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

As of September 19, 2024

Sailing Event, Moscow, Russia, direct via TBD (Aleksandr Grebyonkin RZ3DSE)
- Sat 2024-09-21 16:25 UTC
Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD (Ivan Vagner)
- Tue 2024-09-24 09:25 UTC
Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD (Aleksey Ovchinin)
- Fri 2024-09-27 13:20 UTC
Khazar University, Dunya School, Baku, Azerbaijan, direct via 4K6EH (Matthew Dominick KC0TOR)
- Sat 2024-09-28 10:50:21 UTC 28 deg

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).

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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?
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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).

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 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).

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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?
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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.

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 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.
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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?
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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/
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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?
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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/
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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?
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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.

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 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 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).
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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?
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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
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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?
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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.
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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?
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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.

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 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 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 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 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).
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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).
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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
_________________
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
_________________________
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?
____________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-29

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Eric Knows CIC, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

May 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 Eric Knows CIC located in Newcastle upon Tyne, 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.

Eric Knows CIC, is a not-for-profit organization working with children and young people across the North East of England. The school provides education, support and training to people who are autistic and their families. Eric Knows CIC also runs creative classes and sessions with STEM themes around the Co Durham area with other not-for-profit organizations. Eric Knows CIC launched ‘STIM-ulating Science’, a rolling STEM project for neurodivergent children. Support for this ARISS contact is coming from the Bishop Auckland Radio Amateurs’ Club along with other local amateur radio clubs.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for May 11, 2024 at 9:42:32 am BST (UK) (8:42:32 UTC, 4:42 am EDT, 3:42 am CDT, 2:42 am MDT, 1:42 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. Who/what inspired you to become an astronaut?
2. What do you think is the strangest thing about being in space?
3. I have autism and ADHD. How will this affect my chances of getting into the space program?
4. What do thunder and lightning storms look like from space?
5. What meal are you most looking forward to eating when you return to earth?
6. What material does your space suit and helmet contain and why?
7. What activities do you do to relax in space?
8. How much oxygen does an oxygen tank hold?
9. How much gravity is on the space station?
10. What is your favorite thing about being an astronaut and in space?
11. Can you see the constellations from space, and if so, which is your favorite?
12. What does it feel like when you get back down on earth?
13. If you could go anywhere in the universe, where would it be and why?
14. How do you get into bed in space? Do you get a good night’s sleep?
15. How long do you have to be away from your family and can you speak to them?
_______________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-28

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Wireless Institute of Australia / Bundaberg High School Amateur Radio Club, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia

May 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 Wireless Institute of Australia / Bundaberg High School Amateur Radio Club, Bundaberg in Bundaberg, Queensland, 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.

Bundaberg State High School, operating since 1912, serves more than 1600 students in grades 7-12. The science faculty regularly collaborate with other local high schools, feeder primary schools, TAFE (Technical and further education training), local Universities and local community business and agencies to develop curricular and extra-curricular programs, including STEM and Science Ambassador programs. Science courses include physics courses on Forces, energy waves, and electromagnetic radiation, and Earth Science courses on the Solar System (the Big Bang Theory).

This will be a telebridge 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 telebridge station.

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 May 4, 2024 at 8:28 pm AEST (Queensland) (10:28:24 UTC, 6:28 am EDT, 5:28 am CDT, 4:28 am MDT, 3:28 am PDT).
_________________________
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What are the training requirements before going to space?
2. How fast do you have to travel to go through Earth’s atmosphere and how did you feel when you were first taking off into space?
3. How do you maneuver in and outside of the ISS given there is no gravity?
4. What generic things are surprisingly more difficult to do up there than down here on earth?
5. What do you have to eat in space and have you noted any changes in your digestive system since your arrival on ISS?
6. How many hours are you awake for in the international space station every day and how does the crew sleep at night with the very low gravity?
7. What is the current mission, tasks and research being completed on the ISS?
8. What’s the most profound revelation you’ve had while looking at the stars?
9. What tasks are you doing immediately after talking with us?
10. Can you describe the moment you first saw Earth from space?
11. Do you have sense of direction in space and do you look up or down at Earth?
12. How long have you been on the International Space Station and how much longer will you stay there, also do we know how long is it safe to be in space for?
13. What do you find most exhilarating about spacewalks?
14. What made you want to be an astronaut and when did you discover this?
___________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-27

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School Center for Innovation, Raleigh, NC, USA

April 27, 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 Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School Center for Innovation located in Raleigh, NC. 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.

Centennial Campus Center for Innovation Magnet Middle School is a 6th through 8th grade public school serving approximately 470 students. As a Center for Innovation, students work with STEM learning and the Design Thinking process to develop those skill sets and characteristics of an Innovator and thus are preparing for careers not yet imagined. In anticipation of this ARISS contact, students have learned about the ISS and have taken a virtual tour of the ISS. Students have also participated in various design thinking challenges, including designing a moon lander – a shock absorbing system that will protect two astronauts (marshmallows) when landing on the moon (dropped from a height).

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for May 1, 2024 at 8:03:49 am EDT (NC) (12:03:49 UTC, 7:03 am CDT, 6:03 am MDT, 5:03 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtube.com/live/4ZU7I208cw4
_____________________________
As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What is the limit for how long someone can stay in space? How long have you been in space?
2. What is the biggest challenge you face in your daily life aboard the ISS?
3. What does collaboration with your fellow crew members look like on board the ISS?
4. What is the hardest part about being an astronaut, and how to you maintain a positive attitude?
5. How does it feel when you come back down to earth? Does it feel weird because of the difference of gravity?
6. How many years did you have to study to become an astronaut and what do you study?
7. When do you use resilience on your job? How do you stay motivated when working on difficult tasks?
8. Could you see the eclipse from the ISS? What other space events can you see from the ISS (like the eclipse) that we may not have thought about?
9. We focus on the Design Thinking process to solve problems. What process do you use to solve problems?
10. How long did it take you to feel like you were at home? Or what would make you feel more at home?
11. What is some advice you would give to students willing to follow your career path?
12. What is an underrated/not really known part of your job?
13. What type of science projects are you working on?
14. Have you ever worked with others in the station on a collaborative project? If so, how did you collaborate as a team?
15. How do astronauts prepare for a journey to space?
16. How do you prepare for emergencies on the ISS? For example, do you have fire drills?
17. What foods are you able to grow in space?
18. How often do you work with astronauts from other countries? Can you describe what that is like and what challenges you may face?
19. Have you ever had any ventilation problems on the ISS, if so what did you do to fix it?
20. What was the process you went through to adjust to zero gravity? How does that feel?
_________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-26

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Thrive Home School Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

April 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 Thrive Home School Academy located in Colorado Springs, CO. 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.

Thrive Home School Academy (THSA) opened in 2009 and serves home schooled students in grades K-12, with 367 students. The school offers students a one-day-per-week full school day program that is highly interactive and experiential and engages students in hands-on activities. THSA also offers an array of extracurricular activities to further enhance students’ learning outside of the classroom. THSA has also worked with Growing Beyond Earth on the NASA Veggie Project with Dr. Goia Massa for the last six years, allowing one of their students, who has worked on this project over the last two years, to ask a question based on that work. While STEM education is a focus within the district, in the 2023-24 school year and leading up to this ARISS contact, the curriculum is focusing on space technologies and radio communication. Some of the student activities incorporate principals of the electromagnetic spectrum, orbital mechanics, electronics, and ham radio and satellite communications. THSA is being supported in the way of ham radio technical instruction and ham radio communication lesson plans by members of the Pikes Peak Radio Amateur Association (AFØS).

