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

ANS-126 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ) 05 May '24

05 May '24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-126 In this edition: * Greencube Terminal Program: Version 1.0.0.90 Enhancements and Updates * Chang'e-6 Successfully Launches: China's Historic Lunar Mission Begins * NASA Reveals SpaceX's Innovative Plan for Starship Refueling in Orbit * GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers May 2024 Rankings * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 3, 2024 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * 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-126 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 May 05 ________________________________ Greencube Terminal Program: Version 1.0.0.90 Enhancements and Updates The Greencube Terminal Program, developed by Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR, has taken another leap forward in its evolution with the launch of Version 1.0.0.90. This latest update brings a number of enhancements and fixes geared towards bolstering operational efficiency and enriching the user experience, particularly for IO-117 satellite enthusiasts. One of the standout features of this update is the integration of UHM 2.1 (yoU Heard Me), supplanting the older UHM 2.0. It's imperative for users to make the switch before May 14th, as UHM 2.0 will quit working thereafter. In the Live World View (LWV), users now have the flexibility to customize the positioning of the "radar view" of the current pass on the screen, allowing for more tailored satellite tracking experiences. Moreover, a bug that caused the frequency/band to default to 435.310 MHz regardless of the satellite selected when logging stations has been rectified. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Greencube-Termin…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Greencube-Termin…> Greencube Terminal Live World View [Credit: Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR] Several user-requested enhancements have been incorporated, including the addition of time stamps (HH:MM:SS) when copying selected lines to the clipboard in the Traffic window and the removal of limitations on the length of callsigns (excluding SSID) in AX.25 mode so the full 6-character callsigns in AX.25 are supported. Additionally, users can now integrate their horizon into the "radar view" in LWV by defining horizon definitions in a text file. Noteworthy improvements have also been made to message handling within the Terminal program. These include fixes to parsing issues with local TLE data caused by duplicate NORAD numbers and adjustments to the way UHM paints lines in the Traffic view to address reported errors. Furthermore, enhancements to LoTW status checks now ensure that updates occur automatically every 12 hours based on user-configured preferences, streamlining the process and ensuring accuracy. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Greencube-Termin…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Greencube-Termin…> Greencube Terminal Main Screen with UHM 2.1 [Credit: Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR] The introduction of Live QSO Viewer (LQV) and Live World View (LWV) offers users innovative graphical representations of satellite traffic and station locations, enhancing situational awareness and operational efficiency. Additionally, the integration of GPS in version 1.0.0.84 enables users to connect GPS receivers for automatic grid location updates, simplifying tracking and reporting, especially for mobile users. With the addition of features such as UHM integration, expanded satellite selection, and improved message handling, users can anticipate a more robust and user-friendly experience with the Greencube Terminal Program v1.0.0.90. These updates underscore a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, ensuring Greencube Terminal Program remains the most popular application for GreenCube satellite communications. More information about installation, features, and updates can be found on Carsten's website: https://www.moonbounce.dk/hamradio/greencube-terminal-program.html. [ANS thanks Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR, for the above information] ________________________________ Chang'e-6 Successfully Launches: China's Historic Lunar Mission Begins China's Chang'e-6 mission embarked on its historic journey on May 3rd, launching aboard a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island, China. This mission aims to retrieve samples from the far side of the Moon, a feat never before achieved. The spacecraft is set to undergo a 53-day voyage to the Moon and back, where it will collect lunar soil and rocks, offering invaluable insights into the Moon's ancient history. The mission targets the Moon's South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, a region of particular interest due to its potential to unveil crucial information about the Moon's past. This basin, formed by an ancient impact, holds clues about the events that shaped both the Moon and Earth billions of years ago, providing an opportunity to understand the differences between the near and far sides of the Moon. