December 2024 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

ISS SSTV Experiment, 14:55 UTC - December 25th to 14:20 UTC - January 5th
by Mark Thompson 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

ISS SSTV Experiment, 14:55 UTC - December 25th to 14:20 UTC - January 5th _._,_._,_

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-12-20 05:00 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-12-20 05:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: TBD (***) ARISS school contacts are currently planned to resume the week of 2025-01-13 to 2025-01-19. (***) Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming. The crossband repeater continues to be active. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8601 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2024-12-20 05:00 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2024-12-17 20:30 UTC. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf ####################################################################################################################################### Comments on making general contacts I have been seeing a lot of traffic on Facebook and I suspect on other social media sites with people asking why they are not hearing the crew make general contacts. First off the crew is very busy on the ISS and they simply may not have the time to just pick up the microphone and talk. Also, one needs to be aware of their normal daily schedule. I have listed below the constraints that we at ARISS have to follow in order to schedule the school contacts. Hopefully this will help you better schedule your opportunities. Typical daily schedule Wakeup to Workday start= 1.5 hours Workday start to Workday end=12 hours Workday end to Sleep= 2 hours Sleep to wakeup= 8.5 hours The crew's usual waking period is 07:30 – 19:30 UTC. The most common times to find a crew member making casual periods are about one hour after waking up and about an hour before sleeping, when they have personal time. They're usually free most of the weekend, as well. SSTV events are not that often. So please check out https://www.ariss.org/ for the latest information or watch for the ARISS announcements. And don’t forget that the packet system is sometimes active. Check the status at https://www.ariss.org/ or http://www.issfanclub.eu to see if the packet system is active or not. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html ######################################################################################################################################## A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the telebridge from their own home. **************************************************************************************************************************************** ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancellations or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to provide everyone with near-real-time updates. Watch for future COVID-19 related announcements at https://www.ariss.org/ The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19: Postponed: No new schools Cancelled: No new schools **************************************************************************************************************************************** The ARISS webpage is at https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. The main page for Applying to Host a Scheduled Contact may be found at https://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (United States) Call for Proposals The proposal window for US schools and educational organizations to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS has closed for contacts to be scheduled for July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025. Find more information and proposal instructions, visit the ARISS-USA website at: https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa/ Please direct any questions to ariss.us.education(a)gmail.com. For future proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Webinars, go to www.ariss.org. About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEAM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (Europe, Africa and the Middle East) Schools and Youth organizations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East interested in setting up an ARISS radio contact with an astronaut on board the International Space Station are invited to submit an application from September to October and from February to April. Please refer to details and the application form at www.ariss-eu.org/school-contacts. Applications should be addressed by email to: school.selection.manager(a)ariss-eu.org ARISS Contact Applications (Canada, Central and South America, Asia and Australia and Russia) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Organizations outside the United States can apply for an ARISS contact by filling out an application. Please direct questions to the appropriate regional representative listed below. If your country is not specifically listed, send your questions to the nearest ARISS Region listed. If you are unsure which address to use, please send your question to the ARISS-Canada representative; they will forward your question to the appropriate coordinator. For the application, go to: https://www.ariss.org/ariss-application.html. ARISS-Canada and the Americas, except USA: Steve McFarlane, VE3TBD email to: ve3tbd(a)gmail.com ARISS-Japan, Asia, Pacific and Australia: Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ email to: ariss(a)iaru-r3.org, Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) https://www.jarl.org/ ARISS-Russia: Soyuz Radioljubitelei Rossii (SRR) https://srr.ru/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. **************************************************************************** Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? Please note that the HamTV system is back on board but awaiting re-installation. Please monitor ARISS-EU or ARISS-ON for the very latest news on the troubleshooting efforts. If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net The HamTV webpage: https://www.amsat-on.be/hamtv-summary/ **************************************************************************** ARISS congratulates the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Sergey RV3DR with 255 Francesco IKØWGF with 154 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 154 Gaston ON4WF with 124 Steve VE3TBD with 124 Peter IN3GHZ with 122 **************************************************************************** The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed, and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1809. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1700. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 48. Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: South Dakota, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ QSL information may be found at: https://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, FXØISS, GB1SS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS **************************************************************************** Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correcti… Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 **************************************************************************** Boeing CFT on orbit Sunita Williams KD5PLB Barry Wilmore SpaceX Crew-9 on orbit Nick Hague KG5TMV Alexander Gorbunov **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-12-17 20:30 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 17 Dec '24

