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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-08-04 03:00 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 04 Aug '24

04 Aug '24

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-08-04 03:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: SMPIT Nurul Ishlah, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, multi-point telebridge via VK4ISS (***) 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 VE3TBD Contact was successful: Fri 2024-08-02 12:43:07 UTC 27 deg (***) Congratulations to the 15 schools involved with this UNESCO educational project, Sunita, mentor VE3TBD, and telebridge VK4ISS! (***) Aznakaevsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS 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 Nikolay Chub The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Sat 2024-08-03 14:40 UTC International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly 2024, Cape Town, South Africa, 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 Sunita Williams KD5PLB, Jeanette Epps KF5QNU, Matthew Dominick KCØTOR, or Mike Barratt KD5MIJ The ARISS mentor is KA3HDO Contact is go for: Fri 2024-08-09 11:55:06 UTC 40 deg Watch for Livestream at https://astronomy2024.org/ A.G. Nikolaev Secondary School, Shorshel, Chuvashia, Russia direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS 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 Nikolay Chub The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Sun 2024-08-11 08:20 UTC 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 2024-08-04 03:00 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 2024-08-04 03:00 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 next proposal window for US schools and educational organizations to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS opens July 8, 2024 for contacts to be scheduled for January 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025. This proposal window is due to ARISS by September 6, 2024 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time (Sept. 7, 2024, 06:59 UTC). (***) Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at www.ariss.org. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on July 22, 2024, at 7 PM ET (23:00 UTC). The Zoom link to sign up is: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErf-ihrDktG9OphYxAjfz7nbONV0YcwY… (***) 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 240 Francesco IKØWGF with 154 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 153 Gaston ON4WF with 124 Peter IN3GHZ with 119 Steve VE3TBD with 120 (***) **************************************************************************** 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 1755. (***) Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1646. (***) 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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Re: Fw: [ANS] ANS-217 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by John Brier 04 Aug '24

