Covering ARISS activity for January to June 2002

Document 22

Members:	Roy Neal, K6DUE, Chair
	Rosalie White, K1STO, ARRL representative (also ARISS-Intl Secy/Treasr)
	Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, AMSAT representative (also ARISS-Intl Chair)
ARRL Board Liaison:	Joel Harrison, W5ZN

Task, or Objectives, of the Committee -- Director's Workbook, Section 5.7-G.

Committee's Formal Report for January to June 2002

A Second Outside Antenna Deployed!

The SAREX Working Group was thrilled to announce at the January 2002 Board Meeting that the first of four outside ARISS antenna systems (VHF/UHF, HF, L-band, S-band), had just been installed on the International Space Station (ISS) during a spacewalk! Much good media coverage (including Wall Street Journal and National Public Radio) was aired about these VHF/UHF antennas being deployed.

We were even happier when during a spacewalk in late January, the ISS gained a second new ham antenna -- the HF antenna. It will await use until we launch HF gear; we hoped the L- and S-band antennas would be deployed first, but the Russians handle the spacewalk schedule, and decided otherwise.

A new packet module was flown to the ISS in late 2001, but the beacon malfunctioned. We troubleshot it, and composed testing and re-loading procedures for the ISS crew. Last week, cosmonaut Valery Korzun set commands so the inbox now receives and sends messages. Later, we will forward him commands that cause the packet function to work.

ARISS on the Air -- PR, Education, and Enthusiasm for Amateur Radio

The IMAX Corporation filmed Texas students while they spoke with ISS astronauts via ham radio last fall. In earl 2002, the footage was edited into a new IMAX movie released in April called Space Station. AMSAT reps designed and set up a huge exhibit at the National Air & Space Museum for the evening of the world premiere where reporters were special guests, and during debut week when an ARISS school QSO was scheduled, attracting more media. The IMAX media kit had a section on ARISS, and the AMSAT reps gave out media kits specializing in ARISS. Rosalie White authored a QST article to stir readers' interest in ARISS and the movie.

In April, the F&ES staff received e-mails from hams excited to have QSOed with ISS tourist Mark Shuttleworth who visited for a week. One member phoned, saying: "Thanks to all at ARRL for your participation in this." Shuttleworth's school QSOs also helped Amateur Radio by garnering good PR from various media venues.

On Memorial Day, the ARISS team facilitated a QSO between astronaut Dan Bursch, KD5PNU, and the USS Vicksburg crew, out on a lengthy deployment. Bursch expressed appreciation for the crew's dedication and to all men and women who serve, or have served to preserve peace.

In May, astronaut Jim Voss (not a ham) spoke about education in space, including quite a lot about Amateur Radio, before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space. Other ARISS media events included a special on NBC's Weekend Nightly News about the Deep Creek school QSO. With help from F&ES, ARISS volunteer VK5ZAI, gave a talk at the South Australian Secondary Teachers Association Conference. Rosalie worked with NASA on a talk for the upcoming World Space Congress (expected 10,000 attendance). NASA Johnson Space Center distributed nationwide news releases on ISS Commander Frank Culbertson, KD5GSL, who upon returning to earth, visited several of his ARISS schools in person. NASA Human Spaceflight Web pages highlighted ARISS activity. Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, and a Franklin Institute astronomer (who's a ham) were interviewed on WXPN radio.

In early June, Dan Bursch, KD5PNU, and Carl Walz, KC5TIE, turned over the ISS reins to an all-ham crew (Peggy Whitson, KC5ZTD, Valery Korzun, RZ3FK, and Sergei Treschev, RZ3FU). A few days later, after striking up a casual QSO with Valery, an ARRL member phoned ARRL Hq to say, "Man, what an exciting moment!" Two weeks later, Valery thrilled many more hams by making Field Day QSOs. We're glad he's a part of this crew who'll be onboard for 4.5 months.

