Image above: The International Space Station is viewed from space shuttle Endeavour after undocking

ARISS event - Aaxam Jatiya Vidyalaya, Guwahati, India

An International Space Station Expedition 18 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at Aaxam Jatiya Vidyalaya, Guwahati, India on 07 January.

The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 0801 UTC.

The contact will be a telebridge between stations NA1SS and W6SRJ. The contact should be audible over western North 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.

AXAM JATIYA VIDYALAYA (AJV) is a co-educational high school situated in Guwahati City in Assam in the North-East India. Assam is the land of natural beauty through which the mighty river Brahmaputra flows. Assam is also famous for its tea, oil and the one-horned Rhino.

AXAM JATIYA VIDYALAYA (AJV) was established in January 1, 1994, and is registered with the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA), Government of Assam, India. The school has classes from Class Ĥ to Class X, and total strength of students is about 1300 and total strength of teachers is about 100. The primary medium of instruction in the school is Assamese. But English is taught as a compulsory second language with special emphasis on Spoken English. Apart from English, other subjects are Science, Mathematics, Social Science, Assamese, Computer Science, Sanskrit, Music, Fine Arts, Hindi, Geography, History and others. The school also has Saturday classes for ? Musical instrument (Violin, Tabla etc), Fine Arts, Dance (Satriya, Bharat Natyam), Yoga etc.

The school has a record of excellence in the state level examinations. In the 2008 Matriculation (class X) Examination (conducted by the Government Board), out of a total of 83 students who appeared for the examination, 39 students got distinction marks (80% and above) in English; moreover a student of this school stood first out of the total students in the entire State of Assam who appeared in the said examination.

US astronaut Mike Fincke KE5AIT

The students of the school are proud to host the Space Talk with Mike Fincke whose wife Renita Saikia hails from Assam.

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

1. What is the difference in environment inside and outside the Space Ship?
2. How is the quality of the air is maintained inside the Space Ship?
3. What type of food do you normally eat in the Space Craft? Can you heat or cook food there?
4. Can you sleep normally inside the Space Ship? How do you set your sleeping and waking times?
5. How do you manage water in the Space Ship? Do you recycle or manufacture?

6. How do you take a bath? Is it possible to take a shower inside the Space Craft?
7. Do you lose the sense of direction in zero gravity? How do you adjust?
8. Can you see any seasonal changes on Earth? Can you see any man-made or natural structures on Earth?
9. What type of Scientific Experiments are you doing at present in the ISS?
10. What would be the one most significant achievement of this expedition?

11. What do you do in your spare time inside the spacecraft? Can you watch TV or listen to Radio?
12. How many sun rise and sun sets you see in a day?
13. How do you maintain your health in space? Can you exercise in zero gravity?
14. We have heard that you are learning Assamese in Space through the Assamese Flash Cards. Apuni Oxomiya kobo pareneki?

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

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

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