04 Aug '24

Maybe this link works for you. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GT-2A6DWEAAC_Gg?format=jpg&name=medium 73, John Brier KG4AKV On Sat, Aug 3, 2024 at 8:14 PM John Antonuk - AL7ID via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > "SONATE-2 was one of a cluster of satellites launched on a SpaceX Falcon-9 > flight on March 5, 2024. Digipeater and SSTV activations are announced at > https://x.com/JMUSpace/. " > > For those of us not on X/Twitter, can somebody send a note to this list > with the schedule? > > many thanks, > John > > > 73, > > John Antonuk > > AL7ID(a)yahoo.com > > > > > On Saturday, August 3, 2024 at 04:05:26 PM AKDT, Mark Johns, K0JM via ANS < > ans(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > > AMSAT NEWS SERVICE > ANS-217 > > In this edition: > > * ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit > * SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation > * Wireless Technology Workshop in India > * Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger > * ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch > * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution > * 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 http://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-217 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 Aug 4 > ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit > > When the long-delayed inaugural launch of the European Space Agency’s > (ESA’s) new Ariane 6 rocket finally occurred on July 7, it suffered an > upper stage failure that left some payloads in the wrong orbits. > Fortunately, before the anomaly developed, the Ariane 6 successfully > deployed ROBUSTA-3A, a satellite with an amateur radio payload. The target > was a 580 km circular orbit with an inclination of 96 degrees. > > ROBUSTA-3A (a.k.a. “Méditerranée”) is a 3U cubesat, designed and built by > students and faculty of Université de Montpellier in southern France. Over > a decade in development, involving around 300 students from the University > of Montpellier and all over the world, ROBUSTA-3A will be its seventh > satellite developed entirely in-house, having learned much from the > development and launch of smaller ROBUSTA-1U satellites. The project has > offered hands-on training, engineering and scientific experience to the > next generation of space engineers and researchers. > > > *The Robusta 3A satellite is 3U, three CubeSat units. (Photo: Van Allen > Foundation)* > > The satellite’s primary mission is weather observation, specifically to > track “Cevenol events.” These are intense storms and incredibly heavy rains > that cause extensive flooding, often in the form of flash floods, that hit > the plains and the foothills of southern France. Once considered “100-year > storms,” they have been occurring with greater frequency due to global > climate change. Most of the weather data is downlinked on a commercial > S-band microwave frequency. > > “If the data we will be collecting improves the geographic and temporal > accuracy of weather forecasts for cévenol events, it would help authorities > give early warning to the population and allow rescue services to better > target the areas at risk,” explains Romain Briand, assembly integration and > testing manager at the University Space Center of Montpellier. > > *Robusta-3A under development by Centre Spatial Universitaire de > Montpellier (CSUM)* > > However, ROBUSTA-3A aims to do even more than chart water vapour from > space. > > The satellite carries an experimental Attitude Determination and Control > System (ADCS) that will seek to optimize solar panel exposure and correctly > aim sensors and microwave downlink antennas. Using a set of Sun sensors, > magnetometers, and reaction wheels in a pyramidal configuration, the system > should provide precise attitude control, especially during orbital > maneuvers. > > The satellite will also employ a cold gas thruster propulsion system which > operates with solid iodine as propellant. This system will demonstrate > orbit maintenance, phasing, and lifetime extension of small satellite > missions, and could also help with end-of-life decommissioning and debris > mitigation. > > As an extra mission, the CubeSat will test how computer memory from chip > manufacturer 3D PLUS withstands the radiation of space. This French company > specialises in highly-reliable electronic components and their computer > memory recently landed on the Moon as part of the India’s Chandrayaan-3 > lander. > > Finally, ROBUSTA-3A also carries a 9k6 GMSK AX.25 store-and-forward > digital system with a UHF transmitter output of up to three watts — a very > powerful downlink! As the satellite is sill in commissioning, operating > protocols and uplink frequency have not yet been released. However, > amateurs should expect something similar to the FalconSAT-3 > store-and-forward system that was popular until that satellite deorbited in > January of 2023. ROBUSTA-3A is currently transmitting short telemetry > bursts on its International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) coordinated downlink > frequency of 436.750 MHz. > > [ANS thanks ESA, IARU, and the Space Center of the University of > Montpellier for the above information.] > ------------------------------ > > *The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!* > *Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus* > > *Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help* > *Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* > *https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/* > <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> > ------------------------------ > SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation > > Professor Hakan Kayal from Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg > in Bavaria, Germany posted on X this past week, “Thanks to everyone using > SONATE-2’s APRS digipeater over the weekend. A total of 421 messages were > digipeated.” > > The Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg’s SONATE (SOlutus > NAno satelliTE) satellite is a technology demonstration mission for highly > autonomous payloads and artificial intelligence in the 6U CubeSat class. As > part of the SONATE-2 mission, novel hardware and software technologies of > artificial intelligence (AI) are to be verified in miniaturized format in > earth orbit. By using such AI technologies, the satellite can independently > analyze the environment and start autonomous recordings. Deep learning > plays a special role as a versatile image processing tool. In addition to > the classification of targets already known at the start of the mission, > the payload should also have the option of on-board training for the > detection of anomalies as previously unknown objects or phenomena. > > > *SONATE-2 mission patch (JMU artwork)* > > The operation of an amateur radio payload is important to the educational > mission of SONATE-2. The development and operation of the satellite is used > for the education of students of the university. In cooperation with the > DLR School Lab in Neustrelitz, Germany, it is planned to use the amateur > radio payload for the education of high school students. > > The amateur payload of SONATE-2 consists of a VHF transceiver that was > already built for the predecessor mission SONATE over the course of several > student projects. For SONATE-2 additional student projects extended the > transceiver functionalities. It will provide regular SSTV downlinks with > images from the optical sensors included in the AI payload as well as an > APRS digipeater and CW beacon. > > On the education side, the mission will serve as a foundation for > different aspects of the university aerospace and computer science > engineering program. In the context of practical courses, as thesis authors > or as student assistants, students can participate in the development of > all subsystems of the space and ground segment, including the amateur radio > payload and the technology demonstration payload. In the context of > mandatory lectures and exercises on space operations every student will > also be included in the operations of the satellite. > > The German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers a School Lab for high school > students at the location of the external ground station in Neustrelitz, > Germany. Besides experiments on space and satellites, the School Lab > includes amateur radio contacts to the ISS under the supervision of > licensed local radio amateurs, which they wish to extend to other > satellites like in this cooperation with the SONATE-2 mission. > > Besides the amateur and educational mission parts, the SONATE-2 mission > also has a research objective for the demonstration of novel artificial > intelligence technology in the space environments. While the AI payload is > mainly operated using a separate up/downlink in the space operation service > in S-band, the satellite bus and the amateur payloads are operated in the > amateur service. Housekeeping telemetry in the amateur service also > contains status information of the non-amateur payload. > > > *SONATE-2 Test Model, October 2023 (Photo: JMU)* > > According to Kayal, not many similar projects are currently being > undertaken. > > “Let’s assume that a small satellite is to investigate a new asteroid in > the solar system in the future. It cannot be trained for this task on the > ground, because the object of investigation is largely unknown. There is no > training data, so the measurements and recordings can’t be made on the > ground,” Kayal added. > > Transmitting this data to Earth for initial processing and subsequently > training the AI via remote control would result in significant time delays > for missions located at a considerable distance from Earth. > > Opting for a heightened level of autonomy with direct on-board AI support > would greatly enhance the mission’s efficiency. This approach would > expedite the detection of intriguing objects and phenomena on the asteroid, > considerably reducing the time required for their identification. > > To facilitate this, four on-board cameras capture the essential imagery > required for training the AI. Initially, the AI acquires knowledge of > conventional geometric patterns on Earth’s surface, among other things, > which subsequently empowers it to autonomously identify anomalies. > > > *A model of the SONATE-2 nanosatellite, here artistically depicted in > orbit. (Image: Hakan Kayal / Universität Würzburg)* > > In addition to these AI experiments, SONATE-2 carries a suite of other > small satellite technologies that are ready for in-orbit testing. These > technologies include an automated lightning detection and recording system, > as well as an electric propulsion system developed in collaboration with > the University of Stuttgart. > > Kayal added, “In terms of complexity, SONATE-2 is unparalleled among > nanosatellites.” > > SONATE-2 was one of a cluster of satellites launched on a SpaceX Falcon-9 > flight on March 5, 2024. Digipeater and SSTV activations are announced at > https://x.com/JMUSpace/. > > SSTV downlink: Regular downlink of images captured by the on-board cameras > Frequency: 145.880 MHz > Modulation: Martin M1 SSTV FM (F3F) > TX Power: 500mW > > APRS digipeater: (Updated 26.07.2024) > APRS digipeater in half-duplex operation. Digipeater is only active when > published at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. When activated, it will transmit a > greeting message every 2 minutes. > Make sure to include SONATE-2 callsign DPØSNX in the APRS route. > Frequency: 145.825 MHz Up/Down > Modulation: 1k2 AFSK (F2D) > Protocol: AX.25 > TX Power: 500mW > > [ANS thanks JMU Würzburg, Gunter’s Space Page, and AZO Robotics Network > for the above information.] > ------------------------------ > Wireless Technology Workshop in India > > A special workshop on ‘Wireless Technology and its Practical Solutions’ > was conducted for Rajkot – Police Wireless Department at Gujarat (India) on > 20th July 2024. The venue was the Police Training Center at Rajkot > Headquarter. It was a highly informative 3 hours session from 10:00 AM to > 1:00 PM. > > Regional Coordinator of AMSAT-INDIA & The Amateur Radio Society of India, > Mr. Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, gave insight into various Radio Communication > protocols, types of modulation, modes & various applications used in > Amateur Radio & Police department. > > > *Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP (hamphotos.com <http://hamphotos.com>)* > > As this workshop was targeted for 25 technical wireless officers & radio > operators, we focused on the radio communication enhancing methods, > utilizing various techniques, using different antennas for specific > applications and diagnosis of wireless setup with various measuring > instruments incl. SWR/Power Meter, NanoVNA/Antenna Analyzer. We extended a > handful of maintenance tips for Radio, Antenna, Feed line & repeaters to > optimize radio communications. > > We also gave an overview of Ham Radio & its various events, Understanding > of Digital Communication, Satellite Communication, Features of newer > Digital protocol incl. DMR, D-STAR & Fusion. There was good interaction > with participants, lots of doubt & queries were cleared satisfactorily. > Good number of radio stuff was displayed incl. HTs, VHF Base Radio, IC-705 > SDR HF Radio, RTL SDR Dongle, Antenna Tuner, CAT Control, Soundcard > Interface, Morse Key, CW Paddle & Keyer, CubeSat model, Balun, LNA, > SWR/Power meter, NanoVNA, Dummy load, PSU, Feed lines, EFHW Antenna, > Telescopic Antenna, Connectors, Adaptors, ARISS Awards, QSL Cards etc., > which helped participants to view, discuss & understand our entire stuff > better. > > We always give practical demos, but, here in the audience was a heavy user > of CW & RT from the police dept. We didn’t give a demo of that kind > hi..hi.., but surely gave demos of Digital Communication – sending text > messages between two VHF Setup and a second demo of sending SSTV Images > between two local vhf stations! For the audience it was interesting to > learn how we ham convert simple ASCII codes to corresponding audio > frequencies (for Digital Communication) and RGB pixel values of Image to > Slow Scan Television format to transmit & receive ‘IMAGES’ via our standard > radios! That’s why we proudly call Ham Radio the oldest Social Media! > > It was a nice & fruitful workshop overall. I am thankful to Commissioner > of Police Rajkot Shri Brajesh Kumar Jha Sir for approval of this workshop > and Shri S K Jadeja Sir (PI Wireless) for nicely coordinating this > workshop. I am thankful to our AMSAT-INDIA & ARSI (The Amateur Radio > Society of India) for their great support and guidance to make this > workshop highly successful. > > We wish Rajkot Gujarat Police will utilize the gained knowledge & > implement into the system for better productivity! > > [ANS thanks Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, for the above information.] > ------------------------------ > > *Need new satellite antennas?* > *Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.* > > > *When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards* > *Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.