[sarex] Sonoran Sky Success!

["Scott Lindsey-Stevens / N3ASA" <n3asa@xxxxxxxxx>]

All,

The school group contact between Sonoran Sky Elementary, 
Scottsdale, Arizona and the ISS was a tremendous success. 
Astronaut Mike Foale, KB5UAC, answered 21 questions (22 
asked) during the 10 minute ham radio contact. This 
contact is the final school group contact for Expedition 
8. The ARISS team would like to thank Cmdr. Foale for 
setting aside time to inspire so many school children via 
amateur radio during his expedition.

The contact started as scheduled at 1834 UTC. It was a 
tremendous horizon-to-horizon pass contact with every 
second utilized wisely. The contact was broadcast live at 
the school via amateur television where approximately 500 
students participated. The contact will then be replayed 
to the entire Scottsdale School district, which includes 
44 schools, 30 elementary schools and 35,000 students. 
There was significant press at the contact, including 
Channel 10--Fox news, Channel 3 KTVK, Channel 12 NBC, and 
the Arizona Republic and Scottsdale Tribune newspapers.

Some (abbreviated) answers that Mike Foale provided 
included:

* Why were you chosen for Expedition 8?
His past experience on Mir and the space shuttle prepared 
him for this flight and made him a candidate for 
Expedition 8.

* What did it feel like when you launched?
Surprised and shocked---the Soyuz provides a smoother ride 
as compared to the Shuttle, but you are pressed down in 
your chair.

* What did you do to prepare for working with people from 
other countries?
Put your self in their shoes.

* If you were not an astronaut, what job would you have?
A doctor or a business person launching private people in 
space

* If you could keep one thing from your mission, what 
would it be?
My memories.

* What is your favorite part of being an astronaut?
The human adventure

Sonoran Sky Elementary was built 10 years ago based on the 
theme of flight, with each grade level focusing on a 
particular aspect from bubbles and insects to aircraft and 
spacecraft. It is a K-6 school with approximately 500 
students. Recently, the school's focus has been on the 
International Space Station's mission, background, and 
daily events. Schoolwide students are notified of and view 
visible passes. As a part of the standard curriculum, 
students in third grade learn about space exploration 
beginning with the Apollo missions through the building of 
the ISS. Every year sixth graders attend Astrocamp. 
Through the years, many students have participated in 
Buddies in Space, a weekly multi-grade level program in 
which all activities revolve around space exploration and 
astronauts. As a part of this program, a journal of 
questions about space was given to astronaut Jim Newman 
who took it back to NASA. It came back filled with answers 
from many astronauts. At the ground-breaking ceremony of 
the Challenger Space Center in 1998, students posed 
questions to and personally interviewed Grace Corrigan & 
Rich Scobee. In 1999, the school had the pleasure of a 
visit from astronaut Michael Bloomfield. The school has 
long had an interest in the endeavors of space 
exploration.

Sonoran Sky has a permanent amateur radio station, KA7SKY. 
In addition to general HF contacts, students have 
participated yearly in Kid's Day & JOTA.

Congratulations Sonoran Sky and the Entire ARISS Team!!

Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
Sonoran Sky Mentor 
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