An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Maple Dale Elementary School, Cincinnati, OH on 20 Feb The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:20 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and K8SCH. The contact should be audible over the state of Ohio and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

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Story:

Maple Dale Elementary, the contact host school, is one of four elementary schools in the Sycamore School district - a top ten district in Ohio. Sycamore students are the Aviators and aim high to better their community. Each student has opportunities to build relationships and embrace diversity. Our students standout amongst their peers, are leaders and conscientious citizens, ready to chart the course for the future.

Embracing technology and innovation is at the very core of Maple Dale. A STEAM Aviation bus travels from school to school teaching lessons on various topics. The school is also preparing for the future today with a geothermal heating/cooling system, energy efficient lighting, and improved learning spaces and technology.

The district, like the ISS, is the product of multinational collaboration and innovation. Sycamore is comprised of students from 40 countries and speak 40 different languages. Maple Dale celebrates its diversity with a Cultural Heritage night event each year where students taste ethnic foods and learn about our global neighborhood.

Interestingly, the Blue Ash-Montgomery city border cuts through the middle of Maple Dale; down the kitchen, through the media center and dividing the kindergarten wing in half. This is the only school in the district with a municipality division and the only elementary school that serves students in both cities. Now Maple Dale will connect its students to the ISS for an out-of-this world experience.

Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:

1. What thing is really easy to do on Earth, but really hard in space?

2. What would happen if someone got really seriously sick on the ISS?

3. How heavy are the spacesuits and helmet if weighed on EARTH vs in Space?

4. What is your favorite project to work on so far?

5. What would happen if you lit a fire on the International Space Station?

6. How do you dodge things in space so you don't crush them, for example, a planet?

7. How do you stay safe when there is an emergency?

8. What kind of experiments are you currently doing?

9. How do you have a sustainable supply of food?

10. How do you pass the time in space?

11. What happens when you are allergic to something from the supply ship?

12. What would happen if someone's suit broke while they were in space?

13. What is the hardest thing about living on the International Space Station?

14. Do you ever get sick in space?

15. What if there were more than 6 people on the International Space Station?

16. What do you do if you're not holding onto anything and you get pushed?

17. What things can the robot do?

18. How does it feel to be away from your family and friends?

19. What's the hardest thing about eating in space?

20. What kind of things do you like to do during your free time when you are not working on the ISS?

PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES:

Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the

International Space Station (ARISS).

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Next planned event(s):

1. Kittredge Magnet School, Atlanta, GA, direct via KQ4KMS

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS

The scheduled astronaut is Drew Morgan KI5AAA

Contact is go for: Mon 2020-02-24 18:23 UTC

2. Celia Hays Elementary, Rockwall, Texas, direct via W5SO

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS

The scheduled astronaut is Drew Morgan KI5AAA

Contact is go for: Tue 2020-02-25 17:35 UTC

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 International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org.

Thank you & 73,

David - AA4KN