* > *https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/* > <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/> > ------------------------------ > Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger > > Small satellite companies that have grown out of the New Space boom are > retiring the cubesat platforms that made them to focus on larger, more > powerful next-get small sats that promise to unlock new possibilities with > advanced AI and real-time laser-based inter-satellite communications. > > Over the past 15 years, small satellites have revolutionized how things > are done in space. Built quickly from cheap, off-the-shelf components, and > small enough to hitch an affordable ride to orbit on the back of bigger > missions, these devices and the young, agile New Space companies behind > them taught the old-school space industry a few lessons. > > But New Space is coming of age and the firms behind the small satellite > revolution must live up to expectations less favorable to their trade-mark > experimental ethos. The lowest cost and shortest time to orbit may no > longer be the technology’s biggest draw as users want maximum return on > investment and require granted reliability. The firms behind the disruptive > tech, however, have grown up together with their market share and are > tapping into emerging innovation, looking to unleash a whole load of new > applications in the coming years. > The Evolution of the Smallsat > > > *Members of the ABMA satellite team (with Gen. Medaris and Dr. von Braun > seated in center) with a model of the Explorer 1 satellite. (Photo, U.S. > Army)* > > Satellites started small. The first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1 — launched > in 1958 — weighed only 14 kilograms. But the technology, prized for opening > a whole new perspective on our planet, quickly bulked up, enabled by the > increasing lifting powers of fast-evolving rockets. Soon, complex > satellites the size of a school bus took over, observing the planet from > above, broadcasting TV signals across continents and sensing the > environment around them. > > It was only in the mid-1980s that researchers renewed their interest in > smaller satellites with masses of tens to a couple of hundred kilograms. > The true small sat revolution, however, began in 1999, with the invention > of a cubesat. Based on standardized satellite units of 10 by 10 by 10 > centimeters in size, cubesats opened space to anyone with enough technical > skill to assemble and operate them. Soon, university teams from all over > the world began launching their own experimental spacecraft to provide > their students with hands-on space tech experience. > > By 2014, San Francisco-based Planet Labs launched its first commercial > constellation of 28 three-unit (3U) Earth-observing cubesats called Doves. > More than 120 Doves are in orbit today, capturing an image of each place on > Earth more than once a day. Other companies followed suit. As of today, > cubesats have made it to orbit around Mars and the Moon and observed the > impact of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) into the asteroid > Didymos in 2022 in real-time. > > > *The Axelspace Pyxis mission launched in March of this year. (Photo: > Axelspace)* > > Larger small satellite platforms — up to 500 kg in mass — have also grown > in popularity. In fact, these larger small satellites today dominate space > around Earth thanks to SpaceX’s constellation of Starlink internet-beaming > satellites. > > Consulting firm Novaspace predicts that 26,104 small satellites — > including minisatellites of 100 to 500 kg in mass, microsatellites between > 10 and 100 kg and nanosatellites as light as 1 to 10 kg — will launch in > the next decade. > > And although the smallsat revolution is already behind us, new > technologies are emerging that promise to supercharge the sector in the > coming years. Via Satellite spoke with a number of experts in the field > about what the smallsat of the future will look like. > > Read the full article at: > https://interactive.satellitetoday.com/via/august-2024/what-does-the-smalls… > > [ANS thanks Via Satellite for the above information.] > ------------------------------ > ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch > > Published flight manifests indicate that the Chinese amateur radio > satellite ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for launch in November of this year > aboard a Russian rocket. As always, launches are subject to a wide variety > of variables, and space agencies are not always 100% forthcoming about > their activities. So while you may not want to mark the calendar just yet, > hopeful signs are pointing toward a launch in the coming months. > > > *Artist’s sketch of ASRTU-1* > > ASRTU-1 is a 12U Cubesat mission designed by Russian and Chinese > university students for education and amateur radio. Harbin Institute of > Technology has successfully developed several amateur radio satellites, > including LilacSat-2 (CAS-3H), LilacSat-1 (LO-90), DSLWP-A (LO-93) and > DSLWP-B (LO-94). The partner institution is Bauman Moscow State Technical > University, which constructed two satellites, Baumanets-1 in 2006 and > Baumanets-2 in 2017, both of which unfortunately failed to reach orbit due > to launch failures unrelated to the satellite payloads. > > The amateur radio station onboard ASRTU-1 will provide FM and telecommand > uplinks, as well as FM, telemetry, and digital image downlinks. A new SDR > based transceiver was developed to provide communication and experimental > resources to radio amateurs, including a V/U FM transponder, a UHF > telemetry downlink, and a 10.5G image downlink. > > The repeater uplink will be on 145.875 MHz FM using a 67 Hz CTCSS (PL) > tone. Downlink will be on 435.400 MHz FM. The telemetry beacon will be on > 436.210 MHz using 9k6 bps BPSK. > > In addition to the FM repeater, the satellite will also provide an open > telecommand system to allow radio amateurs to send commands to control the > satellite to take and download images. X Band image downloads using 1 > Mbps/10mbps QSPK will downlink on 10.460 GHz. > > ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for a Roscosmos launch from Vostochny > Cosmodrome, Asiatic Russia, in Q4 2024 into a 530 km Sun-synchronous Orbit > (SSO). Downlinks and the repeater uplink have been coordinated by the > International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). > > [ANS thanks IARU and x.com/AKAhamradio/ for the above information.] > ------------------------------ > > *Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* > *Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!* > > > *25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards* > *Keeping Amateur Radio in Space* > *https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear* <https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear> > ------------------------------ > Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 2 > > 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/. > > {This spot for changes to TLEs when applicable. Can be eliminated or > replaced if none.} > {Do note that our Manual of Style specifies that we ALWAYS use first & > last names, callsign separated by commas, and then the title of the AMSAT > officer, if any. See example below. Same style applies to persons > referenced in story bodies, as well as in attributions.} > > [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager 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. > > *COMPLETED:* > Kopernik Observatory, Vestal, NY, direct via K2ZRO > The ISS callsign was NA1SS > The scheduled crewmember was Matthew Dominick KCØTOR. The ARISS mentor was > AB1OC > Contact was successful: Wed 2024-07-31 18:17:25 UTC 43 degrees maximum > elevation. > Congratulations to the Kopernik Observatory students, Matthew, mentor > AB1OC, and ground station K2ZRO! > Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/live/Tv3x3D0DTzU?feature=share > > SMPIT Nurul Ishlah, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, telebridge via VK4ISS > The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1SS > The scheduled crewmember was Sunita Williams KD5PLB. The ARISS mentor was > VE3TBD > Contact was go for: Fri 2024-08-02 12:43:07 UTC 27 deg > > Aznakaevsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD > The ISS callsign was scheduled to be RSØISS > The scheduled crewmember was Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor was RV3DR > Contact was go for Sat 2024-08-03 14:40 UTC > > *UPCOMING:* > International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly 2024, Cape Town, > South Africa, telebridge via VK6MJ > The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS > The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, Jeanette Epps, > KF5QNU, Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, or Mike Barratt, KD5MIJ. The ARISS mentor > is KA3HDO > Contact is go for: Fri 2024-08-09 11:55:06 UTC 40 deg > Watch for Livestream at https://astronomy2024.org/ > > A.G. Nikolaev Secondary School, Shorshel, Chuvashia, Russia direct via TBD > The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS > The scheduled crewmember is Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor is RV3DR > Contact is go for Sun 2024-08-11 08:20 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 > > + N8MR will be in EN57, with roves to EN67 from Friday, August 2 thru > Saturday, August 10. Using an Icom 9700, Arrow and Alaskan antennas. > Listening for Europe on linear eastern passes, with at least two of these > passes being on CW. Can operate CW for NA ops, if anyone wants it. I can > rove to EN56, only if needed. Posting passes to http://hams.at a day in > advance. All QSOs to LoTW as N8MR. > > + Posted July 23rd by @SeanKutzko KX9X, on X (formerly Twitter): A > reminder that I’m leaving for Hawaii this Friday! Will be on SSB / FM sats > *holiday style* plus maybe some QRP FT8. No GreenCube, sorry. Will post > passes here and to https://hams.at soon. #HamRadio @AMSAT #AMSAT > > + Posted July 21st by @W8LR_Jerry, on X (formerly Twitter): EM57/58 and > EM67/68 are still planned for Aug 2/3. Please check http://hams.at and > @W8LR_Jerry for updates. As I mentioned two months ago EM85 in TN will now > be in my travel schedule beginning in Sept. I was just notified today. I > will be doing FM/Linear/GC when there. More later. > > + Posted July 25th by @AD0HJ, on X (formerly Twitter): Work trip coming up > the first full week of August in Fort Collins, Colorado. Will make stops on > the EN02/EN03 | DN82/DN92 grid lines on the drive out. DN90/DN91 | > EN20/EN30 grid lines on the way back. RS-44 satellite passes in the > evenings. Posted at http://hams.at. > > + Jonathan @N4AKV_ has posted an ambitious August roving schedule on his > qrz.com page. Tentative plans for a major satellite and 6m road trip > through Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon this > summer. Satellite passes listed on https://hams.at for the next week > include grid squares FN43, FN53, and GN16. > > + FP/N4AKV will be on IO-117 on August 8. See https://hams.at for details. > > 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] > ------------------------------ > 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. > > August 17-18, 2024 > *Huntsville Hamfest* > Huntsville, AL > AMSAT Booth and Forum > N8DEU and W4FCL > > September 7, 2024 > *Greater Louisville Hamfest* > Shepherdsville, KY > AMSAT Forum and Information Table > W4FCL > > October 5, 2024 > *Central Kentucky Hamfest* > Lexington, KY > AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table > AI4SR and W4FCL > > October 5, 2024 > *North Star Radio Convention* > Hennepin Technical College (North Campus) > Brooklyn Park, Minn. > AMSAT Forum and Information Table > KØJM and ADØHJ > > October 25-27, 2004 > *AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting* > Double Tree Rocky Point Waterfront Hotel > Tampa Bay, FL > > November 2-3, 2024 > *Stone Mountain Hamfest, ARRL State Convention* > Stone Mountain, GA > K4RGK > > Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide > presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and > host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker > faires, and other events. > For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/ > > [ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information] > ------------------------------ > Satellite Shorts From All Over > > + The MESAT-1 team are continuing to test and commission the satellite. It > is currently in Health Mode transmitting continuously and the downlink > power is now about 6dB higher. So it should be easier to hear and decode. > If you have had trouble decoding it then now is a good time to try again. > Software may be downloaded from > https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/ (ANS > thanks Chris E. Thompson, VE2TCP / G0KLA / AC2CZ, for the above > information.) > > + SpaceX is now targeting mid- to late August for the launch of Polaris > Dawn, a mission funded by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman. The > upcoming flight, which will employ SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft and > Falcon 9 rocket, had been slated to lift off no earlier than July 31. > SpaceX announced the delay today (July 26), during a press conference > focusing on the company’s upcoming Crew-9 astronaut mission to the > International Space Station (ISS) for NASA. The NASA mission will include > Zena Cardman, KJ5CMN, Nick Hague, KG5TMV, Stephanie Wilson, KD5DZE, and > Aleksandr Gorbunov, Roscosmos. Crew-9 will launch no earlier than Aug. 18, > and Polaris Dawn will fly sometime after that, the company said. The > Polaris Dawn mission is scheduled to include the first-ever private > spacewalk. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above information.) > > + The U.S. military is installing modular state-of-the-art satellite > jammers capable of disrupting Russian or Chinese communications, should the > need arise. Even though the hardware is ground-based, the U.S. Space Force > will oversee installation and operation. The technology is already past > prototyping. The military tested the system at two different locations > earlier this year. The Department of Defense allocated funds to build 24 > remote installations, with 11 scheduled to deploy before the end of the > year. (ANS thanks SatNews.com for the above information.) > > + SpaceX Falcon 9 returned to flight with three Starlink launches in 30 > hours after only 15 days of being grounded due to its recent upper-stage > anomaly (a brittle, and presumably cracked, pressure monitoring line) and > conducted its 300th reflight of a booster. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index > for the above information.) > > + Boeing performed a hot fire test of the 27 maneuvering thrusters aboard > the docked Starliner space capsule, which could be the last test before the > spacecraft’s delayed return to Earth is approved. Astronauts Barry “Butch” > Wilmore, and Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, took Starliner to the International > Space Station on June 5 for what was to have been a 10-day test flight. > NASA says they may now return in late August. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index > 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 Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM > mjohns [at] amsat.org > > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > ANS mailing list -- ans(a)amsat.org > View archives of this mailing list at > https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/ans@amsat.org > To unsubscribe send an email to ans-leave(a)amsat.org > Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at > https://mailman.amsat.org > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > 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 at > https://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 at > https://mailman.amsat.org

