Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report February 20, 2012

1. Upcoming School Contact

1° Circolo Didattico Nicola Fornelli located in Bitonto, Italy has been scheduled for an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Friday, February 24 at 14:01 UTC. The contact will be an integral part of student studies covering life in space, communications, space conquests and research, artificial satellites and the ISS.

2. Kochi Youth Radio ISS Astronaut

Kochi Gakuen Kochi Junior High School in Kochi, Japan experienced a successful Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Monday, February 13. Students asked Dan Burbank, KC5ZSX, 11 questions about living in space. The contact was integrated into the science curriculum. Media coverage included three television stations and three newspapers.

3. Astronaut Dan Burbank Speaks with Louisville Students

On Tuesday, February 14, youth attending The Academy @ Shawnee participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with on-orbit astronaut Dan Burbank, KC5ZSX via telebridge station ON4ISS in Belgium. The contact took place at the Challenger Learning Center in Louisville, Kentucky with the assistance of the Louisville Astronomical Society. Approximately 40 people were in attendance and listened as Burbank chatted with students about experiments onboard the ISS and the effect space has on the human body, among other topics. The Academy, an inner city high school of 500 students, has been designated as the Aerospace Magnet School for Jefferson County Public Schools. The contact was part of a comprehensive education plan to pique students' interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

4. Astronaut Training Status

Astronaut Alexander Gerst passed his amateur radio license exam on February 13 and is waiting for his callsign to be assigned. He is scheduled to fly with Expedition 40 in May 2014.

An introductory session is planned for Gregory Wiseman, KF5LKT (Expedition 40, May 2014) on Monday, February 27 and a preflight session is scheduled for Expedition 32 astronauts Sunita Williams, KD5PLB and Akihiko Hoshide, KE5DNI on Monday, March 5. Williams and Hoshide will fly later this year.