Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report December 21, 2009

1. Jeffrey Williams Chats with Italian Students via ARISS Contact

On Monday, December 14, Expedition 21 astronaut Jeffrey Williams, KD5TVQ participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with students from Istituto Comprensivo di Govone - Scuola Secondaria di primo grado "Nino Costa" di Priocca in Priocca, Cuneo, Italy. The contact was held at Infinito Astronomic Park in Pino Torinese, Torino, where an audience of more than 150 students, teachers, visitors and media watched as the students posed 22 questions to the astronaut during the nine minute pass. Following the contact, ARISS mentor Francesco De Paolis spoke to the children via teleconference about the contact and amateur radio. Regional television, local media and newspapers covered the event. The video, which was streamed on the web, received over 170 connections. The European Space Agency (ESA) reported the news on its Web site. See: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMLSV9K73G_Italy_0.html

2. ARISS International Team Meeting Held

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) meeting was held on Tuesday, December 15. Agenda items addressed included the VHF AIS (Automatic Identification System) and ARISS antennas which were recently installed on the Columbus module and the status of ARISSat-1. To view the minutes, see: https://www.rac.ca/ariss/arisstel2009-12-15.htm

3. ARRL Articles Cover ARISSat-1 Opportunity for Students, Educators

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) ran an article about ARISSat-1 and the opportunity for students and educators to fly their work on the satellite. The story, "Students and Teachers Invited to "Fly a File" on ARISSat-1" may be found here: https://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/16/11251/?nc=1

The ARRL Letter also featured the report: https://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/index.html?issue=2009-12-17

There are approximately 100,000 regular readers of the ARRL Web site and 77,000 read the ARRL Letter.

4. ARISS News on Amateur Radio Newsline

On December 18, Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1688 reported on two ARISS related items. The first news article under Ham Radio in Space was about the ARISSat-1 opportunity to fly students' files. The second news clip was about the simulated training contact between astronaut Tracy Caldwell, KF5DBF and Deer Creek Elementary School, Colorado on December 8. To view the stories "ARISSAT One to Carry Student Files" and "Another Successful ARISS Training Contact," see: ftp://ftp.arnewsline.org/quincy/News/news.txt