2 1

Re: Fw: [ANS] ANS-217 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Wendy and Terry Osborne 04 Aug '24

04 Aug '24

Does this help? Terry Osborne ZL2BAC On 4/08/2024 12:14 pm, John Antonuk - AL7ID via AMSAT-BB wrote: > > "SONATE-2 was one of a cluster of satellites launched on a SpaceX > Falcon-9 flight on March 5, 2024. Digipeater and SSTV activations are > announced at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. " > > For those of us not on X/Twitter, can somebody send a note to this > list with the schedule? > > many thanks, > John > > > 73, > > John Antonuk > > AL7ID(a)yahoo.com > > > > > On Saturday, August 3, 2024 at 04:05:26 PM AKDT, Mark Johns, K0JM via > ANS <ans(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > > AMSAT NEWS SERVICE > ANS-217 > > In this edition: > > * ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit > * SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation > * Wireless Technology Workshop in India > * Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger > * ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch > * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution > * 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 http://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-217 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 Aug 4 > > > ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit > > When the long-delayed inaugural launch of the European Space Agency’s > (ESA’s) new Ariane 6 rocket finally occurred on July 7, it suffered an > upper stage failure that left some payloads in the wrong orbits. > Fortunately, before the anomaly developed, the Ariane 6 successfully > deployed ROBUSTA-3A, a satellite with an amateur radio payload. The > target was a 580 km circular orbit with an inclination of 96 degrees. > > ROBUSTA-3A (a.k.a. “Méditerranée”) is a 3U cubesat, designed and built > by students and faculty of Université de Montpellier in southern > France. Over a decade in development, involving around 300 students > from the University of Montpellier and all over the world, ROBUSTA-3A > will be its seventh satellite developed entirely in-house, having > learned much from the development and launch of smaller ROBUSTA-1U > satellites. The project has offered hands-on training, engineering and > scientific experience to the next generation of space engineers and > researchers. > > > /The Robusta 3A satellite is 3U, three CubeSat units. (Photo: Van > Allen Foundation)/ > > The satellite’s primary mission is weather observation, specifically > to track “Cevenol events.” These are intense storms and incredibly > heavy rains that cause extensive flooding, often in the form of flash > floods, that hit the plains and the foothills of southern France. Once > considered “100-year storms,” they have been occurring with greater > frequency due to global climate change. Most of the weather data is > downlinked on a commercial S-band microwave frequency. > > “If the data we will be collecting improves the geographic and > temporal accuracy of weather forecasts for cévenol events, it would > help authorities give early warning to the population and allow rescue > services to better target the areas at risk,” explains Romain Briand, > assembly integration and testing manager at the University Space > Center of Montpellier. > > /Robusta-3A under development by Centre Spatial Universitaire de > Montpellier (CSUM)/ > > However, ROBUSTA-3A aims to do even more than chart water vapour from > space. > > The satellite carries an experimental Attitude Determination and > Control System (ADCS) that will seek to optimize solar panel exposure > and correctly aim sensors and microwave downlink antennas. Using a set > of Sun sensors, magnetometers, and reaction wheels in a pyramidal > configuration, the system should provide precise attitude control, > especially during orbital maneuvers. > > The satellite will also employ a cold gas thruster propulsion system > which operates with solid iodine as propellant. This system will > demonstrate orbit maintenance, phasing, and lifetime extension of > small satellite missions, and could also help with end-of-life > decommissioning and debris mitigation. > > As an extra mission, the CubeSat will test how computer memory from > chip manufacturer 3D PLUS withstands the radiation of space. This > French company specialises in highly-reliable electronic components > and their computer memory recently landed on the Moon as part of the > India’s Chandrayaan-3 lander. > > Finally, ROBUSTA-3A also carries a 9k6 GMSK AX.25 store-and-forward > digital system with a UHF transmitter output of up to three watts — a > very powerful downlink! As the satellite is sill in commissioning, > operating protocols and uplink frequency have not yet been released. > However, amateurs should expect something similar to the FalconSAT-3 > store-and-forward system that was popular until that satellite > deorbited in January of 2023. ROBUSTA-3A is currently transmitting > short telemetry bursts on its International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) > coordinated downlink frequency of 436.750 MHz. > > [ANS thanks ESA, IARU, and the Space Center of the University of > Montpellier for the above information.] > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > *The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!* > *Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus* > > *Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help* > *Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* > *https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/* > <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation > > Professor Hakan Kayal from Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) > Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany posted on X this past week, “Thanks to > everyone using SONATE-2’s APRS digipeater over the weekend. A total of > 421 messages were digipeated.” > > The Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg’s SONATE > (SOlutus NAno satelliTE) satellite is a technology demonstration > mission for highly autonomous payloads and artificial intelligence in > the 6U CubeSat class. As part of the SONATE-2 mission, novel hardware > and software technologies of artificial intelligence (AI) are to be > verified in miniaturized format in earth orbit. By using such AI > technologies, the satellite can independently analyze the environment > and start autonomous recordings. Deep learning plays a special role as > a versatile image processing tool. In addition to the classification > of targets already known at the start of the mission, the payload > should also have the option of on-board training for the detection of > anomalies as previously unknown objects or phenomena. > > > /SONATE-2 mission patch (JMU artwork)/ > > The operation of an amateur radio payload is important to the > educational mission of SONATE-2. The development and operation of the > satellite is used for the education of students of the university. In > cooperation with the DLR School Lab in Neustrelitz, Germany, it is > planned to use the amateur radio payload for the education of high > school students. > > The amateur payload of SONATE-2 consists of a VHF transceiver that was > already built for the predecessor mission SONATE over the course of > several student projects. For SONATE-2 additional student projects > extended the transceiver functionalities. It will provide regular SSTV > downlinks with images from the optical sensors included in the AI > payload as well as an APRS digipeater and CW beacon. > > On the education side, the mission will serve as a foundation for > different aspects of the university aerospace and computer science > engineering program. In the context of practical courses, as thesis > authors or as student assistants, students can participate in the > development of all subsystems of the space and ground segment, > including the amateur radio payload and the technology demonstration > payload. In the context of mandatory lectures and exercises on space > operations every student will also be included in the operations of > the satellite. > > The German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers a School Lab for high school > students at the location of the external ground station in > Neustrelitz, Germany. Besides experiments on space and satellites, the > School Lab includes amateur radio contacts to the ISS under the > supervision of licensed local radio amateurs, which they wish to > extend to other satellites like in this cooperation with the SONATE-2 > mission. > > Besides the amateur and educational mission parts, the SONATE-2 > mission also has a research objective for the demonstration of novel > artificial intelligence technology in the space environments. While > the AI payload is mainly operated using a separate up/downlink in the > space operation service in S-band, the satellite bus and the amateur > payloads are operated in the amateur service. Housekeeping telemetry > in the amateur service also contains status information of the > non-amateur payload. > > > /SONATE-2 Test Model, October 2023 (Photo: JMU)/ > > According to Kayal, not many similar projects are currently being > undertaken. > > “Let’s assume that a small satellite is to investigate a new asteroid > in the solar system in the future. It cannot be trained for this task > on the ground, because the object of investigation is largely unknown. > There is no training data, so the measurements and recordings can’t be > made on the ground,” Kayal added. > > Transmitting this data to Earth for initial processing and > subsequently training the AI via remote control would result in > significant time delays for missions located at a considerable > distance from Earth. > > Opting for a heightened level of autonomy with direct on-board AI > support would greatly enhance the mission’s efficiency. This approach > would expedite the detection of intriguing objects and phenomena on > the asteroid, considerably reducing the time required for their > identification. > > To facilitate this, four on-board cameras capture the essential > imagery required for training the AI. Initially, the AI acquires > knowledge of conventional geometric patterns on Earth’s surface, among > other things, which subsequently empowers it to autonomously identify > anomalies. > > > /A model of the SONATE-2 nanosatellite, here artistically depicted in > orbit. (Image: Hakan Kayal / Universität Würzburg)/ > > In addition to these AI experiments, SONATE-2 carries a suite of other > small satellite technologies that are ready for in-orbit testing. > These technologies include an automated lightning detection and > recording system, as well as an electric propulsion system developed > in collaboration with the University of Stuttgart. > > Kayal added, “In terms of complexity, SONATE-2 is unparalleled among > nanosatellites.” > > SONATE-2 was one of a cluster of satellites launched on a SpaceX > Falcon-9 flight on March 5, 2024. Digipeater and SSTV activations are > announced at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. > > SSTV downlink: Regular downlink of images captured by the on-board cameras > Frequency: 145.880 MHz > Modulation: Martin M1 SSTV FM (F3F) > TX Power: 500mW > > APRS digipeater: (Updated 26.07.2024) > APRS digipeater in half-duplex operation. Digipeater is only active > when published at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. When activated, it will > transmit a greeting message every 2 minutes. > Make sure to include SONATE-2 callsign DPØSNX in the APRS route. > Frequency: 145.825 MHz Up/Down > Modulation: 1k2 AFSK (F2D) > Protocol: AX.25 > TX Power: 500mW > > [ANS thanks JMU Würzburg, Gunter’s Space Page, and AZO Robotics > Network for the above information.] > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > Wireless Technology Workshop in India > > A special workshop on ‘Wireless Technology and its Practical > Solutions’ was conducted for Rajkot – Police Wireless Department at > Gujarat (India) on 20th July 2024. The venue was the Police Training > Center at Rajkot Headquarter. It was a highly informative 3 hours > session from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. > > Regional Coordinator of AMSAT-INDIA & The Amateur Radio Society of > India, Mr. Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, gave insight into various Radio > Communication protocols, types of modulation, modes & various > applications used in Amateur Radio & Police department. > > > /Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP (hamphotos.com <http://hamphotos.com>)/ > > As this workshop was targeted for 25 technical wireless officers & > radio operators, we focused on the radio communication enhancing > methods, utilizing various techniques, using different antennas for > specific applications and diagnosis of wireless setup with various > measuring instruments incl. SWR/Power Meter, NanoVNA/Antenna Analyzer. > We extended a handful of maintenance tips for Radio, Antenna, Feed > line & repeaters to optimize radio communications. > > We also gave an overview of Ham Radio & its various events, > Understanding of Digital Communication, Satellite Communication, > Features of newer Digital protocol incl. DMR, D-STAR & Fusion. There > was good interaction with participants, lots of doubt & queries were > cleared satisfactorily. Good number of radio stuff was displayed incl. > HTs, VHF Base Radio, IC-705 SDR HF Radio, RTL SDR Dongle, Antenna > Tuner, CAT Control, Soundcard Interface, Morse Key, CW Paddle & Keyer, > CubeSat model, Balun, LNA, SWR/Power meter, NanoVNA, Dummy load, PSU, > Feed lines, EFHW Antenna, Telescopic Antenna, Connectors, Adaptors, > ARISS Awards, QSL Cards etc., which helped participants to view, > discuss & understand our entire stuff better. > > We always give practical demos, but, here in the audience was a heavy > user of CW & RT from the police dept. We didn’t give a demo of that > kind hi..hi.., but surely gave demos of Digital Communication – > sending text messages between two VHF Setup and a second demo of > sending SSTV Images between two local vhf stations! For the audience > it was interesting to learn how we ham convert simple ASCII codes to > corresponding audio frequencies (for Digital Communication) and RGB > pixel values of Image to Slow Scan Television format to transmit & > receive ‘IMAGES’ via our standard radios! That’s why we proudly call > Ham Radio the oldest Social Media! > > It was a nice & fruitful workshop overall. I am thankful to > Commissioner of Police Rajkot Shri Brajesh Kumar Jha Sir for approval > of this workshop and Shri S K Jadeja Sir (PI Wireless) for nicely > coordinating this workshop. I am thankful to our AMSAT-INDIA & ARSI > (The Amateur Radio Society of India) for their great support and > guidance to make this workshop highly successful. > > We wish Rajkot Gujarat Police will utilize the gained knowledge & > implement into the system for better productivity! > > [ANS thanks Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, for the above information.] > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > *Need new satellite antennas?* > *Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.* > > > *When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards* > *Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.