June 2, 2025—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Technological University of Dublin located in Dublin, Ireland. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
Technological University Dublin provides innovative, practice-based education with a strong focus on STEM, which includes the Try Five+ project, developed with and for primary schools and funded by Research Ireland, the Department of Education, ESERO Ireland, and Workday. This annual project offers engaging, hands-on learning in science and space to more than 500 students. The Try Five+ project features five practical workshops entitled: “Think Like a Scientist,” “The Science of Ecosystems,” “Stars and Electronics,” “The Sustainable Space Explorer,” and “Rocket Science.” These workshops give students the opportunity to solve problems like scientists, explore how ecosystems function, learn basic electronics and astronomy, (by building portable star projectors to explore the night sky), design and build wind turbines, and, to explore the physics of flight by designing, building, and launching their own air-propelled rockets.
Irish radio amateurs (Irish Radio Transmitters Society and affiliated clubs) are supporting the students in this ARISS contact by providing their technical expertise, lending equipment, supporting station operation and helping raise awareness of radio communication as both a hobby and a vital technology.
This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Takaya Onishi, amateur radio call sign KF5LKS. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the relay ground station.
The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Dublin, Ireland. Amateur radio operators using call sign EI1ISS, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for June 4, 2025 at 1:10:58 pm IST (Ireland) (12:10:58 UTC, 8:10 am EDT, 7:10 am CDT, 6:10 am MDT, 5:10 am PDT).
The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/@ARISSLIVE and https://live.ariss.org
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As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What is the most challenging part of your day as an astronaut?
2. Do your eyes get dry in space?
3. Is it lonely to be so far away from home?
4. What is it like to sneeze in space?
5. What inspired you to be an astronaut?
6. What has been your greatest scientific discovery on ISS?
7. How do you get your oxygen in the ISS?
8. Are you able to have tea in space?
9. How do you know if you are upside down?
10. Do you have any advice for kids who want to be an astronaut when they grow up?
11. Is the ISS automatic or do you actually have to pilot it?
12. What does space smell like?
13. Are there germs in space?
14. Does it get cold in the ISS or do you have heating?
15. How do you know when to go to sleep?
16. What is it like being outside the spaceship?
17. How do you entertain yourself when you are not working?
18. Is there anything that is really hard to do in space that is easy on Earth?
19. How do you keep fit and healthy in space?
20. What is the coolest thing you have seen in space?
21. How do you celebrate your birthday?
22. What is your favourite food?