The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program is seeking proposals from schools and formal or informal educational institutions and organizations — individually or working together — to host an Amateur Radio contact next year with an ISS crew member. The window to accept proposals opened today, and the deadline to submit one is April 15. ARISS anticipates that contacts would take place between January 1 and June 30, 2017.

Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS seeks proposals from schools and organizations that can draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Each FM-voice contact lasts about 10 minutes — the length of a typical overhead ISS pass from horizon to horizon.

ARISS contacts offer the opportunity for students and educators to interact with an ISS crew member in a question-and-answer format, so participants can learn firsthand from the astronaut or cosmonaut what it’s like to live and work in space and to learn about space research on the ISS. Students also will get a chance to observe and learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science.

Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in contact dates and times.

Amateur Radio organizations around the world, NASA, and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan, and Europe sponsor these educational opportunities. In the US, ARISS is a collaborative effort between the ARRL and AMSAT, in partnership with NASA. Contact ARISS for more information.