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Colorado Springs, CO. Amateur radio operators using call sign AFØS, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for April 22, 2024 at 11:42:36 am MDT (CO, USA) (17:42:36 UTC, 1:42 pm EDT, 12:42 pm CDT, 10:42 am PDT).
_______________________
As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Do things smell or taste differently in space?
2. What is your favorite meal while on the International Space Station?
3. How did it feel to walk in space?
4. How many rooms does the ISS have, and do you have your own bedroom?
5. If the ISS travels at 17000 mph, why do you float?
6. Based on the research from the Veggie Project, could you grow a fruit-bearing bonsai tree in space?
7. How do you keep up your muscle mass?
8. How much power would it take to reach the nearest neutron star?
9. How do you communicate with your family when you are in space?
10. How does it feel to take off in a rocket?
11. What inspired you to become an astronaut?
12. What is your favorite thing you have seen in space?
13. When do you come back from space and how will you get back?
14. Do you operate and sleep on Universal time or Houston time?
15. Do you feel like you’re falling all the time? If not, how long does it last until you get used to it?
16. What is one mission you’ve done onboard, and do you like doing them?
17. Can you play a musical instrument on the ISS?
18. Can you see constellations from the ISS?
19. What is one thing you will do differently because of your experience in space?
20. What movie or show inspires you about space?
_________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-25

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Pleasant Knoll Middle School, Ft. Mill, South Carolina, USA

April 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 Pleasant Knoll Middle School located in Ft. Mill, SC. 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.

Pleasant Knoll Middle School is a suburban, public school with about 950 students in grades 6-8. In eighth grade science courses, students learn the differences between digital and analog by demonstrations with amateur radio, radio science and wave propagation. Space science is also taught throughout the school’s curriculum. The school has partnered with members of the York County Amateur Radio Society (K4YTZ) who have been providing students with various STEM activities/experiments that included: Stirling Engine, Tesla Ball, Grid Map and magnetic compass, CW (Morse code) with practice oscillators, Lenz’s Law with copper tubing, Homo Polar motors, and using a multi-meter. In preparation for this ARISS contact students have also been listening to a recording of an amateur radio contact with ISS astronauts.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Ft. Mill, SC. Amateur radio operators using call sign K4YTZ, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for April 22, 2024 at 12:10:29 pm EDT (SC) (16:10:29 UTC, 11:10 am CDT, 10:10 am MDT, 9:10 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtube.com/live/L-7BmSktTNg?feature=share and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI1VxynMBmo
_________________________
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What is the most interesting thing you have seen up there?
2. What made you interested in being an astronaut?
3. How long did it take you to adjust to living in no gravity?
4. What is a typical day on the ISS like for you?
5. What is the consistency of your food and how does it taste?
6. Are the vegetables you grow there as tasty as the ones we grow on Earth?
7. What happens if you get sick?
8. How do you go to the bathroom?
9. If you can’t shower, how do you keep yourself clean?
10. What is the most unexpected thing you have learned during your time in space?
11. The main purpose of the ISS is to conduct scientific research. What are the main science experiments your crew is currently performing aboard the station?
12. What advice would you give someone who wants to be where you are?
13. Is Artificial Intelligence used on the ISS as of today?
14. What games do you play?
15. What are the long-term effects of being in space?
16. What is the first thing you plan to do when you return to Earth?
17. How do you communicate and maintain contact with your loved ones on Earth?
18. Could you tell us one everyday life thing that is easier to do in space than on Earth?
19. How do you recycle your water?
20. What is your opinion on space tourism?
21. How does the perception of time and space change during a prolonged space mission?
22. What is something that surprised you that you didn’t expect about living in space?
23. Do you think we will find evidence of life beyond Earth?
______________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-24

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at American International University, Salmiya, Kuwait

April 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 American International University located in Salmiya, Kuwait. 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.

American International University (AIU) is a private institution located in Saad Al Abdullah, Kuwait. AIU was founded and led by a team of American educators, with a predominantly Kuwaiti student body. AIU students in the ECE400 Communication Theory course have been preparing for the ARISS contact, learning about ham radio through study of theoretical concepts and real-world applications. AIU is also welcoming elementary and high school students from the American Baccalaureate School, K-12 institution in Kuwait, to join them in this experience.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Salmiya, Kuwait. Amateur radio operators using call sign 9K9AIU, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for April 22, 2024 at 11:29 am AST (Kuwait) (8:29 UTC, 4:29 am EDT, 3:29 am CDT, 2:29 am MDT, 1:29 am PDT).
_______________________
As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Has observing Earth from space changed your perspective on life?
2. What advancements do you hope to see for future space missions?
3. Besides your family, what do you miss the most about Earth when you’re in space?
4. Regarding internal communication among astronauts, what type of communication technologies do you use?
5. Due to the distance from Earth, how do you handle signal delays in communication?
6. What is it like to live in zero gravity; does it affect your body?
7. What was your most unexpected experience living and working in space?
8. How does the lack of gravity impact communication systems compared to those on Earth?
9. How can you insure communications during all parts of your orbit?
10. If there’s no gravity in space, how do space capsules fall back to Earth?
11. What happens if the spacesuit is damaged or torn?
12. Do Solar flares affect the communication systems on the ISS?
13. Is there a risk of being hit by objects in space?
14. Does artificial intelligence support communication systems on the ISS?
15. How do you protect communication equipment from radiation or microgravity?
16. What impact do you expect electrical and computer engineering advancements to have on future space missions?
17. What electrical or computer engineering problems have you faced in space, and how did you solve them?
18. What advice would you give to aspiring space enthusiasts or those considering a career in space exploration?
19. How long is it dark and light in space? Does it change how you sleep or do your job?
___________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-22

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Mountain View Elementary, Marietta, Georgia, USA

April 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 Mountain View Elementary located in Marietta, GA. 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.

