An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at National Scouting Museum, Irving, TX on 20 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:32 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and VK6MJ. The contact should be audible over portions of the U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

2012 marks the 55th year for Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA). Be a part of it at the National Scouting Museum in Irving, TX! JOTA is a World Scouting event that bridges Scouts all over the world via amateur radio. Numerous amateur radio stations will be set up throughout the Museum, allowing for both local and global communication by various modes. There will also be many other fun and educational activities; such as hidden transmitter hunts, electronic project assembly, solar telescopes, demonstrations of satellite communications, and much more throughout the day! This year, as a part of JOTA, the Museum has been selected to participate in a contact opportunity with an astronaut on the International Space Station. Scouts who will get to ask the astronaut a question during the contact have been selected via an essay contest in which they answered the question: Why should we continue space exploration? Everyone can listen in as the selected Scouts communicate with the astronaut!

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

1. What have you enjoyed studying most during your time as an astronaut?

2. What advice would you give to someone who wants to be an astronaut?

3. Can you tell us about one of the experiments you're doing on the space

station, and how it will help us back on Earth?

4. What do you do during your down time aboard the space station?

5. How do you communicate with your family while you are aboard the space

station?

6. How many other planets have you seen from the space station?

7. What are the different jobs an astronaut can have on board the space

station?

8. Do stars' size and color look different when you see them in space?

9. How long does it take to get to ISS from the earth?

10. What do you do if someone needs medical attention while in space?

11. Which is better, Earth's gravity or weightless in space and why?

12. Would you ever want to go to on a mission to Mars? Why or why not?

13. In Scouting we practice "Leave No Trace", meaning that we leave campsites

as we found them. How do you practice "Leave No Trace" in space?

14. What is one goal you want to achieve as an astronaut?

15. I am working on the Astronomy Merit Badge. What is your favorite planet

or moon in our Solar System, and why?

16. What is the scariest part of being in space?

17. Why do you think space travel is important to science and engineering?

18. What is the most valuable thing you have learned since becoming an

astronaut?

19. What is your favorite space food?

20. Do you think we will ever return to the moon? If so, when?

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

Next planned event(s):

1. Meikei High School, Tsukuba, Japan, direct via JJ1YAF

Tue, 23Oct12 11:06 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