[TNham] ARISS

[Jimmy Floyd]

PRESS RELEASE

A.R.I.S.S.   (AMATEUR RADIO INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION)
ARISS is a program that offers an opportunity for students to experience the
excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers of the ISS
(International Space Station).  Teachers, parents and communities will see
how Amateur Radio can energize youngsters about science, technology, and
learning. School contacts provide an excellent opportunity for young people
to find out about amateur radio, and to develop an interest in
communications technology.
Application was submitted January 2001 and was notified by Charlie Sufana
AJ9N, the ARISS Mentor assigned to the schools was informed in fall of 2003
that our application was reaching the top of the pile and to expect a school
contact within a year.
This will be a first for Tennessee!  There has been no other ARISS contact
in the state with any other schools!
Schools Involved: The School of the Good Shepherd, Decherd, TN.
                                St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School,
Tullahoma, TN.

Contact Location:  St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School, 306 West Gizzard
Street, Tullahoma,TN.

Contact time and day:  0840 CST; 1340 UTC. August 10, 2004

Call Signs:  International Space Station: NA1SS
                    School Amateur Radio Station: K4FUN

Amateur Radio Operators (Hams):
Michael K. Boyea, KE4KMG - Radio Control Operator, Decherd, TN.
Michael Glennon, KB4JHU - Technical Specialist, Tullahoma, TN.
Jimmy Floyd, NQ4U - President Middle Tennessee Amateur Radio Society,
Tullahoma, TN.
Charlie Sufana, AJ9N - ARISS Mentor, Assigned to the Schools, Munster IN.

Amateur Radio Clubs:
Middle Tennessee Amateur Radio Society - W4UOT
Stones River Amateur Radio Club - K4FUN

School Contacts:
Rev. Dexter Sutton Brewer - Pastor Good Shepherd, Decherd, TN.
Diane Jernigan - Principal, The School of the Good Shepherd, Decherd, TN.
Jennifer Copeland - 8th Grade Science Teacher, St. Paul's, Tullahoma, TN.

Organizations involved:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT)

Students are planning to talk to the International Space Station directly as
it passes overhead.  Students from grades 1-8 have prepared questions to ask
the astronauts about space and their mission.  The flight over Tullahoma, TN
is expected to last approximately 10 minutes.  In this timeframe, it is
expected the students can ask 10-18 questions of the astronauts.  This is a
live contact using Amateur Radio.  The equipment used for this contact is
part of local MTARS & SRARC clubs which supports public and emergency
communication events.  The equipment for the contact uses a circular antenna
for space contacts, very high frequency (VHF) 2 meter frequency modulation
(FM) transceiver, and various computers and software to track the location
of the International Space Station.  The timing of the contact is critical.
With the ISS traveling at 17,500 miles per hours at approximately 200 miles
above the earth, the ISS will be in range only for a short 10-minute period
in its orbit just south of Tullahoma, TN.  The antennas at the school must
move and track the ISS as it passes overhead.  The ISS makes one orbit
around the earth approximately every 90 minutes.
The International Space Station is a common project of 16 nations: Belgium,
Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway,
Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.  When
fully constructed the Space Station will consist of approximately 70
separate major components and hundreds of minor ones that are due to be
launched into space by the year 2004 (Date will slip due to space shuttle
disaster).  Some of the major components are:
.   Zarya, also called the Functional Cargo Block (FGB - acronym from the
Russian term) - includes the energy block, contingency fuel storage,
propulsion and multiple docking points.
.   Zvezda, also called Russian Service Module - provides life support and
utilities, thrusters and habitation functions (toilets and hygiene
facilities).
.   Canadian Mobile Servicing System - includes a 55 foot robot arm with
125-ton payload capacity, as well as a mobile transporter, which can be
positioned along the truss for robotic assembly and maintenance operations.
.   US, European and Japanese Laboratories - together provide 33
International Standard Payload Racks with additional science space available
in the two Russian Research Modules.
.   The Amateur Radio Station is frequently used to allow the ISS crew to
talk with school children and fellow amateurs around the world.