Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
ARISS
Terms of Reference
Draft 01

I. Definition
1.	Amateur Radio on the ISS is the common working group of the Amateur Radio societies involved in Amateur Radio operations on board the International Space Station (ISS).
2.	ARISS is the acronym of Amateur Radio on the ISS.

II. Object
3.	The object of ARISS is:
•	to plan, implement and co-ordinate amateur radio projects and activities on board the International Space Station
•	to build flight and monitoring equipment for ISS amateur radio
•	to carry out the technical and operational service for ISS amateur radio equipment 
•	to develop operating procedures for ISS amateur radio
•	to promote ISS amateur radio in the educational field and toward the general public
•	to organise and implement ARISS School Contacts, giving schoolchildren and students the opportunity to talk to astronauts and cosmonauts on board the ISS.

III. Membership
4.	Membership of ARISS shall consist of :
•	national amateur radio societies, members of the International Amateur Radio Union, involved in planning, organising and co-ordinating Amateur Radio projects on board the ISS
•	AMSAT societies
•	other amateur radio societies, wishing to contribute and introduced by the national IARU society of their country. 
5.	Astronauts and cosmonauts having performed ARISS contacts during their mission on the ISS are honorary members 
6.	Per December 2002, the member societies are (in alphabetical order):

•	AMRAD
•	AMSAT-Belgium
•	AMSAT-Canada
•	AMSAT-France
•	AMSAT-Italy
•	AMSAT-NA
•	AMSAT RU
•	JAMSAT
	
•	ARI
•	ARRL
•	DARC 
•	JARL
•	PZK
•	RAC
•	REF-Union
•	REP
•	RSGB
•	SRR
•	UBA

7.	Other societies as defined sub 4. are invited to join ARISS. Applications for membership are to be submitted to the ARISS chairman. 

IV. ARISS Board
8.	ARISS is administered by a board consisting of :
•	a chairman
•	a vice-chairman
•	a secretary-treasurer
9.	The members of the board are elected for two years terms. They can be re-elected. 
10.	The renewal of the board is to be organised by the chairman every even year. Member societies are invited to nominate and to second candidates. Voting is secret. 

V. ARISS Regions and Voting rules
11.	The ARISS member societies are grouped into ARISS Regions. The European societies (ESA countries) constitute the ARISS-Europe subgroup.
12.	Each region has a number of votes for Board elections. 
13.	The ARISS Regions and their respective votes are (in alphabetical order):

Canada	2 votes	
Europe	4 votes	
Japan	2 votes	
Russia	2 votes	
USA	2 votes	

V. ARISS Committees
14.	Subject to approval of the ARISS board, delegates may set up Committees.
15.	Each ARISS Region nominates its delegates to each Committee. In each Committee, each Region has one vote. 
16.	Per December 2002, the ARISS Committees are:
•	Administrative Committee
•	Projects and Use Committee
•	Technical Committee
•	School Selection Committee
•	School contacts operational Committee
•	Public Relations Committee
17.	ARISS Committees are invited to write their own Terms of Reference, subject to approval by the ARISS board.

VI. Projects and activities
18.	Groups or individuals volunteering to build equipment, carry out technical or operational service, develop procedures, etc. shall present their candidature to an ARISS member society. Only proposals introduced by member societies will be taken into consideration.
19.	Any project shall be fully documented. A feasability study and a funding plan are required. Compliance with Amateur Radio rules is a prerequisite. 
20.	To be accepted, a project has to be approved by the Selection and Use Committee. Decisions are taken by simple majority (one vote per ARISS Region).
21.	Approved projects shall be circulated to the ARISS member societies. 
22.	ARISS approved projects are to be promoted by the member societies.

VI. Funding and Expenses
23.	All expenses related to any project shall be duly budgetted. 
24.	Several member societies may decide to participate to the funding of a common project. 
25.	Funding of administrative and travel expenses of delegates is to be decided by their society. 
26.	No fee or any form of contribution may be imposed on the member societies.
27.	Donations may be accepted to contribute to the funding of projects.

Adopted by the ARISS member societies, 
Greenbelt, ML USA
December 2002