An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Pine Tree Middle School, Longview, Texas on 9 Sept. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 14:48 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and WE5PT. The contact should be audible over the middle U.S and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

As one of four public school districts serving Longview, Texas, Pine Tree Independent School District is located in Gregg County, on Interstate 20 between Shreveport, LA and Dallas, TX. The surroundings include towering pines, blooming azaleas, rolling hills and pastures dotted with an occasional oil well. Recreational facilities are in abundance. An ideal climate helps to make this an area that over 73,000 East Texans call home. Students asking the questions for the ARISS project are from the Pine Tree Middle School, which serves approximately 700 students in 5th and 6th grade. The building measures 112,000 square feet and provides students with wireless Internet, computer labs, science labs, a gymnasium, stage area, band hall and a well-stocked library. Many awards were garnered for the district during the 2010-11 school year by Pine Tree Middle School.

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

1. What are you experimenting on right now?

2. Do you use math in space?

3. How long have you been aboard the ISS this mission?

4. What does it feel like reentering the Earth's atmosphere?

5. Do you watch TV on the ISS?

6. Do you watch sports in space? What is your favorite team?

7. Do you have microwaves in space?

8. What's your favorite food on the ISS?

9. How many people can live aboard the ISS?

10. What's it like to work at the ISS?

11. How does it feel to be in zero gravity?

12. How many days of food, water, and air do you have aboard the ISS?

13. What is the most interesting thing you've done during the mission?

14. If you weren't an astronaut, what would you be and why?

15. Is it really hot or cold in space?

16. If you could bring anyone with you, who would it be?

17. Can you see storms or hurricanes while in orbit?

18. How long have you been an astronaut?

19. Is it hard to sleep in space?

20. Do you float when you go to bed?

21. Will there be any more missions to the moon?

22. How low is the gravity in space?

23. Does space look different in orbit than on earth?

24. Have you figured out how many miles you've traveled?

25. What do you miss about being on Earth?

26. Will you be on board when the Dragon resupply comes in November?

Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be found at http://www.ariss.org/upcoming.htm#NextContact.

Next planned event(s):

1. Università degli Studi di Foggia, Foggia, Italy, telebridge via

IK1SLD. Wed, 14Sept 2011, 08:38 UTC

Watch for live video streaming at http://www.media.unifg.it/iss/

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.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).

Thank you & 73,

David - AA4KN