An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at the George Observatory, Needville, Texas on 16 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 17:03 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and WH6PN. The contact should be audible over Hawaii and adjacent area. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

October 16, 2010 is designated as Astronomy Day at George Observatory, located in Fort Bend County, Texas, near Houston. The event is sponsored by various astronomy clubs and the Houston Museum of Natural Science. There will be plenty of activities designed to educate children, and peak their interest in astronomy and science.

The children interviewing the ISS crew will be Boy Scouts and youth members of several astronomy clubs. In the evening the children will learn how to track the ISS across the night sky, will be able to look through the three telescopes at the observatory, and will be given "sky tours" with the aid of green laser pointers.

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

1. Is it hard to take a shower in space?

2. When did you decide to become an astronaut?

3. What would you do if your space suit got a hole in it?

4. Who inspired you to become an astronaut?

5. Can you describe how it feels to do a spacewalk?

6. What personal items can you take with you into space?

7. How often do you get to communicate with your family while you are in

space?

8. What can you do during your free time?

9. How do you keep from getting claustrophobic?

10. What kinds of medical problems are you equipped to deal with?

11. Is it scary during launch?

12. Will being a boy scout help someone become an astronaut?

13. Do you recycle all the water on the station?

14. What is it like during liftoff?

15. What is the scariest part of your mission?

16. How do you keep track of days and nights while in space?

17. How do you decide who does what while on a mission?

18. What is the coolest part of your mission?

19. What is your typical day like?

20. Who is your hero?

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

Next planned event(s):

1. Carine Primary School, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,

telebridge via WH6PN

Tue 19 Oct 2010 07:06 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