17 Dec '24

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-12-17 20:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Sally Ride Elementary School, Orlando, Florida, direct via K1AA The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams KD5PLB The ARISS mentor is AA4KN Contact was successful: Tue 2024-12-17 18:49:38 UTC 30 deg (***) Congratulations to the Sally Ride Elementary School students, Sunita, mentor AA4KN, and ground station K1AA! (***) Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/live/DuCNyWOPxH0?feature=share Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming. The crossband repeater continues to be active. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8601 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2024-12-17 20:30 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2024-12-17 20:30 UTC. (***) https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf ####################################################################################################################################### Comments on making general contacts I have been seeing a lot of traffic on Facebook and I suspect on other social media sites with people asking why they are not hearing the crew make general contacts. First off the crew is very busy on the ISS and they simply may not have the time to just pick up the microphone and talk. Also, one needs to be aware of their normal daily schedule. I have listed below the constraints that we at ARISS have to follow in order to schedule the school contacts. Hopefully this will help you better schedule your opportunities. Typical daily schedule Wakeup to Workday start= 1.5 hours Workday start to Workday end=12 hours Workday end to Sleep= 2 hours Sleep to wakeup= 8.5 hours The crew's usual waking period is 07:30 – 19:30 UTC. The most common times to find a crew member making casual periods are about one hour after waking up and about an hour before sleeping, when they have personal time. They're usually free most of the weekend, as well. SSTV events are not that often. So please check out https://www.ariss.org/ for the latest information or watch for the ARISS announcements. And don’t forget that the packet system is sometimes active. Check the status at https://www.ariss.org/ or http://www.issfanclub.eu to see if the packet system is active or not. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html ######################################################################################################################################## A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the telebridge from their own home. **************************************************************************************************************************************** ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancellations or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to provide everyone with near-real-time updates. Watch for future COVID-19 related announcements at https://www.ariss.org/ The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19: Postponed: No new schools Cancelled: No new schools **************************************************************************************************************************************** The ARISS webpage is at https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. The main page for Applying to Host a Scheduled Contact may be found at https://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (United States) Call for Proposals The proposal window for US schools and educational organizations to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS has closed for contacts to be scheduled for July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025. Find more information and proposal instructions, visit the ARISS-USA website at: https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa/ Please direct any questions to ariss.us.education(a)gmail.com. For future proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Webinars, go to www.ariss.org. About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEAM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (Europe, Africa and the Middle East) Schools and Youth organizations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East interested in setting up an ARISS radio contact with an astronaut on board the International Space Station are invited to submit an application from September to October and from February to April. Please refer to details and the application form at www.ariss-eu.org/school-contacts. Applications should be addressed by email to: school.selection.manager(a)ariss-eu.org ARISS Contact Applications (Canada, Central and South America, Asia and Australia and Russia) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Organizations outside the United States can apply for an ARISS contact by filling out an application. Please direct questions to the appropriate regional representative listed below. If your country is not specifically listed, send your questions to the nearest ARISS Region listed. If you are unsure which address to use, please send your question to the ARISS-Canada representative; they will forward your question to the appropriate coordinator. For the application, go to: https://www.ariss.org/ariss-application.html. ARISS-Canada and the Americas, except USA: Steve McFarlane, VE3TBD email to: ve3tbd(a)gmail.com ARISS-Japan, Asia, Pacific and Australia: Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ email to: ariss(a)iaru-r3.org, Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) https://www.jarl.org/ ARISS-Russia: Soyuz Radioljubitelei Rossii (SRR) https://srr.ru/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. **************************************************************************** Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? Please note that the HamTV system is back on board but awaiting re-installation. Please monitor ARISS-EU or ARISS-ON for the very latest news on the troubleshooting efforts. If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net The HamTV webpage: https://www.amsat-on.be/hamtv-summary/ **************************************************************************** ARISS congratulates the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Sergey RV3DR with 255 Francesco IKØWGF with 154 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 154 Gaston ON4WF with 124 Steve VE3TBD with 124 Peter IN3GHZ with 122 **************************************************************************** The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed, and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1809. (***) Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1700. (***) Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 48. Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: South Dakota, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ QSL information may be found at: https://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, FXØISS, GB1SS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS **************************************************************************** Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correcti… Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 **************************************************************************** Boeing CFT on orbit Sunita Williams KD5PLB Barry Wilmore SpaceX Crew-9 on orbit Nick Hague KG5TMV Alexander Gorbunov **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-12-17 01:00 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 17 Dec '24

17 Dec '24

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-12-17 01:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Zespół Szkół Łączności, Warszawa, Poland, direct via SP5KAB The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Nick Hague KG5TMV The ARISS mentor is SP3QFE Contact was successful: Mon 2024-12-16 08:35:06 UTC 71 deg Congratulations to the Zespół Szkół Łączności students, Nick, mentor SP3QFE, and ground station SP5KAB! Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/DBafZYpxolI Sally Ride Elementary School, Orlando, Florida, direct via K1AA The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams KD5PLB The ARISS mentor is AA4KN Contact is go for: Tue 2024-12-17 18:49:38 UTC 30 deg Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/live/DuCNyWOPxH0?feature=share (***) Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming. The crossband repeater continues to be active. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8601 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2024-12-17 01:00 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2024-12-16 22:00 UTC. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf ####################################################################################################################################### Comments on making general contacts I have been seeing a lot of traffic on Facebook and I suspect on other social media sites with people asking why they are not hearing the crew make general contacts. First off the crew is very busy on the ISS and they simply may not have the time to just pick up the microphone and talk. Also, one needs to be aware of their normal daily schedule. I have listed below the constraints that we at ARISS have to follow in order to schedule the school contacts. Hopefully this will help you better schedule your opportunities. Typical daily schedule Wakeup to Workday start= 1.5 hours Workday start to Workday end=12 hours Workday end to Sleep= 2 hours Sleep to wakeup= 8.5 hours The crew's usual waking period is 07:30 – 19:30 UTC. The most common times to find a crew member making casual periods are about one hour after waking up and about an hour before sleeping, when they have personal time. They're usually free most of the weekend, as well. SSTV events are not that often. So please check out https://www.ariss.org/ for the latest information or watch for the ARISS announcements. And don’t forget that the packet system is sometimes active. Check the status at https://www.ariss.org/ or http://www.issfanclub.eu to see if the packet system is active or not. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html ######################################################################################################################################## A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the telebridge from their own home. **************************************************************************************************************************************** ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancellations or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to provide everyone with near-real-time updates. Watch for future COVID-19 related announcements at https://www.ariss.org/ The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19: Postponed: No new schools Cancelled: No new schools **************************************************************************************************************************************** The ARISS webpage is at https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. The main page for Applying to Host a Scheduled Contact may be found at https://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (United States) Call for Proposals The proposal window for US schools and educational organizations to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS has closed for contacts to be scheduled for July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025. Find more information and proposal instructions, visit the ARISS-USA website at: https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa/ Please direct any questions to ariss.us.education(a)gmail.com. For future proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Webinars, go to www.ariss.org. About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEAM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (Europe, Africa and the Middle East) Schools and Youth organizations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East interested in setting up an ARISS radio contact with an astronaut on board the International Space Station are invited to submit an application from September to October and from February to April. Please refer to details and the application form at www.ariss-eu.org/school-contacts. Applications should be addressed by email to: school.selection.manager(a)ariss-eu.org ARISS Contact Applications (Canada, Central and South America, Asia and Australia and Russia) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Organizations outside the United States can apply for an ARISS contact by filling out an application. Please direct questions to the appropriate regional representative listed below. If your country is not specifically listed, send your questions to the nearest ARISS Region listed. If you are unsure which address to use, please send your question to the ARISS-Canada representative; they will forward your question to the appropriate coordinator. For the application, go to: https://www.ariss.org/ariss-application.html. ARISS-Canada and the Americas, except USA: Steve McFarlane, VE3TBD email to: ve3tbd(a)gmail.com ARISS-Japan, Asia, Pacific and Australia: Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ email to: ariss(a)iaru-r3.org, Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) https://www.jarl.org/ ARISS-Russia: Soyuz Radioljubitelei Rossii (SRR) https://srr.ru/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. **************************************************************************** Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? Please note that the HamTV system is back on board but awaiting re-installation. Please monitor ARISS-EU or ARISS-ON for the very latest news on the troubleshooting efforts. If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net The HamTV webpage: https://www.amsat-on.be/hamtv-summary/ **************************************************************************** ARISS congratulates the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Sergey RV3DR with 255 Francesco IKØWGF with 154 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 154 Gaston ON4WF with 124 Steve VE3TBD with 124 Peter IN3GHZ with 122 **************************************************************************** The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed, and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1808. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 16998. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 48. Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: South Dakota, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ QSL information may be found at: https://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, FXØISS, GB1SS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS **************************************************************************** Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correcti… Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 **************************************************************************** Boeing CFT on orbit Sunita Williams KD5PLB Barry Wilmore SpaceX Crew-9 on orbit Nick Hague KG5TMV Alexander Gorbunov **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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WARNING - Phishing Emails Not From AMSAT Membership
by Frank Karnauskas (N1UW) 17 Dec '24

