Amateur Radio on the ISS
Pathfinder Amateur Radio Club's ARISS Project rocketed into a school-wide endeavor, capitalizing on our students’ interests in the trades and STEM subjects, giving students an interdisciplinary opportunity to apply their various skill sets.
The goals of the ARISS Project included:
Inspire an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects and in STEM careers among young people.
-Provide an educational opportunity for students, teachers and the general public to learn about space exploration, space technologies, and satellite communications.
-Provide an educational opportunity for students, teachers and the general public to learn about wireless technology and radio science through Amateur Radio.
-Provide an opportunity for Amateur Radio experimentation and evaluation of new technologies.
-Provide a contingency communications system for NASA and the ISS crew.
-Provide crew with another means to directly interact with a larger community outside the ISS, including friends and family.
-Provide an educational opportunity for students, teachers and the general public to learn about space exploration, space technologies, and satellite communications.
-Provide an educational opportunity for students, teachers and the general public to learn about wireless technology and radio science through Amateur Radio.
-Provide an opportunity for Amateur Radio experimentation and evaluation of new technologies.
-Provide a contingency communications system for NASA and the ISS crew.
-Provide crew with another means to directly interact with a larger community outside the ISS, including friends and family.
This ARISS Project has become a school-wide endeavor here at Pathfinder, capitalizing on our students’ interests in the trades and STEM subjects, giving them an interdisciplinary opportunity to apply their various skill sets. We have incorporated many of the technical areas to construct the radio station and prepare for the ARISS contact, and challenged our students to learn more about wireless technology and radio science. Many shops were directly involved, including Advanced Manufacturing, Auto Body, Business Technology, CAD, Electrical, Electronics, HVAC/R, Programming and Web, as well as many of the academic departments, including the History, Math, and Science. Students helped build the radio station, advertised the event, solicited and narrowed down questions for the astronauts, and documented the entire process on the internet. Academic teachers have also incorporated the ARISS project into their curriculum, creating an engaging educational opportunity for the school. All involved have had the chance to learn more about space exploration, technology, and communications. This project has also become an opportunity for engagement with the larger community through work with local businesses, media, and amateur radio clubs. All of this work by the various stakeholders has led to this once in a lifetime opportunity for our all involved.
