Communications with Astronauts
In some cases, students will be able to talk directly to shuttle astronauts. Teachers who want their students to talk to the astronauts while in orbit must apply a year in advance directly to the American Radio Relay League. ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111 (203)666-1541.
With the equipment currently in place at SRJC's tracking station, many local schools will be able to hear the transmissions from their own classrooms with the aid of a "standard" or "common" scanner about the size of a TV remote control.
For those who are able to come to the tracking station, however, there will be television monitors linked via the college's own satellite dish to the NASA channel, and computer monitors which will "track" the shuttle visually as it orbits around the world.