An International Space Station Expedition 15 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at Mitchell Elementary School, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA on 17 Sep. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 13:39 UTC.

The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and N0EFT. The contact should be audible in most of eastern North America. 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.

Mitchell Elementary school is a NASA Explorer School located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Our science and math programs integrate units that are related to NASA projects. The radio contact with the space station will enhance and increase the relevance of our students' academic activities. The experience will help enable our students to see themselves as future scientists or astronauts.

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

1. What kind of food do you eat in space?

2. Is it hard to be in space for so long?

3. Have you ever taken a space walk? What was it like?

4. How long have you been on the space station and how many people can live there at the same time?

5. Do you miss your family, and how long have you been away from them?

6. Do you ever get scared being in space for so long?

7. What will you do when you come back to Earth?

8. What kinds of jobs do you do on the space station?

9. What is it like blasting off in the shuttle?

10. How do you keep from floating around while sleeping?

11. How long did it take you to train to be an astronaut?

12. What kinds of shoes do you wear on the space station?

13: Do you have a bedtime?

14. What do you do if you get sick?

15. What made you want to become an astronaut?

16. How do you keep yourself clean in space?

17. What is the temperature in space?

18. How do you exercise in space?

19. How do the Russian crew members get to the station?

20. What do you do in your spare time?

21. How do you communicate with your Russian crewmates?

22. Does the space station stay at the same altitude above Earth?

Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact .

Next planned event(s): Pueblo Magnet High School, Tucson, Arizona, direct via KD7RPP, Fri 2007-09-21 15:04 UTC

Heidelberg University for Applied Sciences, Heidelberg, Germany, telebridge via WH6PN, Mon 2007-09-24 08:00 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