17 Dec '24

Today, some members are receiving emails purportedly from the AMSAT membership portal. The message reads: “Your account has been dormant for 364 days. To stop deletion and claim your balance, please log in and request a withdrawal within 24 hours. For help, visit our Telegram group:…” The sign-in link (not shown here) is obviously not an AMSAT email address. Of course, do not click on the link. There is no danger of anyone’s AMSAT membership account being closed because of inactivity. If you receive one of these fraudulent emails, please report it at info(a)amsat.org. Kind Regards, Frank Frank Karnauskas, N1UW Vice President, Development Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. (AMSAT) 712 H Street NE, Ste 1653 Washington DC 20002 info(a)amsat.org<mailto:info@amsat.org> Direct Contact 3670 E. Kingler Spring Pl. Tucson, AZ 85718 (612) 644-9174 f.karnauskas(a)amsat.org

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-12-16 22:00 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 16 Dec '24

16 Dec '24

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-12-16 22:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Zespół Szkół Łączności, Warszawa, Poland, direct via SP5KAB The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Nick Hague KG5TMV The ARISS mentor is SP3QFE Contact was successful: Mon 2024-12-16 08:35:06 UTC 71 deg(***) Congratulations to the Zespół Szkół Łączności students, Nick, mentor SP3QFE, and ground station SP5KAB! (***) Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/DBafZYpxolI Sally Ride Elementary School, Orlando, Florida, direct via K1AA The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams KD5PLB The ARISS mentor is AA4KN Contact is go for: Tue 2024-12-17 18:49:38 UTC 30 deg Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming. The crossband repeater continues to be active. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8601 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2024-12-16 22:00 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2024-12-16 22:00 UTC. (***) https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf ####################################################################################################################################### Comments on making general contacts I have been seeing a lot of traffic on Facebook and I suspect on other social media sites with people asking why they are not hearing the crew make general contacts. First off the crew is very busy on the ISS and they simply may not have the time to just pick up the microphone and talk. Also, one needs to be aware of their normal daily schedule. I have listed below the constraints that we at ARISS have to follow in order to schedule the school contacts. Hopefully this will help you better schedule your opportunities. Typical daily schedule Wakeup to Workday start= 1.5 hours Workday start to Workday end=12 hours Workday end to Sleep= 2 hours Sleep to wakeup= 8.5 hours The crew's usual waking period is 07:30 – 19:30 UTC. The most common times to find a crew member making casual periods are about one hour after waking up and about an hour before sleeping, when they have personal time. They're usually free most of the weekend, as well. SSTV events are not that often. So please check out https://www.ariss.org/ for the latest information or watch for the ARISS announcements. And don’t forget that the packet system is sometimes active. Check the status at https://www.ariss.org/ or http://www.issfanclub.eu to see if the packet system is active or not. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html ######################################################################################################################################## A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the telebridge from their own home. **************************************************************************************************************************************** ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancellations or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to provide everyone with near-real-time updates. Watch for future COVID-19 related announcements at https://www.ariss.org/ The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19: Postponed: No new schools Cancelled: No new schools **************************************************************************************************************************************** The ARISS webpage is at https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. The main page for Applying to Host a Scheduled Contact may be found at https://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (United States) Call for Proposals The proposal window for US schools and educational organizations to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS has closed for contacts to be scheduled for July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025. Find more information and proposal instructions, visit the ARISS-USA website at: https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa/ Please direct any questions to ariss.us.education(a)gmail.com. For future proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Webinars, go to www.ariss.org. About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEAM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (Europe, Africa and the Middle East) Schools and Youth organizations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East interested in setting up an ARISS radio contact with an astronaut on board the International Space Station are invited to submit an application from September to October and from February to April. Please refer to details and the application form at www.ariss-eu.org/school-contacts. Applications should be addressed by email to: school.selection.manager(a)ariss-eu.org ARISS Contact Applications (Canada, Central and South America, Asia and Australia and Russia) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Organizations outside the United States can apply for an ARISS contact by filling out an application. Please direct questions to the appropriate regional representative listed below. If your country is not specifically listed, send your questions to the nearest ARISS Region listed. If you are unsure which address to use, please send your question to the ARISS-Canada representative; they will forward your question to the appropriate coordinator. For the application, go to: https://www.ariss.org/ariss-application.html. ARISS-Canada and the Americas, except USA: Steve McFarlane, VE3TBD email to: ve3tbd(a)gmail.com ARISS-Japan, Asia, Pacific and Australia: Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ email to: ariss(a)iaru-r3.org, Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) https://www.jarl.org/ ARISS-Russia: Soyuz Radioljubitelei Rossii (SRR) https://srr.ru/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. **************************************************************************** Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? Please note that the HamTV system is back on board but awaiting re-installation. Please monitor ARISS-EU or ARISS-ON for the very latest news on the troubleshooting efforts. If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net The HamTV webpage: https://www.amsat-on.be/hamtv-summary/ **************************************************************************** ARISS congratulates the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Sergey RV3DR with 255 Francesco IKØWGF with 154 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 154 Gaston ON4WF with 124 Steve VE3TBD with 124 Peter IN3GHZ with 122 **************************************************************************** The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed, and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1808. (***) Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 16998. (***) Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 48. Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: South Dakota, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ QSL information may be found at: https://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, FXØISS, GB1SS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS **************************************************************************** Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correcti… Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 **************************************************************************** Boeing CFT on orbit Sunita Williams KD5PLB Barry Wilmore SpaceX Crew-9 on orbit Nick Hague KG5TMV Alexander Gorbunov **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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ARISS News Release No. 24-92
by David H Jordan 16 Dec '24

