An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Soleado Elementary School, Ranchos Palos Verdes, CA on 25 Feb. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 19:53 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and KE6JPM. The contact should be audible over California and 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.

Soleado Elementary School's mission is to educate each and every one of its students to their fullest potential while cultivating a lifelong love of learning. Named for its beautiful location in the hills of Rancho Palos Verdes, our school is proud of its rich cultural background, academic achievement, and involvement in extra-curricular activities. Our mascot, a rosy-cheeked sun, is an exceptionally fitting characterization of our school, which wraps our students in the arms of a caring and supportive community that nurtures development of the whole child.

Founded in 1968, even Soleado's physical design embodies community and cooperation, with each core educational building housing five classrooms with one wall "open" to a shared "big room" in the center. The open classroom environment facilitates daily teacher collaboration and student interaction within and among grade levels, while "big rooms" allow for large group activities and foster a positive feeling of family among our students and staff. In addition to our strong sense of community and our open classroom model, another distinguishing characteristic of our school is its cultural and linguistic diversity. With 420 "Soleado Suns" this year in grades DK through 5, our student body encompasses families who come directly from 30 different countries speaking 21 languages.

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

1. What are your goals as an astronaut in making the world a better place?

2. What are the biggest advancements you have seen with the space program,

since having landed on the ISS?

3. Who were your mentors and role models in becoming an astronaut?

4. How does seeing the Earth from space make you feel about the future of

our planet?

5. What do you hope people here on Earth will learn about what you're doing

on the ISS right now?

6. What do you see as the biggest benefit to mankind as a result of the

development of the ISS?

7. What is the most challenging work you have done on the ISS?

8. What benefits do you consider in working with people from other parts of

the world?

9. How do you cope with the sense of weightlessness which you experience?

10. What subjects in school did you need to know the most about to be an

astronaut?

11. What skills do you think are important for an astronaut to have, besides

being a good student?

12. How well and how long are you able to sleep without gravity, seeing the

sun rise and set so often?

13. What is the longest amount of time you could survive on the ISS without

returning to Earth?

14. Do you think average people will be able to travel and live at the ISS in

my lifetime?

15. When did you first realize you wanted to be an astronaut?

16. What do you miss most from Earth while on the ISS?

17. What is the strangest or most amazing thing you have seen while in space?

18. What is your biggest fear living on the ISS?

19. Are you able to "go green" and recycle or reuse things in space, as you

do on Earth? If so, what types of things do you do?

20. What has been the most surprising or exciting thing you have discovered

since arriving on the ISS?

21. How often do you get to communicate with your family while you are away?

22. Do you have more or less energy in space than you did on Earth?

23. How many people do you anticipate the ISS being able to support in the

future, as astronauts or as average Americans?

24. Does the ISS have bacteria in it? If so what is it, and how does it grow

in space?

Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be obtained by subscribing to the SAREX maillist. To subscribe, go to http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/maillist/ and choose "How to Subscribe".

Next planned event(s):

1. 4th Dimotiko Scholeio Chaidariou, Chaidari (near Athens), Greece,

direct via J41ISS

Thu, 28Feb2013, 09:42 UTC

2. Talcott Mountain Science Center & Academy, Avon, CT, direct via W1TMS

Thu, 28Feb2013 15:53 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