ARISS Event - West Point Military Academy

An International Space Station Expedition 12 ARISS school contact has been planned with cadets at the Cadet Ham Radio Club, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, USA on Thursday, 26 January 2006.The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 13:13 UTC.

The contact will be direct between stations NA1SS and W2KGY. The contact should be audible to anyone in the Northeastern region of the USA and Southeastern portions of Canada. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English.

From the day of its founding on March 16, 1802, West Point has grown in its size and stature, but it remains committed to the task of producing commissioned leaders of character for America's Army. Today, the Academy graduates more than 900 new officers annually, which represents
approximately 25 percent of the new lieutenants required by the Army each year. The student body, or Corps of Cadets, numbers 4,000, of whom approximately 15 percent are women.

Students at West Point will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:

1. For a capstone project, I am working with a group to address the logistical design of a future lunar base. As an astronaut, what do you see as the most important considerations we should focus on with respect to living conditions? (ie, more living or working space, more time allocated for hobbies or personal research, more privacy from other crew members)

2. With regards to maintaining the station, what tasks do feel take up the most crew time, and how do you think we could cut back on that time ?

3. How does it feel to see the earth from space?

4. How come we have not sent any Astronauts to the moon for over 30 years?

5. What is it like to have to shave in a zero-G environment?
6. Did you have aspirations of being an astronaut at a young age, or did it develop later on and how?

7. How do you go from Army Aviation or Air Force into the Astronaut program?

8. Have the 386 General Purpose Computers (GPCs) been upgraded to Pentiums yet, and if not, are there some being tested for service in that capacity and what have been the results thus far?

9. Have you encountered any human computer interaction issues as a result of micro-gravity, such as muscle tension/strain due to using muscles not normally required for computer use in 1-G? What work-arounds are you using to alleviate these problems, if any? Are there any other human computer interaction issues that maybe you had not anticipated?

10. Were you a member of the Ham club when your were a cadet?"

11. All cadets now take a 3-course engineering sequence, regardless of major. What level of engineering education or training is required of all astronauts, if any?

Please note, the amateur equipment on the ISS will be turned off prior to the beginning of the contact. It will be returned to service as quickly as possible after that event. Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact

Next planned event(s):
Timber Creek High School in Orlando, FL, USA, Thu Feb 2, 17:42 UTC SuitSat Deploy, Feb 3, EVA starts about 2220 UTC. Downlink on 145.99 MHz

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.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).

Thank you & 73,
Kenneth - N5VHO

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