An International Space Station Expedition 18 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, India on 07 November. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 0715 UTC.

The contact will be a telebridge contact between stations NA1SS and W6SRJ. The contact should be audible over western N. America. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English.

Dibrugarh University, the easternmost University of India was set up in 1965 under the provisions of the Dibrugarh University Act, 1965 enacted by the Assam Legislative Assembly. It is a teaching-cum-affiliating University with limited residential facilities. The University is situated at Rajabheta at a distance of about five kilometers to the south of the premier town of the Dibrugarh in the eastern part of Assam as well as India. Dibrugarh, a commercially and industrially advanced town in the entire north-eastern region also enjoys a unique place in the fields of Art, Literature and Culture. The district of Dibrugarh is well known for its vast treasure of minerals (including oil and natural gas and coal), a flora and fauna and largest concentration of tea plantations. The diverse tribes with their distinct dialects, customs, traditions and culture form a polychromatic ethnic mosaic which makes this area a veritable paradise for the study of Anthropology and Sociology, beside Art and Culture.

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

1. How do you feel in zero gravity ? 2. Which part of the Earth and space do you find most beautiful ? 3. Have you seen the mighty Brahmaputra ? 4. How do you manage yourself out there ? Are there any facilities for your entertainment ? 5. How long do you sleep ? 6. What is the mission behind your space tour ? 7. How does it feel while escaping the gravity ? 8. Have you found anything which could be beneficial to the world as a whole? 9. What kind of changes do you expect on your return to Earth ? 10. How was your experience while voting for the presidential election ? 11. Do you want to visit Dibrugarh University ? 12. How far are you from earth at this time? 13. How does Assam look from space ? 14. Will you please take a clip of Dibrugarh University from space ? 15. What you do when you remember your family? 16. What measures you take while sleeping ? 17. How was your maiden trip ? 18. Can you see any seasonal changes on Earth ? 19. Probably you are much acquainted with Assamese culture as a son in law from Assam, we heard that you can speak little Assamese. Can you say something in Assamese?

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

Next planned event(s): 1. Anderson's Creek, Primary School, Warrandyte, Victoria, Australia, telebridge via VK5ZAI, Mon 2008-11-10 07:56 UTC 2. International Education Week (Poolesville, MD, Quito, Ecuador and Raleigh, NC) telebridge via WH6PN, Fri 2008-11-14 15:02 UTC 3. Newcomers Club in Saitama, Japan direct via JK1ZAM, Sat 2008-11-15 10:22 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, Kenneth - N5VHO