Mountain View Elementary School is a K-5 public school that serves over 830 students. Students have been involved in many cross-curricular projects and activities that included: achieved World Space Week Champions after designing a self-sustaining space settlement, designed several mission patches, worked with bluShift Aerospace on a hot/cold engine test, worked with MaxIQ Space on a Suborbital Launch Test in conjunction with the University of Kwa Zulu-Natal in South Africa. The school also has an annual schoolwide water rocket contest called Launchapalooza. Students have worked with Citizen Science on the Monarch Butterfly Migration, designed a dog prosthetic for a dog name Lyla and have designed dog park equipment for special needs dogs. This year, students have also utilized ARISS SPARKI kits, the GeoChron system, learned about aquanaut training, participated in an amateur radio directional finding (fox hunt) event on campus, and have learned how Cube Satellites work. In preparation of the ARISS contact, students have tracked the ISS during ARISS/SSTV broadcasts resulting in them decoding seven images. The school is supported by the Cherokee Amateur Radio Society, North Fulton Amateur Radio League, Cobb County Library System, bluShift Aerospace, and Cobb EMC.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Marietta, Georgia. Amateur radio operators using call sign KQ4JVI, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for April 18, 2024 at 1:48:40 pm EDT (GA) (17:48:40 UTC, 12:48 pm CDT, 11:48 am MDT, 10:48 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtube.com/live/lDjyV6P9x6I
____________________
As time allows, students willask these questions:
1. Since things float, is there physical friction in space?
2. What is the worst emergency to have on the ISS and what do you do?
3. Does zero gravity affect how your body processes food?
4. If you broke a bone in space, would you heal the same as you would on Earth?
5. Do you feel anxious thinking about returning to your home since time creates change?
6. What is the most high-tech item on the ISS not well-known by others?
7. What’s the biggest problem about the ISS?
8. On the ISS, does the crew have full access or are there areas that are off limits?
9. Have you ever had to borrow parts from one item to fix a different item on the ISS?
10. If you were given the option to live on the ISS permanently, what would your reaction be and would you accept?
11. From your unique view in space, are there noticeable patterns that show how greenhouse gases might be impacting our planet?
12. Which is a better feeling: getting to space or living in space?
13. Are you your own doctor if you get sick?
14. When you sweat on the ISS from exercise, does the sweat fall off you like it does on Earth?
15. What kind of experiments do you choose to work on, and why?
16. How did it feel when you left the Earth s gravitational pull?
17. Do you use robots on the ISS and what do they do?
18. Have you noticed an immediate change in your body after being in space?
19. Besides exercise, eat, play, and rest, are there any other things you need to do for your body while living in space?
20. How do you get dressed in space without floating away?
________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-21

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Mrs Ethelston’s CE Primary Academy at Axminster Community Academy Trust, Lyme Regis, United Kingdom

April 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 Mrs. Ethelston’s CE Primary Academy located in Lyme Regis, 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.

Acorn Multi Academy Trust is a small trust of seven schools (Mrs Ethelstons, Axminster, Chardstock, Marshwood, Loders, Thorncombe and Membury) that are situated on the coast of the English Dorset /Devon /Somerset border. Mrs Ethelston’s CE Primary Academy is hosting this ARISS contact and is directly involved in this project, however children involved are from the 7 primary schools within this Multi-Academy Trust and range in ages from 4-11 years.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Lyme Regis, UK. Amateur radio operators using call sign GB4ACA, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for April 17, 2024 at 11:44:48 am BST (UK) (10:44:48 UTC, 6:44 am EDT, 5:44 am CDT, 4:44 am MDT, 3:44 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. What was the hardest part of getting ready to go to space?
2. If you can make the water from a bottle float, then how can you swallow it without it coming up again?
3. Why do humans want to go to Mars?
4. How will we get loads of water in space without running out?
5. How long does it take to transmit data from Earth to ISS?
6. How do you not get lost in space?
7. Why doesn’t the ISS fall and hit the ground?
8. How much exercise do you need and how do you get it?
9. What temperature is it in the ISS and is that the same outside?
10. What is it like in zero gravity?
11. What is your favorite part of the ISS and why?
12. How fast can you move around in zero gravity?
13. How do you wash your hands?
14. Have you ever seen any astronomical phenomenon?
15. What is your favorite site every time you circle the Earth?
16. How big is the ISS?
17. How do you cook food in space?
18. How do you vote in space?
19. Are the space suits really heavy or light?
20. Which other planets can you see?
_______________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-20

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at ARTADEMIA, Milan, Italy and Scuola Secondaria I grado, Ponte Lambro, Italy

April 8, 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 Milan, 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.

ARTADEMIA, Milan

ARTADEMIA is an alternative to traditional schools with Junior (6-13 years), and Senior (14-24 years) students. Artademia offers course topics in which STEAM is well represented. A specific course is dedicated to astronautics and space. The school participates in Mission X and AstroPi challenges.

Scuola Secondaria I grado “A. Moro”, Ponte Lambro

The Ponte Lambro school is a small school at the foot of the pre-Alps. Their students are aged 11 through 14. During the year, the school offers many activities such as theater, collaboration with other schools and meetings with authors, scientists, athletes and voluntary associations.

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 April 10, 2024 at 3:16:48 pm CEST (Italy) (13:16:48 UTC, 9:16 am EDT, 8:16 am CDT, 7:16 am MDT, 6:16 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/live/sJoKzK2292U?si=BxXWi41cfsJJv4c2
_________________________
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What did you study to become an astronaut?
2. What is the most stimulating experiment you’re working on?
3. How difficult is it to adapt to the microgravity condition of the ISS?
4. Which planets can be seen from the ISS?
5. How does the breathing system of EVA suits and in the ISS work?
6. What system do you use to grow the plants in space?
7. What is your daily routine and how do you organize it?
8. Do you dream differently in space than when you are on Earth?
9. Does it make you feel nauseous being up there?
10. What is the temperature on board the ISS?
11. Does the food you eat in space taste the same as what you eat on Earth?
12. Are fireworks and amateur astronomers’ lasers visible from the ISS?
13. What is the best experience you have had in space?
14. How are the interactions between crew members on the ISS?
15. What do you do in your free time? Do you have books and board games?
16. Is there any particular smell inside the ISS?
17. Do you have contact with your families?
18. How does a flame behave in space?
19. Why did you decide to become an astronaut?
20. What is the most fascinating area of the Earth seen from the ISS?
21. What experience has most changed your perception of the Universe and life on Earth?
22. What cannot be brought on board the ISS?
23. What plans do you have for the future?
24. Do your ears hurt when you go up in space?
________________________

ARISS News Release No. 24-18

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Tooele County School District, Tooele, Utah, USA

April 7, 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 Tooele County School District located in Tooele, UT. 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 Tooele Community Learning Center (CLC) is a rural, public education center south of the Great Salt Lake, Tooele County, Utah. The CLC houses four separate school entities within Tooele County School District: Career & Technical Education (grades 9-12, 500 students), Alternative High School (grades 9-12, 100 students), Special Needs Adult Program (40 students), and Digital Education Center (grades K-12, 800 students). CLC is supported by members of the Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club, with seven of the participating students recently passing their amateur radio technician license tests. The West Desert Amateur Radio Club facilitates and proctors an annual Amateur Radio Technician exam at the school and conducts Elmer sessions relevant to the exam and this ARISS contact.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Tooele, Utah. Amateur radio operators using call sign W7CBL, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for April 8, 2024 at 11:45 am MDT (UT) (17:45 UTC, 1:45 pm EDT, 12:45 pm CDT, 10:45 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtube.com/live/5z_zfRfwAMY?feature=share
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What was the hardest part of your training to become an astronaut?
2. What is the coolest tool or piece of technology you use on station?
3. What immediate physical effects did being in space for the first time have on you?
4. How would zero-g affect the flight of a paper airplane?
5. Which diseases or disorders are you at more risk for in space?
6. What is the strangest thing you’ve seen in space?
7. What happens when you cry in zero-g?
8. How does zero-g affect blood flow?
9. If you could design a new module for the ISS, what would its primary purpose be?
10. What challenges do you face on a daily basis that are unique to living in space?
11. What advice would you give to students aspiring to a career in space exploration?
12. How do you determine who gets to pick the movies on movie night?
13. What is the procedure if an unidentified being attempted to contact you?
14. How do you celebrate holidays on the ISS?
15. How long does it take to get used to sleeping in space?
16. How often do you get to hear from your families?
17. What is the most exciting thing that has happened for you on this expedition?
18. I run cross country, and the anticipation before the race is worse for me then the actual race. How does the anticipation of the launch differ from the actual launch?
19. What has been the biggest difference between your underwater training and space?
20. What is the plan if the ISS was to suffer a station-wide power outage?
21. How does aurora borealis look different from space?
22. How does space affect plant growth?
23. How do you protect yourself from the dangers of space?
24. Is there a protocol for the ISS if a catastrophic event happens on Earth?
25. What daily routines are crucial to maintaining physical and mental well-being?
26. Other than family and friends, what do you miss most about living on Earth?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-17

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Collège Théodore Monod, Gagny, France

April 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 Collège Théodore Monod located in Gagny, France. 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.

