ISS Fan Club

1. Upcoming School Contacts
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled for Lycée de la Borde Basse in Castres, France on Wednesday, March 5 at 09:49 UTC. In preparation for the contact, teachers will focus on science applications and the ISS. Activities planned include a visit to the Cité de l’espace in Toulouse and a meeting with a scientist residing in Castres, founder of the “Terre et Espace” association (Earth & Space), who has volunteered to give a presentation to the students on work in space and astronaut training techniques. Students will be divided into different study groups according to personal interest in various related subjects such as the implementation and launch of ISS space modules, re-supply missions, life in micro-gravitational conditions and experiments carried out onboard the ISS. Students will prepare questions in French and English on various subjects. ESA astronaut Léopold Eyharts, FX0STD/KE5FNO, plans to participate in this contact. The audio from this event will be fed into the EchoLink AMSAT (101 377) and JK1ZRW (277 208) servers.

Lycee mixte René Gosse in Clermont L'Herault, France will participate in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Monday, March 10 at 08:30 UTC. In preparation for the contact, students will study Math (including vector work on gravitational forces), French, Ecology and Sustainable Development, and Physics, including the history of space exploration, principles of inertia, and radio waves. The school held a workshop "English for the sciences" allowing scientific themes to be discussed in English. The object of this workshop was to enable students to develop their knowledge of English while exposing them to international scientific exchanges, primarily written in this language. This course will be extended by a second workshop "Scientific exchanges in English". The ARISS contact will be a continuation of this second workshop and represents a tremendous opportunity for the students to apply their knowledge and language skills. The project will conclude with a visit to the "Cité de l'Espace" in Toulouse. The school will partner with Radio Club F6KEH also known as "Emetteurs Biterrois." Newspapers, television and radio stations will be notified of the event.

2. College Reydellet Contact Successful
On Monday, February 25, youth attending College Reydellet in Saint-Denis, Ile de La Réunion experienced an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with ESA astronaut Léopold Eyharts, FX0STD/KE5FNO. Ten students were able to ask one question each of the astronaut as approximately 75 students, teachers and parents looked on. Also in attendance were the Regional Director of Research and Technology (DRRT), the Colleges and Schools Supervisor and the Heads of educational institutions. At least part of the audio from this event was fed into the EchoLink AMSAT (101 377) and JK1ZRW (277 208) servers successfully. Fifteen connections were made from 10 countries. Media coverage included RFO Radio, TV Antenne-Reunion (correspondent of TF1, France's national TV), private broadcaster Festival and the local newspapers Le Quotidien and Le Journal de l'ile. Photos have been posted on the ARISS-Europe Web site. See: http://www.ariss-eu.org/2008_02_26.htm
Le Journal de l'ile article, in French, can be found here: http://archives.clicanoo.com/index.php?page=article&id_article=175971&recherche=Reydellet+ARISS

3. France Soir Article on Robespierre Contact
Robespierre Elementary School in Rueil Malmaison, France participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on February 21. France Soir covered news (in French) of the educational activity. Go to: http://www.francesoir.fr/societe/2008/02/22/leopold-eyharts-en-direct-des-etoiles.html#Séquence_1

4. Crew Debrief Sessions to be Rescheduled
The February debrief sessions planned with astronaut Dan Tani, KD5DXE, and space visitor Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 9W2MUS, were cancelled. They will be rescheduled in the near future.

5. ARISS Presentation at NARCON 2008
The National Association of Rocketry’s National Convention, NARCON 2008, will be held March 14 – 16 in Rochester, Minnesota. Will Marchant, KC6ROL, will give a presentation on the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) educational outreach program during the seminar session. For more information, see: http://www.narcon2008.org/event_info/seminars.htm

6. SuitSat-1 Article
On February 25, The Daily Galaxy ran an article on the amateur radio satellite SuitSat-1 which was deployed on February 3, 2006. To view the article, see: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/02/suitsat-one--th.html

7. Astronaut Training Status
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) training sessions are being planned for astronauts Nicole Stott, KE5GJN, Sandy Magnus, KE5FYE, and Bob Thirsk, VA3CSA. Magnus is expected to be a crewmember of Expedition 17/18, flying to the ISS on STS-126 in September 2008. Stott, a member of the Expedition 19 crew, will fly on STS-128 in May 2009 and Thirsk, a CSA astronaut, will follow the same month on a Soyuz flight.

Source ARISS Weekly Status