06/19/2017

Thirteen schools and organizations will move into the second phase of the selection process to host the earthbound end of an Amateur Radio contact with an International Space Station (ISS) crew. Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS[1]) is in the process of selecting schools and groups to host ARISS contacts during the first half of 2018. The 13 prospective hosts now will submit ground station equipment plans.

A primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities, and to raise their awareness of space exploration, Amateur Radio, communications, and related career possibilities.

The ARISS team anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for the 13 US host organizations during the first 6 months of 2018. Plans to be submitted must demonstrate the ability of the school or organization to execute the ham radio contact. Once final equipment plans are approved by the ARISS technical team, finalists will be placed on the schedule according to their availability and flexibility to match the scheduling opportunities that NASA makes available.

The schools and organizations are:




Bellefonte Area Middle School



Bellefonte, Pennsylvania




Central Islip Union Free School District



Central Islip, New York




Central Magnet Match & Science Elementary School



Batesville. Arkansas




Freeport Public Schools



Freeport, New York




Indian Trails Middle School



Winter Springs, Florida




Mill Springs Academy



Alpharetta, Georgia




Moore Square AIG/GT Magnet School



Raleigh, North Carolina




Mooreland Heights Elementary



Knoxville, Tennessee




Museum of Science & Technology w/Danforth Middle School



Syracuse, New York




Parkside Middle School



San Bruno, California




Pinson Valley High School



Pinson, Alabama




Salado Intermediate School



Salado, Texas




Students for the Exploration & Development of Space



College Station, Texas



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ARISS is a cooperative venture of AMSAT, ARRL, and NASA in the US, and other international space agencies and Amateur Radio organizations around the world. With the help of experienced Amateur Radio club volunteers and coordination from ARISS, ISS crew members can speak directly with large-group audiences in a variety of public forums such as school assemblies, science centers and museums, Scouting events, and space camps, where students, teachers, parents, and communities can learn about space, space technologies, and Amateur Radio.

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[1] http://www.ariss.org/

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