An International Space Station Expedition 13 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at the Devonport Maritime Museum, Devonport, Tasmania, Australia on Friday, 18 Aug 2006. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 10:38 UTC.

Telebridge station W6SRJ in California, USA will call NA1SS at approximately 10:38 UTC.

On the 12th July The North-west Tasmanian Amateur Radio Group will be celebrating, together with the Geelong Amateur Radio Club in Victoria and our respective City Councils, the centenary of the first long distance open water wireless transmissions in the southern hemisphere -- between Devonport, Tas. and Queenscliff, Vic. by the Marconi Company.

Both sides of the strait are planning big things - re-enactments of the first transmissions, (NOT by spark !), Special event stations, exhibitions etc.

Both the Devonport and Reece High Schools have been studying communications and it’s hoped that during this week of celebrations students from both schools will get a chance to speak with the astronauts on the ISS and ask them some questions through the ARISS program.

Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:

1. How many people are on the ISS at any one time?
2. Do you ever feel claustrophobic in the space station?
3. Do space stations need to be driven in space or do they float in orbits?
4. How does the ISS change its orbit?
5. For what amount of time have you been in space?
6. While in space, how do your sleeping patterns alter without night and day?
7. Who makes the decisions about the expeditions and experiments that take place on the ISS?
8. How do you celebrate birthdays, Christmas etc. in space?
9. What space walks have been completed recently and for what reasons?
10. Do you have a stove/microwave in space?
11. Why can’t you take pure Oxygen into space?
12. Do you have to do exercise in space? How do you keep fit?
13. What are the health issues that arise whilst in space?
14. Do day and night last the same amount of time on the space station as they do on Earth?
15. What do you eat?
16. How do you drink water - does it just float away?
17. Do you wash your clothes while in space, if so: how?
18. How far are you from earth?
19. In which ways, if any, do you communicate with your family?
20. Do you get homesick?

Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at 'NextContact'.

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 on-board 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. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website www.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).