Connecting Classrooms to Space: Ham Radio Explainer by NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers

ARISS (Amateur Radio on the ISS). In this video, NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers walks through the step-by-step p rocess of setting up a live ham radio contact, showing how schools and organizations bridge the gap between Earth and orbit. Learn how amateur radio technology makes these inspiring conversations possible and why ham radio is a powerful tool for sparking curiosity about STEM and space exploration. Learn more about ham radio in space: https://go.nasa.gov/3T3QHBk

What is said in the film

NA1SS this is N2SJ. Over. N2SJ from NA1SS for a scheduled contact. Hey everyone, I'm NASA astronaut Nicole Ayers, and welcome aboard the International Space Station, where we're orbiting the Earth 16 times every single day. One of the most rewarding activities we get to do while on board is talk to schools and kids like you, using the International Space Station's amateur radio system, or ISS ham radio.

These contacts are planned by an organization called ARISS, a worldwide group of amateur radio experts and volunteers. ARISS is dedicated to introducing young people and students to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. You can check them out on the web at ARISS. org. This is the equipment here in the Columbus laboratory, which consists of a radio.

We've got the transceiver here. We've got a control panel. And we've also got the microphone. Some ham passes also allow for a video connection in addition to the audio. We talk to each other by establishing a radio link between the ISS and your school as we fly over your location.

We won’t have a lot of time to talk, because we'll be cruising over the ground station at 17,500 miles an hour. That's 25 times the speed of sound. So we'll actually only have about 9 or 10 minutes of good radio contact from the horizon to the horizon. This is how a radio contact works. So about five minutes before the scheduled start time, I'll float over here into Columbus.

I'll configure the radio so that I'm on the correct channel, and I may set up the video unit as well. And then just before the contact time, that ARISS predicts for us, I'll begin calling the school using the standard amateur radio calling techniques. So as an example, if your school's call sign is, K6DUE, I'll say Kilo Six Delta Uniform Echo. This is November Alpha One Sierra Sierra, comm check. At your school, the radio operator will be listening for my call, but that person may also transmit and try to call me as well.

You'll probably have a much more powerful transmitter on the ground than we have up here on board. So I'm likely to hear you guys before you hear me. November Alpha One Sierra Sierra. November Alpha One Sierra Sierra. This is Alpha Bravo One Oscar Charlie for a scheduled contact.

Over. Alpha Bravo One Oscar Charlie. November Alpha One SS loud and clear. Excited to make this contact. Once we establish the connection and we can hear each other, we can start the best part—talking to you and answering your questions.

What inspired you to become an astronaut, and what steps should a young, ambitious person from Africa take to become an astronaut? Over. I always loved flying and I always loved space. So this seemed like destiny. And for anyone out there, just get really smart on what you love.

Be a good human. Be a good teammate. And you can get anywhere in life. Over. After I've answered all the questions, we use the remaining time to say goodbye.

And end the connection. Thank you to you all. Those were wonderful, creative, and curious questions. That was a blast. Have a great day.

After that, I'll spend a few minutes reconfiguring the radio back to voice repeater mode so hams on the earth can use it to talk with one another. Then I'll go back to my day job doing science on board the International Space Station. ARISS is a brilliant opportunity for us astronauts to talk to you students all around the world. It's really rewarding to hear the excitement in your voices when talking to somebody up here in space. And it's a true privilege for me to be able to inspire the new generation of scientists and engineers through amateur radio.

So 73 from the International Space Station.

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