Monday 4 October 2004

OCTOBER 6, 2004 ASTRONAUT MIKE FINCKE WILL CALL GDYNIA, POLAND

Gdynia is a middle sized city located in northern part of Poland. Gdynia, Gdansk and Sopot are close to each other on the border of the Baltic Sea. They form a complex of three cities, called Tricity.

The ARISS School Contact of Wednesday 6 October is scheduled for the benefit of three schools: two High Schools located in Gdansk and Gdynia, and the Maritime Academy of Gdynia.

The Gdansk High School is a public high school, where students obtain middle and a high grades of general education. Specialised classes cover mathematical, biological and humanistic subjects. The school is well known for its innovative approach to education.

Author High School in Gdynia is a private high school also featuring innovative programs for the tuition of students.

Both schools are participating in Space education programme ZNEK organized by Polish Astronautical Society. The ZNEK programme aims to provide interdisciplinary knowledge of astronautics for middle and high grade students. Students gain theoretical knowledge covering celestial mechanics, space technology, space law, space medicine and social science. The first ARISS School Contact in Poland is part of the project. Students from these schools are interested in further studies related to astronautics in Poland and abroad.

Gdynia Maritime Academy educates marine specialists at bachelor and master level. The Academy is well-known in Poland and abroad. The Academy comprises a radioelectronics section. Hamradio Club "Schooner" SP2ZIE is part of this section. The SP2ZIE Hamradio Club provides the ground station for the ARISS contact. This is a pioneering project in Poland and its role will be significant in further activities of the club. The club’s HQ are located 80 meters above sea level, one of the highest sites in Gdynia. The location provides excellent conditions for an ARISS contact.

The ARISS contact takes place during the international Space Week promoting cooperation in space exploration and space education. A great start for the third edition of ZNEK space education project.

Here are the questions prepared by the students:

1) My name is Piter. What were the most interesting scientific experiments you have done on the ISS? OVER

2) My name is Michel. Is eating in space funny? OVER

3) My name is Martha. What do you think about tourists on the ISS? OVER

4) My name is Simon. Do you play games on Internet or on the ISS LAN? OVER

5) My name is Adam. Do You drink beer with foam in space?

6) My name is Michel. Do you sometimes argue on the ISS?    OVER

7) My name is Matheush. Did you have any serious malfunctions? OVER

8) My name is Marcin. Did you meet any unusual weather phenomena during your space trips? OVER

9) My name is Konrad. Did you have to sacrifice something for an astronaut career?  OVER

10) My name Katrin. Where is better to live: on the Earth or on the ISS?   OVER

11) My name is Magda. How does space look like from the ISS?  OVER

12) My name is Artur. What are you doing in your free time?    OVER

13) My name is Monika. Do you rest and sleep on the ISS as well as on the earth?   OVER

14) My name is Matheush. Are you talking with ships or vessels via radio?    OVER

15) My name is Christ. Did you dream about the flight to MARS?  OVER

The contact is scheduled Wednesday 6 October at 11:55 UTC, which is 13:55 CET.
Interested parties are invited to listen to the downlink on 145.800 MHz FM.

Gaston Bertels, ON4WF

ARISS Europe chairman