* > *https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/* > <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger > > Small satellite companies that have grown out of the New Space boom > are retiring the cubesat platforms that made them to focus on larger, > more powerful next-get small sats that promise to unlock new > possibilities with advanced AI and real-time laser-based > inter-satellite communications. > > Over the past 15 years, small satellites have revolutionized how > things are done in space. Built quickly from cheap, off-the-shelf > components, and small enough to hitch an affordable ride to orbit on > the back of bigger missions, these devices and the young, agile New > Space companies behind them taught the old-school space industry a few > lessons. > > But New Space is coming of age and the firms behind the small > satellite revolution must live up to expectations less favorable to > their trade-mark experimental ethos. The lowest cost and shortest time > to orbit may no longer be the technology’s biggest draw as users want > maximum return on investment and require granted reliability. The > firms behind the disruptive tech, however, have grown up together with > their market share and are tapping into emerging innovation, looking > to unleash a whole load of new applications in the coming years. > The Evolution of the Smallsat > > > /Members of the ABMA satellite team (with Gen. Medaris and Dr. von > Braun seated in center) with a model of the Explorer 1 satellite. > (Photo, U.S. Army)/ > > Satellites started small. The first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1 — > launched in 1958 — weighed only 14 kilograms. But the technology, > prized for opening a whole new perspective on our planet, quickly > bulked up, enabled by the increasing lifting powers of fast-evolving > rockets. Soon, complex satellites the size of a school bus took over, > observing the planet from above, broadcasting TV signals across > continents and sensing the environment around them. > > It was only in the mid-1980s that researchers renewed their interest > in smaller satellites with masses of tens to a couple of hundred > kilograms. The true small sat revolution, however, began in 1999, with > the invention of a cubesat. Based on standardized satellite units of > 10 by 10 by 10 centimeters in size, cubesats opened space to anyone > with enough technical skill to assemble and operate them. Soon, > university teams from all over the world began launching their own > experimental spacecraft to provide their students with hands-on space > tech experience. > > By 2014, San Francisco-based Planet Labs launched its first commercial > constellation of 28 three-unit (3U) Earth-observing cubesats called > Doves. More than 120 Doves are in orbit today, capturing an image of > each place on Earth more than once a day. Other companies followed > suit. As of today, cubesats have made it to orbit around Mars and the > Moon and observed the impact of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection > Test (DART) into the asteroid Didymos in 2022 in real-time. > > > /The Axelspace Pyxis mission launched in March of this year. (Photo: > Axelspace)/ > > Larger small satellite platforms — up to 500 kg in mass — have also > grown in popularity. In fact, these larger small satellites today > dominate space around Earth thanks to SpaceX’s constellation of > Starlink internet-beaming satellites. > > Consulting firm Novaspace predicts that 26,104 small satellites — > including minisatellites of 100 to 500 kg in mass, microsatellites > between 10 and 100 kg and nanosatellites as light as 1 to 10 kg — will > launch in the next decade. > > And although the smallsat revolution is already behind us, new > technologies are emerging that promise to supercharge the sector in > the coming years. Via Satellite spoke with a number of experts in the > field about what the smallsat of the future will look like. > > Read the full article at: > https://interactive.satellitetoday.com/via/august-2024/what-does-the-smalls… > > [ANS thanks Via Satellite for the above information.] > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch > > Published flight manifests indicate that the Chinese amateur radio > satellite ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for launch in November of this > year aboard a Russian rocket. As always, launches are subject to a > wide variety of variables, and space agencies are not always 100% > forthcoming about their activities. So while you may not want to mark > the calendar just yet, hopeful signs are pointing toward a launch in > the coming months. > > > /Artist’s sketch of ASRTU-1/ > > ASRTU-1 is a 12U Cubesat mission designed by Russian and Chinese > university students for education and amateur radio. Harbin Institute > of Technology has successfully developed several amateur radio > satellites, including LilacSat-2 (CAS-3H), LilacSat-1 (LO-90), DSLWP-A > (LO-93) and DSLWP-B (LO-94). The partner institution is Bauman Moscow > State Technical University, which constructed two satellites, > Baumanets-1 in 2006 and Baumanets-2 in 2017, both of which > unfortunately failed to reach orbit due to launch failures unrelated > to the satellite payloads. > > The amateur radio station onboard ASRTU-1 will provide FM and > telecommand uplinks, as well as FM, telemetry, and digital image > downlinks. A new SDR based transceiver was developed to provide > communication and experimental resources to radio amateurs, including > a V/U FM transponder, a UHF telemetry downlink, and a 10.5G image > downlink. > > The repeater uplink will be on 145.875 MHz FM using a 67 Hz CTCSS (PL) > tone. Downlink will be on 435.400 MHz FM. The telemetry beacon will be > on 436.210 MHz using 9k6 bps BPSK. > > In addition to the FM repeater, the satellite will also provide an > open telecommand system to allow radio amateurs to send commands to > control the satellite to take and download images. X Band image > downloads using 1 Mbps/10mbps QSPK will downlink on 10.460 GHz. > > ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for a Roscosmos launch from Vostochny > Cosmodrome, Asiatic Russia, in Q4 2024 into a 530 km Sun-synchronous > Orbit (SSO). Downlinks and the repeater uplink have been coordinated > by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). > > [ANS thanks IARU and x.com/AKAhamradio/ <http://x.com/AKAhamradio/> > for the above information.] > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > *Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* > *Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!* > > > *25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards* > *Keeping Amateur Radio in Space* > *https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear* <https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 2 > > 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/. > > {This spot for changes to TLEs when applicable. Can be eliminated or > replaced if none.} > {Do note that our Manual of Style specifies that we ALWAYS use first & > last names, callsign separated by commas, and then the title of the > AMSAT officer, if any. See example below. Same style applies to > persons referenced in story bodies, as well as in attributions.} > > [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager 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. > > *COMPLETED:* > Kopernik Observatory, Vestal, NY, direct via K2ZRO > The ISS callsign was NA1SS > The scheduled crewmember was Matthew Dominick KCØTOR. The ARISS mentor > was AB1OC > Contact was successful: Wed 2024-07-31 18:17:25 UTC 43 degrees maximum > elevation. > Congratulations to the Kopernik Observatory students, Matthew, mentor > AB1OC, and ground station K2ZRO! > Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/live/Tv3x3D0DTzU?feature=share > > SMPIT Nurul Ishlah, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, telebridge via VK4ISS > The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1SS > The scheduled crewmember was Sunita Williams KD5PLB. The ARISS mentor > was VE3TBD > Contact was go for: Fri 2024-08-02 12:43:07 UTC 27 deg > > Aznakaevsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD > The ISS callsign was scheduled to be RSØISS > The scheduled crewmember was Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor was RV3DR > Contact was go for Sat 2024-08-03 14:40 UTC > > *UPCOMING:* > International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly 2024, Cape > Town, South Africa, telebridge via VK6MJ > The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS > The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, Jeanette Epps, > KF5QNU, Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, or Mike Barratt, KD5MIJ. The ARISS > mentor is KA3HDO > Contact is go for: Fri 2024-08-09 11:55:06 UTC 40 deg > Watch for Livestream at https://astronomy2024.org/ > > A.G. Nikolaev Secondary School, Shorshel, Chuvashia, Russia direct via TBD > The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS > The scheduled crewmember is Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor is RV3DR > Contact is go for Sun 2024-08-11 08:20 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 > > + N8MR will be in EN57, with roves to EN67 from Friday, August 2 thru > Saturday, August 10. Using an Icom 9700, Arrow and Alaskan antennas. > Listening for Europe on linear eastern passes, with at least two of > these passes being on CW. Can operate CW for NA ops, if anyone wants > it. I can rove to EN56, only if needed. Posting passes to > http://hams.at a day in advance. All QSOs to LoTW as N8MR. > > + Posted July 23rd by @SeanKutzko KX9X, on X (formerly Twitter): A > reminder that I’m leaving for Hawaii this Friday! Will be on SSB / FM > sats *holiday style* plus maybe some QRP FT8. No GreenCube, sorry. > Will post passes here and to https://hams.at soon. #HamRadio @AMSAT #AMSAT > > + Posted July 21st by @W8LR_Jerry, on X (formerly Twitter): EM57/58 > and EM67/68 are still planned for Aug 2/3. Please check http://hams.at > and @W8LR_Jerry for updates. As I mentioned two months ago EM85 in TN > will now be in my travel schedule beginning in Sept. I was just > notified today. I will be doing FM/Linear/GC when there. More later. > > + Posted July 25th by @AD0HJ, on X (formerly Twitter): Work trip > coming up the first full week of August in Fort Collins, Colorado. > Will make stops on the EN02/EN03 | DN82/DN92 grid lines on the drive > out. DN90/DN91 | EN20/EN30 grid lines on the way back. RS-44 satellite > passes in the evenings. Posted at http://hams.at. > > + Jonathan @N4AKV_ has posted an ambitious August roving schedule on > his qrz.com <http://qrz.com> page. Tentative plans for a major > satellite and 6m road trip through Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, > and St. Pierre and Miquelon this summer. Satellite passes listed on > https://hams.at for the next week include grid squares FN43, FN53, and > GN16. > > + FP/N4AKV will be on IO-117 on August 8. See https://hams.at for details. > > 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] > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > 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. > > August 17-18, 2024 > *Huntsville Hamfest* > Huntsville, AL > AMSAT Booth and Forum > N8DEU and W4FCL > > September 7, 2024 > *Greater Louisville Hamfest* > Shepherdsville, KY > AMSAT Forum and Information Table > W4FCL > > October 5, 2024 > *Central Kentucky Hamfest* > Lexington, KY > AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table > AI4SR and W4FCL > > October 5, 2024 > *North Star Radio Convention* > Hennepin Technical College (North Campus) > Brooklyn Park, Minn. > AMSAT Forum and Information Table > KØJM and ADØHJ > > October 25-27, 2004 > *AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting* > Double TreeRocky Point Waterfront Hotel > Tampa Bay, FL > > November 2-3, 2024 > *Stone Mountain Hamfest, ARRL State Convention* > Stone Mountain, GA > K4RGK > > Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide > presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, > and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, > maker faires, and other events. > For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/ > > [ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information] > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > Satellite Shorts From All Over > > + The MESAT-1 team are continuing to test and commission the > satellite. It is currently in Health Mode transmitting continuously > and the downlink power is now about 6dB higher. So it should be easier > to hear and decode. If you have had trouble decoding it then now is a > good time to try again. Software may be downloaded from > https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/ (ANS > thanks Chris E. Thompson, VE2TCP / G0KLA / AC2CZ, for the above > information.) > > + SpaceX is now targeting mid- to late August for the launch of > Polaris Dawn, a mission funded by billionaire entrepreneur Jared > Isaacman. The upcoming flight, which will employ SpaceX’s Crew Dragon > spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket, had been slated to lift off no earlier > than July 31. SpaceX announced the delay today (July 26), during a > press conference focusing on the company’s upcoming Crew-9 astronaut > mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA. The NASA > mission will include Zena Cardman, KJ5CMN, Nick Hague, KG5TMV, > Stephanie Wilson, KD5DZE, and Aleksandr Gorbunov, Roscosmos. Crew-9 > will launch no earlier than Aug. 18, and Polaris Dawn will fly > sometime after that, the company said. The Polaris Dawn mission is > scheduled to include the first-ever private spacewalk. (ANS thanks > Space.com for the above information.) > > + The U.S. military is installing modular state-of-the-art satellite > jammers capable of disrupting Russian or Chinese communications, > should the need arise. Even though the hardware is ground-based, the > U.S. Space Force will oversee installation and operation. The > technology is already past prototyping. The military tested the system > at two different locations earlier this year. The Department of > Defense allocated funds to build 24 remote installations, with 11 > scheduled to deploy before the end of the year. (ANS thanks > SatNews.com for the above information.) > > + SpaceX Falcon 9 returned to flight with three Starlink launches in > 30 hours after only 15 days of being grounded due to its recent > upper-stage anomaly (a brittle, and presumably cracked, pressure > monitoring line) and conducted its 300th reflight of a booster. (ANS > thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.) > > + Boeing performed a hot fire test of the 27 maneuvering thrusters > aboard the docked Starliner space capsule, which could be the last > test before the spacecraft’s delayed return to Earth is approved. > Astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore, and Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, took > Starliner to the International Space Station on June 5 for what was to > have been a 10-day test flight. NASA says they may now return in late > August. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index 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, Mark Johns, KØJM > mjohns [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org> > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > ANS mailing list -- ans(a)amsat.org > View archives of this mailing list at > https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/ans@amsat.org > To unsubscribe send an email to ans-leave(a)amsat.org > Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at > https://mailman.amsat.org > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > 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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MESAT-1 Commanded into SAFE mode
by Chris Thompson 04 Aug '24

