July 2009 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

AO-7 distortion
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

Hello Has anyone else noticed distorted audio from AO-7. This last pass there was only Larry-WA6DIR and me on both his and my downlink was almost uninteligible. Tried lowest power and Larry tried switching polarity. Any thoughts. This is our current HEO. 73 Bob W7LRD

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Re: I just curious
by Art McBride 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

LeRoy, This has been done with the RS birds (2M/10M). 6M and 1 1/4M are not allowed in all Regions (1-3) which leaves only 10M and 2M for an all VHF Satellite. The major draw back to this mode is during peak Sunspot activity, signals from the Satellite can not get through the Ionosphere on 10M. Art, KC6UQH -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of kd8bxp(a)aol.com Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 12:07 PM To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] I just curious This is probably one of those questions that has a very simple answer maybe something I wasn't thinking of. On the FM birds how come the split is V/U or U/V? Are there any V/V birds? I mean if doppler doesn't effect the vhf as much wouldn't it make since to have some V/V? Wouldn't have to worry about doppler anyways I know there is a reason, so I am curious that is all! LeRoy, KD8BXP http://www.HamOhio.com Sent on the Now Network from my SprintR BlackBerry __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4218 (20090705) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4219 (20090705) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com

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In between the moon and the moonnist..
by Luc Leblanc 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

While a fierce moonist thread from the Lunar Conspiracy grouip is raging i just copy this telemetry from AO-51. I try TLMECHO program but i get an error 9 window telling that data is out of something data space area? As soon as the program start to decode some data he freeze with this error #9? Is it normal as telemetry seems to be transmitted only when the satellite is in eclipse? Is it this who make's the program crashing? Thank's for your lights PACB-1>TIME-1/2: <UI>: PHT: uptime is 047/20:35:4mon 7. Time is Sun Jul 05 22:32:29 2009 PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. MONITOR ON/ON cmd:PACB-1>TLMI-1/2: <UI>: ý)QJ~_l_ÿ _) : 7 7 _z_D_ ___[ W x_Û «_'_ ( ' 8_û æÙî_¼æ_6÷_Ã_3_ÿ ÿ !ÿ "ÿ #ù_$~%ÿ_&ÿ_'(j )ÿ_*I+º,Ë-u.è_/j0z_1 ' ä?@A>BWCDøEøFðG;HI_JKLMPACB-1>TLMS-1/2: <UI>: C0:05 C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01 PACB-1>LSTAT/2: <UI>: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:29262 f:29262, d:0 st:5 e:3b PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PACB-1>TIME-1/2: <UI>: PHT: uptime is 047/20:36:27. Time is Sun Jul 05 22:33:09 2009 PACB-1>TLMS-1/2: <UI>: C0:05 C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01 PACB-1>TLMD-1/2: <UI>: WOD:2 ATP:0 BMW:1 BMS:0 CTS:1 CTN:120 CTL:96 CTE:Thu Jul 09 23:09:32 2009 PACB-1>AMSATN-1/2: <UI>: >04 July 2009 ... FM Repeater ON ... L-Band uplink PBBS OFF Telemetry On ...In eclipse period 73, WA4SXM PACB-1>LSTAT/2: <UI>: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:29262 f:29262, d:0 st:5 e:4c PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PECHO-11>STATUS/2: <UI>: B: 14550443 PACB-1>TIME-1/2: <UI>: PHT: uptime is 047/20:36:37. Time is Sun Jul 05 22:33:19 2009 PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PACB-1>TLMS-1/2: <UI>: C0:05 C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01 PACB-1>TLMD-1/2: <UI>: WOD:2 ATP:0 BMW:1 BMS:0 CTS:1 CTN:120 CTL:96 CTE:Thu Jul 09 23:09:32 2009 PACB-1>LSTAT/2: <UI>: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:29262 f:29262, d:0 st:5 e:4c PACBLS-8>PACBLS-8/2: <UI>: PACBLS S Meter = 0 PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PACB-1>TIME-1/2: <UI>: PHT: uptime is 047/20:36:47. Time is Sun Jul 05 22:33:29 2009 PACB-1>TLMS-1/2: <UI>: C0:05 C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01 PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PACB-1>TIME-1/2: <UI>: PHT: uptime is 047/20:36:57. Time is Sun Jul 05 22:33:39 2009 PACB-1>TLMS-1/2: <UI>: C0:05 C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01 PACB-1>LSTAT/2: <UI>: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:29262 f:29262, d:0 st:5 e:5d PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PACBLS-8>PACBLS-8/2: <UI>: PACBLS S Meter = 0 PECHO-12>BBSTAT/2: <UI>: Open ABCD: PECHO-11>STATUS/2: <UI>: B: 14550443 PACB-1>TIME-1/2: <UI>: PHT: uptime is 047/20:37:07. Time is Sun Jul 05 22:33:49 2009 PACB-1>TLMS-1/2: <UI>: C0:05 C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01 PACB-1>LSTAT/2: <UI>: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:29262 f:29262, d:0 st:5 e:6e PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PACB-1>TLMD-1/2: <UI>: WOD:2 ATP:0 BMW:1 BMS:0 CTS:1 CTN:120 CTL:96 CTE:Thu Jul 09 23:09:32 2009 PACB-1>LSTAT/2: <UI>: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:29262 f:29262, d:0 st:5 e:6e PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PACB-1>TIME-1/2: <UI>: PHT: uptime is 047/20:37:27. Time is Sun Jul 05 22:34:09 2009 PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. PECHO-12>BBSTAT/2: <UI>: Open ABCD: PECHO-11>PBLIST/2: <UI>: PB: Empty. "-" Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE

