ARISS Event - Central Park Middle School

The next International Space Station's Expedition 12 ARISS school contact will be with students at Central Park Middle School, a NASA Explorer School, Schenectady, New York USA on Wednesday, 23 November 2005. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 17:13 UTC.

This contact will be telebridged between stations NA1SS and W6SRJ in Santa Rosa, California. It should be audible to anyone in the northwest United States and southern portions of British Columbia and Alberta, Canada listening in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English.

Central Park Middle School, Schenectady City School District, is the first NASA Explorer School in New York State. Each day, 750 students in grades 6-8 enter the school to explore the exciting worlds of math, science, and
technology. Our team reaches for the stars to inspire the next generation in math, science, and technology. Today's students are the astronauts, physicists, astronomers, and scientists of the future who will seek to answer the questions today's scientists are posing while discovering new questions that need answering.

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

1. What is your mission in space, and did NASA tell you what to do on this mission?

2. Are there any resources on the Moon (such as dust or rocks) that we can re-use for plants, engines, or anything else?

3. How did West Point prepare you for becoming an astronaut?

4. What kinds of experiments are you conducting on the ISS?

5. What are the effects of space flight on the human body; for example cell
division?

6. In your opinion, what is the most important thing society can gain from your mission?

7. Could you please describe your first experience in space?

8. What was your training like for this mission, and was it difficult?

9. How difficult is it to be accepted into the astronaut program?

10. Is it possible for a fish to survive in space if we were able to provide an environment similar to Earth?

11. Does being in space cause you anxiety or feelings of stress?

12. What is it like doing experiments with liquids in microgravity?

13. What level of education do you need to become an astronaut?

14. What is a typical work day like on the ISS?

15. Do certain space probes or machines disintegrate in space, so they don't pollute the environment?

16. Is there any new technology aboard the ISS that the public does not have yet?

17. Have you been able to witness any of the natural disasters on Earth, such as hurricanes and tornadoes?

18. What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

19. What was your education like growing up as a child? Do you think that pushed you into the fields of science, mathematics, and technology?

20. How long were you required to train together before you could go on this mission?

21. What influenced you to become a part of the Space Program?

22. How do you plan on spending Thanksgiving?

23. Do you feel safe living on the ISS?

24. Have you experienced space sickness?

Please note, the amateur radio 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.

The next planned events are:
Hawthorne Brook Middle School, Townsend, MA on Tuesday 29 November 2005 at 18:24 UTC Ralph McCall School in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada on Friday, 02 December 2005
at 17:59 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.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).

Thank you & 73,
Kenneth - N5VHO