An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Daggett Montessori School K-8, Fort Worth, Texas on 29 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 14:12 UTC. It is recommended that you start listening approximately 10 minutes before this time. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and K5COW. The contact should be audible the mid U.S, 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.

Daggett Montessori, a "School of Choice" within the Fort Worth Independent School District, was created thirty years ago and was one of the first public school Montessori programs in the nation. Based on the highly successful Montessori methodology and philosophy, Daggett Montessori has approximately 500 students, all selected through a blind lottery system. We are a Title I school, with close to 60% of our students economically disadvantaged.

As a kindergarten through eighth grade program, we provide a safe, nurturing environment that focuses on long term relationships among staff, students, and parents. Our parents are actively involved in every aspect of school life. Maria Montessori was the first woman to graduate from medical school in Italy so science is an area of particular focus in the Montessori curriculum. She designed many of the lessons to instill a sense of awe about the natural world.

Our parents are very involved in every aspect of school at Daggett Montessori. Of particular interest is our greenhouse with an aquaponics system in which we raise various herbs and vegetables. We also have multiple raised beds in which the children grow vegetables. Our parents provide gardening lessons on a weekly basis. Our students were very excited to learn that lettuce is being grown on the ISS!

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

1. How did you feel when you first looked back at Earth?

2. What is your favorite experiment so far in the mission and what did you

learn from it?

3. I saw on Twitter that you grew lettuce in space. At our school, we have

an aquaponics system that we grow lettuce in. How did you grow yours and

what did it taste like?

4. How does the lack of gravity affect your blood flow?

5. At what age did you decide to become an astronaut and what inspired you

to do so?

6. On Earth, we see one sunrise and one sunset a day. How does it change

your sleep-wake cycle when you see a sunrise or sunset every 45 minutes?

7. Are there any mechanical or electrical changes in your equipment from

Earth's gravity to microgravity? For example, results from the SoRGE.

8. When you miss your family, what do you do to feel comforted?

9. If someone has a critical medical emergency, such as appendicitis, what

would you do?

10. How does microgravity affect your digestive system? For example, does

your food float to the top of your stomach?

11. We read that being in space a long time can have negative effects on

your body. How do you feel about this?

12. How does the ISS protect itself from radiation or debris in your orbital

path?

13. What do astronauts do when they are not on a space mission?

14. When you go into space, does it change your beliefs about other life

forms? Why or why not?

15. We have read that the environment of space smells like hot metal and

burnt meat, and that the food is dry. Does the environment affect your

sense of smell and taste?

16. Allergies are a huge problem on Earth. Are allergies a problem on the

ISS? Why or why not?

17. When a new crew comes in, has there ever been a communicable infection

that spread to the crew in space? If not, do you have any concerns

about that?

18. Are there any differences in growing your plants in microgravity? For

example, do they photosynthesize or grow the same?

19. What does NASA do to protect the astronauts from viruses and diseases?

20. Can you break bones in space? If so, what do you do about it while

you're in space?

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).

To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status

Next planned event(s):

TBD

ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the volunteer support and leadership from AMSAT and IARU societies around the world with the ISS space agencies partners: NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA.

ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/

Thank you & 73,

David - AA4KN

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