March 31, 2009
ARISS CONTACT PLANNED WITH SCHOOLS IN VIRY-CHATILLON, FRANCE
An International Space Station ARISS direct school contact has been
planned on Thursday 2 April 2009 with participants at CAMUS school,
Interested parties are invited to listen in on the downlink signals
which will be audible all over
Two schools are participating in the ARISS Project on the occasion of
the centenary of the "Port Aviation" aerodrome which was once located
in Viry-Chatillon.
The Albert Camus school currently has 180
pupils divided into 8 classes from 1st to 5th grade. It also has the
distinctive feature of being the only school in the area to be open to visually
impaired children gathered within a specialized class. These children, who are
either partially sighted or blind, are provided education in a small group class,
and on specific time slots, they are also integrated into the ordinary classes
that have 26 pupils on average. The 5th grade class that is participating in
this project has 28 pupils, 14 boys and 14 girls, aged
The Jules Verne school has some 240 pupils divided
into 11 classes going from 1st to 5th grade. In this school some children of
non French speaking origin or background are taken care of on specific time
slots and within a specialized class to learn French. This school is also
located in a Priority Education Area. The 4th grade class that is participating
in this project has 22 pupils, 10 girls and 12 boys, aged
On the occasion of ARISS Project, the pupils of both participating classes have
met many times. This resulted in the setting up of a website on the work that
has been achieved since the beginning of the academic year and which will be
carried on until the satellite link with the astronauts. The website address is
the following: http://ecole.verne.free.fr/contact/
Participants from CAMUS will ask as many of the following questions as time
allows:
1. What course of study must one pursue to become an astronaut and go to space?
2. What kind of feelings or emotions do you have during the taking-off or
landing phases of the shuttle?
3. Have you got a timetable that you must strictly follow?
4. Do you often have the opportunity to communicate with your family and
friends on Earth? And, if so, by what means ?
5. Have you ever carried out animal experiments on the ISS?
6. Is there anything lacking in terms of comfort?
7. Have you ever fallen sick on the ISS? If so, what did you do?
8. Do all of you wake up at the same time everyday or do you keep to your usual
waking-up time when in your home country?
9. Did you celebrate Christmas on the International Space Station?
10. How long does it take for you to put on a spacesuit?
11. Did you ever hit objects?
12. Did you ever break down from living in confinement and being away from your
family?
13. Is there any event out there that frightened you or made you feel panicky?
14. What is the best moment that you can think of since you have been on the
International Space Station ?
15. What is the temperature on the ISS?
16. Has the ISS ever broken down? What steps are to be taken in such case?
17. Does it taste the same as on Earth when you swallow water or fruit juice
bubbles?
18. Which module do you prefer on the ISS and for what reason?
19. Do you see the moon and sun as when looking at them from Earth?
20. What sensations do you feel once you are back on Earth, especially with
regard to walking (capacities)?
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-Europe Chairman