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Change-6-Spacecr…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Change-6-Spacecr…> Rendering of Chang'e-6 Spacecraft in Lunar Orbit. [Credit: Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA)] Unlike previous lunar missions, which primarily focused on the near side, Chang'e-6 will explore the challenging terrain of the far side. Landing and communicating on this side of the Moon require sophisticated technology, including communications relay satellites. China, having achieved the first successful lunar far-side landing in 2019 with Chang'e-4, now endeavors to bring back samples from this uncharted territory. The Chang'e-6 spacecraft is comprised of four components: an orbiter, lander, ascender, and reentry module. Upon reaching lunar orbit, the lander and ascender will descend to the Moon's surface, collect approximately 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of lunar material using specialized tools, and return to lunar orbit. The orbiter will then carry the samples back to Earth, releasing the reentry module into the atmosphere for a soft landing. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Change-6-Planned…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Change-6-Planned…> Chang'e-6 Spacecraft's Landing Site on the Moon's SPA Basin. [Credit: Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA)] During its 53-day mission, Chang'e-6 will communicate with Earth through the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, which features a large parabolic antenna. This communication link will enable scientists to monitor and control the mission's progress and ensure the safe return of valuable lunar samples. The scientific significance of Chang'e-6 extends beyond lunar exploration. The samples it retrieves will shed light on the Solar System's tumultuous past, particularly the Late Heavy Bombardment period around 3.9 billion years ago. By studying the SPA basin's age and composition, scientists hope to discern the origins of this event and its implications for Earth's history and the potential for life elsewhere in the universe. [ANS thanks Jason Davis, The Planetary Society, 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/ ________________________________ NASA Reveals SpaceX's Innovative Plan for Starship Refueling in Orbit NASA recently outlined SpaceX's plans for refueling Starships in low-Earth orbit, a critical step toward enabling ambitious lunar missions. Scheduled for next year, this demonstration involves linking two Starships in orbit. Under contract with NASA's Artemis program, SpaceX aims to supply human-rated Starships for lunar landings, although the targeted 2026 launch for Artemis III highlights the project's ambitious nature. Last year, NASA awarded a contract to Blue Origin, providing alternative options for lunar missions. Both companies designed their landers with future refueling capabilities, allowing for multiple missions and potential resource utilization on the Moon or Mars. Amit Kshatriya, leading NASA's "Moon to Mars" program, outlined SpaceX's strategy for in-space refueling during a recent meeting. Despite challenges, progress is evident as SpaceX prepares for upcoming Starship test flights, aiming to tackle crucial technical hurdles. Before lunar missions become a reality, mastering in-space refueling is essential. SpaceX plans to demonstrate large-scale propellant transfer between two Starships in orbit next year. This milestone follows a successful cryogenic propellant transfer test during a previous Starship flight, funded by NASA. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SpaceX-Starships…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SpaceX-Starships…> Artist's Illustration of Two SpaceX Starships Docked in Orbit. [Credit: SpaceX] With each test flight, SpaceX aims to enhance capabilities necessary for lunar landings. These include precise booster landings, in-orbit engine restarts, and controlled reentries-a prerequisite for deep space exploration. SpaceX's long-term goal of frequent Starship launches hinges on rapid reusability, aligning with Elon Musk's vision. Despite the challenges, progress is tangible, with plans underway to establish additional launch infrastructure in Texas and Florida. The upcoming refueling demonstration involves autonomously linking two Starships in orbit, a task not without complexities. Yet, leveraging experience from Dragon capsule missions, SpaceX aims to navigate these challenges. The propellant transfer process relies on a pressure differential mechanism, simplifying the flow between donor and recipient tanks. Fine-tuning this procedure is crucial to avoid propellant loss during transfers. