An International Space Station Expedition 18 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at King George Elementary School, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada on 15 December. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 1651 UTC.
The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and VE5ISS. The contact should be audible over most of N. 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 School is over 100 years old having been fully renovated in the late 90s to accommodate the installation of modern educational tools including computer labs etc.. The School houses both elementary and secondary students and is located n the heart of Moose Jaw at 1150 5th Avenue.
Moose Jaw (population 34,156) is an urban centre with historic charm, a wealth of heritage and culture and a name remembered around the world. It is located 175 km from the U.S. Border nestled in a picturesque valley where the Moose Jaw River and Thunder Creek River meet. Primary industries include agriculture, including cereal, pulse, and special crops, cattle and hogs; manufacturing and processing; mining; service and retail.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:
1. What is the most visible man made structure seen from space? 2. If you could bring only one luxury to space with you, what would it be and why? 3. In your opinion, what is the hardest task to complete on the International Space Station? 4. Has any astronaut become ill on the International Space Station? 5. How long will you be in space, and what is the longest a person has been in space? 6. How frustrating does it get not being able to do things as easily as you can do them on Earth? 7. When you go outside to work on the space station or do other experiments, how does it make you feel? 8. How much training does it take to be an astronaut? 9. Have you ever waken up in the middle of the night and thought "Where am I?" 10. What is it like not being with your family for long periods of time?
Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be found at http://www.ariss.org/upcoming.htm#NextContact .
Next planned event(s): Scuola Elementare Faleriense "Gianni Rodari",Porto S. Elpidio,Italy, Thu 2008-12-18 12:10 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