[sarex] 2012-09-10 ARISS Status

[Carol Jackson]

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report

September 10, 2012

 

 

1.            Upcoming School Contacts

 

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact is
planned with Maroochydore State School in Maroochydore, Queensland,
Australia on Wednesday, September 12 at 07:03 UTC via telebridge station
VK4KHZ in Australia. The contact will be integrated into a comprehensive
science curriculum. Robotics kits were provided to the students and an
astronomy club was formed at the school. Lessons have focused on the Venus
Transit, the Juno mission and the Curiosity mission.

 

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact is
planned for Thursday, September 13 with children from NASA Goddard Child
Development Center (GCDC), Greenbelt, MD, Howard B. Owens Science Center,
Lanham, MD and University of Maryland's Center for Young Children, College
Park, MD. The contact will take place at 16:43 UTC. The contact and
supporting activities will strengthen the students' interest in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics subject matter.

 

Burns Sci-Tech Charter School in Oak Hill, Florida is slated for an Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Thursday,
September 13 at 18:21 UTC. Daytona Beach Amateur Radio Association, Inc.
will support the school in this endeavor. The contact will be integrated
into lessons on radio waves, electricity, communications, geography and
languages.

 

2.            German Students Delighted with ARISS Contact

 

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact was held
between on-orbit astronaut Sunita Williams, KD5PLB and students at the
Gymnasium Michelstadt in Michelstadt, Germany on Friday, September 7.
Williams was able to answer 14 questions posed by the students during the
ISS pass. Over 1600 students, teachers, and VIP's were in attendance, as
well as representatives from radio, television and newspapers. Positive
feedback was received from the school, including the following: "Older
colleagues compared the feeling to watching the moon landing in TV. Our Kids
were electrified and already now we can see an increased interest in
sciences and extracurricular activities. We are planning to continue this
topic and have further projects in this field."  Video has been posted. See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xmL6wSPWzE

 

3.            Girls' School Speaks with ISS Astronaut

 

On Sunday, September 9, Tara Anglican School in North Parramatta, New South
Wales, Australia spoke with Astronaut Sunita Williams, KD5PLB via an Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact. The radio
connection was provided by telebridge station ON4ISS in Belgium.  The
contact was integrated into the school's science and space curriculum. Tara
Anglican, a girls K-12 school, was selected by Oxford University as the
Australian school to participate in the Global Jet Watch Program which links
astronomers at Oxford University with students from four high schools around
the world in Australia, Chile, South Africa and India in order to carry out
cutting edge research. Oxford University installed a research grade 20 inch
RC Optical telescope, together with custom designed instrumentation and an
observatory with a 4.5 metre dome on Tara's grounds for use by the students.
The school also formed a partnership with the Astronomical Society of New
South Wales (ASNSW) through which students are mentored in complex astronomy
projects by experienced amateur astronomers.

 

4.            AMSAT News Service on ARISS 

 

The September 9 AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) News Service
bulletin (ANS-253) included an item about AMSAT President Barry Baines, who
talked about ARISS and other educational activities in an interview held at
Shelby, North Carolina Hamfest with HAMRADIONOW.tv.  A link to the video is
included in the article or may be found directly on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o_PV2b9F6g&feature=youtu.be . See:
http://amsat.org/pipermail/ans/2012/000648.html