An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Stratford Academy, Macon, GA on 03 April. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 12:47 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and W6SRJ. The contact should be audible over the west coast of the U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

Stratford Academy is an independent, non-sectarian, college preparatory school for students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. Guided by the motto, "Freedom for Excellence," Stratford provides a superior education for students with diverse backgrounds and talents and develops responsible, ethical, life-long learners. We serve over 950 students ages 3 through 18, and have more than 150 faculty and staff.

One of our slogans at Stratford is "Excellence Never Rests", and we believe this in all that we do. From our academic program to our arts offerings, our extracurricular activities and our athletic program, we strive for excellence in everything we do. We believe that our graduates leave for college better prepared than the vast majority of their peers from other schools, particularly in the areas of writing and critical thinking.

In preparation for our NASA ARISS contact, we have conducted a school-wide study of the development and use of radio and the history of manned space flight. Everyone from our 3-year-olds to our upper school AP science students have participated in experiments, studied astronauts, worked with the Macon Amateur Radio Club, and learned about the International Space Station.

Our Mission Statement defines who we are with words like "rigorous", "integrity", "service", and "leadership" provide a window into what makes Stratford great. We are committed to providing a high-end academic program, but at the same time we are also committed to preserving a loving, caring, nurturing environment. People often refer to Stratford Academy as a "family", and this description could not be more true.

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

1: What inspired your love of space and desire to be an astronaut?

2: What sacrifices do you have to make to become an astronaut?

3: What do you like to do on earth when you are not exploring space?

4: What is the hardest part of being in space away from Earth?

5: What do you do for fun on the ISS?

6: What is the most beautiful thing you have seen or experienced in space?

7: Besides physical training, what other skills are useful for being in

space?

8: How long does it take to train each person on the ISS, and then the group

as a whole?

9: How do you learn to cooperate with and work with the other people on the

ISS?

10: How do you deal with language differences among the astronauts?

11: What happens if you get sick or need to go to a hospital while you are on

the ISS?

12: How do you relieve stress in space?

13: What do you do to stay fit in zero gravity?

14: How much of an effect does the lack of gravity have on your muscles and

strength?

15: How do you readjust yourself to gravity when you return to Earth?

16: How exactly has living in space changed your sleep cycle and eating

habits?

17: How have the confined space and living conditions on board the ISS

changed your personal behaviors?

18: How do you know if it is day or night while you are aboard the ISS?

19: How often do you get to communicate with your family while in the space

station?

20: What is your favorite thing or task in your daily life on the ISS?

21: What do you do to avoid collisions with "space junk"?

22: What kind of music do you listen to while in space?

23: What happens when there are complications on the ISS?

24: Have you ever had any complications on the space station that scared you?

25: What do you do in your free time on the ISS?

26: Do you participate in social media while in space?

Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be obtained by subscribing to the SAREX maillist. To subscribe, go to http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/maillist/ and choose "How to Subscribe".

Next planned event(s):

1. 820 Chris Hadfield Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, Milton, Ontario,

Canada, telebridge via LU8YY

Sat, 06Apr2013, 20:25 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.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).

Thank you & 73,

David - AA4KN