The ten sixth, seventh and eighth grade students at Krueger Middle School of Applied Technologies in San Antonio asked 20 questions of Science Officer Don Pettit, KD5MDT, on board the International Space
Station.Received by Frank H. Bauer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

From: Gene Chapline, K5YFL

Friday, March 7, 2003. Aerospace students in Texas
quizzed an aerospace professional in space Friday
morning during a perfect ten-minute ARISS (Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station) contact. The
ten sixth, seventh and eighth grade students at
Krueger Middle School of Applied Technologies in San
Antonio asked 20 questions of Science Officer Don
Pettit, KD5MDT, on board the International Space
Station. Coordinating teacher James Goslin, KJ5QB,
said, "It couldn't have gone better!" Student Daniel
Sheehan described it as, "Pretty cool!"

Krueger is a magnet school featuring a substantial
amount of hands-on learning centered on an aerospace
theme. Its eighth graders conduct two major rocket
launches each year, and build electronic devices to go
into their rocket payloads. The students' classroom is
a rambling array of tables and desks holding rockets
under construction and no less that three ham
stations. The sky immediately above is filled with ham
antennas.

Pettit fielded questions one could expect from such
students. Examples: "How do you maintain breathable
air?"; "Once your're done with your solar panels, how
much energy will you be pulling in?"; and, "What are
you trying to grow in your plant experiments, and how
are they turning out?"

Despite her technical talent, student Brooklynn
Jackson wanted to know, "Does the food taste gross up
there?" Pettit laughed, and assured her that the food
was "great." He told her that he was looking forward
to his next meal in a couple of hours, and that "chili
stew" was on the menu. The late-morning QSO was over
much too quickly for the students, but teacher Goslin
continued the culinary theme by making sure that
earlier-ordered pizzas were still on the way.

Reporters and camera crews from two local
television stations covered the event. ARISS is an
international program with U.S. participation by ARRL,
AMSAT and NASA. -END-

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Submitted by Arthur N1ORC

Krueger School of Applied Technology, San Antonio, Texas
Fri 2003-03-07 16:57 UTC

Proposed questions are:
1. What effects can you feel the moment you enter Outer
Space?
2. To become an astronaut, what is the best field to study?
3. What routine work do you do every day?
4. Do you ever get into fights in space?
5. How do you keep food fresh
6. What does the Moon look like from the ISS?
7. What is the best and the worst part of your job?
8. How do you emotionally prepare for a launch?
9. What is the longest time you have ever spent in Space?
10. How will the ISS affect the economy of the U.S. ?
11. What is the base temperature inside the ISS?
12. Why did you become an astronaut?
13. When you came back to Earth can you feel the difference?
14. What time zone are the clocks on the ISS set to?
15. How do you maintain breathable air
16. Does the food taste gross up there?
17. What are you trying to grow in your plant experiments,
and how are they turning out?
18. Once your done with the solar panels, how much energy
will you be pulling in?
19. If the atmosphere in the ISS was suddenly contaminated
with gas or particles what actions would be taken?
20. What unusual sights on Earth can you see?