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Uncommon/Rare Michigan Grids This Week
by Doug Papay 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

All, I am operating portable this week, July 5th-9th, from Northeast Lower and Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I will activate: EN84 (July 5th), EN85 (July 5th & 6th), EN76 (July 7th), EN86 (July 7th, 8th, & 9th), and EN74 (July 9th). My operations will be limited to FM satellites for all grids except EN86. I plan to operate on both FM & SSB satellites from EN86 (Drummond Island) to make this rare grid available to as many as possible. I am operating handheld with TH-D7A and arrow antenna and will use TS-2000 (with doppler tuning) & arrow in EN86. I hope to work many of you during my trip. 73, Doug KD8CAO/P Alpena, MI USA EN85 Ps. For those of you who are chasing 6m grids, I brought a 6m moxon with me and will try to spend a little time on 6 from EN86.

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Original 13 Colonies - thanks to all!
by n3tl＠bellsouth.net 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

Hey everyone, Thank you all for participating in the Original 13 Colonies special event. I regret that we only had 11 of the 13 colonies active on the satellites, and hope we can have them all for the 2010 event. It appears as though many satellite operators were looking for the special call signs on virtually all the satellites. Here, as N3TL/K2G, I completed contacts on AO-7, AO-27, AO-51, FO-29, SO-50 and VO-52. I also digipeated a general greeting via packet through the ISS, but did not complete a 2-way contact. My log to KU2US includes the following details. 82 contacts that include: 24 states 2 Canadian provinces - Ontario and Quebec 3 DX entities - Honduras, Mexico and the U.K. 50 grid squares Last Thursday, I got an email from Jim, G3WGM, asking whether I'd be interested in tyring to make a contact with "the Motherland" during the special event. We made it happen at 00:54 UTC on July 4th, from the southernmost of the Original 13. Thanks, Jim, for staying up so late! Thanks again to everyone for participating. Remember to visit Ken's page at www.qrz.com/KU2US for all the details on getting a certificate. 73 to all, Tim - N3TL/K2G - Georgia

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Re: I just curious
by Tony Langdon 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

At 05:06 AM 7/6/2009, kd8bxp(a)aol.com wrote: >On the FM birds how come the split is V/U or U/V? Are there any V/V birds? <snip> >I know there is a reason, so I am curious that is all! Yes, there is a reason. V/V would make the satellite work much like a terrestrial repeater. Terrestrial repeaters on 2m require bulky, heavy cavities, which are impractical to launch on a satellite. There's also the issue of possible detuning, due to the vibration of launch and thermal cycling while in space. One way a V/V satellite _could_ be made to work is to have separate receiver and transmitter satellites joined by a tether. A very low powered link on another band could pass the signal between the 2 sats, just as is done for some terrestrial repeaters. However, this configuration is also more expensive to launch, and any in band birds take away one of the big advantages of working crossband - being able to hear your own downlink, and monitor the channel while transmitting. 73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com

