An International Space Station Expedition 15 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at Liceo Scientifico Statale "Lorenzo Respighi", Piacenza, Italy on 05 May. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 10:29 UTC.

The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and IK4MED. 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.

Natural sciences, foreign languages, music and computer science are the main subjects of the high school "Liceo Scientifico Statale Lorenzo Respighi" in Piacenza. At present about 1076 students aged 14 to 19 attend the school. Piacenza is located about 60 km southeast of Milan and lies on the right bank of the biggest Italian river Po. It was founded 218 B.C. by 6,000 Roman veterans. The University of Piacenza is an important element of the city's economy. The high school is in possession of the first Italian educative license issued by the Ministry of Telecommunication. The students are legally entitled to use the amateur radio school station in the presence of a licensed operator. Students participating in the ARISS contact were involved in different scientific projects such as the universal gravitation law, the experiments in absence of gravity and, of course, the International Space Station.

Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. Do you have to do any particular manoeuvres with the ISS or with the vehicle that brings you up there? 2. What kind of experiments and research do you do in the ISS? 3. Why is it important to do experiments and research in the ISS rather than in any lab on Earth? 4. What happens if you fall ill during your mission and how can you get medical treatment? 5. Is the air inside the ISS similar to the air on Earth and how long can you survive if you have problems with pressurization inside the ISS?

6. How long does it take to get used to zero gravity and how do you move without gravity? 7. Does the absence of gravity have any effect on your body? 8. How can you sleep without gravity? 9. In case of a breakdown are you able to repair the broken part of any kind of equipment? 10. Do you have any private space inside the ISS? 11. What's your conception of time when you are in space? 12. When will be completed the assembly of the ISS and what vehicles carry all the materials needed on board the ISS? 13. How do you organize the day on board the ISS and how do you spend your spare time? 14. What is the distance between Earth and the ISS and for what reason the ISS stays in that orbit? 15. Would you like to go on a mission to Mars? 16. Have you ever had any emergencies on board the ISS? 17. Did you have to do any psychological tests before leaving for space? 18. What is the temperature inside the ISS and does it change if the ISS is in sunlight or in shadow? 19. How long do you have to train for a space mission and how do you train? 20. Do you believe that old space vehicles like the Shuttle or the Soyuz will soon be replaced by more modern ones?

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): Erweiterte Realschule, Weiskirchen D-66709, Germany, direct via DN1ERW, Sat 2007-05-05 13:39 UTC 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