Operations

The ARISS Operations Team is made up of ARISS Technical Mentors, scheduling/technical representatives, and an orbital prediction specialist. An ARISS Operations Lead is selected from within the ranks on a periodic basis. This group meets weekly by telephone conference and much more frequently via e-mail and telephone. ARISS Technical Mentors are the experienced radio amateur volunteers who work with the schools, teachers, and local Amateur Radio groups that actually make the contacts with the ISS. Scheduling/technical representatives work within the space agencies, primarily NASA in the USA and Roscosmos in Russia, to secure the final schedules for the contacts. These scheduling representatives also coordinate training of the Astronauts in the use of the equipment on board the ISS and procedures for its use. The orbital prediction specialist does the long and short term predictions necessary to support the scheduling of all of the contacts.