An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Mill Springs Academy, Alpharetta, GA on 03 May. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 15:47 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and WA4MSA. The contact should be audible over the U.S. state of Georgia 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.

Mill Springs Academy is a private school located in Milton, GA, a northern suburb of Atlanta, with a little over 300 students in grades 1 to 12. We serve students with specific learning challenges such as ADD/ADHD, processing speed issues, certain aspects of autism, and dyslexia. None the less, most MSA graduates go on to four year colleges. The strength of MSA is helping students to compensate for their learning challenges by using technology and self-advocacy.

MSA has an active Amateur Radio Club and has over 30 students earn at least a Technician class Amateur Radio license. Two of the students who will be asking questions are hams: Josh Drew, KM4MVK, and William Goodhew, KN4ALD. Part of our program has been a relationship with some students in England who are mentored by John Hislop G7OHO. Three of the questions on our list, numbers 4, 8, and 13, came to us from some elementary school age students in John Hislop's school. Those questions will be introduced as "This question was submitted by (student name) from Broadstairs, England."

The MSA Amateur Radio program is mentored by our great friends at the North Fulton Amateur Radio League (www.nfarl.org). They are the ones who are serving as the technical mentors for this ARISS contact as well as the ancillary activities we have going on in conjunction with this contact.

Students and teachers from other schools in the metro Atlanta area have been invited to join us for this ARISS event and its related activities. Our gym should be filled to the limit with enthralled attendees.

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

1. How many times have you been around the earth?

2. How long has the Space Station been in orbit?

3. Did you get to see the Tesla Roadster when it was flung into space?

4. Do you hear the sound of space debris or micro-meteorites hitting outside

the ISS?

5. How long does it take to get to the Space Station and back?

6. Have you done any experiments that were part of the Toys in Space project?

7. Are you growing plants in space?

8. What is the most interesting experiment that you are involved in at the

moment?

9. How old were you when you got your call sign?

10. If you could have any flavor or any kind of ice cream treat, what would

it be and would it have to come in a squeeze pouch?

11. What is the weirdest thing that has happened to you in space?

12. Do you sleep with straps around your body?

13. What was the most difficult part of your training as an astronaut?

14. Have you met any of the Mercury, Gemini, or Apollo astronauts?

15. What was your motivation to go to be an astronaut?

16. How do you scrub CO2 in space?

17. What's your advice to people dreaming of becoming involved in NASA space

programs?

18. Do the NASA dieticians plan a diet for you that has more or fewer

calories than what you would consume on earth?

19. Did you watch the Super Bowl?

20. What has been your favorite pastime on the ISS? Why is it so special to

you?

21. Are there different climate conditions such as temperature and humidity

in different rooms 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).

To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status

Next planned event(s):

1. Students for the Exploration & Development of Space, College Station,

TX, direct via W5QZ

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS

The scheduled astronaut is Scott Tingle KG5NZA

Contact is a go for: Thu 2018-05-03 17:22 UTC

2. Mooreland Heights Elementary, Knoxville, TN, direct via WA4SXM/N4CFB

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS

The scheduled astronaut is Ricky Arnold KE5DAU

Contact is a go for: Mon 2018-05-07 13:54 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 Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) 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 informal education venues. With the help of experienced amateur radio volunteers, ISS crews speak directly with large audiences in a variety of public forums. Before and during these radio contacts, students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org, www.amsat.org, and www.arrl.org.

Thank you & 73,

David - AA4KN

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