16 Dec '24

*ARISS News Release No. 24-92* *Dave Jordan, AA4KN * *ARISS PR* *dave.jordan(a)ariss-usa.org <dave.jordan(a)ariss-usa.org>* *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* *ARISS Contact is Scheduled with Students at * *Sally Ride Elementary School, Orlando, Florida, USA* December 15, 2024—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Sally Ride Elementary School located in Orlando, FL. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS. Sally Ride Elementary, located in a large suburban area of Orlando, FL, is an aviation and aerospace magnet school serving about 400 children, from prekindergarten to fifth grade. Named after Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, the school campus was formed out of two merged public schools. In addition to their Aviation and Aerospace Magnet Program, students in the school’s STEM classes have designed rockets and solar cars, built airplanes and hot air balloons, and solved engineering problems. Students are also participating in the TomatoSphere NASA project in which they compare the growth of two groups of tomato seeds: one that had spent 36 days on the ISS and one that did not. The school organized their first ‘Astro Night’ allowing students to observe celestial bodies in our solar system (our Moon and Saturn) using higher power telescopes provided by the Central Florida Astronomical Society. In preparation for this ARISS contact, students have been learning about radio communication, and how to build an antenna from members of the Orlando Amateur Radio Club. Students were also able to directly observe the ISS passing over their area. This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Sunita Williams, amateur radio call sign KD5PLB. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the relay ground station. The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Orlando, FL. Amateur radio operators using call sign K1AA, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection. The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for December 17, 2024 at 1:49:38 pm EST (Orlando, FL) (18:49:38 UTC, 12:49 pm CST, 11:49 am MST, 10:49 am PST). Live streaming of the event is expected to be made available to the general public. Check our social media listed below for any updates. *_______________________________* As time allows, students will ask these questions: 1. Why did you decide to become an astronaut? 2. I get a sticker when I visit the doctor. Do you have doctors in space? 3. How often do you talk to your family? 4. I want to be an astronaut; what advice do you think I need to make my dreams come true? 5. Do you have a favorite food you eat in space? 6. Have you ever been on a spacewalk? 7. How long have you been in space and how many days before you return? 8. What do you do for fun in the ISS? 9. How do you train your body to go to space? 10. When in space, what do you miss the most from Earth? 11. Do your clothes get dirty in space like mine when I play outside? 12. What do you do in space? What is your role? 13. Are you excited to talk to us today? 14. What is the oldest experiment that is still in the space station? 15. Who is driving the ISS if everyone is sleeping? 16. How do you celebrate holidays or birthdays in ISS? 17. Do you have a favorite teacher who was an influence on you? 18. When you were my age, what was your favorite and least favorite subject? 19. Do your ears pop and hurt when you launch into space and return to Earth? 20. Can you see other planets, comets, and stars from the ISS orbit? 21. What kind of animals have gone to space? 22. Do you grow plants in ISS? 23. When you come back to earth do you have minor side effects? 24. What do you like the most about being an astronaut? *About ARISS:* Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the ISS. In the United States, sponsors are the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program (SCaN) and the ISS National Lab—Space Station Explorers. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see http://www.ariss.org. Media Contact: Dave Jordan, AA4KN ARISS PR Find us on social media at: X: ARISS_Intl Facebook: facebook.com/ARISSIntl Instagram: ariss_intl Mastodon: ariss_intl(a)mastodon.hams.social Check out ARISS on Youtube.com.

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AO73 / FUNcube1 Mode change
by graham＠shirville.com 15 Dec '24

15 Dec '24

Hi Everyone, A quick note to advise that AO73 /FUNcube 1 has been switched from autonomous mode to continuous transponder mode for the holiday period. This means that the transponder is available for use 24/7. The regular telemetry is still being transmitted but at a low power setting of around 40mW! It is anticipated that we will revert to autonomous mode with full power telemetry when in daylight sometime after January 5th 2025. In the meantime - have even more un on the transponder. Best wishes from the FUNcube team!

