An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Youth Hostel "La Foresta", near Castel Rigone, Trasimeno Lake, Perugia, Italy on 11 Aug. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 08:48 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and K6DUE. The contact should be audible over the east 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.

Since 2009, at the Youth Hostel « La Foresta », near Trasimeno Lake and Perugia, Panda Avventure organizes one of its most interesting educational programme : « Astronauts in Forest » for about 200 children from 11 to 14 years. The programme combines the study of Earth with the study of Space and Space exploration and a big role game. Children are invited to imagine themselves as « Aliens » landed on our Planet from the space, and to participate every day to a different "Mission" to know the environmental problems of the Earth and try to find solutions to them. The Hostel has been equipped with two big hemispheres (two "space ships") placed in the forest and equipped with laboratories, GPS instruments, telescope, big screen to project films, computers, sky maps, library with educational materials. It has been the first program of this kind in Italy and strengthened the cooperation with ESA / ESRIN that gave a very important contribution providing the camp with educational materials. All the activities consisted in field researches, experiments, use of technical instruments, and games to explore the Earth and the Sky, to research solutions to save our Planet. Every day a log - book was kept by children. Every Mission had a filmed report by children. Every evening a film or a documentary on Earth or Space was shown. The programme "Astronauts in Forest" and the activities' reports of the summer camps always arises a lot of interest. They have a large circulation through Panda Avventure web site and social network. Generally Panda Avventure organizes also media coverage through News letter and contacts with newspaper and magazines.

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

1. How was the travel from earth to the ISS?

2. Is it noisy in the ISS?

3. In our hostel we recycle the water from the rain for the toilet, Is it

true that you too recycle all the water and liquid in the ISS?

4. We are living in a forest: have you got any plant in the ISS?

5. We read that every morning a different music awoke you. Which was this

morning?

6. We are attending a camp in the nature, training to become astronauts,

could you please give us a trick for our training?

7. As you on the ISS, we too work with other people in our team and share

all our time together. Sometimes living together is difficult. Is the

same for you?

8. What do you miss mostly of nature?

9. How hot is inside and outside the ISS?

10. Now you are above the clouds! How is to live so many days without rain?

11. Does your hair grow faster in the ISS?

12. We heard that a lot of astronauts lost their smell sense in the space.

Did it happen to you?

13. What do you do to relax yourself?

14. Can you see the moon phases from your window?

15. Which was your dream job when you were a little kid?

16. Have you brought something with you from home on ISS?

17. Do you think that we are alone in the universe?

18. In which way are you in contact with your relatives from ISS?

19. Did you do a walk in space outside the ISS?

20. How much was your training important for your job?

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

Next planned event(s):

1. Yokohama Kurata Elementary School, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

16 Aug 2011, 09:57 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