ARISS contact planned for school in
The Luitpold-Gymnasium is a secondary
school in
Educational activities:
A special course „space flight“ started in September 2009. 15 highly motivated students
aged about 17 are learning about various aspects of aeronautics and are being
introduced into the basics of scientific work.
The planning of the scheduled radio
contact was initially a collective project for this course.
In September 2010 a project group
consisting of students from different lower grades formed to assist their
preparations.
In two talks, members of the German
amateur radio organization (DARC) gave a comprehensive introduction to amateur
radio on the ISS.
Many elements of the examination for the
highest German amateur radio license („Technische Kenntnisse“ zu den
Amateurfunkzeugnissen der Klasse A) are closely related to the physics
curriculum and have been addressed in the respective grades.
We are working with the ESA ISS
Education Kit, e. g. with ESA Science (
In August 2010 three students presented
the project at the Global Hands-On Universe Conference in Garching.
A periodic newsletter called “Countdown”
has been issued, with issue numbers counting backward, of course (starting with
„T minus 10 months (and counting)“.
In this newsletter for pupils of all
grades the proceedings of the project have been reported. In addition there have been news from the ISS, the members of the current
crew, instructions to see the ISS, little contests, a glossary on amateur radio
and so on.
The radio contact will be operated by amateur radio station DN2MQT.
Downlink signals will be audible in
Students will ask as many of following questions as time allows:
1. Niklas: In the space station, do you
dream of Earth or Space?
2. Daniel: What will be the first things
you’ll do when you return to Earth?
3. Tim: What do you do when you get
homesick?
4. Daniel: Peredaitje priwjet waschim
kolegam Alexander, Oleg i Dimitri. Kak wy sotrudnitschitje
wmestnje? (Greetings to your colleagues Alexander, Oleg,
and Dimitri. How do you work together?)
5. Severin: What’s your favourite thing
to eat on the ISS?
6. Dominik: Are you scared of the return
flight or of everday life on Earth?
7.
8. Raphael: Can you have a private life?
9. Natalie: Are there ever problems due
to the long time spent working with the same people and staying in such a small
and tight space?
10. Lizzie: Is it quiet or loud in
space?
11. Tassilo: If you were separated from
the station during an EVA, what would you do?
12. Alena: What do you do when you’re ill? I’ve heard that astronauts don’t have any beds! That they just sit.
13. Alina: What do you have to learn when you learn to fly the shuttle? Do you have to do homework?
14. Marco: Is it warm or cold in the space station? And if it is warm, do you get sweaty in your spacesuit?
15. Mateusz: Has the ISS been hit by
space debris?
16. Dariush: How was the lift off for
you? How did you feel?
17. Jakob: Are there often arguments?
18. Thilo: How often can you communicate
with your family?
19. Korbinian: What would you do if you
lost contact with Earth?
20. Kilian: Does Earth look big or small to you?
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 onboard 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.
73
Gaston Bertels, ON4WF
ARISS Chairman