NASA is now accepting proposals from US schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations -- individually or working together -- to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact between May 1, 2013 and November 1, 2013. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, NASA is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length. ARISS contacts are supported by the program’s US partners -- the ARRL and AMSAT -- and their member volunteers, as well as other international space agencies and Amateur Radio partners. Proposals are due January 28, 2013.

Interested parties can visit the ARRL website or the NASA Teaching From Space website for information about proposal requirements and how to submit a proposal, as well as links to audio and video of archived contacts. Five information sessions are also available for groups who are considering submitting an ARISS proposal. Access to the Internet and a telephone line are required to connect to a session. Information on how to sign up for these sessions is available on the ARRL and NASA websites.