Theodore Monod middle school is located 10 kilometers east of Paris, in the administrative area of Seine-Saint-Denis with about 700 students enrolled (from 3rd to 6th grade, 11 to 15 years old). This ARISS radio contact will take place from the former Paris-Le Bourget airport where Charles Lindbergh landed during the first solo transatlantic aircraft crossing in 1927 and which is now the National Air and Space Museum of France.

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 north of Gagny at the National Air and Space Museum of France. Amateur radio operators using call sign TM2ISS, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for April 4, 2024 at 4:51 pm CEST (France) (14:51 UTC, 10:51 am EDT, 9:51 am CDT, 8:51 am MDT, 7:51 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/user/f6kgl/live
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As time allows, student will ask these questions:
1. Could you describe your feelings when you first took off from Earth?
2. How do you feel when you see the Earth from space?
3. What aspect of your daily life do you miss the most during your stay aboard the ISS?
4. What aspects of adapting to life in space do you find particularly challenging?
5. Has the cultural diversity of the crew any effect on the life in space?
6. What is the most interesting scientific experiment you did in the ISS?
7. What experiment or observation stood out as the most memorable for you during your time aboard the ISS?
8. How much free time do you have and what do you do with it?
9. Do you feel as much hunger and thirst in space as we do on earth?
10. Do the organs stay in place or do they move?
11. Is it difficult to stay a long time in a box with the same persons?
12. Is there a growing danger in the ISS because of space junk?
13. If you could undertake a space mission to another planet, which one would you choose?
14. Does the growing power of the private industry in the space conquest have an impact on the work in the ISS?
15. Are the space tourists welcome in the ISS and is it difficult to support them?
16. Have you ever seen any aurora borealis from the ISS?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-16

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA

April 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 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University located in Daytona 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.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is a suburban, private school in Daytona Beach, Florida. ERAU provides for aviation and aerospace education, and maintains close ties with its space neighbors (Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center). Its College of Engineering offers an engineering undergraduate program with more than 2,000 students enrolled. In February 2024, the college’s EagleCam project also became the first university student-built payload to land on the Moon. ERAU has partnered with Volusia County Public Schools with over 300 students from Creekside Middle School, Deltona Middle School, Heritage Middle School, Ormond Beach Middle School and River Springs Middle School attending this on-campus ARISS contact event. Participating amateur radio organizations include the Daytona Beach Amateur Radio Association (DBARA) and the ERAU Amateur Radio Association (NN4ER), helping with technical operation of the amateur satellite radio station for this ARISS contact.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Daytona Beach, FL. Amateur radio operators using call sign NN4ER, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for April 3, 2024 at 11:22 am EDT (Florida, USA) (15:22 UTC, 10:22 am CDT, 9:22 am MDT, 8:22 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/eraudaytona/
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. How do you clean the ISS when someone or something makes a mess?
2. What do astronauts study while in space for long periods of time?
3. What is your degree(s) in and how do they correlate to your research?
4. How are disagreements resolved on board?
5. What would you have to do if the ISS lost all communication connection with Earth?
6. How has your experience living on the ISS shaped your perspective on the importance of international cooperation in space exploration?
7. What inspired you to be an astronaut?
8. Do you do art in space and what kind of projects?
9. What is the most beautiful thing you have seen on Earth?
10. What are the most significant challenges astronauts face in maintaining physical and mental health during long duration space trips?
11. Did any certain person, teacher or event help inspire you to become an astronaut?
12. Is the view of the starry sky from space different from that on Earth, and how?
13. What are some of the most unexpected things you’ve seen or heard in space?
14. What is most fun experiment you have done on board the ISS?
15. What do you guys do in case of a solar storm?
16. What is one thing that is more fun to do on the ISS than on Earth?
17. What might you have done with your life if you never became an astronaut?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-15

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at St. John’s School Authority, St. John’s, NL, Canada

March 25, 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. John’s School Authority located in St. John’s, NL. 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.

Newfoundland (NL) Schools is an entity of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador which teaches English-speaking students in K to 12 public schools in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Currently NL Schools includes over 63,000 students, over 250 schools, and over 10,000 employees. This ARISS contact directly links to the school’s Science 9 curriculum as students complete a full unit on space, including classes specific to the ISS. There are 4 schools (and associated Science 9 classes) involved in this ARISS contact: Leary’s Brook Junior High, St. Paul’s Junior High, Mount Pearl Intermediate, and Amalgamated Academy.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Loral O’Hara, amateur radio call sign KI5TOM. 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 March 27, 2024 at 1:55:27 pm NDT (Newfoundland) (16:25 UTC, 12:25 pm EDT, 11:25 am CDT, 10:25 am MDT, 9:25 am PDT).

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

1. Can you describe what Earth looks like from your view?
2. Did you learn anything in Junior High that is useful to your life as an astronaut?
3. What training do you receive to respond to a serious injury or illness while in space?
4. What kinds of experiments are being carried out on board the ISS these days?
5. How long did it take to become an astronaut? What was your path/education that led to this career?
6. Does being on the ISS give you the same feeling as pulling out of your driveway to go on a trip, or is there a different sense of homesickness?
7. Do you believe there could be life on another planet?
8. Is there anything that surprised you about space?
9. During your journey to and from space, do you prefer ascending into space or descending back to Earth?
10. How do you keep a daily routine without a single sunrise/sunset?
11. What is the travel time to the space station?
12. How does being on the ISS change your appreciation for planet Earth?
13. How do you use the bathroom in space?
14. What advice do you have for students who are interested in pursuing space science as a potential career?
15. How does the ISS protect itself from space debris?
16. Does your physical view and perspective on space change while you are on station?
17. How many people are in the space station right now? How big is the station itself?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-14

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Second Chance School of Orestiada, Orestiada, Greece

March 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 Second Chance School of Orestiada located in Orestiada, Greece. 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 Second Chance School of Orestiada (SDE Orestiadas) is an adult (18-66 years old) education school for men and women who want to complete their (nine-year) compulsory education (equivalent to a high school diploma). The curriculum includes the following subjects: Greek, English, Mathematics and Computer Science, Physical and Social Sciences, Environmental Education and Aesthetic Education. SDE Orestiadas offers classes in Information Technology, Mathematics and Physical Sciences. In the first year of their studies, students also learn basic concepts of Astronomy, Earth’s solar system and their orbital movements, and planet creation. During a hosted astronomy event, a presentation was given by a representative from the local amateur astronomy association.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Glenden, Australia. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the call sign VK4KHZ, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for March 20, 2024 at 19:45:54 pm EET (GREECE) (17:45:54 UTC, 1:45 pm EDT, 12:45 pm CDT, 11:45 am MDT, 10:45 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtube.com/@sdeorestiadas9736

