June 24, 2009

ARISS CONTACT PLANNED FOR FRANK DE WINNE WITH ANTWERP HIGH SCHOOL

An Expedition 20 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at Karel de Grote Highschool in Antwerp, Belgium. The event is scheduled on Saterday 27 June 2009 at approximately 09:33 UTC, which is 11:33 CEST.

The contact will be a telebridge between onboard station NA1SS and W6SRJ, located in Santa Rosa, California. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in Dutch.

Downlink signals will be audible over Western US on 145.800 MHz FM.

ARISS VOIP coordinator Graham Lawton G7EVY will distribute the radiocontact over *AMSAT* and *JK1ZRW* Conference nodes.

The Karel de Grote-Hogeschool is a university college in Antwerp, Belgium. With about 8000 students, it is among the largest educational institutes in Flanders. The department of Industrial Sciences and Technology (with about 1100 students) offers programs that lead to a (professional) Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biomedical Lab-technology, Automotive technology, Electromechanics, Photography, Multimedia and Communcation technology, and (academic) Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Electronics-ICT and Electromechanics. The latter degrees are known as "Applied Engineering" degrees.

The amount of graduating engineers and technologists is decreasing year after year (all over Europe) while the industry's needs are ever increasing. We therefore try to take up our role as stakeholder in this challenge for society: grow the eagerness of young people to study engineering and technology.

Participants will ask as much of following questions as time allows:

1. Ik ben Jan. Groeien bacteriën in de ruimte op dezelfde manier als op aarde?

Do bacteria grow in space the same way they do on Earth?

2. Ik ben Veerle. Wordt de kabine gedesinfecteerd vóór het vertrek? Hoe?

Is the cabin disinfected before launch?

3. Ik ben Geert. In de ruimte heb je geen atmosfeer of ozon-laag om je te beschermen tegen straling. Hebt u geen last van al die straling?

In space there is no atmosphere or ozone layer to protect you. Don't you suffer from radiation in space?

4. Ik ben Kris. Ervaart u een verschil tussen dag en nacht?

Do you experience a difference between day and night?

5. Ik ben Pieter. Worden er branstofcellen gebruikt in het ruimtestation? Indien ja, welk type?

Does the space station use any fuel cells?

6. Ik ben Linda. Hoe ziet uw dagindeling eruit? Hoeveel tijd spendeert u aan werken, ontspanning en slapen?

What is your daily schedule like? How much time do you spend on your work, pass-time and sleeping?

7. Ik ben Paul. Wat doet u in uw vrije tijd aan boord van het ruimtestation. Leest u boeken? Indien ja, welk boek bent u aan het lezen?

How do you spend your pass-time in the space station? Do you read any books? If so, which one are you reading at the moment?

8. Ik ben Dirk. Als het ruimtestation niet meer zou bevoorraad worden, hoelang duurt het dan eer de situatie levensbedreigend wordt?

If the regular supply chain to the space station would be stopped, how long would you be able to survive?

9. Ik ben Stijn. Met zoveel mensen gedurende een langere tijd in een beperkte ruimte leven, moet tot spanning leiden. Wat doe je pro-actief om ruzies te vermijden?

Living with so many people in a confined space probably will give rise to tensions in the team. What do you do pro-actively to avoid any rawls?

10. Ik ben Peter. Heeft u internet toegang in de ruimte?

Do you have internet access in space?

11. Ik ben Walter. Hoe oud is het ruimtestation? Kan u reeds slijtage zien?

How old is the space station? Does the wear and tear show themselves?

12. Ik ben Hugo. Aan welke snelheid vliegt u nu?

At what speed are you traveling right now?

13. Ik ben Nancy. Het ontbreken van de zwaartekracht leidt tot afbouw van de spiermassa. Wat doet u omdat tegen te gaan?

The absence of gravitation reduces your muscle tissue. What do you do to prevent that?

14. Ik ben Luc. Gesteld dat ik een lichamelijk en geestelijk gezonde en intelligente jonge man of vrouw ben. Wat zijn mijn kansen dat ik het als Belg tot astronaut schop indien ik gemotiveerd ben?

Assuming I'm a mentally and physically healthy and intelligent young man or woman. What are my chances as a Belgian to become an astronout?

15. Ik ben Marie. Hoe wordt urine gerecycleerd? Wat gebeurt er met het afval en de afvoer van het toilet? How do you recycle urine? What happens to the waste and the sewage coming from of the toilet?

16. Ik ben Mark. Welke brandstof gebruikt men in de ruimte?

What type of fuel do you use in space?

17. Ik ben Christel. Hoe wordt de zuurstofbevoorrading geregeld?

How is the supply of oxygen controlled?

18. Ik ben Jos. Wat eten de astronauten?

What do astronauts eat?

19. Ik ben Sofie. Hoe zit het met de haargroei van de astronauten? Groeit je haar sneller of trager in de ruimte?

How about the hair growth of astronauts? Does you hair grow faster or slower in space?

20. Ik ben Raf. Hebt u andere materie zien vliegen in de ruimte?

Did you see any objects flying in space?

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