The Lewis Center for Educational Research announced that students in Apple Valley and San Bernardino have been selected to communicate with astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Students will represent the Academy for Academic Excellence in Apple Valley and the Norton Science and Language Academy in San Bernardino.
Students will participate in the live Amateur Radio transmission during the week beginning March 16, 2026, according to school officials.
This will be the second time in the Lewis Center’s history that Amateur Radio on the International Space Station has chosen the Lewis Center for this rare opportunity. Fewer than 1% of schools worldwide ever experience the event once, let alone twice, the school added.
A Milestone Moment
The last Amateur Radio on the International Space Station contact occurred during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when communities were navigating unprecedented challenges, school officials said.
“Despite the obstacles, Lewis Center students amazed audiences with their thoughtful questions and enthusiasm for space science,” the school said. “Now, nearly five years later, our schools have grown significantly.”
School officials shared that the Academy for Academic Excellence continues to lead as a TK–12 STEM trailblazer, while the Norton Science and Language Academy has expanded from a TK–8 to a full TK–12 campus.
“Both schools will participate together for the second time,” school officials said. “This ARISS contact represents not just a repeat achievement, but a celebration of who we have become: two vibrant, diverse school communities united by curiosity, innovation, and a passion for STEM learning.”
Next generation of explorers
Students will spend the coming months exploring space science, satellite communication, radio technology and NASA missions through classroom lessons, hands-on activities, andcross-campus projects.
They will research and prepare questions for astronauts about:
This process encourages critical thinking, collaboration and scientific inquiry across grade levels.
Making contact
Radios on Earth will link directly with the International Space Station as it travels 250 miles above the planet at 17,500 mph.
Depending on the final configuration, the Lewis Center contact will occur through a direct radio connection on campus or a telebridge, where a ground station elsewhere relays the signal.
Both schools will host viewing events so students, staff, families and community partners can experience the moment live.
To learn more about Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program, visit ariss.org.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Lewis Center students to chat with astronauts aboard space station
Reporting by Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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