Lewis Center Students To Speak Live With Astronauts Aboard the ISS — Rare Second ARISS Selection

The Lewis Center for Educational Research announced that students from Apple Valley and San Bernardino will speak live with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) during the week beginning March 16, 2026. The participating students represent the Academy for Academic Excellence in Apple Valley and the Norton Science and Language Academy in San Bernardino.

This marks only the second time the Lewis Center has been selected by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program — a distinction shared by fewer than 1% of schools worldwide. The school recalled that its previous ARISS contact took place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when students delivered thoughtful, engaging questions despite unprecedented challenges.

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.

"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."

Classroom Preparation and Student Projects

In the months ahead, students will study space science, satellite communications, radio technology and NASA missions through classroom lessons, hands-on activities and cross-campus projects. They will research and prepare questions for astronauts on topics that include:

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.

• Life and work aboard the ISS
• The future of lunar and Mars exploration
• STEM careers
• Earth observation from space
• Human spaceflight and mission operations

The process is designed to promote critical thinking, collaboration and scientific inquiry across grade levels.

How the Contact Will Work

Radios on Earth will link with the ISS as it orbits roughly 250 miles (about 400 km) above Earth at approximately 17,500 mph (28,000 km/h). Depending on the final setup, the contact may be a direct on-campus radio connection or a telebridge, where a ground station at another location relays the signal to the school.

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.

Both campuses will host public viewing events so students, staff, families and community partners can experience the contact live.

For more information about the ARISS program, visit ARISS.org.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz contributed to the original coverage and can be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. This article originally appeared on the Victorville Daily Press.