, WA to set up an ARISS exhibit table. They displayed items from the ARISS SPARKI educator radio experimentation kit such as ARISS’s robot, the electrical components from Snap Circuits®, and a manual of ARISS lesson plans, along with items related to ARISS 2.0. The team also aimed for a second goal at the conference, which they achieved, to network with engineers, educators, professionals from NASA and commercial space companies, some of whom ARISS already works with, and also, many STEM enthusiasts. Exhibit visitors got an overview of ARISS’s mission, accomplishments, and future goals. In all, the team interacted with 500 people, 80 being educators, and of those 80, half were college professors. Frank Bauer gave an ISSRDC session presentation and reported 40 attendees, with about half being educators. His talk covered the future direction of ARISS 2.0.
July 31: ARISS thanks NASA for spotlighting ARISS and Stephen Bowen’s support of it. The NASA web page (see below) carried a photo blurb featuring him talking on the ARISS radio on the ISS for a scheduled ARISS contact with youth at the Youth On The Air (YOTA) STEM camp. The young people were from the US and Canada, and Carleton University in Ottawa, ON hosted the camp. The NASA web URL is https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/astronaut-stephen-bowen-conducts-a-ham-radio-session.
July 31: The Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) sponsored the seventh and final ham radio session in the “A Call from Space” series of student/astronaut ARISS contacts. The Emirates Amateur Radio Society in Sharjah, UAE hosted this event and handled the ham radio communications for Sultan Al Neyadi to talk with youth; over 30 people came to the event. An Emirates News Agency-WAM story described the ham radio contact as part of the enriching programme that gave attendees an overview of MBRSC projects, a detailed look into space stations and space history, hands-on training in using a ham radio station, and basics on the benefits of amateur radio and communications. A video clip is at https://wam.ae/en/details/1395303183053. MENAFN, a Dubai PR Network, posted a story, as well.
Summarizing all seven UAE ARISS contacts, MENAFN reported that the outreach programme with its seven events and special ARISS contacts engaged over 500 students, ages 7 – 15. Hosts included the MBRSC and its library; Mushairif School, GEMS Wellington International School, all in Dubai; Cycle 1-Ajyal in Ajman; and the Emirates Amateur Radio Society facility in Sharjah. MBRSC social media recapped the seven events: “The sessions have been an extraordinary journey, leaving an indelible imprint on young minds, inspiring them to explore the boundless universe.” MBRSC Director General Salem Humaid AlMarri said, “I would like to thank our partners, the Emirates Amateur Radio Society and Emirates Literature Foundation, for their integral role in the success of this series.” Emirates New Agency-WAM praised all of the ARISS contacts, writing: “The most unforgettable part of these events were the captivating live interactions with Al Neyadi in which students asked him their burning questions about space, a first-hand exchange that deepened their understanding of the space exploration journey.”
ARISS Upcoming Events
Aug 24: STEM for GIRLS, St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada – ARISS contact, ARISS-Canada Team
Aug 25: Australian Air League, Salisbury, S. Australia, Australia – ARISS contact, ARISS-Japan Team