International Space Station Amateur Radio (ARISS) has received confirmation of the schedule for ARISS radio contact between astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students of the Eaton Public Library located in Eaton, CO.

ARISS conducts 60 to 80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the world and licensed amateur radio crew members aboard the ISS.

Eaton Public Library serves the rural community of Eaton, Colorado with programs, speakers, and events for students and adults. These programs also include STEM projects and activities that can be housed in their new Makerspace facility. The library partnered with area schools and hosted a Space Camp STEM activity for students. The space camp featured space studies, radio and different STEM activities that allowed children to engage in hands-on learning. The children also discovered the ISS and the astronauts on board.

After conducting a dress rehearsal of their ARISS contact with Eaton Library staff and students, ARISS Technical Mentor Fred Kemmerer said, “The level of excitement and interest among the children and their parents is high because they plan to contact ARISS.” By offering STEM programs and sponsoring events like this ARISS contact, the library provides opportunities for the community to broaden their worldview and gain new experiences they might not get anywhere else.

This will be a telebridge contact via amateur radio allowing participants to ask their astronaut questions Kjell Lindgrenamateur radio call sign KO5MOS. Local Covid-19 protocols are adhered to, where applicable, for each ARISS contact. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz and can be heard by listeners within the ISS footprint which also encompasses the telebridge station.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is located in Hollis, New Hampshire, USA. The team of volunteer radio amateurs at the ground station will use the call sign AB1OCto establish and maintain the ISS connection.

ARISS radio contact is scheduled for June 22, 2022 at 10:27 a.m. MDT (Eaton, CO) (4:27 p.m. UTC, 12:27 p.m. EDT, 11:27 a.m. CDT, 9:27 a.m. PDT).

The public is invited to follow the live broadcast on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81zMIvrAnLU

If time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What time zone do you follow in space?
2. How do you grow plants on the space station?
3. If you could visit any planet, which one would you visit and why?
4. How does your body feel in space?
5. What does space food taste like?

6. How did you become an astronaut?
7. What types of experiments are performed on the space station?
8. How often do you receive supplies?
9. How do you get to and from the space station?
10. What happens if you get lost in space?

11. How can I prepare to become an astronaut?
12. Can you communicate with family or loved ones on Earth while in space?
13. Have you or your teammates been on a spacewalk?
14. How many flying hours do you have?
15. What is your favorite thing about space?

16. How many solar systems are there in the universe?
17. What is your scariest time in space?
18. How many sunrises/sunsets can you see?
19. How long does it take to get used to weightlessness?
20. What was your favorite mission you’ve been on?
21. How do you get your water?
22. How many times have you been to space?

About ARISS:

Amateur radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, the sponsors are the Amateur Radio Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), and the Space communications and NASA navigation.

The main objective of ARISS is to promote the exploration of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. ARISS does this by arranging scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents and communities participate in hands-on learning activities related to space, space technologies and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org

Media Contact:
Dave Jordan, AA4KN
PR ARISS