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ANS-350 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ) 15 Dec '24

15 Dec '24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-350 In this edition: * Five CubeSats Successfully Deployed from "Kibo" Module on ISS * Celebrate SO-50: Amateur Radio Special Event Marks 22nd Anniversary * ESA’s Proba-3 Satellites Launch to Create Artificial Solar Eclipses * VUCC / DXCC Satellite Standings for December 2024 * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for December 13, 2024 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * AMSAT Ambassador Activities * Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org> You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ANS-350 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2024 Dec 15 ________________________________ Five CubeSats Successfully Deployed from "Kibo" Module on ISS On December 9th, five CubeSats were successfully deployed from the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The deployment was part of JAXA’s J-SSOD#30 mission and included DENDEN-01, LignoSat, ONGLAISAT, YODAKA and YOMOGI satellites. Two of these satellites, LignoSat and YOMOGI, have received previous IARU coordination to operate over amateur radio frequencies. LignoSat was developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd. This CubeSat tests the use of wooden materials in space by measuring strain, temperature, and geomagnetism, along with detecting single event upsets (SEU). Amatuer radio satellite enthusiasts were ready to decode telemetry from the satellite this week, but unfortunately there has been no reported reception of either CW or AX.25 packets on the satellite's coordinated frequency of 435.820 MHz. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LignoSat-1U-Wood…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LignoSat-1U-Wood…> LignoSat, a 1U solar-powered satellite with wood panels, will orbit earth for six months. [Credit: Kyoto University<https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en>] DENDEN-01 was developed by Kansai University and partner institutions. Its mission includes testing advanced nanosatellite technologies, such as temperature-stabilizing devices, thin solar modules, and compact S-band communication systems. The satellite also supports educational activities and data analysis using a compact hyperspectral camera. ONGLAISAT is a 6U CubeSat co-developed by the Taiwan Space Agency, the University of Tokyo, and ArkEdge Space Inc. It features a telescope for high-resolution Earth imaging using Time Delay Integration (TDI) technology. This mission aims to produce clear and high signal-to-noise ratio images for Earth observation. YOMOGI was developed by the Chiba Institute of Technology. Its mission combines environmental monitoring and engineering education. The satellite observes red tide in Tokyo Bay, monitors water pollution in Uganda, and uses APRS to send sensor data to ground stations. Many 4800 baud GMSK telemetry packets have been received and decoded over the last few days indicating that the satellite is functioning well. More information can be found on SatNOGS regarding recent observations: https://db.satnogs.org/satellite/HHVN-9456-4962-8588-2802#data [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/YOMOGI-1U-APRS-S…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/YOMOGI-1U-APRS-S…> YOMOGI will capture images of the Earth surface using both Bandpass and RGB cameras. [Credit: Chiba Institute of Technology<https://www.it-chiba.ac.jp/english/>] YODAKA was developed by ArkEdge Space Inc. and other collaborators. It features a store-and-forward communication mission, collecting and retransmitting text messages from users on Earth, as well as a camera mission to capture Earth imagery. These activities support educational programs at Iwate Prefectural Hanamaki Kita High School and rural revitalization efforts in Hanamaki City. The deployment highlights collaboration between JAXA, Space BD Inc., Mitsui Bussan Aerospace Co., Ltd., and the J-CUBE program, which fosters academic and commercial utilization of CubeSats. Amateur radio operators and educational institutions are actively participating in tracking and analyzing data from these satellites. [ANS thanks the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency<https://global.jaxa.jp/> (JAXA) for the above information] ________________________________ Celebrate SO-50: Amateur Radio Special Event Marks 22nd Anniversary Saudisat 1C (SO-50) was launched on December 20, 2002, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). For more than two decades, it has been a valuable resource for amateur radio communications and remains operational in low Earth orbit. The satellite is equipped with a mode V/U FM voice repeater, operating on an uplink frequency of 145.850 MHz with a PL tone of 67.0 Hz and a downlink frequency of 436.795 MHz. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Saudisat-1C-SO-5…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Saudisat-1C-SO-5…> SO-50 celebrates 22 years of amateur radio satellite operations. [Credit: Saudi Amateur Radio Society<https://sars.sa/en/home-en>] To celebrate the 22nd anniversary of SO-50, the Saudi Amateur Radio Society (SARS) is organizing a global competition, the Saudi Sat SO-50 Event 22. The event will take place from December 13, 2024, at 00:00 UTC to December 22, 2024, at 23:59 UTC, inviting amateur radio operators to make contacts (QSOs) via the satellite during the competition period. Participants in the competition will be eligible for certificates based on the number of successful contacts they make with amateur stations in different Maidenhead grid squares. Five successful contacts will earn a Beginner Satellite Catcher Certificate, while ten successful contacts qualify for an Advanced Satellite Hunter Certificate. Those who achieve twenty successful contacts will be awarded a Professional Satellite Hunter Certificate. Operators who document their contacts with audio or video recordings, including the satellite name, date, and time, will receive a distinguished Amateur Certificate. Certificates will be distributed in PDF format, and the deadline for log submissions is January 10, 2025. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SaudiSAT-SO-50-E…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SaudiSAT-SO-50-E…> Saudi Sat SO-50 Event 22 will be held from December 13th to December 22nd. [Credit: Saudi Amateur Radio Society<https://sars.sa/en/home-en>] Logs must be submitted to log [at] sars.sa<http://sars.sa>. For technical support or additional information, participants can contact hzldg [at] sars.sa<http://sars.sa>. This competition highlights the enduring success of SO-50 and encourages its continued use in the global amateur radio community. It provides a platform for operators to connect, compete, and celebrate the satellite’s legacy. [ANS thanks the Saudi Amateur Radio Society<https://sars.sa/> and AMSAT-HZ<https://x.com/AMSATHZ> for the above information] ________________________________ The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now! Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-Coin-Both_5…] Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ ________________________________ ESA’s Proba-3 Satellites Launch to Create Artificial Solar Eclipses Two European Space Agency (ESA) satellites launched aboard an Indian rocket on December 5th, beginning a mission to study the Sun’s corona and demonstrate new spaceflight technologies. Called the Proba-3 mission, the two spacecraft will conduct formation flying and create artificial solar eclipses to capture images of the Sun's outer atmosphere, which is usually hidden by its brightness. The satellites launched aboard India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) at 5:34 am EST (10:34 UTC) and were placed into an elliptical orbit with a low point of 356 miles (573 kilometers) and a high point of 37,632 miles (60,563 kilometers). Early next year, the Coronagraph satellite, carrying instruments to image the Sun, and the Occulter satellite, equipped with navigation sensors and thrusters, will separate to begin their experiments. The Occulter will position a disk to block the Sun’s surface, casting a shadow on the Coronagraph satellite. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Proba-3-Coronagr…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Proba-3-Coronagr…> Proba-3 completed its final operations tests at Redwire’s Belgium facilities in October [Credit: Redwire Space<https://x.com/RedwireSpace>] This arrangement allows scientists to create artificial eclipses, blocking sunlight to reveal the solar corona. Natural solar eclipses offer only brief observation windows, and traditional coronagraphs on single spacecraft face challenges like diffraction. Proba-3 addresses these limitations by keeping the two satellites 150 meters apart, enabling clearer imaging of the Sun's outer atmosphere. Proba-3 uses advanced navigation technology, including inter-satellite radio links, cameras, and a laser-ranging system. This system maintains millimeter-scale precision between the satellites, allowing them to create artificial eclipses lasting up to six hours. The mission aims to conduct at least 1,000 hours of such observations during its two-year operational phase. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Proba-3-Formatio…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Proba-3-Formatio…> Artist rendering of the Proba-3 Coronagraph and Occulter satellites positioned 150 meters apart. [Credit: ESA<https://www.esa.int/> / P. Carril] The mission’s scientific goal is to observe a part of the corona that existing instruments cannot study. This region is critical for understanding solar phenomena such as coronal mass ejections and the acceleration of the solar wind, which affect space weather and Earth. The mission will also capture high-frequency images to study plasma waves and jets that may heat the corona and drive the solar wind. Proba-3 also serves as a test of formation-flying technology. ESA officials hope the techniques demonstrated will be used in future missions, such as Mars Sample Return or space debris removal. "Proba-3 is an important step toward more complex space operations," said Josef Aschbacher, ESA's director general. "This mission shows how smaller spacecraft can work together to achieve goals that were not possible before." [ANS thanks Stephen Clark, Ars Technica<https://arstechnica.com/> for the above information] ________________________________ VUCC / DXCC Satellite Standings for December 2024 VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for November 01, 2024 to December 01, 2024. Congratulations to the new VUCC Satellite holders! EK/RX3DPK is first VUCC Satellite holder from Armenia and LN20. AC9O 1001 1126 W2GDJ 908 1022 FG8OJ 921 935 KC4CJ 702 751 WD9EWK (DM43) 736 737 KB1HY 648 727 RA3DNC 305 599 AB1OC 407 476 W3TI 103 444 K5WO 200 255 EK/RX3DPK New 200 EA4DEI 100 150 DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for May 13, 2024 to December 01, 2024. Congratulations to the new DXCC Satellite holders! N8JCM is first DXCC Satellite holder from EN72 DF2ET 100 179 YO2CMI 173 174 LA6OP 143 151 KB8VAO 148 149 EA6VQ 145 147 IK1IYU 138 146 KB1HY 135 142 SP3AU 138 140 HB9GWJ 134 137 FG8OJ 116 120 HB9WDF 101 114 JA0FSB 101 111 EA5RM 108 110 DG7RO 100 103 M0SKM New 100 N8JCM New 100 [ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ<https://x.com/N7AZhikesAZ>, for the above information] ________________________________ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the AMSAT Store!<https://www.amsat.org/shop/> [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/cm/LEO-Pack1-300x298.png]<https://www.amsat.org/product/m2-leo-pack-antenna-system/> When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ ________________________________ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for December 13, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/. AO-123 has been identified as NORAD Cat ID 61781 The following satellites have been removed from this week's AMSAT TLE distribution: CosmoGirlSat NORAD Cat ID 60953 Decayed from orbit on or about 09 December 2024 IDEASSat NORAD Cat ID 47458 Decayed from orbit on or about 09 December 2024 [ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements<https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/> page for the above information] ________________________________ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. + Recently Completed Contacts South-West State University, Kursk, Russia, direct via UB3WCL The ISS callsign was RSØISS The scheduled crewmember was Alexander Gorbunov The ARISS mentor was RV3DR Contact was successful: Mon 2024-12-09 09:29 UTC Congratulations to the South-West State University students, Alexander, mentor RV3DR, and ground station UB3WCL! Chrześcijańska Szkoła Podstawowa Daniel, Warszawa, Poland, direct via SP5POT The ISS callsign was OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember was Don Pettit KD5MDT The ARISS mentor was SP3QFE Contact was successful: Mon 2024-12-09 11:03:48 UTC Congratulations to the Chrześcijańska Szkoła Podstawowa Daniel students, Don, mentor SP3QFE, and ground station SP5POT! Watch the Livestreams at https://www.facebook.com/share/45Mq4px6R9Fnt6tK/ and https://www.youtube.com/live/CDMgY2x5Kwo Scuola Secondaria di I Grado “F.Anzani”, Cantù, Italy, telebridge via VK4KHZ The ISS callsign was NA1SS The scheduled crewmember was Sunita Williams KD5PLB The ARISS mentor was IZ2GOJ Contact was successful: Tue 2024-12-10 09:13:10 UTC Congratulations to the Scuola Secondaria di I Grado “F.Anzani” students, Sunita, mentor IZ2GOJ, and telebridge station VK4KHZ! Watch the Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/jU7bSfGfwfI?si=OTL5NoqViOGKZgtI Hillsboro Charter Academy, Purcellville, VA, direct via KQ4MAM The ISS callsign was NA1SS The scheduled crewmember was Sunita Williams KD5PLB The ARISS mentor was AA6TB Contact was successful: Wed 2024-12-11 18:51:41 UTC Congratulations to the Hillsboro Charter Academy students, Sunita, mentor AA6TB, and ground station KQ4MAM! Watch the Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqKx6ytN96k and also https://live.ariss.org/ + Upcoming Contacts Zespół Szkół Łączności, Warszawa, Poland, direct via SP5KAB The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember is Nick Hague KG5TMV The ARISS mentor is SP3QFE Contact is go for: Mon 2024-12-16 08:35:06 UTC Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/DBafZYpxolI Sally Ride Elementary School, Orlando, Florida, direct via K1AA The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams KD5PLB The ARISS mentor is AA4KN Contact is go for: Tue 2024-12-17 18:49:38 UTC The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down). As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] ________________________________ Upcoming Satellite Operations None currently posted. A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location. [ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM<https://x.com/k5zm_>, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] ________________________________ AMSAT Ambassador Activities AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says, “Think a 75-minute presentation on “working the easy satellites” would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!” Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences. Central Kentucky Amateur Radio Society - December 19, 2024 CKARS Monthly Meeting 558 S Keeneland Drive Richmond, KY 40475 https://www.ckars.org/home AI4SR Yuma HAMCON - February 20th thru 22nd, 2025 Yuma, AZ N1UW [ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL<https://x.com/kyharleyfan>, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information] ________________________________ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store<https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AMSAT-Car-Flag-e…]<https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_car_flag-256716714380264543> Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear ________________________________ Satellite Shorts From All Over + NASA has announced delays to its Artemis moon program, pushing Artemis II, a crewed mission around the moon, to April 2026, with the Artemis III lunar landing planned for mid-2027. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized that this timeline keeps the U.S. ahead of China's goal to land on the moon by 2030, highlighting the competitive nature of the space race. The delays follow concerns about the Orion capsule’s heat shield, which cracked during reentry after the uncrewed Artemis I test mission in 2022; Artemis II will proceed with adjustments to the capsule’s trajectory, while future missions will feature an upgraded heat shield. Artemis, initiated under former President Trump’s administration, aims not only to return astronauts to the moon but also to establish lunar bases as a stepping stone for Mars exploration, despite rising costs and development delays. The program's reliance on SpaceX’s Starship for lunar landings has raised questions about its cost-effectiveness, especially under the incoming Trump administration. Nelson expressed optimism about Artemis's continuity under NASA’s next administrator, Jared Isaacman, amid ongoing bipartisan and international support for lunar exploration. (ANS thanks The Guardian<https://www.theguardian.com/> for the above information) + Less than a week after its December 5th launch aboard a Vega-C rocket, the Sentinel-1C satellite delivered its first radar images, showcasing its advanced capabilities in environmental monitoring. Equipped with a cutting-edge C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), Sentinel-1C operates in all weather and lighting conditions, supporting critical applications like climate change research, disaster response, and environmental management. Early images captured regions such as Svalbard, Norway, highlighting its ability to monitor Arctic ice coverage, the Netherlands, showcasing intricate details for agriculture and water management, and Brussels, Belgium, revealing dense urban landscapes with historical ties to the Sentinel program. These high-resolution radar images, processed flawlessly by the Sentinel-1 Ground Segment, underline the satellite’s potential for actionable insights into soil moisture, urban planning, and polar ecosystems. Sentinel-1C continues the legacy of its predecessors while expanding its role in marine surveillance, ground deformation observation, and global humanitarian aid. Freely available via the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, Sentinel-1C’s data ensures robust support for diverse Copernicus services and scientific applications worldwide. (ANS thanks the European Space Agency<https://www.esa.int/> for the above information) + NASA recently awarded SpaceX a $256.6 million contract to launch Dragonfly, a rotorcraft designed to explore Titan, Saturn's largest moon, using a nuclear-powered radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG). This marks a milestone for SpaceX, as it will be the company's first time launching a nuclear-powered payload, a domain previously dominated by United Launch Alliance (ULA). The RTG will generate electricity from plutonium-238, chosen because Titan's dim and cloudy atmosphere precludes the use of solar power. Dragonfly will explore Titan's surface by hopping between locations using its eight rotors, investigating organic molecules essential to understanding the building blocks of life. Originally set for a 2026 launch, delays due to redesigns, COVID-19 impacts, and supply chain issues have pushed the timeline to July 2028, with costs escalating to $3.35 billion. This mission, one of NASA's most ambitious robotic endeavors, underscores the transition to new-generation rockets for launching nuclear payloads, with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy beating ULA's Vulcan rocket in competitive bidding for this historic mission. (ANS thanks SpaceNews<https://spacenews.com/> for the above information) + The USC Rocket Propulsion Lab (USCRPL) at the University of Southern California has shattered the international altitude record for amateur rocketry with their Aftershock II rocket, reaching an unprecedented 470,000 feet. This achievement surpasses the previous 20-year record of 380,000 feet set by the Civilian Space Exploration Team in 2004, establishing Aftershock II as the first civilian-built rocket to achieve this altitude. Equipped with the most powerful solid-propellant motor ever fired by students and enhanced thermal protection systems, the rocket endured hypersonic speeds with innovative features like titanium-coated fins and a custom paint system. The launch on October 20th in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert also demonstrated advanced avionics and live data integration, enabling precise tracking and recovery. Building on their milestone 2019 launch of Traveler IV, the first student-designed rocket to cross the Kármán line, USCRPL continues to push the boundaries of amateur rocketry with cutting-edge engineering and teamwork. This remarkable achievement highlights the group’s role as a training ground for future leaders in the space industry, inspiring innovation and excellence among aspiring astronautical engineers. (ANS thanks University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering<https://viterbischool.usc.edu/> for the above information) ________________________________ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. * Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half-time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org<https://www.amsat.org> for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ mahrenstorff [at] amsat.org<https://www.amsat.org>

