An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at National Urban Alliance for Effective Education (NUA), Syosset, New York on 01 Mar. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 16:45 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 a telebridge between NA1SS and VK5ZAI The contact should be audible over Australia 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.

The National Urban Alliance for Effective Education, the Lancaster ARC, and the SUNY Buffalo State Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium have teamed up to arrange a contact between the International Space Station and PS97 Harvey Austin School in the Buffalo, New York Public School System. Located about ten minutes from downtown, Buffalo PS97 contains three learning communities or "houses" that are organized by grade level: PreK-3, 4-6, and 7-8. The administration consists of Interim Principal Lisa Robinson, Assistant Principal Deanna Schmitt, and Dean of Students Dennis Lesniak. Harvey Austin School serves just over 600 students in grades Pre-K through 8. Average daily attendance is 91%, one percentage point above the district average. Students fall into the following categories: African-American: 89%, European-American: 7%, Multi-racial: 3% , Asian 1%. Students eligible for free/reduced price lunch: 94%. Students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): 20%. English Language Learners (ELL): 1 student. The teaching staff comprises 62 teachers. Of this total, 42 have had 5-14 years of classroom experience and 20 have had less than five years of experience. Two instructional coaches provide support to teachers. The Mission of PS97 Harvey Austin School states that as a learning community we must focus on math and literacy as the foundational skills necessary to be successful. We will also develop character and a culture of respect, responsibility, and reflection. We share high expectations that our students will apply these skills, not only in school, but in real life situations.

Since our founding in 1989 at Columbia University's Teachers College with the College Board, the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education (NUA) has provided professional development, advocacy and organizational guidance that transform urban and suburban schools. We are passionate in striving toward a world in which barriers to high levels of learning borne of racism, sexism and economic disadvantage are eliminated for all children. Our approach is guided by the The Pedagogy of Confidence, the fearless expectation and support for the high intellectual performance of all students, especially those who are dependent on the school and community for the skills and support needed to attain high achievement. We uncover strengths of students and teachers and then build on those strengths.

The Lancaster Amateur Radio Club (LARC) was founded in March 1987. LARC has grown from the original five founding members to a very active club with over 100 radio operators throughout the WNY region including all of Erie County, Grand Island, Tonawanda, Lockport, Batavia, and Dunkirk. We have members with all classes of licenses as well as activities in all aspects of the hobby.

The SUNY Buffalo State Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium, apart of the Earth Sciences and Science Education program, provides students and visitors with viewings of stars, constellations, nebulae, galaxies, and planets all on one 24-foot diameter dome. Located in the Science Building, this 70-seat planetarium offers seasonal shows that are open to the campus community and the general public. The planetarium offers Astronomy and Earth Science programs to schools, scout groups, private groups, and others by presenting exciting, educational programs about astronomy, planetary science, Earth science, biology, chemistry, art, history, and much more.

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

1. When did you receive your amateur radio license and from whom?

2. What are the other space agencies that collaborate on the ISS?

3. How is the ISS tracked by NASA?

4. What types of data collection do you do on yourself while onboard the ISS for human research?

5. Where are all the people right now on the ISS from?

6. What types of radio events are you involved in besides the ARISS events?

7. Do astronauts have training in diversity studies?

8. How does the ISS avoid space debris and other natural satellites while in orbit?

9. What are the biomedical markers NASA researchers are looking for while you are in spaceflight?

10. Do you share food with the other cultures onboard the ISS? If so, what type and what is your favorite?

11. What is the most difficult part and the simplest part of amateur radio operation?

12. What types of partnerships have you formed with people in other nations as a result of your NASA work?

13. How is data transmitted from the ISS to Earth?

14. What types of activities do you do in space to keep yourself healthy?

15. What type of communication challenges do you experience with the other nationalities onboard the ISS?

16. How would you use amateur radio on the ISS in other types of activities besides this one?

17. What is your opinion of the future of space exploration in collaboration with other nations?

18. Who determines the flight path of the ISS?

19. Why does NASA collect human data onboard the ISS?

20. Explain your meals in one day on the ISS.

21. Who controls the amateur radio transmissions from the ISS?

22. What types of space vehicles have you flown in? What nation where they from?

23. Who controls the flight of the ISS?

24. When you come back to Earth, does NASA keep all the human samples? If so, what do they do with them?

25. How does NASA assign your meals?

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. Powys Secondary Schools, Mid Wales, UK, direct via GB4PCS

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be GB1SS

The scheduled astronaut is Timothy Peake KG5BVI

Contact is a go for: Sat 2016-03-05 10:55 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), and the 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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