Educational Outreach and International Collaboration Through ARISS---Amateur Radio on the International Space Station

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) was first deployed and operated on the International Space Station (ISS) about two weeks after the first ISS expedition crew arrived onISS.It has been continuously operational since that time.This makes ARISS the first operational payload and first educational outreach program on the ISS.ARISS provides a unique, once in a lifetime educational opportunity for youth to conduct a ten-minute question and answer interview directly with crew members on-board ISS.This is accomplished using the ARISS amateur radio systems on ISS, through the support of ISS crew members that have obtained their amateur radio licenses, and through hundreds of ARISS international volunteers around the world.These volunteers mentor the schools, help set up ham radio equipment in the schools and then prepare the students to conduct the contact with the ISS crew.This paper will provide some historical background on the ARISS program, it will describe the international volunteer team that is responsible for making this low-cost, high payoff program such a huge success, and will provide an overview of the proposal submittal, selection and contact preparation process.Most importantly, it will convey how the ARISS team, partnered with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and the other international space agencies, engage the schools and students in educational opportunities the enable them to explore space and learn about wireless technology.