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Re: dream your own sat
by Trevor . 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

The recently launched TerreStar-1 is designed to provides emergency comms capability http://www.southgatearc.org/news/july2009/terrestar_1_launched.htm The basic problem is that Amateurs want linear transponder satellites in orbits above 1400 km in order to provide reasonable DX opportunities and pass times greater than 20 minutes. But "cheap" launches only seem to be available for 500-800 km orbits, so we need to find a way to increase the orbit of say a triple-cubesat from 700 km to 1400 km using a non-combustive technology so as not to upset the cheap launch provider. Providing the radio communications is by comparison a trival exercise it's finding a means (solar powered thrusters ?) to increase orbital height that's the tricky part. 73 Trevor M5AKA --- On Sun, 5/7/09, John B. Stephensen <kd6ozh(a)comcast.net> wrote: > From: John B. Stephensen <kd6ozh(a)comcast.net> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: dream your own sat > To: kc6uqh(a)cox.net, "'rupert red'" <rupert.red(a)live.it>, amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Date: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 9:54 PM > The problem is that amateur radio > doesn't significantly reduce the cost of a > satellite. Any interest by the Red Cross would not be in > the satellite but > in human volunteers that might come with it. Unfortunately, > the LEO > satellites that hams can afford generate little interest in > this forum. > > 73, > > John > KD6OZH > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Art McBride" <kc6uqh(a)cox.net> > To: "'rupert red'" <rupert.red(a)live.it>; > <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 19:00 UTC > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: dream your own sat > > > > Rupert, > > I think that is a fair assumption on your part, but > only because the are > > no > > new ideas being presented that have commercial > potential that can use > > Amateur Radio as an inexpensive to proof of concept. > > In the present Amateur Radio community only Emergency > Communications is > > getting the publicity. Perhaps FEMA or the Red Cross > might help pay for an > > emergency communication satellite otherwise it is > LEO's forever! > > > > Art, KC6UQH > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org > [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] > On > > Behalf Of rupert red > > Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 4:47 AM > > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > > Subject: [amsat-bb] dream your own sat > > > > > > Hallo all... > > > > from a while I'm hearing about MANY different and > interesting satellite > > solutions... > > > > LEO, MEO, HEO, GEO... MOON !!! > > > > The problem is only ONE ! > > > > Amateur radio community has no money for this project, > and will never > > have! > > > > Amsat & Co will never be able to collect > millions.... I red on this bb > > that > > hams has no money for an expensive ground station... > then how can they > > send > > many money to Amsat? > > > > Public and private organizations all over the world > have not an high > > consideration of hams, and will never invest founds > for them. > > > > The conclusion is only ONE... we will never see a new > oscar satellite in > > the > > sky (at least some student's cube). > > > > Let's all dream together guys. > > > > > > > > Best 73 Rupert > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Condividi e organizza le tue immagini con > Windows Live Foto. > > > > http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/photos.aspx > > _______________________________________________ > > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. > Opinions expressed are those of the author. > > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the > amateur satellite program! > > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, > version of virus > > signature > > database 4217 (20090704) __________ > > > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > > > http://www.eset.com > > > > > > > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, > version of virus > > signature > > database 4218 (20090705) __________ > > > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > > > http://www.eset.com > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. > Opinions expressed are those of the author. > > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the > amateur satellite program! > > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. > Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur > satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb >

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Re: dream .. Universal Text Messaging
by Bob Bruninga 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

