An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Chief Peguis Jr. High, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on 13 Feb. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 19:47 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and VK5ZAI. 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.

Chief Peguis Jr. High is in Winnipeg Manitoba. It is a grade 7-9 school with a population of about 550 students and staff. In April of 2011 Chris Hadfield made a personal appearance at our school to talk to the students. He was terrific. Our grade 7 students at that time are currently our grade 9 students and they remember his visit. It is very exciting that these kids (and all the others) get to connect with him while he is on board the ISS. They feel they already have a personal connection with him. Our staff was very impressed with Commander Hadfield as well. His final message to our young people exceeded our expectations. It is a quote I often repeat to my students. It is posted in the hallways of our school."You are all going to grow up to be something. Don't let the world kick you into becoming an adult you don't want to be.. Start planning your future now!"

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

1. What research is going on at the space station and what role do you have

in these experiments?

2. What is zero gravity like on your body? How much has your body changed?

3. Has anything gone wrong and if so how did you handle it?

4. You are the first Canadian in charge of the ISS. How do you feel?

5. Do you have cell phone service up there?

6. Does your drink float out of your cup?

7. How do you keep your food supply limited?

8. What is your everyday routine up in space?

9. How do you take a shower in space?

10. How do you groom your moustache?

11. How long can a person stay in space?

12. What kinds of things do you need to do to maintain the ISS?

13. What made you want to become an astronaut?

14. What is the future of the ISS?

15. How do you become an astronaut?

16. Have you seen other planets from the ISS?

17. Is having no gravity for so long uncomfortable?

18. Do you ever run low on food?

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

Next planned event(s):

TBD

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