04 Aug '24

Hi all, Just to let you know that we commanded MESAT-1 into SAFE mode as part of a test supporting Maine University and their science experiments. Please continue to collect telemetry if you are able. In this mode it will send telemetry every 2 mins. many thanks Chris G0KLA / VE2TCP / AC2CZ -- Chris E. Thompson chrisethompson(a)gmail.com g0kla(a)arrl.net

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ANS-217 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Mark Johns, K0JM 04 Aug '24

04 Aug '24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-217 In this edition: * ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit * SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation * Wireless Technology Workshop in India * Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger * ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution * 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 http://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-217 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 Aug 4 ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit When the long-delayed inaugural launch of the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) new Ariane 6 rocket finally occurred on July 7, it suffered an upper stage failure that left some payloads in the wrong orbits. Fortunately, before the anomaly developed, the Ariane 6 successfully deployed ROBUSTA-3A, a satellite with an amateur radio payload. The target was a 580 km circular orbit with an inclination of 96 degrees. ROBUSTA-3A (a.k.a. “Méditerranée”) is a 3U cubesat, designed and built by students and faculty of Université de Montpellier in southern France. Over a decade in development, involving around 300 students from the University of Montpellier and all over the world, ROBUSTA-3A will be its seventh satellite developed entirely in-house, having learned much from the development and launch of smaller ROBUSTA-1U satellites. The project has offered hands-on training, engineering and scientific experience to the next generation of space engineers and researchers. *The Robusta 3A satellite is 3U, three CubeSat units. (Photo: Van Allen Foundation)* The satellite’s primary mission is weather observation, specifically to track “Cevenol events.” These are intense storms and incredibly heavy rains that cause extensive flooding, often in the form of flash floods, that hit the plains and the foothills of southern France. Once considered “100-year storms,” they have been occurring with greater frequency due to global climate change. Most of the weather data is downlinked on a commercial S-band microwave frequency. “If the data we will be collecting improves the geographic and temporal accuracy of weather forecasts for cévenol events, it would help authorities give early warning to the population and allow rescue services to better target the areas at risk,” explains Romain Briand, assembly integration and testing manager at the University Space Center of Montpellier. *Robusta-3A under development by Centre Spatial Universitaire de Montpellier (CSUM)* However, ROBUSTA-3A aims to do even more than chart water vapour from space. The satellite carries an experimental Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) that will seek to optimize solar panel exposure and correctly aim sensors and microwave downlink antennas. Using a set of Sun sensors, magnetometers, and reaction wheels in a pyramidal configuration, the system should provide precise attitude control, especially during orbital maneuvers. The satellite will also employ a cold gas thruster propulsion system which operates with solid iodine as propellant. This system will demonstrate orbit maintenance, phasing, and lifetime extension of small satellite missions, and could also help with end-of-life decommissioning and debris mitigation. As an extra mission, the CubeSat will test how computer memory from chip manufacturer 3D PLUS withstands the radiation of space. This French company specialises in highly-reliable electronic components and their computer memory recently landed on the Moon as part of the India’s Chandrayaan-3 lander. Finally, ROBUSTA-3A also carries a 9k6 GMSK AX.25 store-and-forward digital system with a UHF transmitter output of up to three watts — a very powerful downlink! As the satellite is sill in commissioning, operating protocols and uplink frequency have not yet been released. However, amateurs should expect something similar to the FalconSAT-3 store-and-forward system that was popular until that satellite deorbited in January of 2023. ROBUSTA-3A is currently transmitting short telemetry bursts on its International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) coordinated downlink frequency of 436.750 MHz. [ANS thanks ESA, IARU, and the Space Center of the University of Montpellier for the above information.] ------------------------------ *The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!* *Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus* *Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help* *Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* *https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/* <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> ------------------------------ SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation Professor Hakan Kayal from Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany posted on X this past week, “Thanks to everyone using SONATE-2’s APRS digipeater over the weekend. A total of 421 messages were digipeated.” The Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg’s SONATE (SOlutus NAno satelliTE) satellite is a technology demonstration mission for highly autonomous payloads and artificial intelligence in the 6U CubeSat class. As part of the SONATE-2 mission, novel hardware and software technologies of artificial intelligence (AI) are to be verified in miniaturized format in earth orbit. By using such AI technologies, the satellite can independently analyze the environment and start autonomous recordings. Deep learning plays a special role as a versatile image processing tool. In addition to the classification of targets already known at the start of the mission, the payload should also have the option of on-board training for the detection of anomalies as previously unknown objects or phenomena. *SONATE-2 mission patch (JMU artwork)* The operation of an amateur radio payload is important to the educational mission of SONATE-2. The development and operation of the satellite is used for the education of students of the university. In cooperation with the DLR School Lab in Neustrelitz, Germany, it is planned to use the amateur radio payload for the education of high school students. The amateur payload of SONATE-2 consists of a VHF transceiver that was already built for the predecessor mission SONATE over the course of several student projects. For SONATE-2 additional student projects extended the transceiver functionalities. It will provide regular SSTV downlinks with images from the optical sensors included in the AI payload as well as an APRS digipeater and CW beacon. On the education side, the mission will serve as a foundation for different aspects of the university aerospace and computer science engineering program. In the context of practical courses, as thesis authors or as student assistants, students can participate in the development of all subsystems of the space and ground segment, including the amateur radio payload and the technology demonstration payload. In the context of mandatory lectures and exercises on space operations every student will also be included in the operations of the satellite. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers a School Lab for high school students at the location of the external ground station in Neustrelitz, Germany. Besides experiments on space and satellites, the School Lab includes amateur radio contacts to the ISS under the supervision of licensed local radio amateurs, which they wish to extend to other satellites like in this cooperation with the SONATE-2 mission. Besides the amateur and educational mission parts, the SONATE-2 mission also has a research objective for the demonstration of novel artificial intelligence technology in the space environments. While the AI payload is mainly operated using a separate up/downlink in the space operation service in S-band, the satellite bus and the amateur payloads are operated in the amateur service. Housekeeping telemetry in the amateur service also contains status information of the non-amateur payload. *SONATE-2 Test Model, October 2023 (Photo: JMU)* According to Kayal, not many similar projects are currently being undertaken. “Let’s assume that a small satellite is to investigate a new asteroid in the solar system in the future. It cannot be trained for this task on the ground, because the object of investigation is largely unknown. There is no training data, so the measurements and recordings can’t be made on the ground,” Kayal added. Transmitting this data to Earth for initial processing and subsequently training the AI via remote control would result in significant time delays for missions located at a considerable distance from Earth. Opting for a heightened level of autonomy with direct on-board AI support would greatly enhance the mission’s efficiency. This approach would expedite the detection of intriguing objects and phenomena on the asteroid, considerably reducing the time required for their identification. To facilitate this, four on-board cameras capture the essential imagery required for training the AI. Initially, the AI acquires knowledge of conventional geometric patterns on Earth’s surface, among other things, which subsequently empowers it to autonomously identify anomalies. *A model of the SONATE-2 nanosatellite, here artistically depicted in orbit. (Image: Hakan Kayal / Universität Würzburg)* In addition to these AI experiments, SONATE-2 carries a suite of other small satellite technologies that are ready for in-orbit testing. These technologies include an automated lightning detection and recording system, as well as an electric propulsion system developed in collaboration with the University of Stuttgart. Kayal added, “In terms of complexity, SONATE-2 is unparalleled among nanosatellites.” SONATE-2 was one of a cluster of satellites launched on a SpaceX Falcon-9 flight on March 5, 2024. Digipeater and SSTV activations are announced at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. SSTV downlink: Regular downlink of images captured by the on-board cameras Frequency: 145.880 MHz Modulation: Martin M1 SSTV FM (F3F) TX Power: 500mW APRS digipeater: (Updated 26.07.2024) APRS digipeater in half-duplex operation. Digipeater is only active when published at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. When activated, it will transmit a greeting message every 2 minutes. Make sure to include SONATE-2 callsign DPØSNX in the APRS route. Frequency: 145.825 MHz Up/Down Modulation: 1k2 AFSK (F2D) Protocol: AX.25 TX Power: 500mW [ANS thanks JMU Würzburg, Gunter’s Space Page, and AZO Robotics Network for the above information.] ------------------------------ Wireless Technology Workshop in India A special workshop on ‘Wireless Technology and its Practical Solutions’ was conducted for Rajkot – Police Wireless Department at Gujarat (India) on 20th July 2024. The venue was the Police Training Center at Rajkot Headquarter. It was a highly informative 3 hours session from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Regional Coordinator of AMSAT-INDIA & The Amateur Radio Society of India, Mr. Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, gave insight into various Radio Communication protocols, types of modulation, modes & various applications used in Amateur Radio & Police department. *Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP (hamphotos.com <http://hamphotos.com>)* As this workshop was targeted for 25 technical wireless officers & radio operators, we focused on the radio communication enhancing methods, utilizing various techniques, using different antennas for specific applications and diagnosis of wireless setup with various measuring instruments incl. SWR/Power Meter, NanoVNA/Antenna Analyzer. We extended a handful of maintenance tips for Radio, Antenna, Feed line & repeaters to optimize radio communications. We also gave an overview of Ham Radio & its various events, Understanding of Digital Communication, Satellite Communication, Features of newer Digital protocol incl. DMR, D-STAR & Fusion. There was good interaction with participants, lots of doubt & queries were cleared satisfactorily. Good number of radio stuff was displayed incl. HTs, VHF Base Radio, IC-705 SDR HF Radio, RTL SDR Dongle, Antenna Tuner, CAT Control, Soundcard Interface, Morse Key, CW Paddle & Keyer, CubeSat model, Balun, LNA, SWR/Power meter, NanoVNA, Dummy load, PSU, Feed lines, EFHW Antenna, Telescopic Antenna, Connectors, Adaptors, ARISS Awards, QSL Cards etc., which helped participants to view, discuss & understand our entire stuff better. We always give practical demos, but, here in the audience was a heavy user of CW & RT from the police dept. We didn’t give a demo of that kind hi..hi.., but surely gave demos of Digital Communication – sending text messages between two VHF Setup and a second demo of sending SSTV Images between two local vhf stations! For the audience it was interesting to learn how we ham convert simple ASCII codes to corresponding audio frequencies (for Digital Communication) and RGB pixel values of Image to Slow Scan Television format to transmit & receive ‘IMAGES’ via our standard radios! That’s why we proudly call Ham Radio the oldest Social Media! It was a nice & fruitful workshop overall. I am thankful to Commissioner of Police Rajkot Shri Brajesh Kumar Jha Sir for approval of this workshop and Shri S K Jadeja Sir (PI Wireless) for nicely coordinating this workshop. I am thankful to our AMSAT-INDIA & ARSI (The Amateur Radio Society of India) for their great support and guidance to make this workshop highly successful. We wish Rajkot Gujarat Police will utilize the gained knowledge & implement into the system for better productivity! [ANS thanks Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, for the above information.] ------------------------------ *Need new satellite antennas?* *Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.