An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Merritt Island High School, Merritt Island, Florida on 30 Aug. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:06 UTC.

The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds.

The contact will be direct between NA1SS and WB2IHB. The contact should be audible over the eastern U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

Merritt Island High is a public high school with a student population of 1500. Sixty of these students are members of the Da Vinci Academy of Aerospace Technology, where these engineering-minded students take part in the "Project Lead the Way" engineering curriculum. Fifteen students have been selected from the Academy to engage the astronaut in a question and answer session as the ISS passes over the school. The school plans to have local media on hand along with an audience of fellow students. Other students not able to attend and the general public will be able to review the event by linking to http://merritt.hs.brevard.k12.fl.us an hour after the contact.

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

1. Due to the lack of gravity in space and on the ISS, what are some of the

long: term effects on the body during flight and after your return?

2. Do your sleep patterns change while you are in space?

3. Does your appetite change while you are in space?

4. How long does it take for you to reach the ISS?

5. Since you are a medical doctor, what kind of tests and experiments are

you currently performing on the ISS?

6. Are you able to communicate with your family and friends during your stay

on the ISS?

7. What would happen if you ran out of supplies on the ISS?

8. What risks do you encounter on a daily basis on the ISS?

9. How real is your anxiety (if any) that you would not be able to get back

from space?

10. Did growing up in a tech: savvy country like Japan, influence your

decision to study in the STEM (science, technology, engineering,

math field?

11. What new technologies and spin:offs have been developed recently due to

the ISS missions?

12. What do you miss the most about Earth while you are on the ISS?

13. What do you see happening with space exploration in the next 25 years?

14. What political and scientific disadvantages do you see with the

cancellation of the United States Shuttle Program?

15. What was the hardest training experience that you encountered while

studying at the Johnson Space Center?

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

Next planned event(s):

TBD

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