ARISS News Release No. 24-52

Dave Jordan, AA4KN

ARISS PR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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?

About ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the ISS. In the United States, sponsors are the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program (SCaN) and the ISS National Lab—Space Station Explorers. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see http://www.ariss.org.

Media Contact:

Dave Jordan, AA4KN

ARISS PR

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