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SpaceX-Cryogenic…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SpaceX-Cryogenic…> Plans for SpaceX's Ship-to-Ship Cryogenic Transfer Demonstration. [Credit: NASA/Amit Kshatriya] Success in these demonstrations will determine the number of refueling tankers required for lunar missions. While predictions exist, practical tests will validate these estimates, ensuring mission success. As SpaceX pushes boundaries, industry experts emphasize the importance of collaboration and innovation. With a resilient team and the right attitude, SpaceX aims to overcome challenges and pioneer the next era of space exploration. While ambitious, SpaceX's endeavors signify a paradigm shift in space exploration, driven by a collective vision of advancing humanity's reach beyond Earth's orbit. [ANS thanks Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, for the above information] ________________________________ GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers May 2024 Rankings The May 2024 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap<https://twitter.com/GridMasterMap> on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr<http://gridmaster.fr> website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr in order to provide more accurate data. Updated: 2024-05-01 1 ND9M 26 N5BO 51 SP5XSD 76 FG8OJ 2 NJ7H 27 K8BL 52 AD7DB 77 PT9BM 3 JA9KRO 28 LU5ILA 53 JL3RNZ 78 KJ7NDY 4 N5UC 29 KE4AL 54 F4DXV 79 KI7UXT 5 UT1FG 30 DL2GRC 55 KE9AJ 80 YU0W 6 OE3SEU 31 VE3HLS 56 KI7QEK 81 WA9JBQ 7 DL6AP 32 KB5FHK 57 PA3GAN 82 N4DCW 8 WI7P 33 KI7UNJ 58 N8RO 83 HB9GWJ 9 HA3FOK 34 LA9XGA 59 XE1ET 84 KB2YSI 10 K5ZM 35 F4BKV 60 KM4LAO 85 N0TEL 11 N6UA 36 N7AGF 61 VE1CWJ 86 VE3GOP 12 N9IP 37 JO2ASQ 62 SM3NRY 87 KI0KB 13 WY7AA 38 XE3DX 63 N4UFO 88 JM1CAX 14 W5PFG 39 K7TAB 64 VA3VGR 89 CU2ZG 15 AK8CW 40 KE0PBR 65 W1AW 90 K0FFY 16 AD0DX 41 KE0WPA 66 VA7LM 91 KG4AKV 17 DP0POL 42 N6DNM 67 PT2AP 92 AF5CC 18 WD9EWK 43 PR8KW 68 M1DDD 93 VE6WK 19 AD0HJ 44 AC0RA 69 DL4EA 94 W8MTB 20 ON4AUC 45 EB1AO 70 AA8CH 95 VE7PTN 21 KX9X 46 JK2XXK 71 N4AKV 96 DK9JC 22 KG5CCI 47 W7WGC 72 LU4JVE 97 K6VHF 23 ND0C 48 EA4NF 73 VE1VOX 98 N6UTC 24 DJ8MS 49 VK5DG 74 W8LR 99 PT9ST 25 F5VMJ 50 AA5PK 75 DF2ET 100 VO2AC [ANS thanks @GridMasterMap<https://twitter.com/GridMasterMap> 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 May 3, 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/. Correction to last week's addition: KASHIWA NORAD Cat ID 59508 Correct downlink 437.3753 MHz (Thanks Nico PA0DLO) The following satellites have been removed from this week's AMSAT-NA TLE distribution: NIUSAT NORAD Cat ID 42766 Decayed from orbit on or about 27 April 2024 ExoCube 2 NORAD Cat ID 47319 Decayed from orbit on or about 30 April 2024 [ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements 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 Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School Center for Innovation, Raleigh, NC, telebridge via K6DUE The ISS callsign was NA1SS The scheduled crewmember was Matthew Dominick KCØTOR The ARISS mentor was AA6TB Contact was successful: Wed 2024-05-01 12:03:49 UTC Watch for Livestream at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnAZJknxsgw Wireless Institute of Australia / Bundaberg High School Amateur Radio Club, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia, telebridge via VK6MJ The ISS callsign was NA1SS The scheduled crewmember was Mike Barratt KD5MIJ The ARISS mentor was VK4KHZ Contact was successful: Sat 2024-05-04 10:28:24 UTC + Upcoming Contacts Eric Knows CIC, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, telebridge via K6DUE The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Matthew Dominick KCØTOR The ARISS mentor is MØXTD Contact is go for: Sat 2024-05-11 08:42:32 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 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, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] ________________________________ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. Dayton Hamvention 2024 Friday May 17th - Sunday May 19th Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org 38th Annual Small Satellite Conference August 3-8, 2024 Logan, UT, USA https://smallsat.org<https://smallsat.org/> [ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page 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 + Congratulations are in order for RJ Bragg, WY7AA, and Andrew Northam, KE8FZT, for their impressive accomplishments in earning GridMaster Awards #64 and #65, respectively! This esteemed recognition, initiated by Star Comm Group in 2014 and backed by Damon Runion, WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, has now been entrusted to AMSAT for the benefit of the entire amateur satellite community. The GridMaster Award celebrates radio amateurs worldwide who achieve two-way communication via amateur satellite with operators in all 488 Maidenhead grids across the contiguous United States of America. For more details on this distinguished award, visit the AMSAT website at