* *When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards* *Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.* *https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/* <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/> ------------------------------ Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger Small satellite companies that have grown out of the New Space boom are retiring the cubesat platforms that made them to focus on larger, more powerful next-get small sats that promise to unlock new possibilities with advanced AI and real-time laser-based inter-satellite communications. Over the past 15 years, small satellites have revolutionized how things are done in space. Built quickly from cheap, off-the-shelf components, and small enough to hitch an affordable ride to orbit on the back of bigger missions, these devices and the young, agile New Space companies behind them taught the old-school space industry a few lessons. But New Space is coming of age and the firms behind the small satellite revolution must live up to expectations less favorable to their trade-mark experimental ethos. The lowest cost and shortest time to orbit may no longer be the technology’s biggest draw as users want maximum return on investment and require granted reliability. The firms behind the disruptive tech, however, have grown up together with their market share and are tapping into emerging innovation, looking to unleash a whole load of new applications in the coming years. The Evolution of the Smallsat *Members of the ABMA satellite team (with Gen. Medaris and Dr. von Braun seated in center) with a model of the Explorer 1 satellite. (Photo, U.S. Army)* Satellites started small. The first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1 — launched in 1958 — weighed only 14 kilograms. But the technology, prized for opening a whole new perspective on our planet, quickly bulked up, enabled by the increasing lifting powers of fast-evolving rockets. Soon, complex satellites the size of a school bus took over, observing the planet from above, broadcasting TV signals across continents and sensing the environment around them. It was only in the mid-1980s that researchers renewed their interest in smaller satellites with masses of tens to a couple of hundred kilograms. The true small sat revolution, however, began in 1999, with the invention of a cubesat. Based on standardized satellite units of 10 by 10 by 10 centimeters in size, cubesats opened space to anyone with enough technical skill to assemble and operate them. Soon, university teams from all over the world began launching their own experimental spacecraft to provide their students with hands-on space tech experience. By 2014, San Francisco-based Planet Labs launched its first commercial constellation of 28 three-unit (3U) Earth-observing cubesats called Doves. More than 120 Doves are in orbit today, capturing an image of each place on Earth more than once a day. Other companies followed suit. As of today, cubesats have made it to orbit around Mars and the Moon and observed the impact of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) into the asteroid Didymos in 2022 in real-time. *The Axelspace Pyxis mission launched in March of this year. (Photo: Axelspace)* Larger small satellite platforms — up to 500 kg in mass — have also grown in popularity. In fact, these larger small satellites today dominate space around Earth thanks to SpaceX’s constellation of Starlink internet-beaming satellites. Consulting firm Novaspace predicts that 26,104 small satellites — including minisatellites of 100 to 500 kg in mass, microsatellites between 10 and 100 kg and nanosatellites as light as 1 to 10 kg — will launch in the next decade. And although the smallsat revolution is already behind us, new technologies are emerging that promise to supercharge the sector in the coming years. Via Satellite spoke with a number of experts in the field about what the smallsat of the future will look like. Read the full article at: https://interactive.satellitetoday.com/via/august-2024/what-does-the-smalls… [ANS thanks Via Satellite for the above information.] ------------------------------ ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch Published flight manifests indicate that the Chinese amateur radio satellite ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for launch in November of this year aboard a Russian rocket. As always, launches are subject to a wide variety of variables, and space agencies are not always 100% forthcoming about their activities. So while you may not want to mark the calendar just yet, hopeful signs are pointing toward a launch in the coming months. *Artist’s sketch of ASRTU-1* ASRTU-1 is a 12U Cubesat mission designed by Russian and Chinese university students for education and amateur radio. Harbin Institute of Technology has successfully developed several amateur radio satellites, including LilacSat-2 (CAS-3H), LilacSat-1 (LO-90), DSLWP-A (LO-93) and DSLWP-B (LO-94). The partner institution is Bauman Moscow State Technical University, which constructed two satellites, Baumanets-1 in 2006 and Baumanets-2 in 2017, both of which unfortunately failed to reach orbit due to launch failures unrelated to the satellite payloads. The amateur radio station onboard ASRTU-1 will provide FM and telecommand uplinks, as well as FM, telemetry, and digital image downlinks. A new SDR based transceiver was developed to provide communication and experimental resources to radio amateurs, including a V/U FM transponder, a UHF telemetry downlink, and a 10.5G image downlink. The repeater uplink will be on 145.875 MHz FM using a 67 Hz CTCSS (PL) tone. Downlink will be on 435.400 MHz FM. The telemetry beacon will be on 436.210 MHz using 9k6 bps BPSK. In addition to the FM repeater, the satellite will also provide an open telecommand system to allow radio amateurs to send commands to control the satellite to take and download images. X Band image downloads using 1 Mbps/10mbps QSPK will downlink on 10.460 GHz. ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for a Roscosmos launch from Vostochny Cosmodrome, Asiatic Russia, in Q4 2024 into a 530 km Sun-synchronous Orbit (SSO). Downlinks and the repeater uplink have been coordinated by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). [ANS thanks IARU and x.com/AKAhamradio/ for the above information.] ------------------------------ *Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* *Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!* *25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards* *Keeping Amateur Radio in Space* *https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear* <https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear> ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 2 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/. {This spot for changes to TLEs when applicable. Can be eliminated or replaced if none.} {Do note that our Manual of Style specifies that we ALWAYS use first & last names, callsign separated by commas, and then the title of the AMSAT officer, if any. See example below. Same style applies to persons referenced in story bodies, as well as in attributions.} [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager 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. *COMPLETED:* Kopernik Observatory, Vestal, NY, direct via K2ZRO The ISS callsign was NA1SS The scheduled crewmember was Matthew Dominick KCØTOR. The ARISS mentor was AB1OC Contact was successful: Wed 2024-07-31 18:17:25 UTC 43 degrees maximum elevation. Congratulations to the Kopernik Observatory students, Matthew, mentor AB1OC, and ground station K2ZRO! Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/live/Tv3x3D0DTzU?feature=share SMPIT Nurul Ishlah, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, telebridge via VK4ISS The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember was Sunita Williams KD5PLB. The ARISS mentor was VE3TBD Contact was go for: Fri 2024-08-02 12:43:07 UTC 27 deg Aznakaevsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign was scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember was Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor was RV3DR Contact was go for Sat 2024-08-03 14:40 UTC *UPCOMING:* International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly 2024, Cape Town, South Africa, telebridge via VK6MJ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, or Mike Barratt, KD5MIJ. The ARISS mentor is KA3HDO Contact is go for: Fri 2024-08-09 11:55:06 UTC 40 deg Watch for Livestream at https://astronomy2024.org/ A.G. Nikolaev Secondary School, Shorshel, Chuvashia, Russia direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Sun 2024-08-11 08:20 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 + N8MR will be in EN57, with roves to EN67 from Friday, August 2 thru Saturday, August 10. Using an Icom 9700, Arrow and Alaskan antennas. Listening for Europe on linear eastern passes, with at least two of these passes being on CW. Can operate CW for NA ops, if anyone wants it. I can rove to EN56, only if needed. Posting passes to http://hams.at a day in advance. All QSOs to LoTW as N8MR. + Posted July 23rd by @SeanKutzko KX9X, on X (formerly Twitter): A reminder that I’m leaving for Hawaii this Friday! Will be on SSB / FM sats *holiday style* plus maybe some QRP FT8. No GreenCube, sorry. Will post passes here and to https://hams.at soon. #HamRadio @AMSAT #AMSAT + Posted July 21st by @W8LR_Jerry, on X (formerly Twitter): EM57/58 and EM67/68 are still planned for Aug 2/3. Please check http://hams.at and @W8LR_Jerry for updates. As I mentioned two months ago EM85 in TN will now be in my travel schedule beginning in Sept. I was just notified today. I will be doing FM/Linear/GC when there. More later. + Posted July 25th by @AD0HJ, on X (formerly Twitter): Work trip coming up the first full week of August in Fort Collins, Colorado. Will make stops on the EN02/EN03 | DN82/DN92 grid lines on the drive out. DN90/DN91 | EN20/EN30 grid lines on the way back. RS-44 satellite passes in the evenings. Posted at http://hams.at. + Jonathan @N4AKV_ has posted an ambitious August roving schedule on his qrz.com page. Tentative plans for a major satellite and 6m road trip through Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon this summer. Satellite passes listed on https://hams.at for the next week include grid squares FN43, FN53, and GN16. + FP/N4AKV will be on IO-117 on August 8. See https://hams.at for details. 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] ------------------------------ 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. August 17-18, 2024 *Huntsville Hamfest* Huntsville, AL AMSAT Booth and Forum N8DEU and W4FCL September 7, 2024 *Greater Louisville Hamfest* Shepherdsville, KY AMSAT Forum and Information Table W4FCL October 5, 2024 *Central Kentucky Hamfest* Lexington, KY AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table AI4SR and W4FCL October 5, 2024 *North Star Radio Convention* Hennepin Technical College (North Campus) Brooklyn Park, Minn. AMSAT Forum and Information Table KØJM and ADØHJ October 25-27, 2004 *AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting* Double Tree Rocky Point Waterfront Hotel Tampa Bay, FL November 2-3, 2024 *Stone Mountain Hamfest, ARRL State Convention* Stone Mountain, GA K4RGK Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/ [ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information] ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts From All Over + The MESAT-1 team are continuing to test and commission the satellite. It is currently in Health Mode transmitting continuously and the downlink power is now about 6dB higher. So it should be easier to hear and decode. If you have had trouble decoding it then now is a good time to try again. Software may be downloaded from https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/ (ANS thanks Chris E. Thompson, VE2TCP / G0KLA / AC2CZ, for the above information.) + SpaceX is now targeting mid- to late August for the launch of Polaris Dawn, a mission funded by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman. The upcoming flight, which will employ SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket, had been slated to lift off no earlier than July 31. SpaceX announced the delay today (July 26), during a press conference focusing on the company’s upcoming Crew-9 astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA. The NASA mission will include Zena Cardman, KJ5CMN, Nick Hague, KG5TMV, Stephanie Wilson, KD5DZE, and Aleksandr Gorbunov, Roscosmos. Crew-9 will launch no earlier than Aug. 18, and Polaris Dawn will fly sometime after that, the company said. The Polaris Dawn mission is scheduled to include the first-ever private spacewalk. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above information.) + The U.S. military is installing modular state-of-the-art satellite jammers capable of disrupting Russian or Chinese communications, should the need arise. Even though the hardware is ground-based, the U.S. Space Force will oversee installation and operation. The technology is already past prototyping. The military tested the system at two different locations earlier this year. The Department of Defense allocated funds to build 24 remote installations, with 11 scheduled to deploy before the end of the year. (ANS thanks SatNews.com for the above information.) + SpaceX Falcon 9 returned to flight with three Starlink launches in 30 hours after only 15 days of being grounded due to its recent upper-stage anomaly (a brittle, and presumably cracked, pressure monitoring line) and conducted its 300th reflight of a booster. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.) + Boeing performed a hot fire test of the 27 maneuvering thrusters aboard the docked Starliner space capsule, which could be the last test before the spacecraft’s delayed return to Earth is approved. Astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore, and Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, took Starliner to the International Space Station on June 5 for what was to have been a 10-day test flight. NASA says they may now return in late August. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index 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 Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM mjohns [at] amsat.org

