The International Space Station is seen from space shuttle Discovery during the STS-119 mission

Upcoming ARISS contact with Copernicus Science Centre, Warsaw, Poland

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Copernicus Science Centre, Warsaw, Poland on 27 Oct.

The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 09:33 UTC
The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds.

The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and VK4KHZ. The contact should be audible over portions of Australia. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact will be conducted in English.

New Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw will comprise hundreds of interactive exhibits where children, young people and adults can conduct experiments demonstrating how the world around us works. Copernicus Science Centre set up a competition for children up to age 16. Participants propose a name for asteroid no. 66,189 and write a story about the name. The winning name will become the asteroid's official name and its author will receive a professional telescope. 20 finalists and the winner will be invited to a radio contact with the International Space Station and will inform astronauts about the new name of the asteroid no.66,189.

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

1. How does food stay fresh in space? Do you have a fridge?
2. Can you eat, just like we do, with a knife and a fork? Can you eat from a plate and will it stay there during dinner?
3. How do you organise for sleep and meals, as there is no night and day?
4. How do you keep fit in space?
5. Do You conduct any medical exploration, e.g. concerning cancer?

6. How do you sleep in the space? How long?
7. How do you wash yourself on the ISS?
8. How long do you work every day?
9. How much younger will you be, when you return to the earth?
10. How can you wash your clothes in space?

11. How do astronaut women wash and dry their long hair?
12. Can you watch TV in the space station?
13. Is in the International Space Station noisy?
14. Can you see more stars from the ISS than from the earth?
15. How can I become an astronaut? What sort of training was required to prepare for this mission?

16. Can you see the Great Wall of China from space ?
17. Where do you store water?
18. From where do you have water? Is it true, that you "produce" water on the ISS?
19. How do you drink water, juice, tea without gravity?
20. Is it true that without gravity an astronaut grows nearly 5 cm? Did you grow?

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

Next planned event(s):
1. Sherbrooke Community School, Sassafras, Victoria, Wed 28 Oct 09 07:13:34 UTC
2. David Thompson Middle School, Calgary, AB, Canada, Fri 30 Oct 09 21:12 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,

David - AA4KN