ARISS contact is planned with New England Sci-Tech students presented at BIG E in W. Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

International Space Station Amateur Radio (ARISS) has received a schedule confirmation for ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and New England Sci-Tech students located in Natick, MA .

ARISS conducts 60 to 80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the world and licensed amateur radio crew members aboard the ISS. The BIG E (“New England’s Great State Fair”) hosts this ARISS contact at the annual State Fair event, which will be held in their large performance arena that can accommodate over 5,000 people.

New England Sci-Tech is a nonprofit STEM and education center and makerspace dedicated to hands-on, project-based learning for youth and families in the New England community. The institution offers STEM education to young people through to adulthood, both in person and remotely. The science and technology facility features a fully equipped amateur radio lab, space science lab, makerspace with robot battle arena, 2D/3D design lab, a carpentry workshop and a 5-meter planetarium. Located on one of the highest hills in Natick, Massachusetts, the facility is well suited for amateur radio as well as astronomy. With a solar telescope and several large nightgoggles, the school offers free public observing sessions to observe the sun, stars, moon, planets, and overhead passes of satellites and the International Space Station.

To support this ARISS contact, New England Sci-Tech staff developed a 12-month program that provided students with hands-on experience in model rocketry, astronomy, electronics, coding, math, and , of course, amateur radio. Guidance on amateur radio activities and course curriculum was provided by Fred Kemmerer (AB1OC) (ARRL New England Division Director and ARISS Mentor), a longtime amateur radio and satellite communications instructor. Practical instruction was given by members of the Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society (STARS) (W1STR).

This will be an Amateur Radio Contact telebridge allowing students to ask their questions to Astronaut Bob Hines, Amateur Radio call sign KI5RQT. Local Covid-19 protocols are adhered to, where applicable, for each ARISS contact. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz and can be heard by listeners within the ISS footprint which also encompasses the telebridge station.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is located in Aartselaar, Belgium. The ground station amateur radio volunteer team will use the call sign ON4ISS to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

ARISS radio contact is scheduled for September 27, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. EDT (West Springfield, MA) (6:30:39 p.m. UTC, 1:30 p.m. CDT, 12:30 p.m. MDT, 11:30 a.m. PDT). Special programming before initiating radio contact will begin at 1:20 p.m. EDT.

The public is invited to follow the live broadcast on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdxnD8uF8t0

If time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. Did you use AI robots to help you on the space station?
2. How would you feel if we found signs of life on another planet?
3. Have you ever been sick in space and passed it on to another astronaut?
4. How do all modules from different countries interconnect without causing software or hardware incompatibilities?
5. Which exercise method do you find most helpful in preventing muscle atrophy?

6. Have you ever felt flashes of light or the eye of an astronaut?
7. It is my absolute dream to sit in the same position as you. If you could give me one piece of advice, what would it be?
8. Have you ever been on the ISS when it was impacted by an object in space such as a micrometeorite?
9. Have you ever felt pain from the way microgravity affects your muscles?
10. Did you find the astronaut training program mentally or physically exhausting or stressful?

11. How does seeing the earth from a different perspective change the way you think about life?
12. What advice would you give to children who want to become an astronaut one day?
13. If the extravehicular activity did not require so much preparation beforehand, would you do it more often?
14. What was the most amazing thing you first saw in space?
15. Have you used amateur radio on the ISS in addition to making ARISS contact with school children on Earth?

16. Do you sleep better in space or on Earth?
17. Do you normally rely on computers or human skills for docking spacecraft to the ISS?
18. What memorable mascots have been brought to the ISS?
19. What unusual weather on Earth have you seen from space?
20. What class or extracurricular activity most inspired you to become an astronaut?

About ARISS:

Amateur radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, the sponsors are the Amateur Radio Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), and the communications program and of NASA space navigation.

The main objective of ARISS is to promote the exploration of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. ARISS does this by arranging scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents and communities participate in hands-on learning activities related to space, space technologies and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org.

Media Contact:
Dave Jordan, AA4KN
PR ARISS

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