https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/. Andrew and RJ, your achievement is truly commendable-well done! (ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information) + AMSAT Italia proudly announces the acquisition of ownership of the IO-117 "GreenCube" satellite, with Sapienza University retaining partial ownership. Through collaboration, the satellite will continue amateur radio operations post-primary scientific mission completion, preventing its decommissioning. This transfer of legal responsibility from the Italian Space Agency to AMSAT Italia solidifies the satellite's exclusive amateur radio use. Originally named GreenCube, it was developed by Sapienza University, ENEA, and University of Naples Federico II, with AMSAT Italia contributing to its design. On October 29, 2022, GreenCube became the first ham radio satellite to operate in a MEO orbit, designated as Italy-OSCAR 117 (IO-117) by AMSAT. AMSAT Italia, Sapienza Space Systems, and Space Surveillance Laboratory commit to operating the satellite for continued service to the amateur radio community. (ANS thanks AMSAT Italia for the above information) + Boeing's Crew Flight Test (CFT) of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is scheduled for Monday, May 6, with a targeted launch time of 10:34 p.m. EDT. Led by Commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Pilot Suni Williams, both experienced NASA astronauts, this mission comes after over a decade in development. The duo will spend at least eight days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) conducting various flight test objectives before returning for a solid-ground landing. Wilmore and Williams will be the first humans to fly atop the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket since 1963 and execute the first "land" landing of a crew-carrying U.S. spacecraft since 2011. Originally not slated for this mission, Wilmore and Williams stepped in after several crew changes, with Williams set to become the first woman to fly the maiden voyage of a new orbital-class vehicle. Deep into pre-flight quarantine, the astronauts express their readiness, acknowledging the challenges and the learning opportunities that lie ahead in this ambitious test flight. (ANS thanks Ben Evans, AmericaSpace, for the above information) + On April 25, 2024, Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub conducted a successful spacewalk, lasting four hours and 36 minutes, to install communication and corrosion analysis equipment on the International Space Station (ISS). The spacewalk aimed to deploy a communications system and install equipment to analyze corrosion levels on station surfaces. Kononenko, with seven spacewalks under his belt, and Chub, on his second, completed their tasks, including deploying a panel for a synthetic radar communications system on the Russian segment of the ISS. This mission marked the 270th spacewalk for assembly, maintenance, and upgrades of the space station, with Kononenko and Chub having arrived at the station on September 15, 2023, aboard the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft. (ANS thanks SciTechDaily.com, for the above information) + Two new Galileo navigation satellites were launched from Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, April 27th, at 8:34 p.m. EDT, bolstering the system's constellation to 30 satellites and amplifying reliability and precision for billions of users globally. Since its inception in 2016, Galileo has been pivotal across various sectors such as rail, maritime, agriculture, and rescue operations, contributing significantly to the EU's GDP, with 10% reliant on satellite navigation. This launch follows the recent introduction of the new Public Regulated Service signals, further solidifying Europe's independence in satellite navigation. Notably, this marks the first time Galileo satellites have been launched aboard an American-made rocket, a significant development amid Europe's diminishing space collaboration with Russia. (ANS thanks the European Space Agency, for the above information) + SpaceX's 30th Dragon cargo mission successfully returned to Earth, splashing down off the coast of Florida in the early hours of April 30th. Departing from the International Space Station on April 28th, the capsule completed its mission under the CRS-30 contract with NASA. Loaded with over 4,100 pounds of supplies and scientific experiments, Dragon is unique in its capability to safely bring gear back from the ISS, unlike other operational spacecraft that burn up upon reentry. This return enables quick transportation of experiments to NASA's facilities for data collection. Meanwhile, another SpaceX vehicle remains docked at the ISS, supporting the Crew-8 astronaut mission for NASA, launched in early March. (ANS thanks Mike Wall, Space.com, 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<http://amsat.org> for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ ad0hj [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org>

