An International Space Station Expedition 15 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at Erweiterte Realschule Weiskirchen, Germany on 05 May. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 13:39 UTC.

The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and DN1ERW. 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.

ERS Weiskirchen is a general education school where the pupils can achieve a standard and secondary graduation. The school participates as one of 11 pilot schools from the federal states Saarland, Rheinland-Pfalz and Hessen in the project "Innovative all-day school". As special example concerning the project, the school has successfully performed the launch of a balloon to the stratosphere in cooperation with the radio club "DARC Ortsverbandes Wadern, Q21". Following this contact with radio technology, a core-team of interested pupils has been formed. With the support of radio amateurs, a radio station has been set up and a radio club has been founded. Several students have passed examinations and are now amateur radio licensees, operating with their own callsign.

Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. What subjects do you need to have studied to become an astronaut? 2. How long did you need to prepare yourself for the flight? 3. What amateur radio equipment is there on the ISS? 4. Can the radio apparatus be kept on continuous operation or would that use up too much energy? 5. Besides the Earth, can you see other planets with the naked eye from the ISS? 6. Is it possible to recognize buildings on Earth from the ISS? 7. There are often wildfires on Earth. Could you see any of them from the ISS? 8. How many sunrises and sunsets can you see as you orbit the Earth and how do you manage your own waking and sleeping patterns? 9. How do you utilize your free time on board? 10. Do you snore more or less in weightlessness of Space than you do on Earth? 11. Are you repelled backwards when you sneeze in Space? 12. How did you feel during the shuttle launch? 13. When did you last take a shower? 14. What are your expectations of your stay in Space and is there anything that you would particularly wish to achieve? 15. Does your seat belt have to be fastened whilst you are sleeping? 16. Do you need be physically fit to become an astronaut? 17. If someone falls ill aboard the ISS, how can they receive help? 18. How did you feel during the shuttle launch? 19. Do you need to do special exercise to improve muscle strength before you return to Earth? 20. What do you eat aboard the ISS and how do you overcome the difficulties of eating in a weightless environment?

Please note, the amateur equipment on the ISS is not functioning in the automatic modes properly and may be silent more than usual. Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact .

Next planned event(s): Sunset Mesa Schools, Albuquerque, New Mexico, direct via W5SCA, Wed 2007-05-09 14:39 UTC Escola Secundaria de Estarreja, Estarreja, Portugal, direct via CT6ESE, Wed 2007-05-09 14:58 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.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).

Thank you & 73, Kenneth - N5VHO