The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program has announced that 12 schools or organizations that submitted proposals to host an Amateur Radio contact with a member of the ISS crew have moved into the next stage of the selection process. Contacts would take place during the first half of 2017. The 12 semifinalists, in eight states, must now complete an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once the ARISS technical team approves the equipment plan, the selected schools/organizations will be scheduled, matching their availability and flexibility with the scheduling opportunities that NASA can offer.

The schools and organizations are:

• Blair Pointe Upper Elementary School, Peru, Indiana
• Brook Haven School, Sebastopol, California
• Greater Niagara Frontier Council BSA, Buffalo, New York
• McBride High School, Long Beach, California
• Palmetto Scholars Academy, North Charleston, South Carolina
• Rainbow Middle School, Rainbow City, Alabama
• SCaN/Glenn Research Center, Brook Park, Ohio
• Space Center Houston, Houston, Texas
• St Joseph School, Ronkonkoma, New York
• Student Space Technology Association, Knoxville, Tennessee
• Virginia Reinhardt Elementary School, Rockwall, Texas
• Warwick Valley Central School District, Warwick, New York

The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) activities and raise their awareness of space exploration, space communications and related areas of study and career possibilities.