ARISS Funding -- NASA Continues to Provide $140,000

In 2001, NASA Headquarters Education Office provided $140,000, and will contribute a similar amount in 2002. This money covers the high cost of specialized fabrication, integration and testing of our equipment for space. ARISS must provide 10 units of any ham hardware we fly.

F&ES continues to work with NASA on their ARISS school lithograph that they give by the ten thousands to teachers. We continue to mail ARISS lesson plans designed by NASA and us.

The ARISS team was exuberant to get these quotes from the Expedition 4 ISS crew, after their return to earth was delayed a month: Astronaut Dan Bursch, KD5PNU said: "Please pass on my many thanks to whoever helped set up the St. Thomas contact...it was a lot of fun, and I am ready to do these ANYTIME!!" Astronaut Carl Walz, KC5TIE said, "It was great talking to the Zeehan Primary School. They had good questions, and everything worked exactly as planned. I'll have a chance to do a few more school contacts with our extra time up here."

NASA paid our expenses for two national teachers conventions' booth space, registrations, ARISS handouts, and incidentals such as booth furniture, carpet and electricity. ARRL sent Jerry Hill to staff the booths (National Science Teachers Association and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). NASA continues to pay the costs for weekly teleconference meetings of the ARISS-International reps.

Astronaut Training

AMSAT sent Lou McFadin, W5DID, to NASA Johnson Space Center to assist with the Expedition 5 crew training. The crew took over the ISS in early June; initial training was on how to install antennas, radio operation, and general guidelines. Lou reported the crew, particularly Valery Korzun, who actively used the Mir radios in the past, was very enthusiastic.

The SAREX Working Group as the US Part of the Worldwide ARISS Team

ARISS International reps met for the first time in 1.5 years at the Canadian Space Agency, Montreal, in April. Rosalie White was re-elected as ARISS-International Secretary-Treasurer. AMSAT rep Frank Bauer was re-elected ARISS-International Chair. Hams (24) from Japan, Russia, Canada, Europe and the USA attended, plus staff from Johnson Space Center, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), NASA Hq and the Canadian Space Agency. Rosalie presented two talks; a total of 27 presentations were given on hardware and administrative issues. Ken Pulfer, VE3PU, and Mark Steiner, K3MS (of GSFC) gained an audience with the head of the Canadian Space Agency, who said nice things about ARISS. Our next meeting is in late 2002 at GSFC.

Rosalie was re-named to chair the ARISS International School Committee. She sets up an agenda and moderates the monthly teleconferences paid for by NASA, with other committee members representing Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada. The group continues to focus on QSOs to be done by "taxi flight crews" (visiting "spationauts" arriving via shuttles and Soyuzes).

ARISS had a good presence at Dayton. This included astronauts Owen Garriott and Tony England selected as Dayton honorees at the banquet, and ARISS talks given at the AMSAT Forum, Education Forum, and Kenwood Webcast.

Summary

During the first half of 2002, the SAREX Working Group could take great pride in the success of ARISS with school schedules and general ham QSOs around the world, done by ISS crews. Early in 2002, WA4IUM, a DXer, called F&ES to congratulate ARISS-- he said his assistance with a SAREX school QSO a few years back was the best thing he has ever done during his ham radio days.

Ham activity from day one of the ISS totals up as follows:

Expedition 1 crew -- 7 school QSOs, plus occasionally random QSOs

Expedition 2 crew -- 14 school QSOs, random QSOs during Field Day and crew free time

Expedition 3 crew -- 17 school contacts, random QSOs during JOTA and crew free time

Expedition 4 crew -- 8 school QSOs, random QSOs, plus 4 school QSOs with week-long visitor Mark Shuttleworth and 1 by Italian taxi flight spationaut Roberto Vittori

Expedition 5 crew -- in their first month, 1 school QSO, random QSOs during Field Day and crew free time

We are the first international payload onboard ISS, and there are always problems for the ARISS team to solve. ARISS reps from around the world are still refining how we best work together, but we continue to find time, energy and know-how to determine new methods to work the problems with the traditional ham-radio-can-do attitude!