An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Centre de Formation de la Base Aérienne de Payerne, Switzerland on 21 Mar. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 08:39 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between OR4ISS and HB9SPACE. The contact should be audible over portions of Europe. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

The Centre de Formation de la Base Aérienne de Payerne (Swiss Air Force Base) is located in the town of Payerne, 40 km southwest of Bern, in the French speaking part of Switzerland. This centre offers young people to follow an apprenticeship in a well-equipped environment. Four teachers are taking care of 30 students, aged between 16 and 20 years. All of them are involved in the ARISS event. Their studies will end up with a Certificate of Apprenticeship in Electronics or Polymecanics and a Certificate of Maturity. The students are conducted by Mr. Jean-Yves Dupertuis, and the school Principal is Mr. Reto Ramseyer.

The QSO will be held in the museum "Clin d'Ailes", located on the Payerne Swiss Airforce Base. The museum "Clin d'Ailes" shows the military aeronautics of the second half of the XXth century. The president of the Museum Foundation is Mr. Claude Nicollier, HB9CN, first Swiss Astronaut. Mr. Nicollier should be with the students during the QSO. The Clin d'Ailes Swiss Air Force Museum Ham Radio Club, holding the calls HB4FR and HB9SPACE, will setup the station for the ARISS QSO.

The students will launch a stratospheric balloon equipped with video and photo cameras, sensors and beacons two weeks ahead of the ARISS event. They are now on the way building the technical equipment of the balloon. After the ARISS QSO, they will present the videos, photos and the analysis results of the recorded sensor data to the assistance.

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

1. Who decided to build the ISS?

2. How long will it be possible to take advantage of the ISS as the station

is now completed?

3. Does the ISS have a collision risk with other satellites?

4. What was the maximum speed of the launcher during your climb to the ISS

in December last year?

5. Who decides when the Automated Transfer Vehicles and the ISS have to

separate?

6. What is your mission on the ISS?

7. Have you had any technical problem on the ISS during your journey?

8. What happens if the communication facilities with the earth are

completely out of service?

9. Do you have Internet and e-mail on the ISS?

10. Is your job dangerous?

11. I read that you are a doctor. Why did you decide to be also an astronaut?

12. Do you remember the first time you were in space? How did you feel?

13. How many days have you spent in space?

14. What impact on your health will you have after this spaceflight?

15. Is it physically more difficult to go to space or return to earth?

16. What was your most memorable experiment during your DELTA mission in

2004?

17. What kind of equipment is needed for an extra vehicular activity?

18. Can you see more stars from the ISS as from earth?

19. Do you have any spare time on board?

20. What is the most interesting thing that you have seen in space?

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

Next planned event(s):

1. Salem Elementary School, Apex, NC, telebridge via VK5ZAI

Wed, 21 Mar 2012, 14:09 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