> I had an idea of setting up a pager network. > That could be used for national or local > emegrancy.... There is a man in MI doing this > with his APRS group and emegancy coms now. > I like the idea of being able to text any call > sign by just knowing the call sign - Yes, that is the goal of the Universal Text Messaging Initiative. www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html > doesn't DStar offer a way to do this? Yes via client software called D-Rats. It cross connects messages from D-Rats laptops to the APRS system, where for years text messages are delivered to the front panel of any APRS mobile or hand held radio, cellphones, pagers or anything via any callsign @ARRL.net or @AMSAT.org etc > It would or shouldn't be too hard to setup > a way for someone to know the call and have it > routed to a pager. Yes, that is the goal, any message to any call, using any device for sending or receiving. > It is still an idea but at this point it > is just an idea. No it is more than that, it is an Initiative that we hope more authors and systems will get on board. We have been trying to get an article into QST on this subject since last November, and it will finally appear in the Septermber EMCOM issue of QST. (initiall they rejected it because it was not "broad enough to appeal to a majority of readers" or something like that. But with over two dozen text messaging systems in Amateur Radio already, we have just got to start linking them otogether seamlessly! > LeRoy, KD8BXP > http://www.HamOhio.com > Sent on the Now Network? > from my Sprint® BlackBerry Yes! That's the idea! Bob, WB4APR >-----Original Message----- >From: "Bob Bruninga " <bruninga(a)usna.edu> > >Date: Sun, 5 Jul 2009 18:01:25 >To: John B. Stephensen<kd6ozh(a)comcast.net>; <kc6uqh(a)cox.net>; 'rupert red'<rupert.red(a)live.it>; <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: dream your own sat > > >> Any interest by the Red Cross would not be in the >> satellite but in human volunteers that might come >> with it. Unfortunately, the LEO satellites that >> hams can afford generate little interest in this forum. > >I wish we could some how better influence the dozens of cubesat satellites being built with AX.25 packet comm systems to at least consider a backup digipeater comm system. If just six of these allowed for a possibility of user digipeating, we would have a constellation that would provide worldwide text messaging capability from mobiles and handhelds with delays no more than 30 minutes. > >What a fantastic emergency comm system we could have. If ten of them were available, then the coverage would be nearly continuous. > >Amateur Radio needs to recognize its trememdous legacy of over a century of wireless text messaging and our ability to bring that connectivity to the field any time anywhere. We simply need to link them together to meet our overall "Universal Amateur Radio Text Messaging Initiative", that is, any ham, any where, any time, able to text message any other ham anywhere using any hardware device, commercial or amateur by callsign alone. > >Please see www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html > >I count over 2 dozen existing amateur radio text messaging systems few of which are currently crossconnected. Most talk only within their own constituents. APRS and some others are already cross connected at the email level which then connects to cellphones and other wireless devices. So crossconnecting at the APRS internetwork or at the email level is easy to do. We just need all authors to consider transparent cross connection as a goal as per the above web page. > >This has already been done for all APRS satellites and even the ARISS system when it came over the the Satellite APRS channel 145.825. When ARISS is in packet mode, it enables text messaging and Email to and from the front panel of any APRS radio in the world via our existing network of APRS ground stations. See the downlinks on www.ariss.net > >We have tried to get other packet satellites on that channel, SUNSAT, PCSAT1, PCSAT2, ANDE, RAFT and ISS all of which supported this universal text messaging. We need more, and longer lived satelites. And most any AX.25 cubesat could do it as a secondary mission. We need to look for opportunities there. > >We had GO32 also for a year or so until its recent demise, though it's frequency was different. > >Bob, WB4APR > >_______________________________________________ >Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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An alternative ... or ... competition !!!.
by Frank H. Bauer 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

