ARISS Celebrating 20 Years of Continuous Operations on ISS

ARISS Celebrating 20 Years of Continuous Operations on ISS. ARISS was established in 1996 as the successor to SAREX (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment on the USA Shuttles) existing since 1983. Activities onboard the International Space Station (ISS) by the space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and CSA as well as AMSAT and organizations affiliated to the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) from the countries participating in the program, began in 2000. The first test of amateur radio contacts using the HAM station on the ISS with ground stations from Russia and the United States, took place 20 years ago on November 13. In the following days, there were other communication tests, while the first successful contact of ARISS with the school took place on December 21, 2000. After that more than 1300 school ARISS contact over the World were performed using callsings: RS0ISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, IR0ISS, DP0ISS, FX0ISS, GB1SS, FX0STD, HL0ARISS, IZ0JPA, AB55IK, 9W2MUS, PY0AEB.
Presently after 20 years of continuous operations, ARISS volunteers carry out many amateur radio experiments: radio voice repeaters, Digital APRS repeaters, amateur radio satellites, SSTV images, ARISS activity awards, and direct audio and digital video contacts with the ISS crew. It offers students the chance to have an exciting experience – a face-to-face conversation via amateur radio with the crew members onboard the International Space Station. It activates young people's interest in STEAM and motivates them to learn.  

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