03/07/2022

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS-USA[1]) has announced
that two crew members scheduled to fly on Axiom Mission-1 (Ax-1) - the first
private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) - will carry
out amateur radio contacts with six schools while in space. The Ax-1 mission is
currently set to launch from Florida on March 30 via a SpaceX Falcon 9
launcher, and the crew will spend 10 days in orbit on board the ISS. Ax-1 crew
members Mark Pathy, KO4WFH, from Canada, and Eytan Stibbe, 4Z9SPC, from Israel,
will carry out the contacts. ARISS has trained both crew members in the use of
the ARISS radio system in the ISS Columbus module.

As part of the "Rakia" mission, Stibbe will use ARISS facilities on board the
ISS to answer questions from middle school and high school students in Israel.
Forty classes are expected to participate, and in the weeks preceding the
launch, the students will learn a bit about the theory and practice of radio
communication.

Pathy, whose personal mission theme is "caring for people and the planet," will
connect with elementary and high schoolers across Canada from the ISS. Pathy
will answer student-developed questions that range from how his body has
reacted to being in space to handling everyday tasks in zero gravity, as well
as "thoughtful questions around the state of our planet."

"The long-held dream of private missions to stations in space becomes a reality
on Ax-1," said Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, Executive Director of ARISS-USA and Chair
of ARISS International. "ARISS is proud to collaborate with Axiom Space, Mark
Pathy, and Eytan Stibbe on this flight and support the Ax-1 crew members
through amateur radio contacts that will inspire, engage, and educate school
students in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) topics."

Mary Lynne Dittmar, Executive Vice President of Government Operations and
Strategic Communications for Axiom Space, said, "Axiom is proud to help enable
the educational work of ARISS-USA on this historic mission. For years, ARISS
and its programs have inspired students across the globe to pursue interests in
science, technology, engineering, and math, and we are pleased that Ax-1 will
join the list of missions that have contributed to this important educational
work."

The Ax-1 mission includes an international crew of four, with Axiom's Michael
López-Alegría, ex-KE5GTK, a former NASA astronaut and now an Axiom Vice
President. López -Alegría will serve as mission commander. The fourth crew
member, Larry Connor, will serve as the pilot.

"The goal for the Ax-1 crew is to set a standard for all future private
astronaut missions in terms of our preparation and professionalism,"
López-Alegría said in a NASA news release.

Down the road, Axiom will build modules that will attach to the ISS. Axiom will
fly its own Hub One space station[2] in the future.

[1] http://www.ariss-usa.org
[2] https://www.axiomspace.com/axiom-station

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