An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Atheneum Borgloon, Borgloon, Belgium on 13 Jan. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 12:35 UTC.
The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and K6DUE. The contact should be audible over portions of the eastern U.S. and Canada. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in Dutch.
"Koninklijk Atheneum Borgloon" is a secondary school in Borgloon, a city in Belgium. Student population of 165 is spread across one campus. Our school offers general and technical courses.
One pupil, Dafné Switten, brought us into contact with the radiostation UBA-RST. Her father suggested we cooperate and have the wonderful opportunity to contact Mr. Kuipers, who leaves for a six-month trip to outer space in October 2011, at the ISS. The Head of our school agreed readily. One of the other members of the RST, astronaut Frank Dewinne, lived in our region. Mr. Dewinne is invited for an interview at our school so our pupils can learn even more before the actual radio contact is established. We hope he will accept our invitation.
The school policy has always been to stimulate scientific interest through school subjects and extracurricular activities (school trips such as visits to the Planetarium in Genk and Eurospace Center in Transinne). Some of our students decide to take a higher education in sciences and establish a professional career in academics or scientific research. In the 6th form the geography classes cover the subject of cosmography. This course deals with the way we receive information from outer space.
The school believes that participating in this radio contact is one of the outstanding means to make pupils, teachers and parents more aware of what lies beyond our planet's borders. This event offers us the chance to get more pupils than ever before interested in that process of scientific advancement. In this respect, the radio contact with Andre Kuipers during his space adventure is a unique opportunity for our pupils.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions (translated) as time allows:
1. What training did you receive to prepare this space mission?
2. How long does a journey from earth to the ISS take?
3. What is the speed of the ISS?
4. What is the temperature inside and outside the ISS?
5. What language is spoken in the ISS?
6. Can you give an example of the scientific research that you perform?
7. How many people can stay at the ISS and how many are there today?
8. How big is the room you live in?
9. What are the daily tasks in the ISS and do you have any free time?
10. What happens if anyone becomes ill? Is there any medication on board?
11. How many meals a day do you have and do you like the food?
12. Why do you sleep upright and don't you lie down?
13. Do you wear clean clothes every day and how do you wash yourself?
14. How do you get oxygen/air in the ISS?
15. Does a space suit fit properly?
16. Can you practice any sports in space? If so, what sport do you prefer?
17. How do you communicate with your family?
18. What did you bring along in your suitcase?
19. What happens during a spacewalk? Are you going to make one?
20. What are you planning to do after this space mission?
Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be found at http://www.ariss.org/upcoming.htm#NextContact.
Next planned event(s):
1. Vrije Technische Scholen (VTS), Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, direct via
ON4SNW
Wed, 18 Jan 2012, 09:47 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,
David - AA4KN