An International Space Station Expedition 15 ARISS school contact has been planned with scouts at the Prairielands Council, Boy Scouts of America, Space Jamboree Camp Robert Drake (Oakwood, IL), Champaign, Illinois USA on 06 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 19:11 UTC.

The contact will be a telebridge between stations NA1SS and VK4KHZ. The contact should be audible along Eastern portions of Australia. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. In addition, the audio should be available via IRLP and EchoLink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English.

Space Exploration and Radio Merit Badges form the core of our Space Jamboree program. Mars exploration, Moon base design and studying the International Space Station are some of the things we are learning about. Pioneering skills are traditional Scouting activities, yet Science and Technology have always been at the forefront of exploration and we are looking forward to a telebridge phone call from a modern pioneer on the edge of space exploration.

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

1. We are taught about "Leave No Trace" here, on Earth. I hear about 'space junk' and 'space trash'. How do astronauts deal with trash and 'other stuff' in space? 2. When you get back to Earth, do you ever dream that you are floating? 3. What do you like to do in your free time? 4. How did your parents react when you told them you were going into the space program? 5. What type of exercises do you have to do because of zero gravity? 6. Have you given any thought to what games we might play in space, like Harry Potter "Quidditch," for instance? 7. How do you store stuff when you have no gravity? 8. What kinds of emergencies did you train to handle? 9. Is the space life better than earth life? 10. What are your favorite Russian foods? 11. Why would you launch Luke's Light Saber? If Spielberg doesn't want it anymore, can I have it? 12. I heard that some astronauts get sick when they take off and land. How do you clean the helmets or do you have spares? 13. What do you do at the space station? 14. In your training to become an astronaut, what did you enjoy most? What did you enjoy least? 15. How many times do you get out of your shuttle with a space suit? 16. I know you like music, can you sing louder, longer, with a wider vocal range in space? 17. What games/sports do you or can you play? 18. How do you cope with living in such close quarters with people you only met recently? 19. Is there any season in space? 20. What kind of living space do you guys have and is it comfortable to live there?

Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Packet is occasionally active on 145.825 simplex.

Next planned event(s): 1. Isummasaqvik School, Quaqtag, QC Canada, telebridge via ON4ISS Wed 2007-10-10 18:32 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