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Can you grow your own food on ISS? For instance, your own vegetables in order to consume them?
2. What kind of diet do you follow on ISS and what is your favorite food?
3. What is it like to live and work in a microgravity environment?
4. Is all the hard work and sacrifice worth it to get the privilege of seeing the Earth from above?
5. What’s the most exciting experience you have ever had in space?
6. How did you feel the very first time you went to space?
7. Did you become an astronaut to earn a living or to experience something new?
8. How long is it before someone can return to the ISS?
9. How do you contact your loved ones on Earth during your mission?
10. What’s your daily routine on ISS?
11. What do ISS astronauts do in their free time?
12. Was it easy or hard to adjust on ISS?
13. Which is the most interesting scientific research conducted on ISS?
14. How many hours do you work, do you have shifts?
15. How do you face seclusion and long term stay in an enclosed area?
16. What kind of difficulties do you face on ISS?
17. How long and how do astronauts prepare to go into space?
18. What is sleeping like in space?
19. Have you seen the Aurora from the ISS? And if so, how was it?
20. How often are supplies provided?
21. After your experience on ISS, do you evaluate life in a different way?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-13

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at IES Pedro Simón Abril High School, Alcaraz, Spain

March 01, 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 IES Pedro Simón Abril High School located in Alcaraz, 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.

IES Pedro Simón Abril High School provides secondary education, including a STEM curriculum, for students from 14 different towns in the area. The school established a Space Science-oriented cooperation program with Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. Four years of hands-on activities have allowed students to learn about ARISS and prepare for this ARISS contact. Students (with help from local ham operators) have built and maintained a local FM amateur radio station (Studio21 project), allowing them to learn about radio science and radio equipment. Students have also tracked the ISS to download SSTV images during ISS SSTV events, and listen to contacts between ham operators transmitting through the ISS. Students are also setting up a school amateur radio ground station.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for March 4, 2024 at 12:21 pm CET (Alcaraz, Spain) (11:21 UTC, 6:21 am EST, 5:21 am CST, 4:21 am MST, 3:21 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xgk4YZT5w4
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. How does a geomagnetic storm affect the ISS?
2. Can the ARISS radio be used as an emergency backup in case other communication links fail?
3. What is your opinion on space tourism?
4. How did you spend your time as your spacecraft was on its way to the ISS?
5. What did you feel when the launch vehicle stages separated?
6. Are the vegetables you grow there as tasty as the ones we grow on Earth?
7. If you went to the Moon or Mars, would you like to still be able to communicate with students from all around the world as we are doing now?
8. Is it possible to observe or photograph our village from the Cupola?
9. Do you listen to music using streaming services as we do? What genres do you and the rest of the crew like?
10. How do you adapt your sleeping patterns to the 16 sunrises and sunsets you experience each day?
11. Which is your favorite spacesuit?
12. What is the most unexpected thing you have learned during your time in space?
13. Are there any practices that you do on the ISS that you think could be applied for everyday life on Earth?
14. How do the stars and other celestial bodies appear different when viewed from the ISS compared to Earth?
15. Is underwater spacewalk training accurate?
16. Do you think Mixed Reality could be some day applied to EVA spacesuit helmets?
17. Do you believe the speed of light will limit deep space travel and communications?
18. Are helicopters such as Ingenuity the future for robotic planetary exploration?
19. Could you tell us one everyday life thing that is easier to do in space than on Earth?
20. Is Artificial Intelligence used on the ISS as of today?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-12

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Girl Scout Troop 1089, Sacramento, California, USA

February 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 youth members in Girl Scout Troop 1089 located in Sacramento, CA. 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 Girl Scout Project with ARISS has been undertaken and implemented by Senior and Ambassador Scouts (high school) from various Troops within the greater Sacramento area. In preparation for this ARISS contact, Girl Scout Troop 1089 conducted an educational program (Space and Stem Educational Activities and Experience) of seven sessions designed for Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts, representing ages 14-18, grades 9-12. By earning their “Space Science Master Badge” and “STEM Career Exploration Badge” and participating in this ARISS contact, the Girl Scout leaders hope this will inspire an interest in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) fields among the attendees. Session activities allowed girls to build/tune a small radio, learn about web software defined radio, research the experiments occurring on the ISS, and learn about careers in the space sciences. They also learned to work a ham radio station that will download Slow Scan TV images. Girl Scout Troop 1089 is actively working with members of the River City Amateur Radio Communications Society (N6NA) who have provided lessons in radio communication, amateur radio, and STEM fields as part of the seven sessions.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, amateur radio call sign KI5WSL. 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 Sacramento, CA. Amateur radio operators using call sign N6NA, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 22, 2024 at 10:26 am PST (CA) (18:26 UTC, 1:26 pm EST, 12:26 pm CST, 11:26 am MST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://youtube.com/live/-pc-8FqHBTw – early entry 9:15 and https://fb.me/e/3xnJgypOa
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What is the strangest thing to happen to you on the ISS?
2. What are some of the experiments you are working on? What is your favorite?
3. What are you most looking forward to when you return to Earth?
4. What are some things you will miss about space once you are back on Earth?
5. What advice would you give someone who wants to be where you are?
6. The first time you took off from Earth were you scared? What was it like?
7. Do you think we will find evidence of life beyond Earth?
8. How do you get supplies from Earth?
9. Are your experiments mostly biological or technological?
10. How do solar flares affect you and the Space Station?
11. Do you listen to music or PodCasts in space? If so, what?
12. Do you have any free time? If so, what do you do during it?
13. Do you really eat astronaut ice cream? What is your favorite flavor?
14. What happens if there is an emergency with the Station itself?
15. What is your deepest worry while on the ISS?
16. What is the hardest part of being an astronaut?
17. What is the average day on the ISS like for you?
18. Would you live on Mars if you could?
19. What is your favorite part of being an astronaut?
20. Do all astronauts perform experiments or do some focus on science while others focus on the maintenance of the space station or something else?

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ARISS News Release No. 24-11

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at B. Russell High School, Rome, Italy

February 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 B. Russell High School located in Rome, 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 B. Russell High School curriculum is organized into Classical, Linguistic, and Scientific courses with the current school year having 59 classes with a total of 1395 students. Students study mechanics, thermodynamics, optics, algebra, Cartesian and Euclidean geometry, and probability. In higher grade levels they study classical electromagnetism, modern physics, and mathematical analysis. Throughout their course of study, students have opportunities to take advanced courses, sometimes in collaboration with universities, including cryptography, astronomy, meteorology and climatology, and electromagnetism. To prepare for this ARISS contact, students have built circuits and antennas to study electromagnetic fields (propagation and reception), and collected and analyzed data from weather sensors. Students are also learning about astronomy that include practical observational activities using telescopes. The course in astronomy covers the main topics of modern astronomy and astrophysics, from the formation of the Solar System, to theories of stellar evolution. Prior to the ARISS contact, students have also been learning about the ISS and space exploration. Members of the Italian Amateur Radio Association (ARI) section of Rome, are also providing technical training to the students, and are responsible for this direct ARISS contact event.

