An International Space Station Expedition 14 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at Juvenile Space Club in Tatsuno, Tatsunomachi, Nagano-pref, Japan on 24 March. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 00:39 UTC.

The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and 8J0T. The contact should be audible in Japan and portions of Eastern Asia. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English.

This rather smaller sized town has about 22,000 in population, is located about 2,450ft above sea level and surrounded by several mountains. These mountains are called part of the roof of Japan. In the town, there are 5 elementary schools and one junior high school. Because plenty of nature remains, it is good habitable place, but most children are living in a closed or isolated area, geographically and even from the information lines. Under these surroundings, 20 children, gathered from 3 elementary schools, are now ready to make contact with an astronaut on the ISS, after about 7 months of extra studies. Before August 2006, they did not know that the ISS existed and several astronauts are working in space. Of course there was no opportunity to speak English. After starting extra classroom work, they opened their eyes for space and took in much knowledge concerning the ISS, Space Shuttles, Space and English as well, like a sponge sucks up water. The members consist of 8 girls and 12 boys, who are from 10 years to 12 years old. As you can see, queries made by boys are focused on the Hardware of ISS and many queries by girls are regarding the human life in the ISS. Beginning in April, all 12 year-old children will go to the same junior high school in the town and subjects like natural science and English will be started for them. However, those children, who are member of this Space Club, will enjoy for learning the new subjects because they already have opened the first door by themselves. The extra classroom studies were assisted by 8 Amateur Radio Operators who all of them are quite familiar with the satellite communications. A special lecture, given by JAXA personnel in the September 2006 has brought a confidence for them to start new school life.

Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:

1. On the ISS, can you watch normal television programs on the earth? 2. In the ISS, is the bath system installed? 3. How do astronauts in the ISS deal with heavy stress built up? 4. How will you do in case of the ISS gets damaged and faces breaking up? 5. On the ISS which country's time zone is used? 6. Display of the fire works are held on the earth. Can you see those fire works from the space? 7. After your return to the earth, what will be the very first thing you do? 8. What is the room temperature inside of the ISS? 9. Do you always wear the same clothes while you are living in the ISS? 10. During your stay for almost half a year in the space, do you not feel lonely? 11. Has the ISS had ever been struck by meteorites? 12. What is the hardest thing about your work on the ISS? 13. How do you dispose of waste from the ISS? 14. Does you body weight fluctuate during your stay in the ISS? 15. Is it possible to make a phone call from the ISS to anyone on the earth? 16. How often do you talk to your family over the phone? 17. Have you ever seen shooting stars from the ISS? 18. Do you have time to read books during your stay in the ISS? 19. Was it your dream to be an astronaut when you were a kid? 20. Do you have any wish to have another variety of space foods in the future, over? 21. Can you now cultivate and eat any vegetable on the ISS? 22. Is it possible to catch other satellite by hand during the space walk? 23. Did you take any special celebration on the last Christmas day in the space? 24. I am 12 years old. If I have decided to be an astronaut in my mind, are there any particular things which I have to do now for it? 25. Why ISS does not maintain more higher altitude from the earth?

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): International School of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium, telebridge via NN1SS Tue 2007-03-27 13:45 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