An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Istituto Comprensivo Statale "E. Fermi - A. Oggioni", Villasanta, Monza Brianza, Italy on 10 Feb. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 08:31 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and VK5ZAI. The contact should be audible over portions of Australia. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in Italian.

The Fermi Middle School is located in the centre of Villasanta near Monza. There are 400 students and 43 teachers while there are two classes (40 students) that will be involved in the project. These students are 13 years old and they will be attending the third and final year of middle school.

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

1. Why did you choose to become an astronaut and what kind of studies did

you do?

2. We watched your launch from Verano Brianza. The most exciting moments

were the blast-off and when you waved: what about yours?

3. How did you feel immediately after the blast-off?

4. What are the main purposes of this space mission?

5. What are the most recent experiments you have done?

6. We know you're making studies on your brain: what are they about?

7. We know your name has been given to an asteroid. do you make your

observations on celestial bodies from ISS?

8. What is the most beautiful thing you have seen in space?

9. In its educational programme ESA encourages young people to improve their

fitness training like astronauts do (mission x). What kind of advice

would you give us?

10. We also know you do a lot of physical exercise: do you practice the same

training all the time?

11. How do you feel while floating in absence of gravity?

12. Do you find it difficult to make everyday life gestures and actions?

13. As we know you're floating on ISS, how can you sleep?

14. When you change your clothing, how do you wash them?

15. How do you solve the problem of organic and inorganic waste?

16. The training a lot and travelling almost all over the world. As you have

been far from home for a very long time, how important is the support

of your family?

17. What kind of activities do you miss among the ones you usually do on the

earth?

18. How do you know what the time is as you are continuously travelling

round the earth?

19. What is your orbiting plane inclination like in regard to the earth's

axis? why?

20. When did you meet your crewmates for the first time? what was your first

meeting like?

NOTE: Watch for simulcast on http://www.livestream.com/AMSAT_Italia

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

Next planned event(s):

1. Lake Silver Elementary, Orlando, FL, telebridge via LU8YY

Thu, 10 Feb. 2011 15:51 UTC

2. Lillestrøm videregående skole, Lillestrøm, N-2001, Norway, telebridge

via

W5RRR.

Fri, 11 Feb. 2011 12:48 UTC

3. National Institute for Astrophysics - Astronomical Observatory of

Bologna, Bologna, Italy, telebridge via LU8YY

Sat, 12 Feb. 2011 15:07 UTC

Watch for live simulcast at http://www.media.inaf.it/

4. Istituto di Istruzione Superiore "Claudio Varalli", Milano, I-20142,

Italy, telebridge via W5RRR

Watch for simulcast on www.livestream.com/iz2shs

Thu, 17 Feb. 2011 10:33 UTC

5. Experiencing Learning "Imparare Sperimentando", San Quirino, Italy,

telebridge via LU8YY

Sat, 19 Feb. 2011 11:43 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