SAREX: Additional STS-74 Information For Teachers


SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION STS-74
SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT (SAREX)
BACKGROUND FOR THE CLASSROOM


This information is provided by:
THE AMERICAN RADIO RELAY LEAGUE (ARRL)
Educational Activities Department (EAD)
225 Main Street  Newington CT 06111-1494  USA
Telephone: (860) 594-0301  FAX: (860) 594-0259
Internet: sarex@arrl.org  ARRL BBS: (860) 594-0306
CompuServe: 70007,3373  Prodigy: PTYS02A  America Online: HQARRL1


Student's Name:_________________________________________________

Mission Number: STS (Shuttle Transport System) - 74

Launch Date: November 1, 1995
Length of Mission: 7 days, 21 hours
Vehicle: The Space Shuttle Atlantis
Altitude: 196-245 miles
Orbital Period: 90 minutes

Crew: (name, title, Amateur Radio call sign)
     Kenneth D. Cameron, Commander, call sign KB5AWP
     James Donald Halsell, Jr., Pilot
     Jerry L. Ross, Mission Specialist 1, call sign N5SCW
     William Surles McArthur, Jr., Mission Specialist 2, call sign KC5ACR
     Chris Hadfield, Mission Specialist 3, call sign to be determined

Mission Objectives:

SECOND MIR DOCKING MISSION The Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its second
trip to the Russian Space Station Mir during this mission, this time to
install a permanent docking module that will simplify future shuttle link
ups to the Russian complex. The target Mir docking date is November 4.
This mission is the second of seven shuttle flights to Mir. This effort,
known as Phase 1, is a precursor to building the International Space
Station. [This information taken from the NASA STS-74 Mission Summary,
12/14/94.]

SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT The STS-74 crew will take on the role of
teacher as they educate students about mission objectives. Using the
Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX), astronauts aboard the Shuttle
Atlantis will discuss with students what it is like to live and work in
space. The crew has scheduled Amateur Radio contacts with student groups
from California, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois and Indiana. The astronauts
will also make random radio contacts with the Amateur Radio community
(hams) and personal radio contacts with their families. 

Vocabulary: docking, module, link, complex, precursor, objectives, Amateur
Radio


HAM RADIO CALLING THE SPACE SHUTTLE

With the help of Amateur Radio operators, astronauts have been speaking to
students over the "ham" radio airwaves from aboard the space shuttles.
They are showing teachers, students, parents and communities how Amateur
Radio energizes students about science, technology, and learning. The
program is called SAREX, the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment. 

SAREX is an educational program sponsored by the American Radio Relay
League (ARRL), the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), and the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). With the help of
volunteers from each of these organizations, and a cadre of ham-licensed
astronauts, SAREX has earned tremendous attention from the media,
worldwide. NASA's intent in making astronauts available for SAREX
operations is to involve the largest possible numbers of people,
particularly youngsters, in technology and the US space program with the
help of Amateur Radio. 

Astronauts using a radio from inside the shuttle can communicate with ham
radio operators on the Earth. During a SAREX shuttle mission, a handful of
schools are selected from around the world to make scheduled contact with
the astronauts. These contacts are prearranged, giving the schools a
greater chance at making a successful contact. Two or more students at
each of the selected schools ask questions of the astronauts during the
contact: "What does it feel like to return to Earth aboard the shuttle?"
"Can a bird fly in zero-g?" The nature of these questions embodies the
primary goal of SAREX--to excite students' interest in learning. 

"Teachers around the country report that SAREX-in-the-classroom creates
interest and enthusiasm on the part of students," says Bob Inderbitzen, of
the ARRL's education office. "Once, we thought science and technology were
important only for students who wanted jobs in engineering and science.
Today, however, the tools of everyday life are filled with computers and
communication devices, and using them is becoming more difficult. Students
who are not 'turned onto' technology today, may be left out tomorrow.
We've found SAREX and Amateur Radio in the classroom help make learning
exciting, and real." 

During a conference with the Space Shuttle Endeavour astronauts on June
22, 1993, President Bill Clinton had the following comments about the
SAREX program: "you may be on this mission creating thousands of
scientists for the future just by the power of your example and by this
direct (Amateur Radio) communication." 

Besides contacting students, the astronauts also make Amateur Radio
contacts with members of the ham radio community, and personal contacts
with their own families. In order to carry Amateur Radio on the space
shuttle, one or more of the astronauts needs to have an Amateur Radio
license. And, because there is no age limit to become a "ham," many
students also earn their own Amateur Radio licenses. 

"SAREX isn't a video game," says Bob Inderbitzen. "This is the real thing.
Talking directly with astronauts in space is a once in a lifetime
opportunity for students." Inderbitzen says that students use computers to
track the space shuttle. Real-life lessons in geography and mathematics
are taught. When they make contact, lessons in electronics and
communications suddenly make sense. But most importantly, SAREX inspires
students to "reach for the stars." 


Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper:

1) What is a SAREX?

2) How do the astronauts "talk" with students on Earth?

3) Create a question that you would ask an astronaut.

4) Why is it important for students to be excited about science and
technology?