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

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 15, 2024 at 12:32 pm CET (Italy) (11:32 UTC, 6:32 am EST, 5:32 am CST, 4:32 am MST, 3:32 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0YEgMvzbn8

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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What progress has been made in research on plants in space and what impact could it have on future extraterrestrial cultivation?
2. In your experiments, are you doing any research which has to do with new solutions to climate change?
3. How will artificial intelligence influence the life and research of astronauts?
4. In simple terms, can you explain what the PROMETEO II project is about?
5. What technological challenges do you think are crucial to overcome in order to make presence in space more sustainable and comfortable in the long term?
6. You are carrying out studies on the cardiovascular system. Could the results obtained be applied, for example, in the development of new aeronautical technologies?
7. If a person gets sick while being in a closed space, what can be done to avoid the passage of viruses and apply the consequent treatment?
8. How does the perception of time and space change during a prolonged space mission?
9. How do you deal whit long-term physical changes, such as loss of bone density while in space?
10. What are the physical tests that an astronaut must pass?
11. What is standard procedure in the case of fire?
12. In the event of a breakdown in the carbon dioxide disposal machinery what should the astronauts do? (Hoping it never happens)
13. How important is the collaboration between all astronauts to achieve the required objectives?
14. What is the impact experienced by the body caused by the absence of gravity?
15. Do you follow a specific diet before going into space?
16. How does physical activity play a vital role for astronauts inside the space station?
17. What is the purpose of future space exploration?
18. What kind of biological experiments do you have to carry out on board?
19. How can we keep up a hypothetical supply chain for future colonies and bases on Mars and on the moon? (Is it possible, perhaps, to develop a system for a complete self-sufficiency)
20. What studies must one complete to become an astronaut?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-10

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at School of Telecommunications Engineering, ETSIT Valencia (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain

February 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 School of Telecommunications Engineering located in Valencia, 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 School of Telecommunications Engineering, ETSIT Valencia, of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV), is coordinating this ARISS contact, which will be a milestone in the two-year course “Space for Kids, How to Design and Build a Nanosatellite” for teachers from 8 secondary and high schools. About 160 students, 14-17 years old, are also involved in this space hands-on project, which has been integrated into various courses such as; Access to space and space environment, Satellite communication, Satellite mission design, and Testing our mission in Earth (how to analyze data). The Earth station that will be used for this ARISS contact is located at UPV (School of Telecommunications) and has been built specifically for this contact providing the students technical experience in ham satellite communications. Members of the University’s Radio Club and school faculty will be supporting this contact and have been helping with activities for high school students such as antenna workshops and satellite receiver workshops.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Loral O’Hara, amateur radio call sign KI5TOM. 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 Valencia, Spain. Amateur radio operators using call sign EA5RKP, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 9, 2024 at 9:12:46 am CET (Valencia, Spain) (8:12:46 UTC, 3:12 am EST, 2:12 am CST, 1:12 am MST, 12:12 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IMdKcM2Fw8
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What experiment are you working on?
2. Has your perspective on life changed after being on the ISS?
3. What would you like to achieve by working as an astronaut?
4. How do you communicate and maintain contact with your loved ones on Earth?
5. If a biological virus is detected, what is the protocol to follow? Can a biological virus be detected on the spacecraft?
6. How do you maintain your fitness in space? How does the state of weightlessness mainly affect you?
7. What is your area of study and expertise? And how did you train for the space station program?
8. How did you feel when you experienced zero gravity for the first time?
9. What is the most complicated part of launching into space?
10. What are the safety measures implemented to protect the space station against possible space debris impacts?
11. Are the laws that govern the ISS like maritime laws or the laws of the country that owns the module?
12. What is day to day like on the ISS? Is there an established routine?
13. How do you manage the temperature in the space station?
14. What advice would you give to those who want to become astronauts?
15. How do you manage to navigate the ship so easily when all the modules appear uniform?
16. How does microgravity impact the effectiveness of the scientific experiments being carried out on the space station and what notable discoveries have emerged so far?
17. What are the best and worst aspects of your mission?
18. What was your motivation to be an astronaut? When was it clear?
19. What was the hardest part of your training?
20. What has been your most amazing moment in space?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-09

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Lilburn Elementary School, Lilburn, Georgia, USA

February 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 Lilburn Elementary School located in Lilburn, GA. 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.

Lilburn is a K-5, Title I, public school serving nearly 1,350 students, ages 5-11 years. The school’s current curriculum includes relevant STEM and Computer Science topics across all grade levels and disciplines. In advance of this ARISS contact, students have also been learning more about Earth’s systems, robotics, and emergency communications. In STEM classes, students used the Design Thinking Process to solve real-world problems in space such as how people can one day live on the moon, designing solutions for the spidernaut experiment, as well as how to grow food in space. Computer science and STEM teachers that attended a Space Pioneers Amateur Radio Kit Initiative (SPARKI) workshop then showed students, using lessons and activities, how to communicate through radio. For example, fifth graders in STEM classes built a modified telegraph to communicate between classrooms using the telegraph key. In the electricity unit, students used circuit kits (like the ones provided by SPARKI) and Makey-Makey kits to create simple circuits. The school is working with members of the Gwinnett American Radio Society (GARS), ARRL, and the North Fulton Amateur Radio League (NFARL). Members of these local ham radio organizations (NRARL) will help with the technical aspects of ham radio operation on the campus and with conducting the ARISS contact.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Lilburn, GA. Amateur radio operators using call sign K4RGK, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 7, 2024 at 9:24 am EST (GA, USA) (14:24 UTC, 8:24 am CST, 7:24 am MST, 6:24 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuI4sKDBpERtEFs9bFrRMFA/live
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Our teachers help us focus not just on academics, but on emotional health as well. I would like to know, how are YOU doing?
2. What is the grossest thing about living in space?
3. Our school has many gardens that students help take care of. What kinds of plants are you growing on the ISS?
4. Have you ever had a big emergency in Space? If so, what was the situation?
5. What’s it like working with astronauts from other countries?
6. How long and how often do you have to wear the space suit, and do you get tired of it?
7. Have you read the Dog Man Books? If not, what kinds of books do you enjoy reading most?
8. What is something that surprised you that you didn’t expect about living in space?
9. What is your favorite hobby that is not space related?
10. What is the most important thing you have to do on the ISS when you wake up?
11. What are you looking forward to the most when you return to Earth?
12. How do you entertain yourself on the ISS?
13. How did your family react to the news that you would be going to the ISS?
14. Can you plant a flower in your area, or how do you personalize your area while you are living on the ISS to bring you joy?
15. Besides astronaut training with your space agency, how did you personally prepare for your journey to the ISS?
16. Can you see weather systems on Earth from space and if so, what have you observed?
17. How would kinetic sand behave in space?
18. What character traits do you think make a great astronaut?
19. What do you get tired of while being in space?
20. What is a typical day like on the ISS?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-07

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE), Huntsville, Alabama USA

January 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 Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE) in Huntsville, AL. 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 ASCTE is a statewide, residential magnet high school that began operating in 2020 in its temporary home on the campus of Oakwood University, and since 2022 is now in its permanent home in the middle of Cummings Research Park in Huntsville. For the 2023-24 school year ASCTE has 334 enrolled with 112 students living on campus. In 2023, ASCTE signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Marshall Space Flight Center, creating a partnership with NASA.

