ARISS contact planned with school in Izmir, Turkey

Friday October 5, 2012 at 08:32 UTC an ARISS contact is planned with Izmir SEV Primary School, Turkey.

The contact is scheduled for astronaut Sunita Williams KD5PLB onboard the International Space Station.

This will be a telebridge contact operated by K6DUE, located in Maryland, USA.

The contact will be broadcast on EchoLink AMSAT (node 101 377) and JK1ZRW (node 277 208) Conference servers, as well as on IRLP Discovery Reflector 9010.

Yzmir SEV Elementary School is a private, national school which was founded as K-8 school 1997. The philosophy of Izmir SEV is to enrich and expand upon the curriculum provided by the Turkish Ministry of Education. We aim to provide students with a solid foundation for continuing education at institutions of higher learning through developing the skills of observation, inquiry, and research in our students. SEV recognizes each student as an individual and strives to develop their cognitive, social and emotional potential.

Yzmir SEV aims to prepare students for their further education and for life by developing them in their areas of interest and abilities. Our academic program ensures that the students develop the knowledge and acquire the necessary skills to help them identify unreasonable information that are not grounded on facts. It is important to teach students methods and techniques of accessing and using knowledge. The delivery of the curriculum is designed to help students acquire skills of rational thinking achieved in learning environment that is well supported by affection and good communication, and to discover and use their own creativity. Our academic program is geared to raise students as self-confident, resourceful and capable individuals and initiative-takers who have developed thinking skills, and who can use technology effectively.

In balance with competitive curriculum, social activities have significant importance in our school life. Varieties of clubs and sports activities are offered, assemblies and field trips are organized as co-curricular activities. The activities in our school are designed to encourage, challenge, and enable students to reach their potential in mind, body, and spirit. To promote a perspective of global understanding and friendship, our students are encouraged to participate in many international projects. We are an Eco-School and our Green Flag symbolizes our awareness for the environment.

ARISS Project is a great educational opportunity for our students to learn about space exploration, space technologies, and create an interest in science. The date of the conference is another great honor for our country and students because in that week we have one of the most important national celebrations of Turkey. It is the " Sovereignty and Children’s Day"; after the War of Independence,The Grand National Assembly of Turkey was established on 1920, April 23 and to commemorate the event, April 23 was proclaimed a national holiday. The founder of the Republic of Turkey, Ataturk, has dedicated this day to the children of Turkey and the world to emphasize that they are the future of the new nation.

Every year, the children in Turkey celebrate this Sovereignty and Children's Day as a national holiday in week-long ceremonies.

Students will ask as many of following questions as time allows.

1. Melissa, age 13: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is the founder of the Turkish Republic. He entrusted the future of the Turkish Republic to the Turkish children and he said: The children of today are the adults of the future. What is your message from space to the children in Turkey?

2. Selyna, age 13: Are meteors and satellites dangerous for the ISS? Do they ever hit the ISS?

3. Tan, age 12: What experiments are you doing now? What types of experiments have been done before?

4. Denyz S., age 11: What do you think is the most interesting thing that has been discovered on the ISS so far?

5. Selyn, age 11: After staying in space for a long time, what kind of difficulties do you have when you’re back on Earth?

6. Ela, age 9: Is it possible to light fire in the ISS?

7. Ece, age 13: Does being in space change the way you perceive life?

8. Symge, age 13: If a part of your body bleeds in space, how is the flowing and clotting of blood affected? Does blood clot or flow differently in space?

9. Bade, age 12: How long is a day on the ISS? Is it 24 hours?

10. Lara, age 11: How can you tell when it’s morning / night while you are on the ISS?

11. Deryn, age 10: What does it feel like to be in a microgravity environment?

12. Denyz G., age 9: If you could go to a planet other than the Earth, which one would you like to go to? Why?

13. Aysegul, age 13: How do you get oxygen in the ISS?

14. Yanki, age 13: How are the plants that are grown on the ISS used Can they be used as fuel?

15. Serra, age 12: Do you follow a special diet when you are on the ISS?

16. Freja, age 11: Do you feel that the food you eat floats in your stomach because of microgravity?

17. Yosun, age 10: Can the city lights on Earth be seen with the naked eye from space?

18. Lamya, age 9: Would you like to stay in space for the rest of your life?

19. Berke, age 12: How and when did your interest in space begin?

20. Deren, age 11: What activity do you enjoy doing the most when you’re on the ISS?

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.

Gaston Bertels, ON4WF

ARISS Chairman