[HamSat] ARISS Status Update

[Timothy Pickett]

- Tennesee Schools Contact Successful
 
Good Shepherd School and St Paul School, both located in Tennessee, 
experienced a successful contact with Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, on Tuesday, 
August 10 at 1340 UTC.

Over two hundred people watched as students from both schools asked 13 
questions of the astronaut.  Five TV stations, 3 radio stations, and 4 
newspapers covered the event. The Tullohoma News ran a story on the 
contact. See "Hello, Space Station, Tullahoma's on the line," at: 

http://tinyurl.com/6xp7z


The ARRL also ran an article covering the event. See: "Space Station 
Tour Providing Lots of Reading Time, Astronaut Tells Youngsters," at: 

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/08/13/4/?nc=1


- Upcoming School Contacts

Challenger Learning Center at Prairie Aviation Museum in Bloomington, 
Illinois has also been scheduled for an ARISS contact. It has been 
planned for Monday, August 16, at 1805 UTC.  

- Astronaut Receives Call Sign

Swedish ESA astronaut Christer Fuglesang prepared for his Amateur Radio 
license exam with the help of Nick Lance and Kenneth Ransom at JSC. He 
took and passed his test and on August 11, he received his new call 
sign, KE5CGR. Christer will now be able to participate in the ARISS 
Program.  Congratulations!

- Monroe Elementary School Spreads the Word on ARISS

Students from Monroe Elementary School, in Santa Barbara, California, 
spoke with Mike Foale, KB5UAC, on December 17, 2003.  The school is now 
circulating a videotape at ham radio events which covers their 
experiences with the ARISS Program.

- ARISS Paper Referenced

The September issue of ARRL's monthly journal, QST, contained an article 
about radio antennas needed for radio contacts with the International 
Space Station.  The author referenced a resource item written by ARISS 
team members Frank Bauer, Lou McFadin, Will Marchant and Carolynn 
Conley, entitled, "2001: An Amateur Radio Space Odyssey on the 
International Space Station."