The ASCTE Amateur Radio Club (N4CTE) was formed in the fall of 2022 and has thrived with generous support from the ARRL and assistance from the Huntsville Amateur Radio Club. Student interest in the school ham radio club led to offering an elective course in RF Engineering during the 2023-24 school year. Students in this class have been learning about radio communications and gaining hands-on experience with amateur radio equipment. Several departments (from science to the humanities to cybersecurity) have also incorporated space-related lessons in preparation for this ARISS contact. Members of the Huntsville Amateur Radio Club will be assisting ASCTE in the technical aspects of this ARISS contact and have been preparing the students for this contact.

The amaeur radio ground station for this contact is in Huntsville, AL. Amateur radio operators using call sign N4CTE, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for February 1, 2024 at 11:34:50 am CST (Huntsville, AL) (17:34:50 UTC, 12:34 pm EST, 10:34 am MST, 9:34 am PST).
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What do you and the others up there do for fun?
2. Are you worried about cyber vulnerabilities on the space station, and if you are, what plans are in place to counteract them?
3. How is the station protected from micro debris?
4. How if at all has 3D printing been used lately on the station?
5. What sparked your interest in becoming an astronaut and how old were you when you figured it out?
6. Did you go to college and pick a major with the intention of being an astronaut?
7. Have you ever broken anything on the ISS?
8. How is the ISS actually maneuvered?
9. What was your scariest experience as an astronaut?
10. Do you face any unique physiological changes after spending a lot of time in space?
11. What software tools like Excel and Matlab do you use?
12. What mental health support do you have on the station?
13. If you were to start over would you still choose to be an astronaut and if not what would you choose instead?
14. What kind of exercise do you do in space to stay fit?
15. What experiments or research projects are you currently working on in the unique microgravity environment of the space station?
16. Is solar power the only form of energy on the station?
17. What should I do if I want to become an astronaut?
18. If there is an emergency on the station what do you do first?
19. How do you manage daily activities like eating, sleeping, and exercising in the confined space of the space station, and how does it differ from life on Earth?
20. What does the ISS smell like?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-06

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Bilingual Montessori School of Lund (Stiftelsen BMSL), Lund, Sweden

January 30, 2024—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an Axiom Mission (Ax-3) astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Stiftelsen BMSL located in Lund, Sweden. 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.

BMSL was established in 2003 for children aged 1 to 16, using the National Swedish Curriculum. The school employs Montessori-inspired pedagogy and language immersion teaching English and French from preschool and starting in grade 6, teaching Spanish.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Marcus Wandt, amateur radio call sign KJ5COO. Wandt has over 20 years of aviation experience with the Swedish Air Force as a fighter pilot, squadron commander, wing commander, and chief test pilot. He will be the second ESA astronaut of Swedish nationality to ever go to the International Space Station and will serve as a mission specialist during Axiom Space’s Ax-3 mission.

Wandt is honored to have this opportunity to not only achieve one of his greatest life’s dreams, but also to use the Ax-3 mission to ignite a passion for STEM education in teachers and students worldwide to each pursue their ambitions. 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 January 31, 2024 at 1:50:25 pm CET(Sweden) (12:50:25 UTC, 7:50 am EST, 6:50 am CST, 5:50 am MST, 4:50 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G72VqFDlh0g
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
Translation (from Swedish):

1. What does a typical day look like on the ISS?
2. How do you eat in space, and does the food taste different?
3. What kind of research are you conducting?
4. Which of your experiments can improve our lives on Earth?
5. How does it feel to be weightless, can it be compared to any other sensation?
6. What does the moon look like from the ISS?
7. Would you like to be the first human landing on Mars?
8. How do you poop in space?
9. How do you shower, Marcus? The water should be flying in all directions, right?
10. How does being in space affect your body?
11. How do you manage conflicts between crew members?
12. Do you think your values will change now that you have been in space?
13. What did you feel during the rocket liftoff?
14. Can you use your Smartphone with the Starlink satellites to contact your family from the ISS?
15. How did you prepare for weightlessness?
16. How can the fire stay on the rocket in space?
17. How does the cockpit of the Dragon module look like?
18. How do you know you won’t get lost in space?
19. Does life in space have effects on your body and your mood?
20. What does the education look like to become an astronaut?

Translation (English to Swedish for questions that will be asked in English):

3*. Class 8A (14-15): Vilken typ av forskning bedriver du?
4*. Class 9A (15-16): Vilka av dina experiment kan f rb ttra v rt liv p jorden?
7*. Class 8B (14-15): Skulle du vilja vara den f rsta m nniskan som landar p Mars?
11*. Class 9B (15-16): Hur hanterar du konflikter mellan bes ttningsmedlemmar?
14*. Class 7A (13:14): Kan du anv nda din smartphone med Startlink-satelliterna f r att kontakta din familj fr n ISS?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-05

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Bandırma Şehit Güvenç Anatolian High School, Balikesir, Bandırma, Türkiye

January 30, 2024—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an Axiom Mission (Ax-3) astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Bandırma Şehit Güvenç Anatolian High School, Balikesir, Bandırma, Türkiye. 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 will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Alper Gezeravci, amateur radio call sign KJ5DIY/TA5TRU. As a fighter pilot with the Turkish Air Force, Gezeravcı has 15 years of flying experience on multiple aircrafts including the T-41, SF-260, T-37, T-38, F-5, KC-135 and F-16. In addition, he served as a captain with the Turkish Airlines for seven years. Gezeravcı has also served as a flight leader, flight safety officer, and commercial airlines captain. He is now serving as a mission specialist for Axiom Space’s Ax-3 mission to the ISS on the SpaceX Dragon.

Born in Silifke, Türkiye, Gezeravci is honored to be a part of the Ax-3 mission as the first Turkish astronaut to go to space. Through the Ax-3 mission, Gezeravcı hopes to inspire the next generation of explorers and ignite a passion for STEM education in teachers and students worldwide to each pursue their ambitions. 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 January 31, 2024 at 15:12:57 pm EEST (Turkey) (12:12:57 UTC, 7:12 am EST, 6:12 am CST, 5:12 am MST, 4:12 PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: http://www.ariotti.com/
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. How does it feel to be in space?
2. Could you provide us with some information about the International Space Station? What kind of place is it?
3. Where will you land after the mission?
4. What kind of experiments are you conducting on the International Space Station?
5. What contributions have or will the experiments you conduct on the International Space Station make to us?
6. Will you share some photos with us from space? Were you able to record some videos there?
7. How does being Türkiye’s first astronaut make you feel? Do you feel privileged?
8. As an astronaut with a background with fighter pilot, what were the most challenging and comfortable aspects of being an astronaut in the microgravity when compared to being a fighter pilot?
9. What is it like to watch the Earth from space?
10. What is the first thing you want to do after returning to Earth?
11. What did you feel from the moment you were strapped into the seat during the launch process?
12. How much G-force did you experience during launch? How did it affect you?
13. Can you tell us a bit about the experiments you are conducting on the International Space Station? What are the results of these experiments, and where and how will they be used?
14. What kind of infrastructure do you use when conducting experiments?
15. During experiments, do you have the opportunity to establish contact with Earth and receive support?
16. What is it like to sleep in microgravity? Do you have a private room on the International Space Station?
17. What is the most important characteristic in an astronaut that has caught your attention? Can anyone become an astronaut?
18. What kind of foods do you eat in International Space Station?
19. Do you have any activity with other astronauts to have some fun?
20. Would you like to stay in International Space Station more than 14 days?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-04

