ARISSNews Release No. 20-03 DaveJordan, AA4KN

ARISSPR

[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Duringthe COVID-19 Pandemic, ARISS to Begin Experimental Demonstrations ofSchool Contacts using a Multipoint Telebridge Amateur Radio Approach

April28, 2020—AmateurRadio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased toannounce the first use of a concept called MultipointTelebridge Contact via Amateur Radio,allowing school contacts for Stay-At-Home students and simultaneousreception by families, school faculty and the public.

Duringthe last several weeks, efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19virus have resulted in massive school closures worldwide. Inaddition, the Stay-At-Home policies invoked by authorities, initiallyshut down opportunities for ARISS school contacts for the nearfuture.

Tocircumvent these challenges and keep students and the public safe,ARISS is introducing the MultipointTelebridge Contact via Amateur Radio concept.First operation of this experimental system will occur during acontact scheduled with a group of Northern Virginia Studentslocated in Woodbridge, VA on Thursday, April 30 at 13:35 UTC (9:35EDT). During this event, an ARISS telebridge radio ground stationwill link to the astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS)ham radio station and each Stay-At-Home student and their teacherwill be individually linked to the telebridge station. Under theteacher’s direction, each student, from their home, takes a turnasking their question of the astronaut.

QuotingARISS Chair Frank Bauer, “Thisapproach is a huge pivot for ARISS, but we feel it is a greatstrategic move for ARISS. In these times of isolation due to thevirus, these ARISS connections provide a fantastic psychologicalboost to students, families, educators and the public. And theycontinue our long-standing efforts to inspire, engage and educatestudent in STEAM subjects and encourage them to pursue STEAMcareers.”

ARISSis inviting the public to view a live stream of the upcoming contactat its new ARISS YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/Cu8I9ose4Vo.

Duringthe contact, participants will ask as many of the following questionsas time allows:

1.What does the sun look like from outer space?

2.How comfortable is it to sleep in space?

3.What is one thing you want to eat when you get back to earth?

4.I've heard that stars are red, yellow and blue. Can you see thosecolors in space when you look at the stars?

5.Besides your family, what do you miss most while being in space?

6.What are your thoughts on our Covid-19 situation right now? Does theEarth look differently over the last 3 months now that many peopleare inside and not creating pollution?

7.How often do you get to go out of the ISS? Have you been on any spacewalks?

8.Who makes the rocket that takes you to the ISS?

9.What does it feel like to float all the time?

10.Do you use flashlights on space walks?

11.How do you exercise in space?

12.How do you get out for space walks safely without the air from theISS coming out into space? How does it feel to walk in space?

13.What do you wear in the space station?

14.How did it feel when you first got to space?

15.How is space different from Earth?

16.What do you study in school to become an astronaut?

17.What do you like the most about being in space?

18.Were you nervous when you launched into space?

19.How do you communicate with loved ones while you are in space?

AboutARISS:

AmateurRadio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperativeventure of international amateur radio societies and the spaceagencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In theUnited States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation(AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Laband National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primarygoal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology,engineering, and mathematics (STEAM) topics by organizing scheduledcontacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS andstudents in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radiocontacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn aboutspace, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information,see www.ariss.org

MediaContact:

DaveJordan, AA4KN

ARISSPR