An International Space Station Expedition 15 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at Barrhaven Public School, Ottawa, ON, Canada on 15 May. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 15:22 UTC.
The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and VA3MGY. The contact should be audible in northern portions of 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.
Barrhaven Public School is a school of approximately four hundred and twenty five students. This year, half our students are enrolled in the French Immersion Program and half of our students are enrolled in the regular English program. It is well known for its open and welcoming atmosphere. Our school motto is "Barrhaven Public School Learning Together/ Apprenons Ensemble" which the teachers, staff and students follow each and every day.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. What is your favorite part about being an astronaut? 2. What experiments are going on at the space station right now? 3. Do most of your friends work in space exploration? 4. Have you used the Canada Arm? 5. Have there been any close calls while you were on the space station? 6. Is it difficult to be a female astronaut? 7. Can you eat with the helmet on? 8. Are the space suits heavy? 9. Can you make gravity on the space station? 10. Was it always your dream to be an astronaut? 11. Is it cold in space? 12. Do you have a special diet to eat in space? 13. How do you prepare food in space? 14. Which is more difficult; a day at home or a day on the space station? 15. When do you think people will travel to Mars? 16. Have you seen asteroids or comets? 17. Besides your husband and dogs, what else do you miss from earth? 18. Can you smell odors in space? 19. Do you do laundry in space? 20. How long would it take to get to Neptune? 21. Have you seen a shooting star and made a wish while in space? 22. Is it hard to fall asleep in space? 23. Do you need to be strapped in to sleep? 24. How many years on average does it take to train to become an astronaut? 25. Do you wish you could bring your dogs with you in space? 26. Do you have a favorite planet besides earth? 27. Does the moon look different from the space station? 28. Have they detected any signs of life on Mars? If not, do you think they will? 29. Can you hear music with your helmet on? 30. Do you wear glasses? Would it be hard to wear glasses in space?
Please note, the amateur equipment on the ISS is not functioning in the automatic modes properly and may be silent more than usual. Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact .
Next planned event(s): Kenneth J. Carberry Intermediate School, Emmett, Idaho, direct via W7VT Wed 2007-05-16 18:47 UTC Toyon Elementary, San Jose, California, direct via K6MFW Mon 2007-05-21 17:18 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.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
Thank you & 73, Kenneth - N5VHO