An International Space Station Expedition 15 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at Nanjing No. 3 High School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China on 26 Aug. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 10:50 UTC.

The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and BY4RRR. The contact should be audible in most of eastern China. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. In addition, the audio should be available via IRLP and EchoLink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English.

Nanjing No.3 High School has a history of over 100 years. It is a full-time school consists of 37 senior classes and 27 junior classes in three campuses. More than 3000 students are currently studying in this school. Besides normal courses, Chinese handwriting, English listening and speaking, computer, fundamental volleyball skills etc. are also taught in the school.

The next ARISS School event that will be supported by the ARISS Audio Disribution Project is planned to take place on Sunday, August 26, 2007 @ 10:50 UTC. Live audio will be available through IRLP and EchoLink.

High School students assembled at the Nanjing No. 3 High School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, Peoples Republic of China will have the opportunity to ask questions of Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Clay Anderson, KD5PLA, through Amateur Radio station, NA1SS, located onboard the International Space Station. The ground station operations will be conducted through the Nanjing High School Amateur Radio station BY4RRR.

Space Shuttle Endeavour lands at Kennedy Space Center. Image above: Space Shuttle Endeavour landed Aug. 21, 2007, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The perfect landing capped a construction and supply mission to the International Space Station. Image: NASA/Chuck Tintera
+ View Hi-Res Image of Landing

A couple hours after landing back at Kennedy Space Center, the crew of STS-118 spoke enthusiastically about their 13 days in orbit and work on the International Space Station.

"It was a great experience and the space station is really, I think, a stepping stone to going back to the moon and on to Mars some day," commander Scott Kelly said.

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-08-22 15:30 UTC

Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:

Nanjing No. 3 High School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China, direct via BY4RRR
Sun 2007-08-26 10:50 UTC 44 deg

Amagasaki Child Science Hall, Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan, direct via 8N3AMA
Tue 2007-08-28 08:27 UTC 77 deg

Ashland Greenwood High School, Ashland, Nebraska, direct via K0ASH
Wed 2007-08-29 16:03 UTC 55 deg

Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 310.
Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 1.

QSL information may be found at:
http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Endeavour and its crew are home after completing a 13-day journey of more than 5.2 million miles in space. Endeavour's STS-118 mission successfully added another truss segment, a new gyroscope and external spare parts platform to the International Space Station.

Endeavour's Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charlie Hobaugh and mission specialists Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio, Barbara R. Morgan, Alvin Drew and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday at 12:32 p.m. EDT.

Williams, Mastracchio and station flight engineer Clayton Anderson, with the help of their crewmates, made four spacewalks to accomplish the construction tasks. The spacewalkers also completed work in preparation for upcoming assembly missions, such as relocating an equipment cart and installing support equipment and communication upgrades.

Endeavour astronauts are beginning a day they hope will see a landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The crew, Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charlie Hobaugh, and Mission Specialists Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio, Dave Williams, Barbara R. Morgan and Alvin Drew, was awakened at 3:36 a.m. CDT by "Homeward Bound," performed by Simon & Garfunkel. It was for the entire crew.

Endeavour is about 150 miles behind the International Space Station. Endeavour undocked from the station at 6:56 a.m. Sunday after almost nine days at the orbiting laboratory.

The landing focus for Tuesday will be on Kennedy Space Center, with two opportunities available there. Weather forecasts generally are favorable.

Space shuttle Endeavour's crew spent - weather permitting - their last full day on orbit today getting their ship ready to return home Tuesday with two landing opportunities available at Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 11:32 a.m. and 1:06 p.m.

The shuttle was deemed in good shape for landing this morning, after analysis on Sunday's final inspection of the wing leading edges and nose cap was completed. Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, and Mission Specialist Rick Mastracchio reinforced that assessment with successful checks of the shuttle flight control systems. Kelly and Hobaugh spent time on their computers practicing landing simulations and the entire crew, including mission specialists Tracy Caldwell, Dave Williams, Barbara Morgan and Alvin Drew, got ready for return by stowing equipment and supplies.

Endeavour astronauts are getting ready to come home.

The crew, Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, and Mission Specialists Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio, Dave Williams, Barbara Morgan and Alvin Drew, was awakened at 3:37 a.m. CDT by "Flying," performed by the Long John Baldry Trio, a Canadian group. It was for Williams, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut.

Endeavour is about 68 miles behind the International Space Station, a distance increasing by about 4.5 miles each 91-minute orbit of the Earth. The two spacecraft spent almost nine days together before Endeavour undocked at 6:56 a.m. Sunday.