NASA astronaut Nicole Stott KE5GJN

Upcoming ARISS contact with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida on 05 November. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 19:46 UTC.

The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds.

The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and VK4KHZ. The contact should be audible over the portions of Australia. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

The amateur radio contact scheduled between Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (DB) and Nicole Stott onboard the ISS will be open to the University and Daytona Beach communities.

ERAU-DB students have been asked to submit questions for review with the top questions chosen for the interview. The first year engineering students will attend the event as a part of their profession awareness requirement for their Introduction to Engineering Course (EGR 101). It will also be attended by the ERAU Amateur Radio Club students to re-energize the interest in amateur radio. In addition, the radio contact has been scheduled for the week of Embry-Riddle's Homecoming; many Alumni are expected to be in attendance. As Nicole Stott is one of our Alumni, this radio contact is well timed for a virtual homecoming.

The EGR 101 students are currently working on a launch vehicle design project, where they are required to design a launch vehicle to insert a payload into low earth orbit, as well as several auxiliary systems such as a launch mount, launch control computerized system and a fuel delivery system. Space systems, vehicles and exploration are on the forefront of their minds and this event will spark their imagination and enthusiasm. Students from a local elementary and high school have also been invited to attend and submit questions. Students and at least one faculty member from ERAU will provide a follow-up guest lecture on radio waves and how they work at the elementary school.

The Aerospace Engineering Department of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University College of Engineering has been ranked Number 1 by U. S. News and World Report for Ten Years in a Row. Embry-Riddle is home to the nation's preeminent university sounding rocket program. Project Icarus holds the altitude record for a non-government university rocketry project. The two-stage Icarus I vehicle, designed and built by students, reached 37.8 miles on its 22 March 2007 flight from NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and became the first two-stage student sounding rocket to launch from a NASA facility. Next spring, Icarus III will soar from Black Rock Desert, NV, to the edge of space.

The EcoCAR students from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., are helping to "green" Detroit's best effort with their powertrain design, which is similar to that of the Chevy Volt. The Embry-Riddle team is one of 17 competitively selected university teams from the United States and Canada that are designing cars that will be judged on efficiency, environmental impacts, performance, consumer appeal, safety, quality of workmanship, ride quality, noise, and vibration. The ERAU Formula Hybrid Team placed 2nd overall at the 2008 Hybrid competition, placing 1st in the Design category. The ERAU Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) teams, being the only University to compete in ALL AUVSI compeitions last year, placed in several of the competitions: 2nd overall in the unmanned aircraft system competition, 3rd in the autonomous surface vehicle competition, and 6th in the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition.

International Space Station

ERAU is also the home of the only all women Baja SAE team and received the ABET Diversity Award for it's efforts towards increasing the number of women in engineering at ERAU.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, offers more than 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Engineering. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Prescott, Ariz., and Daytona Beach, Fla., through the Worldwide Campus at more than 130 campus centers in the United States, Europe, Canada, and the Middle East, and through online learning.

For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu.

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

1. How has physically leaving the Earth changed your perception of everyday life?
2. Now that you're actually in space, how realistic was the training simulations here on earth?
3. What is the best part of the day on ISS?
4. I read that you worked on board the Aquarius undersea research habitat, can you comment on the differences between working in that extreme environment as compared to the space station?
5. What could be designed differently to make your experience in space a little more comfortable?

6. Does the space station itself ever make creaking noises that worry you?
7. If you could pick one planet/solar system/galaxy to go to, which would you choose?
8. How has scuba diving (working at depth) (using the complex equipment, standardized safety procedures, limited mobility, limited field of view, limited air) compared to an EVA?"
9. Some have reported that the vacuum of space actually has an odor. Did you smell anything unusual on your spacesuit after a spacewalk? If so, what did it smell like?
10. What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome when you were trying to become an astronaut?

11. From a safety perspective, would you rather fly on the last Space Shuttle mission, or the first Ares-1 mission?
12. Have you experienced anything so far on your mission that, even with all the training you have gone through, you could not be prepared for?
13. What/Who were some of your inspirations that helped you achieve your dream?
14. What would be a quick summary of the steps you had to take and succeed to qualify for your profession?
15. Your first time into space, what about the experience surprised you the most?
16. What is the hardest every day activity to do while you're up there?

17. Test pilots for high-altitude jet flights can experience something called the "break-off" phenomena, which causes them to suddenly lose all interest in earthly things like controlling the airplane or reporting back to base. Instead they become enthralled with the thought of the human struggles occurring below them with god-like amusement. How do you feel that your lifestyle will change upon returning to earth after being so far removed from the relatively insignificant struggles of our daily lives?

18. You are my role model and I wanted to ask you what steps did you take starting as a student at Embry-Riddle to becoming an astronaut? My dream is to become an astronaut and wanted to hear your story of inspiration to so many students here especially us girls that will inspire us!

19. Are the two treadmills the only way of sportive activity, how often do you have to do these exercises in order to prevent the weakening of the scles and how difficult do you assess your return after almost two months in space?

20. What is your message of inspiration for Embry Riddle students?
21. How many g's did you feel on takeoff? Were the vibrations more or less than anticipated? Was it better than an amusement park ride?
22. With the Augustine Panel's report now delivered to the White House, which option do you favor...returning to the Moon, focusing first on Mars, or the multi-destination "Flexible Path" option?
23. What do you believe made you stand out from other astronaut applicants so that you would be able to make the accomplishment of becoming an astronaut?

Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be found at http://www.ariss.org/upcoming.htm#NextContact.

Next planned event(s):
Tokaisonritsu Muramatsu Elementary School, Tokai Vill., Japan, Fri 06 Nov 09 08:47 UTC

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 http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).

Thank you & 73,

David - AA4KN