[LeArc] ARISS Board resolves greater cooperation with Canada

[Joseph L. Rossmiller]

SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS005
ARLS005 ARISS Board resolves greater cooperation with Canada

ZCZC AS05
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Space Bulletin 005  ARLS005
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington, CT  April 17, 2002
To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS005
ARLS005 ARISS Board resolves greater cooperation with Canada

The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station International Group
and the Canadian Space Agency have agreed in principle to cooperate in
areas of mutual interest such as educational outreach, public relations
and Amateur Radio licensing of Canadian astronauts. The announcement
during the ARISS committee meeting at the Canadian Space Agency in Ste
Hubert, Quebec, April 4-6 prompted applause from delegates and
observers. ARISS and CSA will hammer out the specifics of an umbrella
agreement in the coming weeks.

Marilyn Steinberg of the CSA's Education Office outlined CSA's
educational outreach programs and successful Canadian ARISS QSO
activity. She told the gathering she sees a lot of potential in the
ARISS program and that she'd like to see expanded Canadian participation
in future ARISS school contacts. Steinberg also said she planned to
explore ways to have more Canadian astronauts become licensed.

ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager Rosalie White, K1STO, serves
as ARISS International Secretary-Treasurer and also represented ARRL at
the session. She chairs the Educational Outreach School Selection
Committee. ''No matter how many times I monitor ARISS school QSOs, it
still excites me when the connection is successful,'' White said.

Those attending the meeting, moderated by Roy Neal, K6DUE, learned that
the remaining two Amateur Radio antennas are scheduled for installation
on the ISS Service Module. ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer,
KA3HDO, said the antennas would be installed during spacewalks either
this summer by the Expedition 5 crew or in late 2002 or early 2003 by
the Expedition 6 crew. The flexible tape antennas are designed for
either VHF or UHF use. The gathering also heard updates on so-called
Phase 2 Amateur Radio hardware. Crews continue to use the ARISS initial
station hardware, which consists primarily of 2-meter and 70-cm
hand-held transceivers.

An ARISS slow-scan television system called SpaceCam also may be in the
offing, although no installation timetable has been set. At this point,
testing and development of SSTV system components continues. ARISS
delegates also said they would welcome a proposal for an Amateur Radio
external payload to be developed by the US Naval Academy and ARISS, with
US Navy sponsorship.

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