ARISS event - Erie Planetarium, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA

An International Space Station Expedition 18 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at Erie Planetarium, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA on 21 February.
The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 1820 UTC.

The contact will be a telebridge 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.

Audio from the contact should also be available via the AMSAT conference on EchoLink and via the 9010 Discovery reflector on IRLP. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English.

The Erie Planetarium is operated by the Erie County Historical Society. It began programming in the winter of 1959/1960 making it one of the oldest planetariums still in operation. We serve thousands of school groups, scout groups, private functions and host the local national astronomy day festivities.

US astronaut Mike Fincke KE5AIT

The planetarium has worked with astronaut Mike Fincke on various occasions and we are glad that he supports our endeavors. We look forward to working with him in the future and are happy to have him as our friend.

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

1. What would be the hardest thing to fix on the station?
2. Do you play checkers in space and how do you keep them from floating away?
3. Do you celebrate the holidays when you are in space?
4. How do you sleep in space?
5. How do you workout in space?

6. How do you recycle water?
7. How often do you get to see & talk to your family while you're in space?
8. Is it scary on the outside of the space station?
9. Have you seen the Hubble Telescope from the station?
10. What does the moon look like from space?

11. How fast does your ship impact Earth when you land?
12. What does it feel like to be launched on a rocket?
13. How many computers are there on the station?
14. Why did you decide to become an astronaut?
15. How many times do you see the Sun rise in one day?

16. Can you watch T.V. in space?
17. What types of experiments are you doing on the station?
18. How do you get new oxygen in the station?
19. What is the longest time someone's been in space?
20. Can you see star colors in space?

21. How much fuel do you use during launch?
22. What does it feel like to walk in space?
23. Can you see the northern lights from space?
24. What does it feel like to walk in space?

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

Next planned event(s):

1. Oregon City Schools, Fassett Middle School, Oregon, Ohio, Mon 2009-02-23 14:35 UTC

2. Chatham Public School, Taree, NSW, Australia, via K6DUE, Wed 2009-02-25 07:32 UTC

3. 1 Circolo Didattico G.Marconi, Casamassima, Italy, Wed 2009-02-25 07:50 UTC

4. Hampton Bays Middle School, Hampton Bays, New York, Wed 2009-02-25 13:57 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