As announced in the ARISS-Europe News Bulletin of 2 May 2006, the cables for the ARISS antennas are presently being installed on the hull of Columbus. Mechanical vibration tests of the L/S-band antennas will be done in the next few days. Thanks to Gaston Bertels ON4WF for this news.

Representatives of AMSAT-NA and the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program staffed a Space Day 2006 exhibit May 5 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center. The ARISS teamexhibited various pieces of ISS hardware and AMSAT representatives explained the process of building small satellites. On display were the California Polytechnic Institute CubeSat model and several picosats. Popular with youngsters--including these Boy Scouts--who stopped by was the opportunity to listen to recorded ARISS school contacts. The museum kept extended hours for the occasion. Among those staffing the exhibit were (L-R in photo) ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, Past AMSAT-NA President Perry Klein, W3PK, and Bill Boston, N3DCI. "We gave out several hundred ARRL and other brochures. "There was so much interest, I lost my voice by the end of the day and still haven't gotten it back fully!" Klein quipped this week. Others assisting included APRS guru and satellite experimenter Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, Ken Nichols, KD3VK (who took the photo), Bob McCown, N3IYI, and AMSAT-NA Director of Education and Board member H. Paul Shuch, N6TX. Space Day was sponsored by Lockheed Martin.