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-05-04 21:30 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 04 May '24

04 May '24

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-05-04 21:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Wireless Institute of Australia / Bundaberg High School Amateur Radio Club, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia, telebridge via VK6MJ 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 Mike Barratt KD5MIJ The ARISS mentor is VK4KHZ Contact was successful: Sat 2024-05-04 10:28:24 UTC 51 deg (***) Congratulations to the Wireless Institute of Australia / Bundaberg High School Amateur Radio Club students, Mike, mentor VK4KHZ, and ground station VK6MJ! (***) Eric Knows CIC, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, telebridge via K6DUE 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 Matthew Dominick KCØTOR The ARISS mentor is MØXTD Contact is go for: Sat 2024-05-11 08:42:32 UTC 48 deg Watch for Livestream at https://live.ariss.org/ 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 2024-05-04 21:30 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 2024-05-04 21:30 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 next proposal window for US schools and educational organizations to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS opens April 8, 2024 for contacts to be scheduled for January 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025. This proposal window is due to ARISS by May 19, 2024 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at www.ariss.org. 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 233 Francesco IKØWGF with 154 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 150 Gaston ON4WF with 124 Peter IN3GHZ with 118 Steve VE3TBD with 106 **************************************************************************** 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 1721. (***) Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1626. (***) 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 **************************************************************************** Exp. 70 on orbit Oleg Kononenko Nikolay Chub Exp. 71 on orbit Tracy E. Caldwell Dyson SpaceX Crew-8 on orbit Matthew Dominick KCØTOR Mike Barratt KD5MIJ Jeanette Epps KF5QNU Aleksandr Grebyonkin RZ3DSE **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Yaesu FT736
by alex weimer 04 May '24

04 May '24

I have a great Yaesu FT736R listed on qrz.com and qth.com if anyone is interested in a great satellite radio. Email me for info if one is wanted. 73

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TEVEL-6
by david.greenberg 03 May '24

03 May '24

Hello All, TEVEL-6 FM transponder has been activated, starting from today 03.05.24 20:40U for 72 hours.73,David 4X1DGנשלח מה-Galaxy שלי

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TEVEL-2
by david.greenberg 03 May '24

03 May '24

Hello All, TEVEL-2 FM transponder has been activated, starting from today 03.05.24 20:15U for 72 hours.73,David 4X1DGנשלח מה-Galaxy שלי

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TEVEL-7
by david.greenberg 03 May '24

03 May '24

Hello All, TEVEL-7 FM transponder has been activated, starting from today 03.05.24 19:25U for 72 hours.73,David 4X1DGנשלח מה-Galaxy שלי

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ARISS News Release No. 24-28
by David Jordan 02 May '24

