An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Matsumoto School for the Visually Impaired, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan on 8 July. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 08:31 UTC.

The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and 8N0MM. The contact should be audible over Japan and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The language used during the contact is yet to be determined.

Matsumoto School for the Visually Impaired was founded in 1912, has 29 students from infancy to 65 years old. Our class is divided into the kindergarten division, the elementary school division, the junior high school division, and the advanced level division of oriental therapy (acupuncture, moxibustion and anma-massage-shiatsu treatment).

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

1. In space, can you do jump rope?

2. What music do you like to listen to?

3. What food do you eat everyday?

4. Is it beautiful to look around in space?

5. In space, do you have earthquakes or calamities?

6. In space, what is the most surprising thing?

7. Why is space black and dark?

8. If you cut yourself and bleed, what do you do?

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

Next planned event(s):

TBD

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