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Amateur Radio Provides “Out of this World Opportunities”...

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States and other international space agencies and international Amateur Radio organizations around the world including Radio Amateurs of Canada.

The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crew members onboard the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, firsthand, how Amateur Radio and crew members on the International Space Station can energize youth and instill an interest in science, technology, and learning.

Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and Amateur Radio. Further information on the ARISS program is available below and on their website.

ARISS Video by Denis Rule, VE3BF: To see what ARISS is all about please see the excellent YouTube video by Denis Rule, VE3BF, which is provided above. The video provides highlights of astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA, onboard the International Space Station, answering questions from students at Huntley Centennial Public School in Carp, Ontario on November 28, 2017 before the global pandemic made assemblies impossible. This contact was made possible by volunteer Amateur Radio operators.

https://wp.rac.ca/ariss-contact-with-huntley-centennial-public-school-in-carp-ontario/

ARISS Canada

The ARISS-Canada Region is represented by two Canadian Delegates:

  • Chet Latawiec, VE3CFK (AMSAT Canada)
  • Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA (President of Radio Amateurs of Canada)

 

The ARISS Canada Team consists of the following volunteers:

  • Wayne Harasimovitch, VE1WPH: East Coast Mentor
  • Brian Jackson, VE6JBJ: Western Canada Mentor
  • Steve McFarlane, VE3TBD: Central and Northern Canada Mentor
  • Lori McFarlane (Teacher – Ottawa-Carleton District School Board)
  • Claude Lacasse
  • Steve Regan, VA3MGY
  • Denis Rule, VE3BF (Professional videographer & photographer)

 

ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crew members onboard the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, firsthand, how Amateur Radio and crew members on the International Space Station can energize youth and instill an interest in science, technology, and learning.

Further information on the ARISS program is available on their website.

The primary purpose of ARISS is to organize scheduled contacts via Amateur Radio between crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and classrooms or informal education venues.

With the help of experienced volunteers from Amateur Radio clubs and coordination from the ARISS team, the ISS crew members speak directly with large group audiences in a variety of public forums such as school assemblies, science centres and museums, Scout camporees, jamborees and space camps, where students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies and Amateur Radio.

YouTube video of ARISS contact with Airdrie Science Space Camp
YouTube video of ARISS contact with Airdrie Science Space Camp

ARISS Video by Denis Rule, VE3BF: To see what ARISS is all about please see the excellent YouTube video by Denis Rule, VE3BF, which is provided above. The video provides highlights of astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA, onboard the International Space Station, answering questions from students at Huntley Centennial Public School in Carp, Ontario on November 28, 2017 before the global pandemic made assemblies impossible. This contact was made possible by volunteer Amateur Radio operators.

Successful ARISS Multi-Point Contact: Friday, May 15, 2020

The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program conducted a successful test of its distance-learning ARISS radio contacts with astronauts on the morning of Friday, May 15.

Youth members of the Airdrie Space Science Club (ASSC) in Airdrie, Alberta were able to engage in a Q&A session with US astronaut Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR, onboard the International Space Station (ISS).

You can view a video the successful contact on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/2mflSlShPHA

The event featured an overview of the ARISS program complete with two videos describing the efforts here on Earth and in space required to make the contacts. Thankfully, this was then followed by a very successful contact with the ISS and Q&A.

For more information please visit:

ARISS contact with the Airdrie Space Science Club in Alberta: Friday, May 15