May 17, 2010

ARISS CONTACT SCHEDULED FOR PITA KALLAK SCHOOL, QUEBEC

An ARISS contact is scheduled for Pita Kallak school in Northern Quebec, Canada.

The space talk is programmed for Thursday May 20, 2010 at 16:41 UTC, which is 18.41 CEST.

The contact will be a telebridge, operated by ON4ISS. Downlink signals will be audible in Europe on 145.800MHz.

Kuujjuaq, Nunavik's largest community, is located on the west shore of the Koksoak River, about 50 km upstream from Ungava Bay. Daily life in this community is closely tied to the mighty river. The boreal forest is present

around Kuujjuaq. Patches of black spruce and larch stand in marshy valleys.

Kuujjuaq also witnesses annual migrations of the George River caribou herd.

These animals pass through the region throughout August and September.

Kuujjuaq was known before by another name, that of Fort Chimo. 'Chimo' is a

mispronunciation of the phrase saimuk, 'Let's shake hands!' Early fur

traders were often welcomed with this phrase which they eventually adopted

as the name of the trading post.

The construction of a U.S. Air Force base (Crystal 1) in 1942 on the west

shore of the Koksoak River, the site of today's settlement, and the

occupation of the site by the American army between 1941 and 1945 sped up

the development of the community. After the end of World War II, the United

States turned the base over to the Canadian government. In 1948, a Catholic

mission was established, followed by a nursing station, a school and a

weather station. When the HBC moved upstream closer to the airstrips in

1958, it was followed by the remaining families that still lived across the

river at Fort Chimo. In 1961, a co-operative was created.

School details....

Primary School with 160 Students:

- 127 students in kindergarten and cycle 1 in Inuktitut

- 11 students in cycle 2 French sector, second language

- 22 students in cycle 2 English sector, second language

Teachers and Professionals:

- 10 teachers, Inuit sector, in kindergarten and cycles 1 and 2

- 1 teacher, French primary sector

- 1 teacher, English primary sector

- specialists: physical education, music

Special Features and School Projects:

- Good citizen project for all students

- Terry Fox walk

- School year specials days: Colours day, Crazy hats day, Halloween,

Valentine's Day, etc...

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

1. Sisquaq: Explain the feeling of lift off from earth?

2. Aloupa: What are the temperature changes you deal with on Space Station?

3. Tristan: What is the total crew on board or that can stay on board the Space Station?

4. Valesa: What kind of food do you eat?

5. Robert: How do you drink?

6. Paula: How do you breathe?

7. Sinasi: How do you sleep and do you move around when you sleep?

8. Sarah: Do you see any odd things?

9. Emmanuel: Do you have a special camera to take pictures?

10. Timuti: Do you get lonely in space?

11. Naomie: Do you enjoy being on the space station for a long time?

12. Anthony: Why do you move slowly?

13. Daisy: Do you ever get frightened in space?

14. Devon: Do you feel weird and is it hard to be weightless?

15. Danny: Why is it dark in space?

16. Lissa: What do you miss the most on earth?

17. Allen: Do you think there life elsewhere?

18. Jazzman: Did any astronaut ever bring pets on board Space Station?

19. Nancy: What education do you need to become an astronaut?

20. Mark: How do you wash yourself?

21. Emily: What happens when you get sick?

22. Sammy: Do you work regular days and take time off on space station?

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