All, So that you all know, there is a lot of international discussion and dialog going on right now on the next steps for ISS. The current international commitment is to fly ISS to 2015. But given that several of the international partners, most notably Europe and Japan, have just gotten their modules on-orbit, there is discussion, dialog and debate on extending ISS to 2020 and beyond. In the USA, some of this dialog is occurring through the Obama-chartered Human Spaceflight Review Committee, let by Norm Augustine, where they have a sub-group looking at ISS Schedule, ISS Utility and ISS Cost. See: http://www.nasa.gov/offices/hsf/home/index.html While the statement, below, might have been made, I would wait until all the ISS Partners get together to modify their future ISS strategy in writing. And remember that ISS has done a fantastic job of international collaboration..they all (US, Russia, Europe, Canada, and Japan) all depend upon each other to ensure a robust ISS system. So separating one segment from the others will have great repercussions for all parties. On another topic, WRT the Lunar ILN, if you read the solicitation, they are discussing *15 kg* payloads. And these need to accomplish some scientific objective to further lunar exploration. Given this, I do not think the ILN is a viable AMSAT project. 73, Frank Bauer, KA3HDO Message: 5 Date: Sun, 5 Jul 2009 12:46:08 +0200 From: John Hackett <archie.hackett(a)hotmail.com> Subject: [amsat-bb] An alternative ... or ... competition !!!. To: <eu-amsat(a)yahoogroups.com> Cc: allan_gm1sxx(a)hotmail.com, amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Message-ID: <BLU141-W15D0416BC901BCBCAA5F4D912A0(a)phx.gbl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Ladies and Gentlemen, For those that don't know it, The chief of RosKosmos, the Russian Space Agency *confirmed* last week the Russian intention to pull the plug on the ISS in the 2015 - 2020 timeframe and to construct another dedicated Russian space station. According to Anatoly Zak RosKosmos informed NASA of these plans 14 days ago. The new Russian station is *NOT* intended to be a laboratory like the ISS but more of an in-orbit contruction platform for future Mars-like and outer space missions. The station will comprise a maintainable 'ball' section with several docking ports with attachable modules. I propose that amateur radio satellite operators get together and form a group to suggest/try to influence/impliment an ARISS type of project for this space station. A Strela type frame could be attached to the underside of the 'ball' and since the station is planned for a Molinya type orbit the coverage would be suitable for DX. The planned orbit would put the station predominently over Russia - as opposed to the current ISS equatorial orbit. Personally, I would suggest an RS-10/11 RS-12/13 clone with a ROBOT ... (read: propagation tester) - as these satellites were without the shadow of a doubt the best for recruiting newcomers. It would, in my opinion, be a viable concept and an alternative to some of the latest 'ideas' of a transponder on the moon ... which wouldn't 'catch' many potential newcomers but would (*IN MY OPINION*) only serve a few dedicated 'experts' ... leading to the demise of amateur satellite communications in general. Comments, monies and praise to LA2QAA. Criticisms, horsewhipping and flaming to GM1SXX. 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org> Interested parties may read the following ... ............................................................................ .................................... The OPSEK project By 2008, the Russian successor to the International Space Station, ISS, was identified as Orbitalniy Pilotiruemyi Eksperimentalniy Kompleks, OPSEK, or Orbital Manned Assembly and Experiment Complex in English.* Unlike previous designs of Mir, Mir-2 and the ISS, the heart of the station would be a four-ton ball-shaped node module. Equipped with six docking ports, this relatively small and simple element would be the only permanent element of the station. All other modules would come and go as their lifespan and mission requires. The initial architecture of the OPSEK complex could be built out of modules originally planned for the Russian segment of the ISS. The exact scenario of the OPSEK assembly would depend on the end of the ISS and the readiness of the latest Russian modules. According to a 2008 scenario, the MLM multipurpose module, the node module and a pair of NEM power platforms could be first launched to the ISS in 2011, 2013 and 2014-2015, respectively. With the deorbiting of the ISS looming around 2020, these modules could separate from the old outpost to form the core of the new Russian station. Another, more controversial scenario considered the separation of the practically entire Russian segment, including the MIM-2 docking compartment and the Zvezda service module, prior to the ISS deorbiting. In this case, the 20-year-old service module would temporarily take a responsibility for the flight control of the OPSEK, until its replacement with a 40-ton versatile core module, UMB, launched by a next-generation rocket from yet-to-be built launch site in Vostochny during 2020s. The separation of the Russian segment from the ISS would leave the rest of the outpost without effective orbital maneuvering capabilities, leaving the European ATV spacecraft as a likely candidate to perform the tasks of attitude control and deorbiting. To achieve this the ATV would have to be modified to enable its docking with the US segment of the ISS. Depending on the operational orbit selected for the OPSEK, it might be necessary to change the orbital inclination of the modules departing the ISS and forming the new station. The lowest inclination accessible from Vostochny is 51.7 degrees, while the ISS is orbiting the Earth with the inclination 51.6 degrees toward the Equator. It is estimated that one or two Progress cargo ships would be necessary to push the modules from one inclination to another. From official statements during 2008 and 2009, it is clear that the one of the chief objectives of the OPSEK complex would be the support for expedition to Mars. All major elements of the Martian expeditionary complex, such as main habitation module, Mars lander and nuclear-powered space tug would dock to the station before its departure from the low-Earth orbit toward Mars. The Martian expedition would at the OPSEK as well. The station would also play a similar role in lunar exploration. Reusable space tugs could link OPSEK with the Lunar Orbital Station, LOS, in orbit around the Moon, thus creating a transport chain for a permanent lunar base. Such tasks as servicing of modular satellites by orbital tugs based at the OPSEK complex were also cited. In broader terms, TsNIIMash research institute, a chief strategist of the Russian space agency, formulated the OPSEK concept as a foundation of the nation's space strategy. By 2009, the new station was seen as a cornerstone of a new space exploration plan, which extended four decades into the 21st century. An ambitious program apparently included manned missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. (344) Cooperation with Europe and the US In 2008, Russian plans for maintaining presence in the low-Earth orbit in general and the creation of a successor to the ISS in particular had been met enthusiastically in Europe. As ESA had little hope to match the US effort to return to the Moon at the beginning of the 21st century, preserving a destination in the low-Earth orbit seemed critical for the political support of the manned space flight on the continent. In June 2009, Simonetta Di Pippo, ESA director of human space flight told the editor of RussianSpaceWeb.com that she shared the Russian vision of the future space station as a platform for deep space missions. "I have continuous consultations with officials in Russia. We meet every month, month and a half, and now we are going to start jointly, the study how to proceed beyond 2025, Di Pippo said, ..."and we have a common idea that we would like to preserve presence in the lower orbit. We are studying different scenarios, whether we need permanent presence or, maybe, a human-tended capability, and we can end up with a totally different solution in the end, but I don?t believe we can leave Earth orbit." Di Pippo also said that although current NASA plans for return to the Moon reserved no essential role for the station, it could change in the future. "Even on the NASA side, they have too many different developments (associated with the Earth orbit), including commercial involvement, which they can not immediately give up," Di Pippo said. By the end of 2010, all partners in the ISS project were expecting to agree on the extension of the ISS lifespan from 2015 to 2020 or even 2025. Once end of life for the ISS was decided an active planning for post-ISS manned space flight could begin in Russia, Europe and possibly the US.

