Excitement is building in Emporia, Kansas, as the community prepares for a rare and inspiring event: a live radio link-up with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 9 a.m., the link-up will take place on the campus of Emporia State University (ESU), marking a significant milestone for local students and educators. According to KVOE, this contact is part of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program, which connects students around the globe with astronauts in orbit, sparking curiosity about science, technology, and the wonders of space.
Emporia State University’s participation in ARISS was first announced in November 2025, setting off months of planning and anticipation. The university is one of only five educational institutions worldwide selected for this round of contacts, and notably, one of just two in the United States. The other U.S. contact is scheduled for Thursday, April 9, at Walnut Grove Elementary School in Suwanee, Georgia. Internationally, students in Italy will have their moment on April 1, followed by two schools in France on April 9. This select group underscores the prestige of ESU’s involvement and the excitement among local students who will soon have their voices heard in space.
Central to the event are the 28 questions submitted by local students, carefully chosen and approved for transmission to the ISS crew. These questions, ranging from the practical to the philosophical, reflect the curiosity and imagination of young minds eager to understand life beyond Earth. During the link-up, astronauts will answer as many questions as possible, offering insights into their daily routines, scientific experiments, and personal experiences living in microgravity. For many students, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interact directly with space explorers and to see their classroom learning come alive in a truly out-of-this-world setting.
The timing of Emporia’s ARISS contact coincides with a period of intense activity aboard the International Space Station. On Wednesday, April 1, the Expedition 74 crew was hard at work on robotics training and human research, as reported by NASA. Flight engineers Chris Williams and Jack Hathaway spent the day practicing the capture of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft using the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. Their training included simulated scenarios at the robotics workstation, ensuring they are ready for the Cygnus XL’s arrival, which is targeted to launch to the ISS no earlier than April 8 at 8:49 a.m. EDT—just minutes before Emporia’s radio link-up begins.
The Cygnus XL cargo ship is carrying advanced microgravity research equipment, including gear to study quantum computing technology, test stem cell therapies, and promote astronaut health. Williams also participated in the CIPHER suite of 14 human research investigations, drawing a blood sample and taking a cognition test to help doctors on Earth understand how spaceflight affects physical and mental health. Hathaway, meanwhile, measured noise levels in the station’s living and working areas and tested the Exploration Potable Water Dispenser, a technology demonstration designed to improve water sanitization and reduce microbial growth in space.
Other crew members, including NASA’s Jessica Meir and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, also honed their robotics skills on Canadarm2 and worked on spacesuit maintenance and wireless hardware tests. The team conducted artery scans in the Columbus laboratory module using the Ultrasound 3 device, with doctors on the ground monitoring the results in real time. These activities are part of the station’s ongoing efforts to safeguard astronaut health and advance scientific knowledge in preparation for future missions beyond low Earth orbit.
Russian cosmonauts Sergei Mikaev and Andrey Fedyaev were busy unpacking nearly three tons of cargo delivered by the Progress 94 resupply ship, which docked on March 24. Mikaev wrapped up an automated Earth photography session capturing images of mountains and volcanoes across North America and Asia, while Fedyaev participated in a cardiovascular study measuring his blood pressure under different conditions. Station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, meanwhile, prepared obsolete cargo for disposal in the Progress 93 cargo craft, scheduled to depart later in April, and checked video recording equipment throughout the Russian segment of the station.
While Emporia students prepare to ask their questions, the broader space community is focused on the Artemis II mission, which is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch window opens at 6:24 p.m. EDT on April 1, though the seven-member ISS crew will be asleep during this historic event. Artemis II is a ten-day mission to fly around the Moon, featuring NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The mission represents NASA’s first crewed journey to lunar orbit since Apollo 17 in December 1972 and will test the Orion spacecraft’s systems while capturing new images of the Moon’s surface.
NASA’s launch day coverage began with live views and audio commentary of tanking operations on NASA’s YouTube channel, with full coverage starting at 12:50 p.m. EDT. Updates will continue throughout the launch countdown and the mission itself via the Artemis blog and NASA’s official social media accounts. The Artemis Program, informed by over 25 years of microgravity science conducted on the ISS, is paving the way for humanity’s return to the Moon and, eventually, missions to Mars and beyond. Research conducted on the ISS—including long-term crew medical data, space biology, and CubeSat technology—has been instrumental in shaping the objectives and safety protocols of Artemis II.
For Emporia, the upcoming ARISS contact is more than just a radio call; it’s a celebration of science, education, and global collaboration. Local program administrators will discuss the event in detail on KVOE’s Talk of Emporia on Tuesday, April 7, at 11:06 a.m., offering the community a chance to learn more about the preparations and the significance of this unique opportunity. The event promises to inspire not only the students asking questions but also the entire region, highlighting the importance of STEM education and the power of curiosity to bridge the gap between Earth and space.
As the countdown continues, anticipation grows for a morning when voices from Emporia will reach the stars, and astronauts—busy with research, robotics, and preparations for the next leap into the cosmos—will pause to answer the questions of tomorrow’s explorers.