Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report

October 9, 2012

1. Upcoming School Contact

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact is planned for PACIFICON, Santa Clara, California on Saturday, October 13 at 18:57 UTC. Station IK1SLD in Italy will handle the radio hook-up. PACIFICON is the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Pacific Division annual convention which is hosted and organized by the Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club (MDARC). PACIFICON 2012 will be held October 12-14 and will host the 2012 ARRL National Convention and Exposition. Over 2,500 amateur radio enthusiasts are expected to attend. The PACIFICON Youth Program provides STEM educational goals which will include hands on radio operation, electronics kit building and soldering classes, Ohm’s Law, orbital mathematics, CubeSat satellite design, and popular radio transmitter T-Hunts. The ARISS contact will be integrated into the Youth Program to demonstrate earth to space communications and to inspire youth attending the event to consider STEM-related careers.

2. Izmir, Turkey School Hosts ARISS Contact

On Friday, October 5, students from Izmir SEV Primary School in Turkey participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with astronaut Sunita Williams, KD5PLB via station K6DUE in Greenbelt, Maryland. Williams answered all 20 questions posed to her during the event which drew an audience of over 800 students and was heard all over Turkey. The contact highlighted a science curriculum which included other NASA activities such as First Lego League Robotic Teams and Destination Imagination Teams.

3. Sunita Williams Chats with Malaysian Students

Sekolah Kebangsaan students in Putrajaya, Malaysia spoke with Sunita Williams, KD5PLB aboard the ISS through an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Sunday, October 7. The school was invited to participate in the contact by the National Space Agency Satellite Ground Station, 9M2RPN, in conjunction with the “Prime Minister’s National Space Challenge Trophy 2012,” an annual event since 2007 when the Malaysian astronaut, Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, flew to the ISS.

4. ARISS Educator Interviewed

Gladys Muñoz, a teacher at the Marcelino Canino Canino Middle School in Puerto Rico, was interviewed for a blog by Mr. Anthony Salcito, vice president for education Microsoft Worldwide Enterprises. This took place during her stay in Lima, Peru for Microsoft’s Latin America Forum for Innovative Education where she presented a summary of some of her school’s aerospace education projects. The school participated in its own ARISS contact on September 12, 2012. See:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fte3Vzn35-Y&list=UUG_FV4WjnZqtm6sux2g069Q... ex=9&feature=plpp_video

5. ARISS and JOTA at National Scouting Museum

Jamboree on the Air (JOTA), an activity where Scouts from all over the world connect via amateur radio, will be held at the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas on Saturday, October 20. An ARISS contact is planned for the event, as well as several other education activities. For more information, see:

http://bsamuseum.org/Programs/JOTA%202012.aspx

6. Astronaut Training Status

Luca Parmitano, KF5KDP has been scheduled for a preflight session on October 17. He is slated to fly with the Expedition 36 crew in May 2013.

7. AMSAT News Service on ARISS

The October 7 AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) News Service bulletin (ANS-281) included an item about PACIFICON and the ARISS contact planned for the youth attending the event. “PACIFICON 2012 Will Feature ARISS Contact and Satellite Demo Station” may be found at:

http://amsat.org/pipermail/ans/2012/000655.html

8. Amateur Radio Newsline Covers ARISS

On October 5, the Amateur Radio Newsline report #1834 included an article covering the upcoming Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) and the ARISS contact that is planned with Scouts at the BSA's Scouting museum in Texas. “That Final Item: JOTA 2012 October 20-21” may be found at: http://www.arnewsline.org/storage/scripts/nsln1834.txt