An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at UA Huntsville Space Hardware Club, Huntsville, AL, on 21 Mar. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 15:50 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and K4UAH. 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.

The Space Hardware Club is a UA Huntsville student organization. The club is student run and is strictly volunteer. Using the capacities of a multi-disciplinary team of engineering to conceptualize, design, build, test and fly flight hardware for orbital spaceflight, high altitude ballooning, competitive mock-satellite design, build, launch competitions, and other space related engineering problems. Involvement in The Space Hardware Club allows students to experience real life time sensitive deadlines, and design payloads to mission specification. The students learn to design mechanical structures, software, and circuit boards while considering thermal forces, shock loads, and other realistic environmental limitations.

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

1. What is your greatest challenge on the Space Station?

2. Is it fun to be an astronaut?

3. How long is your training before you go to space?

4. How do you stay entertained in space?

5. Are astronaut suits comfortable?

6. Do the stars look bigger in space than they do on Earth?

7. What does Earth look like from space?

8. How is life in microgravity?

9. Is it fun to be in space, and is it scary?

10. Does floating in space make you nauseous?

11. What do you miss most about Earth?

12. What classes did you take in high school and college to prepare for

being an astronaut?

13. What is your inspiration to choose this career?

14. What do you do while in space?

15. How does it feel to not have to walk to get somewhere?

16. Are there any TV's or internet to use for entertainment?

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. Thornton Middle School, Katy, TX, direct via KF5NZD

Mon, 25Mar2013 15:39 UTC

2. Des Cardinaux School, Sainte-Rose, Laval, Quebec, Canada, telebridge

via K6DUE

Tue, 26Mar2013 13:13 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