An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Shirokawa Elementary School, Seiyo, Japan on 11 Dec. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 11:06 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and 8J5SS. The contact should be audible over Japan 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.

On April 1st 2016, four local elementary schools merged to become Seiyo City Shirokawa Elementary School. Due to a low birthrate and an aging population, the number of children is declining. For these children, our aim is to prepare an even better educational environment.

There are 98 students enrolled at the school.The school is on a slightly elevated hill.

To commemorate the opening of our school and new beginnings, we will carry out the gShirokawa Elementary School ARISS School Contact Project.h There is no school radio club.

This project will give students the chance to dream and romanticize about space through the school contact. We hope for our children to learn in detail about the earth and space, while giving them a sense of pride and joy at being born and raised in our hometown.

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

1. What is the difference between life in space and life on Earth?

2. Is Earth beautiful from space?

3. Do you feel scared in space?

4. When you come back to Earth, what do you want to do first?

5. What exams did you take to become an astronaut?

6. What do you like best about being an astronaut?

7. What star do you like the best?

8. What is the temperature in space?

9. Do you have morning, noon and night on the ISS?

10. Does the Earth really look blue from space?

11. How did you feel while traveling in the rocket?

12. Why did you want to be an astronaut?

13. Which country's time zone is used in space?

14. How long does it take to get from Earth to the ISS?

15. Do you grow plants or rear animals on the ISS?

16. Have you ever worked on the outside of the ISS? What did you do?

17. If there is a problem with the ISS, what do you do?

18. Who is the astronaut you respect the most?

19. How do you feel in the weightlessness of space?

20. What mission are you most proud of?

21. Can you see a solar eclipse or a full moon from 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. Antietam Elementary School, Woodbridge, VA, direct via KM4TAY

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS

The scheduled astronaut is Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP

Contact is a go for: Mon 2017-12-11 18:30 UTC

2. Summa-Aldapeta, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain, direct via EG2SMA

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS

The scheduled astronaut is Joe Acaba KE5DAR

Contact is a go for: Tue 2017-12-12 13:01 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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