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Re: dream your own sat
by Bob Bruninga 06 Jul '09

06 Jul '09

> Any interest by the Red Cross would not be in the > satellite but in human volunteers that might come > with it. Unfortunately, the LEO satellites that > hams can afford generate little interest in this forum. I wish we could some how better influence the dozens of cubesat satellites being built with AX.25 packet comm systems to at least consider a backup digipeater comm system. If just six of these allowed for a possibility of user digipeating, we would have a constellation that would provide worldwide text messaging capability from mobiles and handhelds with delays no more than 30 minutes. What a fantastic emergency comm system we could have. If ten of them were available, then the coverage would be nearly continuous. Amateur Radio needs to recognize its trememdous legacy of over a century of wireless text messaging and our ability to bring that connectivity to the field any time anywhere. We simply need to link them together to meet our overall "Universal Amateur Radio Text Messaging Initiative", that is, any ham, any where, any time, able to text message any other ham anywhere using any hardware device, commercial or amateur by callsign alone. Please see www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html I count over 2 dozen existing amateur radio text messaging systems few of which are currently crossconnected. Most talk only within their own constituents. APRS and some others are already cross connected at the email level which then connects to cellphones and other wireless devices. So crossconnecting at the APRS internetwork or at the email level is easy to do. We just need all authors to consider transparent cross connection as a goal as per the above web page. This has already been done for all APRS satellites and even the ARISS system when it came over the the Satellite APRS channel 145.825. When ARISS is in packet mode, it enables text messaging and Email to and from the front panel of any APRS radio in the world via our existing network of APRS ground stations. See the downlinks on www.ariss.net We have tried to get other packet satellites on that channel, SUNSAT, PCSAT1, PCSAT2, ANDE, RAFT and ISS all of which supported this universal text messaging. We need more, and longer lived satelites. And most any AX.25 cubesat could do it as a secondary mission. We need to look for opportunities there. We had GO32 also for a year or so until its recent demise, though it's frequency was different. Bob, WB4APR

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