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Re: Satellite names and TLEs
by Nico Janssen 15 Dec '24

15 Dec '24

David, Let me elaborate a bit on Joe's great comments. The source of the TLEs in the Satellite Catalog (SatCat) is the 18thSDS. They publish only the TLEs of non-classified objects through Space-Track.org, which is the interface between the 18thSDS and 'the outside world'. The TLEs for classified objects are generated and published by amateur observers. For some reason many people continue to use the name NORAD when referring to the SatCat. But NORAD has NOT been involved in the SatCat since the early seventies of the previous century. Since that time several other military organizations have been responsible for the maintenance of the SatCat. Currently it is the 18thSDS. The unique identification numbers for the objects in the SatCat are called Catalog Numbers (CatNr), so not NORAD Numbers. Some other names are also used, e.g. Object Numbers or, more recently, Satellite Numbers (SatNo). But that last name suggests that the objects are always satellites, while of course they can be Rocket Bodies (R/B) or pieces of debris. So again, the name NORAD does NOT apply. Best to remove that word completely from your vocabulary ;-) . Another misunderstanding is that the 18thSDS identifies new satellites after their launch. That is not what happens. In the radar tracking network they can only see 'blips' on their radar screens. But they can not tell which blip belongs to which satellite. They can generate TLEs for all the observed objects without knowing which satellites are involved. So they depend on outsiders to identify the satellites for them. I try to help by carefully matching measured doppler curves with doppler curves that are calculated using the available TLEs. Usually my ID information is used in CelesTrak's SatCat. But the 18thSDS applies the strict rule that they may only accept ID information coming from the Owner/Operator of the involved satellite. Unfortunately many satellite owners don't know that they are responsible for identifying their satellite and then inform the 18thSDS accordingly. Also many foreign entities don't (want to) inform the 18thSDS of their satellite IDs. Therefore you see many unidentified objects in the SatCat, even though IDs are available through other sources. 'Satellite names' is another long discussion... 73, Nico PA0DLO On 13-12-2024 21:47, David Spoelstra via AMSAT-BB wrote: > > I’m trying to understand the process of naming satellites and putting > their TLEs in the official sources. > > > It seems like Space-Track is the official source of TLEs. Is that > correct? It seems like CelesTrak and AMSAT are secondary sources. Is > that correct? > > > It seems like the process is this: > > 1. > > When a satellite is first launched, various people associated with > it post preliminary TLEs with a temporary ID number. > > 2. > > At some point an official ID number is generated. Who does this? > I’m assuming NORAD? > > 3. > > At some point, the satellite is given a name like “AO-123” versus > “2024-199AY” or “OBJECT AY”. Who does this? Is that an “official” > name that all TLEs should use? > > 4. > > At some point it seems like the TLE sources align with the same > name. Who drives that? > > > For example, let’s take AO-123. AMSAT lists it as: > > AO-123 > > 1 61781U 24199AY 24347.80600981 .00010127 00000-0 42052-3 0 9997 > > 2 61781 97.3799 212.0032 0019112 106.8236 253.5099 15.23855779 49614 > > > Space-Track lists it as: > > 0 OBJECT AY > > 1 61781U 24199AY 24348.46265841 .00010225 00000-0 42439-3 0 9990 > > 2 61781 97.3798 212.6494 0019118 104.7477 255.5880 15.23869705 49716 > > > CelesTrak lists it as: > > 2024-199AY > > 1 61781U 24199AY 24348.46265841 .00010225 00000+0 42439-3 0 9999 > > 2 61781 97.3798 212.6494 0019118 104.7477 255.5880 15.23869705 49716 > > > When will Space-Track and CelesTrak list it as AO-123? Who decides that? > > > Also, why is AMSAT’s TLEs so far behind Space-Track and CelesTrak? > Notice AMSAT lists revolution 49614 versus the others that list > revolution 49716 so it’s quite a bit behind. > > > Lastly, sometimes the TLE sources never seem to align on a name. A > good example of this is AO-91. AMSAT lists it as: > > AO-91 > > 1 43017U 17073E 24347.62953177 .00010752 00000-0 59525-3 0 9997 > > 2 43017 97.5481 217.2046 0193324 54.2789 307.6249 14.99383406382348 > > > However, CelesTrak lists it as: > > RADFXSAT (FOX-1B) > > 1 43017U 17073E 24347.89647055 .00011020 00000+0 60999-3 0 9996 > > 2 43017 97.5480 217.4635 0193277 53.3813 308.5014 14.99389431382386 > > > Why don’t they use the same name after all these years? Who decides that? > > > Thanks for helping me to understand the intricacies of this process. > > > -David, N9KT > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available > to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed > are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. > Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available athttps://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ > > View archives of this mailing list at > https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org > To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org > Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences athttps://mailman.amsat.org

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