Image above: A video camera aboard space shuttle Discovery captured this image of the International Space Station shortly after undocking. Photo credit: NASA TV

ARISS contact planned with school in France

An International Space Station ARISS direct school contact has been planned with participants at CAMUS school, Viry Chatillon, France on Thursday 2nd April 2009.
The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 13:35 UTC, which is 15:35 CET.

Interested parties are invited to listen in on the downlink signals which will be audible all over Europe on 145.800 MHz FM. The contact will also be distributed on the EchoLink AMSAT server.

Two schools are participating in the ARISS Project on the occasion of the centenary of the "Port Aviation" aerodrome which was once located in Viry-Chatillon.

The Albert Camus school currently has 180 pupils divided into 8 classes from 1st to 5th grade. It also has the distinctive feature of being the only school in the area to be open to visually impaired children gathered within a specialized class. These children, who are either partially sighted or blind, are provided education in a small group class, and on specific time slots, they are also integrated into the ordinary classes that have 26 pupils on average. The 5th grade class that is participating in this project has 28 pupils, 14 boys and 14 girls, aged 9 to 11.

The Jules Verne school has some 240 pupils divided into 11 classes going from 1st to 5th grade. In this school some children of non French speaking origin or background are taken care of on specific time slots and within a specialized class to learn French. This school is also located in a Priority Education Area. The 4th grade class that is participating in this project has 22 pupils, 10 girls and 12 boys, aged 8 to 10.

On the occasion of ARISS Project, the pupils of both participating classes have met many times. This resulted in the setting up of a website on the work that has been achieved since the beginning of the academic year and which will be carried on until the satellite link with the astronauts. The website address is the following: http://ecole.verne.free.fr/contact/

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

1. What course of study must one pursue to become an astronaut and go to space?
2. What kind of feelings or emotions do you have during the taking-off or landing phases of the shuttle?
3. Have you got a timetable that you must strictly follow?
4. Do you often have the opportunity to communicate with your family and friends on Earth? And, if so, by what means?
5. Have you ever carried out animal experiments on the ISS?

6. Is there anything lacking in terms of comfort?
7. Have you ever fallen sick on the ISS? If so, what did you do?
8. Do all of you wake up at the same time everyday or do you keep to your usual waking-up time when in your home country?
9. Did you celebrate Christmas on the International Space Station?
10. How long does it take for you to put on a spacesuit?

11. Did you ever hit objects?
12. Did you ever break down from living in confinement and being away from your family?
13. Is there any event out there that frightened you or made you feel panicky?
14. What is the best moment that you can think of since you have been on the International Space Station ?
15. What is the temperature on the ISS?

16. Has the ISS ever broken down? What steps are to be taken in such case?
17. Does it taste the same as on Earth when you swallow water or fruit juice bubbles?
18. Which module do you prefer on the ISS and for what reason?
19. Do you see the moon and sun as when looking at them from Earth?
20. What sensations do you feel once you are back on Earth, especially with regard to walking (capacities)?

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 onboard 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.

73

Gaston Bertels, ON4WF
ARISS-Europe Chairman