An International Space Station Expedition 18 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at Quispamsis Elementary/Middle School, Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Canada on 04 December. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 1823 UTC.
The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and VE9LC. The contact should be audible over eastern North America. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. The event is also planned to be streamed live at http://www.aliant.net/SpaceStation once the link is activated.
This ARISS contact will take place at the Quispamsis Middle School, Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Canada and will involve a total of 20 students, 5 from the Quispamsis Elementary School (K- Gr.5) and 15 from the Quispamsis Middle School (Gr. 6-8). For the past 3 years Grade 5 teacher Valerie Conrod has been supplementing normal science studies with an extended curriculum in space exploration and space studies. Students who have studied under this exciting "hands on" project will be participating in this contact by asking the questions below.
In preparation for this unique experience recent studies have focused on STS as well as ISS activities.
Sessions providing information on topics directly related to the ARISS contact are being made available to the student body and staff by various mentors. Coordination with the Education Office of the Canadian Space Agency has resulted in a variety of materials being made available. Future plans with the CSA include a visit from an Agency representative to both participating Schools. On a much lighter note, a QMS dance planned for the same week as the contact will have a "space" theme.
It is expected that 500 students as well as staff from both schools, parents and friends will be in attendance during the contact. Representatives from the School District and 3 levels Government (Municipal, Provincial and Federal) are being invited. Media coverage is expected to include Regional and National outlets for radio, television and press.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:
1. Does it take a lot of physical effort to live and work in microgravity? 2. What is the best part of your job? 3. Was there anyone or anything that inspired you to become an Astronaut? 4. Can you describe one experiment that is going on in the Space Station? 5. What does it feel like in space? 6. What do you do with any free time that you have? 7. Do you think Astronauts will go to Mars? 8. At night can you see lights on Earth? 9. What is it you hear and see during a space walk? 10. What have you found to be the most difficult task to perform in space 11. How is Dexter performing? 12. Has living in space been what you expected it to be? 13. After landing what do you feel, see and smell? 14. When do you think the Space Station will be completed? 15. What is you main job on the Space Station? 16. Will the new modular crew quarters make a big difference to life on the Space Station? 17. What is the most amazing thing that you have seen from space? 18. What were your thoughts on your very first mission? 19. How hard is it to complete a space walk? 20. Would you like to be part of another mission?
Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be found at http://www.ariss.org/upcoming.htm#NextContact .
Next planned event(s): 1) Ellis School, Belleville, IL, USA, Mon 2008-12-08 16:54 UTC 2) Stephen F. Austin Elementary School, Richmond, Texas, USA Tue 2008-12-09 15:43 UTC 3) Istituto Comprensivo "Marco Polo", Grado I-34073, Italy, Wed 2008-12-10 10:08 UTC 4) 2 Circolo Didattico, San Giuseppe, Mola di Bari, Italy, Fri 2008-12-12 14:14 UTC
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.
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/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
Thank you & 73, Kenneth - N5VHO