ARISS Europe: Schools, there is time until October 23rd to communicate with the International Space Station.

If you work in a school or with a youth group, mark this date: until October 23, 2026, ARISS Europe is accepting applications for a live amateur radio connection with astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

Schools of all levels and youth organizations in Region 1 of the IARU (Europe, Africa, and the Middle East) are eligible to apply. The selected contacts will be scheduled and conducted between July and December 2027, so there's plenty of time to prepare the class and the equipment.

For me, this is one of the most wonderful things about the amateur radio world: the brief passage of the ISS over the horizon, the questions prepared by the students, and the voice of an astronaut responding live via radio. It's an educational and scientific experience that is rarely forgotten. ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) is the group of volunteers from amateur radio associations in the partner countries that has built and operates the onboard station, and many of the crew members hold amateur radio licenses.

Information about the European branch of the program: https://www.ariss-eu.org/

Source: ARI