An International Space Station Expedition 16 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at Giosuè Carducci, Santa Marinella, Italy on 23 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 10:52 UTC.

The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and IZØLRI. The contact should be audible in most of Europe. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English.

The GIOSUE' CARDUCCI secondary school is located in the town of Santa Marinella, 60 km northwest of Rome. The classes having the ARISS QSO are composed of students (boys and girls) aged between 12 and 15 years. The ARISS activity is well integrated into the school curriculum. The project called "Guglielmo Marconi" is about the research and experiments done by the town of Guglielmo Marconi at the National Radioelectric Centre. Marconi carried out experiments on microwaves, RADAR, radio mobile telephone and the use of the moon as a natural satellite. Marconi sent waves from Santa Marinella to the moon and received their reflections.

Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. How long can you stay in Space without getting any injuries to your body? 2. What should I do to become an astronaut? 3. When will you finish assembling the International Space Station? 4. What was the most exciting thing during your mission? 5. Is there any risk of being infected by an unknown virus? 6. How do you wash yourself on board the ISS? 7. Why do you have zero gravity on the International Space Station and what is the experience like? 8. What does the landscape look like watching out of the window? 9. Do you regularly get news and updates from Earth? 10. Is the ISS's orbit pre-programmed or does it occur that astronauts have to steer it manually? If so, how is it done? 11. How much did you train to get ready for Space? 12. Do you miss your family and how do you deal with your homesickness? 13. Do you take turns sleeping? Do you float when you sleep? 14. If there are any damages on the International Space Station, can you repair them? 15. How do you spend your free time? 16. What time is it now on the International Space Station? 17. What is the amount of your food and oxygen reserve? 18. What kind of disadvantages does zero-gravity cause? 19. Where does the electric power come from on the International Space Station? 20. How long does an astronaut usually stay on board the International Space Station?

Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Packet is occasionally active on 145.825 simplex.

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.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).

Thank you & 73, Kenneth - N5VHO