02 May '24

ARISS News Release No.24-28 DaveJordan, AA4KN ARISS PR aa4kn(a)amsat.org FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE ARISSContact is Scheduled with Students at Wireless Institute of Australia / Bundaberg High School Amateur Radio Club, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia May 2, 2024—AmateurRadio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received scheduleconfirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard theInternational Space Station (ISS) and students at the Wireless Institute ofAustralia / Bundaberg High School Amateur Radio Club, Bundaberg in Bundaberg,Queensland, Australia. ARISS conducts60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between studentsaround the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS. BundabergState High School, operating since 1912, serves more than 1600 students ingrades 7-12. The science faculty regularly collaborate with other local highschools, feeder primary schools, TAFE (Technical and further educationtraining), local Universities and local community business and agencies todevelop curricular and extra-curricular programs, including STEM and ScienceAmbassador programs. Science courses include physics courses on Forces, energywaves, and electromagnetic radiation, and Earth Science courses on the SolarSystem (the Big Bang Theory). This will be atelebridge Contact via AmateurRadio allowing students toask their questions of astronaut Mike Barratt, amateur radio call sign KD5MIJ.The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz and may be heard bylisteners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses thetelebridge station. The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station)for this contact is in Meadow Spring, Australia. The amateur radio volunteerteam at the ground station will use the callsign VK6MJ, to establish andmaintain the ISS connection. The ARISS radiocontact is scheduled for May 4, 2024 at 8:28 pm AEST (Queensland) (10:28:24 UTC,6:28 am EDT, 5:28 am CDT, 4:28 am MDT, 3:28am PDT). _______________________________ As time allows,students will ask these questions: 1. What are thetraining requirements before going to space? 2. How fast doyou have to travel to go through Earth’s atmosphere and how did you feel whenyou were first taking off into space? 3. How do you maneuverin and outside of the ISS given there is no gravity? 4. What genericthings are surprisingly more difficult to do up there than down here on earth? 5. What do youhave to eat in space and have you noted any changes in your digestive systemsince your arrival on ISS? 6. How manyhours are you awake for in the international space station every day and howdoes the crew sleep at night with the very low gravity? 7. What is thecurrent mission, tasks and research being completed on the ISS? 8. What’s themost profound revelation you’ve had while looking at the stars? 9. What tasksare you doing immediately after talking with us? 10. Can youdescribe the moment you first saw Earth from space? 11. Do you havesense of direction in space and do you look up or down at Earth? 12. How longhave you been on the International Space Station and how much longer will youstay there, also do we know how long is it safe to be in space for? 13. What do youfind most exhilarating about spacewalks? 14. What madeyou want to be an astronaut and when did you discover this? About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) isa cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the spaceagencies that support the ISS. In the United States, sponsors are the AmericanRadio Relay League (ARRL), Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), RadioAmateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), NASA’s Space Communications andNavigation program (SCaN) and the ISS National Lab—Space Station Explorers. Theprimary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology,engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizingscheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS andstudents. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents,and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, spacetechnologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see http://www.ariss.org . Media Contact: Dave Jordan,AA4KN ARISS PR Find us onsocial media at: X: ARISS_Intl Facebook:facebook.com/ARISSIntl Instagram:ariss_intl Mastodon:[email protected] Check out ARISSon Youtube.com.

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Re: ANS-123 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - AMSAT Italia Enters Into the Ownership of IO-117 "GreenCube" Satellite
by graham＠shirville.com 02 May '24