Ideas for the Classroom

Missouri school teacher, Sheila Perry, NOUOP, has been successfully
integrating Amateur Radio, SAREX, and space-related education in a
curriculum for her students for over 4 years. Her programs have been so
successful that she's even seen her students' aptitude test scores
increase. The students have also earned numerous honors, and were selected
for SAREX during a mission in October 1993. Sheila was selected as the
ARRL Professional Educator of the Year during the 1994-1995 school term. 

You can read more about Sheila's educational programs in a recent QST
article, "A Trip Through the Teaching Universe--Sheila Perry, NOUOP,
Blasts Off With $155,000 of Grant Money!" and in the 1995 Proceedings of
the ARRL National Educational Workshop book (her article is titled, "How
to Fit More SPACE into a Crowded Curriculum"). 

Here are a few of Sheila's activities that you and your students will
enjoy as you prepare to participate in the upcoming SAREX shuttle mission: 

SPACE! 
Sheila has implemented space-related lessons and activities across
the curriculum, which have helped make students more interested in
learning. Some of the activities have been related to KSAM math and
science activities as well as her own teacher-developed plans. Her school
district has a portable planetarium and a Space Lab for whole-class
instruction. The room is equipped with computers, space T-shirts, space
memorabilia, a space library, posters and other items of interest to
students. 

I'M A HAM!
Sheila's students receive an introduction to Amateur Radio as they learn
about its use, basic electrical skills, what a SAREX mission is, Morse code
and its importance, and an introduction to the metric system.

TRAK A SAT!
Students work in groups to track satellites and shuttles using a computer.
They plot the course of a satellite in their logbooks. Students learn about
AOS (acquisition of signal) which tells them when the satellite will be
traveling overhead. Longitude and latitude skills are introduced. Students
learn about geography while having fun tracking satellites. They also learn
about the importance of satellites, and possible career opportunities.

PACKET PALS!
Students improve their writing skills as they correspond with packet pals.
Packet pals are pen pals over the Amateur Radio airwaves. With the help of
a licensed ham nearby, students type letters on a computer, connect to
their local packet pals and leave the letters in their mailboxes. If the
person on the other end is sitting at the computer, the students can
talk/type directly over the airwaves back and forth. Students write a draft
copy of a letter to their packet pal in their journal, the teacher
proofreads it, and then the students make corrections and send the letter
to their packet pal's mailbox. The next day a reply is always waiting for
them. Senior citizens, veterans, and other local ham radio neighbors can
make great packet pals. Students keep their letters and replies in their
ham journals and date each entry. Best of all...there are no long distance
telephone fees!

MISSION CONTROL!
Establish an Amateur Radio station in the classroom. Call it, "Mission
Control." Teachers--earn your own Amateur Radio licenses, and then help
your students earn their own "tickets."


SAMPLE NEWS RELEASE:

[SCHOOL NAME] STUDENTS TO TRY RADIO CONTACT
WITH SHUTTLE ATLANTIS ASTRONAUTS

[Town, November 1995] Students from [School Name] in [Town] will listen to,
and then try to contact via ham radio, astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle
Atlantis (mission STS-74) scheduled for launch tomorrow. This 8-day mission
is the shuttle's second trip to the Russian Space Station Mir. During this
flight, the astronauts will install a permanent docking module on Mir that
will simplify future shuttle link ups to the Russian complex.

The student activity is part of the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment
(SAREX), an educational program sponsored by the American Radio Relay
League (ARRL), the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), and the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Using Amateur Radio
equipment provided by the sponsoring group, the shuttle astronauts have
schedules to talk with student groups at 5 specially selected schools in
the US. The crew also plans to listen at random times for hundreds of other
students and ham radio operators.

Three of the five crew members have earned Amateur Radio licenses. Kenneth
D. Cameron (Commander) has call sign KB5AWP, Jerry L. Ross (Mission
Specialist 1) is N5SCW, and William Surles McArthur, Jr. (Mission
Specialist 2) is KC5ACR. The crew also includes astronauts James Donald
Halsell, Jr. (Pilot) and Chris Hadfield (Mission Specialist 3).

"SAREX gets students excited about science and technology and helps them
with math, geography, physics and communications skills" says [Teacher's
name], "It's not too farfetched to speculate that the next generation of
astronauts, engineers and scientists for the nation's space program are
among students who have been involved in this project."

Local shortwave radio enthusiasts may be able to monitor the astronaut's
shuttle-to-mission control conversations on the following frequencies:
3.86, 7.185, 14.295, 21.395 and 28.65 MHz. These frequencies are all from
the Goddard Amateur Radio Club (call sign WA3NAN) in Greenbelt, MD. Local
scanner enthusiasts may be able to find these same transmissions re-
transmitted on local VHF frequencies in the 144.0 to 148.0 MHz range
throughout the mission.

Today, there are more than 650,000 Amateur Radio operators in the US and
more than 2.5 million worldwide. Information on how to become involved in
ham radio and SAREX is available by calling 1-800-32-NEWHAM (800-326-3942)
or by writing the ARRL, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494, or by
sending email to sarex@arrl.org.

[Teacher] says that by tracking the shuttle with computers, and by trying
to make radio contact with the astronauts, students learn real-life
lessons. When they make contact, lessons in technology and communications
suddenly make sense. But most important, [Teacher] says that SAREX inspires
many students to "reach for the stars."


1995 American Radio Relay League

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