The ARISS program is a cooperative venture of NASA, the ARRL and AMSAT and other international space agencies that organizes scheduled contacts via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the ISS and classrooms and communities. With the help of experienced Amateur Radio volunteers from Amateur Radio clubs, and coordination from the ARISS Team, the ISS crewmembers speak directly with large group audiences in a variety of public forums such as school assemblies or at science museums, Scout camporees and jamborees and space camps, where students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space and space technologies and  Amateur Radio.

Goals of the ARISS program include:

• inspiring an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects and in STEM careers among young people;
• providing an educational opportunity for students, teachers and the general public to learn about space exploration, space technologies and Amateur Radio as preparation for the event;
• providing an opportunity for Amateur Radio experimentation and evaluation of new technologies;
• offering a stress release outlet and opportunity for astronauts aboard the ISS to do public outreach, as well as providing a contingency communications network for NASA and the ISS crew.

Scheduled ARISS Amateur Radio contacts with the ISS are conducted either by direct contact, or by telebridge contact. The method used will depend on the radio station equipment and experienced radio amateur volunteers available to support the contact as well as technical issues related to the orbit of the ISS over the contact location.

Because the ARISS program supports the testing and installation of amateur radio stations aboard the ISS, astronauts have the equipment available to also make unscheduled ham radio contacts with radio amateurs all around the world on a one-to-one basis during their personal time. With a very limited investment in amateur radio equipment, licensed hams, including students who have access to amateur radio stations in a classroom, can make iindividual contact with astronauts aboard the ISS by learning to follow the published orbital schedule and practice some basic amateur radio contact techniques.

ARISS Space Day 2010. See the photos below