02 May '24

Congratulations to everyone at AMSAT Italy for achieving such a great outcome regarding Greencube IO-117. The mission has certainly proven what is possible to achieve with quite a small spacecraft in MEO. Let us hope that there will be more amateur radio missions to similar obits soon. Meanwhile we thank you! 73 Graham G3VZV From: Paul Stoetzer via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Thursday, May 2, 2024 6:03 PM To: ans(a)amsat.org; AMSAT BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [AMSAT-BB] ANS-123 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - AMSAT Italia Enters Into the Ownership of IO-117 "GreenCube" Satellite AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin ANS-123 May 2, 2024 In this edition: * AMSAT Italia Enters Into the Ownership of IO-117 "GreenCube" Satellite 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/ _____ AMSAT Italia Enters Into the Ownership of IO-117 "GreenCube" Satellite Rome, April 30, 2024 - AMSAT Italia is proud to announce the acquisition of the quote of property of the IO-117 “GreenCube” satellite. The other part of the property remains on behalf of “Sapienza University”, Rome, Italy. A collaborative work of the parts will let the satellite continue the amateur radio operations after the completion of the primary scientific mission. This will definitively avert the satellite decommissioning process by transferring the legal responsibility of the satellite from the Italian Space Agency to AMSAT Italia. Even formally and legally, the satellite, already known with its original name of GreenCube, becomes for the exclusive use of amateur radio. The scientific community continue the study of the behavior of this type of satellite placed in MEO orbit. GreenCube was designed and developed by Sapienza University, ENEA and University of Naples Federico II for the Italian Space Agency. AMSAT Italia contributed to design the digipeater and supported amateur radio operations. IARU coordinated the use of the operations in the amateur radio frequency bands. The satellite was carried on the qualification flight of Vega-C launcher on July 13, 2022 from the French Guiana Space Center in Kourou. On October 29, 2022, the on-board digipeater was activated, allowing GreenCube to become the first ham radio satellite to operate in a MEO orbit. Being a radio amateur worldwide success, AMSAT officially designated the satellite as Italy-OSCAR 117 (IO-117). AMSAT Italia and Sapienza Space Systems and Space Surveillance Laboratory - S5LAB- are now committed to operate the satellite and to continue to offer the service to the amateur radio community. For further information please contact AMSAT Italia at segreteria at amsat.it <http://amsat.it> . <https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AMSAT_Italia_acq…> The original press release can be found at https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AMSAT_Italia_acq… [ANS thanks AMSAT Italia 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 <http://amsat.org> for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Contributing Editor, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org> ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002

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ANS-123 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - AMSAT Italia Enters Into the Ownership of IO-117 "GreenCube" Satellite
by Paul Stoetzer 02 May '24

02 May '24

*AMSAT *News Service Special Bulletin*ANS-123* *May 2, 2024* In this edition: - AMSAT Italia Enters Into the Ownership of IO-117 "GreenCube" Satellite 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 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/ ------------------------------ AMSAT Italia Enters Into the Ownership of IO-117 "GreenCube" Satellite Rome, April 30, 2024 - AMSAT Italia is proud to announce the acquisition of the quote of property of the IO-117 “GreenCube” satellite. The other part of the property remains on behalf of “Sapienza University”, Rome, Italy. A collaborative work of the parts will let the satellite continue the amateur radio operations after the completion of the primary scientific mission. This will definitively avert the satellite decommissioning process by transferring the legal responsibility of the satellite from the Italian Space Agency to AMSAT Italia. Even formally and legally, the satellite, already known with its original name of GreenCube, becomes for the exclusive use of amateur radio. The scientific community continue the study of the behavior of this type of satellite placed in MEO orbit. GreenCube was designed and developed by Sapienza University, ENEA and University of Naples Federico II for the Italian Space Agency. AMSAT Italia contributed to design the digipeater and supported amateur radio operations. IARU coordinated the use of the operations in the amateur radio frequency bands. The satellite was carried on the qualification flight of Vega-C launcher on July 13, 2022 from the French Guiana Space Center in Kourou. On October 29, 2022, the on-board digipeater was activated, allowing GreenCube to become the first ham radio satellite to operate in a MEO orbit. Being a radio amateur worldwide success, AMSAT officially designated the satellite as Italy-OSCAR 117 (IO-117). AMSAT Italia and Sapienza Space Systems and Space Surveillance Laboratory - S5LAB- are now committed to operate the satellite and to continue to offer the service to the amateur radio community. For further information please contact AMSAT Italia at segreteria at amsat.it. The original press release can be found at https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AMSAT_Italia_acq… *[ANS thanks AMSAT Italia 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 for additional membership information. *73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* *This week's ANS Contributing Editor,* *Paul Stoetzer, N8HM* *n8hm [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org>* *ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002*

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TEVEL-8
by david.greenberg 02 May '24

02 May '24

Hello All, Experimental operationTEVEL-8 FM transponder has been activated, starting from today 02.05.24 08:30U for 72 hours.73,David 4X1DGנשלח מה-Galaxy שלי

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