An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Holy Family Catholic School, Grand Junction, Colorado on 19 Nov. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 16:43 UTC.

The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds.

The contact will be direct between NA1SS and W0YH. The contact should be audible over portions of the western U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

Holy Family Catholic School has more than 400 students in first through ninth grades, and is located in Grand Junction, Colorado. The entire school is involved in this project. At least ten students have obtained their ham radio licenses in anticipation of the contact. Younger students have participated in essay contests and art activities devoted to the contact with the ISS.

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

1. How many times have you been in space?

2. How do you choose your food to meet dietary needs?

3. Do you get bored with some of the foods?

4. What made you decide to become an astronaut?

5. What do you do with your spare time in space?

6. What effect does long-term exposure to zero gravity have on your body?

7. Has becoming an astronaut been worth leaving your home on Earth?

8. How do you prepare for the shuttle launch and landing?

9. How does it feel to be weightless?

10. Have you studied any life forms in space?

11. What are the different jobs or duties on the space station?

12. What job do you have on the space station?

13. What's your favorite thing about being in space?

14. How much training do you have before going into space?

15. Is it cold in space?

16. How does the Earth look from space?

17. How does working in no gravity differ from the same job on Earth?

18. How do feel about the robonaut working on the space station?

19. What is the strangest thing that has happened to you in space?

20. What is the cabin pressure maintained in the space station?

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

Next planned event(s):

1 Istituto Comprensivo Marco Polo-Viani Scuola Secondaria 1° Grado,

Viareggio, Lucca, Italy, direct via IK1SLD to IZ2PWX to IK1SLD

Contact is a go for: Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:17 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