Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report April 12, 2010

1. Upcoming School Contact

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled for Jessup Elementary School in Houston, Texas on Monday, April 19 at 18:43 UTC. This will be a telebridge connection through ground station WH6PN in Hawaii. The school has incorporated the ARISS activity into its curriculum, specifically focusing on science, math, and language arts instruction across the pre-kindergarten to fourth grade levels.

2. Astronaut Timothy Creamer Speaks with Italian Students via ARISS

On Tuesday, April 6, on-orbit astronaut Timothy Creamer, KC5WKI participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with students from Scuola Primaria De Gasperi in Bari, Italy. The contact was held at the Cittadella Mediterranea della Scienza, which was designed to stimulate interest of the general public and especially youth, in fields of science and technology. To prepare for the contact, students studied principles of radio communications and space missions and were given a presentation on ARISS by ARISS mentor Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF. The event drew an audience of more than 100 students, teachers and guests as well as members of the media. The contact audio and video were distributed throughout Europe and America by webcast, receiving 500 connections.

3. ISS Ham Debrief Held with Astronaut Jeff Williams

Expedition 21/22 astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) debrief session on Friday, April 9. The feedback he provided on the ISS Ham radio equipment and school contacts will help the ARISS team improve program operations.

4. ARISSat Presentation to be Given at Dayton Hamvention

Dayton Hamvention 2010 will be held at the Hara Arena Complex in Dayton, Ohio on May 14 - 16. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) will both man exhibit booths at the event. Gould Smith, WA4SXM, AMSAT Project Manager for ARISSat-1, plans to give a presentation at the AMSAT Forum titled, "Getting ARISSat-1 Ready to Fly." The Dayton Hamvention is an internationally attended amateur radio convention that draws crowds of 25,000 annually. For more information on Dayton Hamvention 2010, go to: http://www.hamvention.org/

5. Four Women in Space Hold Amateur Radio Licenses

Shuttle STS-131 launched on April 5, carrying three women into space: Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, KE5DAT, Stephanie Wilson, KD5DZE and JAXA astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, KE5DAS. Upon docking with the ISS, they joined Expedition 23 crew member Tracy Caldwell-Dyson, KF5DBF. This was the first time that four women have been in space, and all are licensed hams. Caldwell-Dyson will participate in her first Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with Jessup Elementary School in Houston on April 19.