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Ömer Cemile Güler Imam Hatip Secondary School, Selçuklu, Konya, Turkey

January 29, 2024—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an Axiom Mission (Ax-3) astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at Ömer Cemile Güler Imam Hatip Secondary School, Konya, Selçuklu, Türkiye. 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 will be a telebridge contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Alper Gezeravci, amateur radio call sign KJ5DIY/TA5TRU. As a fighter pilot with the Turkish Air Force, Gezeravcı has 15 years of flying experience on multiple aircrafts including the T-41, SF-260, T-37, T-38, F-5, KC-135 and F-16. In addition, he served as a captain with the Turkish Airlines for seven years. Gezeravcı has also served as a flight leader, flight safety officer, and commercial airlines captain. He is now serving as a mission specialist for Axiom Space’s Ax-3 mission to the ISS on the SpaceX Dragon.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for January 30, 2024 at 16:38:20 pm EEST (Turkey) (13:38:20 UTC, 8:38 am EST, 7:38 am CST, 6:38 am MST, 5:38 am PST)
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:

How does it feel to look to the International Space Station from the Dragon spacecraft while approaching to dock?
Are you going to have some adaptation period after landing to Earth since you are exposed to microgravity for 14 days in International Space Station?
Besides yourself, which countries’ astronauts are currently active on the International Space Station? Can you communicate with them?
What is the meal you miss the most while you’re there?
How is life on the International Space Station, and how do your days pass? What do you do to spend your time?
Although it hasn’t been a very long time, you are now farther from Earth than ever before. What is the thing you missed the most there?
When you look from the windows, do you see any other satellite?
Were you able to see Moon from the International Space Station?
How is the air condition in ISS? Is it cold or hot?
How was the docking process to the International Space Station? Were you excited?
Which experiment did you enjoy most?
How much time do you sleep?
Do you wish to be back to International Space Station one more time?
What kind of benefits the experiments that you made there provide us?
What kind of foods do you eat in International Space Station?
How does it feel to look Earth from Space?
Would you like to set foot in another planet on the universe as an astronaut?
What was the most challenging part of the mission until docking?
Do you feel the high orbital speed of International Space Station which is approximately 7 km/s?
Have you ever looked to the Türkiye from ISS? If yes, how does it feel?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-03

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Istituto Comprensivo “Anna Rita Sidoti”, GioiosaMarea, Italy

January 22, 2024—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an Axiom Mission (Ax-3) astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Anna Rita Sidoti Institute located in Gioiosa Marea, 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 Gioiosa Marea’s Institute “Anna Rita Sidoti”, serves about 730 students in three school levels; nursery, primary and lower secondary. The school will engage all students in preparation for this ARISS contact and is supported by local radio amateur members of the Italian Radioamateur Associaion (ARI) who will provide practical and technical support for the event.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Walter Villadei, amateur radio call sign IUØRWB. Villadei is a colonel in the Italian Air Force (ItAF), and the pilot for Axiom Space’s Ax-3 mission to the ISS on the SpaceX Dragon. Villadei currently lives in Rome, Italy, and is honored to have this opportunity to not only achieve one of his greatest life’s dreams, but also to use the Ax-3 mission to ignite a passion for STEM education in teachers and students worldwide to each pursue their ambitions. 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 Gioiosa Marea, Italy. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign IT9DBI, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for January 24, 2024 at 3:37:22 pm CET (Italy) (14:37:22 UTC, 9:37 am EST, 8:37 am CST, 7:37 am MST, 6:37 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.icgioiosa.edu.it/2-uncategorised/1604-axiom-social-news-eventi-comunicati
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As time allows, students will ask these questions: (English Translation)
1. At what age did your passion for space begin?
2. In space can you surf the internet and use social media?
3. Can you cook hot food in the space or do you eat cold food from the refrigerator?
4. Which of an astronaut’s five senses is most affected by microgravity?
5. How and how much do you sleep in space?
6. How did you feel before leaving on a mission?
7. Have you ever seen unidentified objects outside the spacecraft?
8. How do you take care of your daily hygiene?
9. How did you prepare before leaving for space?
10. Do you ever get bored?
11. Do you experience good or bad sensations in a state of microgravity? Is it annoying to be in a state of microgravity after a while?
12. During this mission what type of research will you carry out?
13. How do you contact family members from space?
14. How do you use the toilets in Space?
15. What is the thing you miss most about the Earth?
16. What do you do in your free time on the space station?
17. Do any of you write a logbook?
18. How is time perceived in space?
19. Even though you have chosen to go on a space mission, and even though you have been physically and psychologically prepared, do you ever feel afraid?
20. Do you astronauts always float inside the space station, or is there a room with Earth’s gravity on board?
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ARISS News Release No. 24-02

ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at Istituto Comprensivo di Villa Guardia, Villa Guardia, Italy

January 20, 2024—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an Axiom Mission (Ax-3) astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the IC di Villa Guardia located in Villa Guardia, Italy. ARISS conducts 60-80 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 di Villa Guardia consists of three primary schools (with students aged 6 to 10) and two middle schools (students aged 11 to 13) and is located in Villa Guardia, near the city of Como, in northern Italy. The school’s STEM curriculum includes two hours of science, two hours of technology every week and employs a team of teachers providing both theoretical and practical teaching with scientific and technological experiences.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Walter Villadei, amateur radio call sign IUØRWB. Villadei is a colonel in the Italian Air Force (ItAF), and the pilot for Axiom Space’s Ax-3 mission to the ISS on the SpaceX Dragon. Villadei currently lives in Rome, Italy, and is honored to have this opportunity to not only achieve one of his greatest life’s dreams but also to use the Ax-3 mission to ignite a passion for STEM education in teachers and students worldwide to each pursue their ambitions. 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 January 22, 2024 at 10:35:49 am CET (Italy) (9:35:49 UTC, 4:35 am EST, 3:35 am CST, 2:35 am MST, 1:35 am PST).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMQUWMww9yE
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As time allows, students will ask these questions: (Translation)
1. How does an astronaut prepare himself to face a mission?
2. What kind of emotion did you feel at the first launch?
3. During your training, did you get new habits, that you still use in normal life?
4. Why did you choose to do this job?
5. How long have you studied to become an astronaut?
6. What do you like about this job?
7. What is your work goal?
8. What does the Earth look like from up there?
9. What’s the most fascinating thing you have ever seen in space?
10. Have you ever heard strange noises coming from Space?
11. Are there any particular images of space seen from the ISS that you want to describe us?
12. Have you ever seen a comet from the ISS?
13. How is floating in microgravity?
14. Are the 5 senses perceived in space as they are on Earth?
15. What time do you set on the watch on the ISS, not being able to rely on sunrise and sunset?
16. How will you feel when you set foot on Earth again?
17. How long does rehabilitation take (once you return to Earth)?
18. What does it mean to you to represent humanity in space?
19. Could it be good for humans to bring a pet in space?
20. When you come back to Earth, how is feeling gravity again?
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