Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report January 31, 2011

1. Upcoming School Contacts

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled for Arsaniq School in Kangiqsujuaq, Wakeham Bay, Quebec, Canada on Monday, January 31 at 19:26 UTC. Telebridge station LU8YY in Argentina will handle the radio connection. Students have learned about the ISS through videos, the internet and guest speakers.

Collège Joseph Chassigneux, located in Vinay, France, has been scheduled for an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Tuesday, February 1 at 07:02 UTC. Through this activity, teachers hope to expose students from mostly rural villages to the outside world. In French class, students have written articles for the school magazine about life on the ISS as well as items about their preparations for the radio contact. They have learned technical terms in English, built CW circuits in Physics and have studied continents and countries in Geography. Amateur radio operators plan to discuss the technical aspects of the contact with the youth.

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled for Buehl-Realschule Dornstadt in Dornstadt, Germany on Wednesday, February 2 at 07:32 UTC. Students have been introduced to wireless technology and have participated in related hands-on activities. In addition, workshops have been planned which will teach about the challenges faced in space travel.

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled for Adobe Bluffs Elementary School, San Diego, California on Thursday, February 3 at 17:12 UTC. Through projects and hands on activities, students have been learning about electromagnetic waves, astronomy and other space-related topics.

2. Paolo Nespoli Speaks with Marco da Melo Students via ARISS

Istituto Comprensivo "Marco da Melo" in Mel, Belluno, Italy took part in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Tuesday, January 25. Astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZØJPA answered the students' 21 questions over two ISS passes and exchanged greetings with the audience. Nearly 250 students, teachers and visitors were in attendance for the contact. Regional television RAI and local media and newspapers covered the event. Video streamed over the internet received over 50 connections. The ARISS contact was the featured event of a curriculum covering telecommunications, electrophysics and telegraphy.

3. Successful ARISS Contact with Polish School

On Wednesday, January 26, astronaut Cady Coleman, KC5ZTH participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with students, ages 15 - 18, from Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace Nr I im. Stanislawa Staszica in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, Poland. Coleman answered 20 space-related questions posed to her by the youth. Approximately 150 students, teachers and guests were on hand for this event which was covered by several media outlets. In addition to the required science curriculum, the school sponsors astronomy and amateur radio clubs as well as featured activities such as this ARISS contact, in order to stimulate students' scientific interests.

4. Nelson County Area Technology Center Sponsors ARISS Contact

On Friday, January 28, on-orbit astronaut Cady Coleman, KC5ZTH took part in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with Foster Heights Elementary School students in Bardstown, Kentucky. Nelson County Area Technology Center students operated the amateur radio equipment during the pass during which Coleman answered 16 questions. An audience of approximately 100 people attended the event, including a representative from the Kentucky Department of Education. Television stations and newspapers covered the contact. To view the Kentucky Standard article, go to: http://www.kystandard.com/content/foster-heights-students-use-amateur-radio-...

5. Civitavecchia, Italy Students Radio ISS

The primary school "Alessandro Cialdi" in Civitavecchia, Italy participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Saturday, January 29. ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA answered 17 questions posed by the students from "Autorità Portuale" in Civitavecchia (Port authority of Rome) where an audience of nearly 200 students, teachers, visitors and media gathered for the contact. Before the ISS call, ARISS mentor Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF introduced the event with a presentation on the ARISS program. Regional and local media and newspapers covered the event and the video, streamed on the internet by AMSAT-Italia, received 60 connections.

6. AMSAT - ARISSat-1 Delivered to the ISS

On January 27, ARISSat-1 was launched on Progress 41P and arrived at the ISS on Saturday, January 29. The satellite is expected to be deployed during a Russian EVA on February 16. The January 30 AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) News Service bulletin (ANS-030) included an update on ARISSat-1. "ARISSat-1 Arrives at the International Space Station" may be found at: http://amsat.org/pipermail/ans/2011/000482.html

The AMSAT Web site has also been revised to include the latest information on ARISSat-1 with links to several news stories covering the satellite. See: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/index.php

7. ARRL Story on ARISSat-1 Launch

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) ran an item on the launch of ARISSat-1 aboard Progress 41P. See: http://www.arrl.org/news/arissat-1-blasts-off

8. Amateur Radio Newsline Covers ARISS

On January 28, the Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1746 posted an item, "ARISSat-1 Set for Trip to the ISS" under its heading Ham Radio in Space. See: ftp://ftp.arnewsline.org/quincy/News/news.txt