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Fw: [ANS] ANS-217 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by John Antonuk - AL7ID 04 Aug '24

04 Aug '24

"SONATE-2 was one of a cluster of satellites launched on a SpaceX Falcon-9 flight on March 5, 2024. Digipeater and SSTV activations are announced at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. " For those of us not on X/Twitter, can somebody send a note to this list with the schedule? many thanks,John 73, John Antonuk AL7ID(a)yahoo.com On Saturday, August 3, 2024 at 04:05:26 PM AKDT, Mark Johns, K0JM via ANS <ans(a)amsat.org> wrote: AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-217 In this edition: * ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit * SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation * Wireless Technology Workshop in India * Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger * ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution * 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 http://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/ ANS-217 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 Aug 4 ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit When the long-delayed inaugural launch of the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) new Ariane 6 rocket finally occurred on July 7, it suffered an upper stage failure that left some payloads in the wrong orbits. Fortunately, before the anomaly developed, the Ariane 6 successfully deployed ROBUSTA-3A, a satellite with an amateur radio payload. The target was a 580 km circular orbit with an inclination of 96 degrees. ROBUSTA-3A (a.k.a. “Méditerranée”) is a 3U cubesat, designed and built by students and faculty of Université de Montpellier in southern France. Over a decade in development, involving around 300 students from the University of Montpellier and all over the world, ROBUSTA-3A will be its seventh satellite developed entirely in-house, having learned much from the development and launch of smaller ROBUSTA-1U satellites. The project has offered hands-on training, engineering and scientific experience to the next generation of space engineers and researchers. The Robusta 3A satellite is 3U, three CubeSat units. (Photo: Van Allen Foundation) The satellite’s primary mission is weather observation, specifically to track “Cevenol events.” These are intense storms and incredibly heavy rains that cause extensive flooding, often in the form of flash floods, that hit the plains and the foothills of southern France. Once considered “100-year storms,” they have been occurring with greater frequency due to global climate change. Most of the weather data is downlinked on a commercial S-band microwave frequency. “If the data we will be collecting improves the geographic and temporal accuracy of weather forecasts for cévenol events, it would help authorities give early warning to the population and allow rescue services to better target the areas at risk,” explains Romain Briand, assembly integration and testing manager at the University Space Center of Montpellier. Robusta-3A under development by Centre Spatial Universitaire de Montpellier (CSUM) However, ROBUSTA-3A aims to do even more than chart water vapour from space. The satellite carries an experimental Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) that will seek to optimize solar panel exposure and correctly aim sensors and microwave downlink antennas. Using a set of Sun sensors, magnetometers, and reaction wheels in a pyramidal configuration, the system should provide precise attitude control, especially during orbital maneuvers. The satellite will also employ a cold gas thruster propulsion system which operates with solid iodine as propellant. This system will demonstrate orbit maintenance, phasing, and lifetime extension of small satellite missions, and could also help with end-of-life decommissioning and debris mitigation. As an extra mission, the CubeSat will test how computer memory from chip manufacturer 3D PLUS withstands the radiation of space. This French company specialises in highly-reliable electronic components and their computer memory recently landed on the Moon as part of the India’s Chandrayaan-3 lander. Finally, ROBUSTA-3A also carries a 9k6 GMSK AX.25 store-and-forward digital system with a UHF transmitter output of up to three watts — a very powerful downlink! As the satellite is sill in commissioning, operating protocols and uplink frequency have not yet been released. However, amateurs should expect something similar to the FalconSAT-3 store-and-forward system that was popular until that satellite deorbited in January of 2023. ROBUSTA-3A is currently transmitting short telemetry bursts on its International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) coordinated downlink frequency of 436.750 MHz. [ANS thanks ESA, IARU, and the Space Center of the University of Montpellier for the above information.] The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now! Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation Professor Hakan Kayal from Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany posted on X this past week, “Thanks to everyone using SONATE-2’s APRS digipeater over the weekend. A total of 421 messages were digipeated.” The Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg’s SONATE (SOlutus NAno satelliTE) satellite is a technology demonstration mission for highly autonomous payloads and artificial intelligence in the 6U CubeSat class. As part of the SONATE-2 mission, novel hardware and software technologies of artificial intelligence (AI) are to be verified in miniaturized format in earth orbit. By using such AI technologies, the satellite can independently analyze the environment and start autonomous recordings. Deep learning plays a special role as a versatile image processing tool. In addition to the classification of targets already known at the start of the mission, the payload should also have the option of on-board training for the detection of anomalies as previously unknown objects or phenomena. SONATE-2 mission patch (JMU artwork) The operation of an amateur radio payload is important to the educational mission of SONATE-2. The development and operation of the satellite is used for the education of students of the university. In cooperation with the DLR School Lab in Neustrelitz, Germany, it is planned to use the amateur radio payload for the education of high school students. The amateur payload of SONATE-2 consists of a VHF transceiver that was already built for the predecessor mission SONATE over the course of several student projects. For SONATE-2 additional student projects extended the transceiver functionalities. It will provide regular SSTV downlinks with images from the optical sensors included in the AI payload as well as an APRS digipeater and CW beacon. On the education side, the mission will serve as a foundation for different aspects of the university aerospace and computer science engineering program. In the context of practical courses, as thesis authors or as student assistants, students can participate in the development of all subsystems of the space and ground segment, including the amateur radio payload and the technology demonstration payload. In the context of mandatory lectures and exercises on space operations every student will also be included in the operations of the satellite. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers a School Lab for high school students at the location of the external ground station in Neustrelitz, Germany. Besides experiments on space and satellites, the School Lab includes amateur radio contacts to the ISS under the supervision of licensed local radio amateurs, which they wish to extend to other satellites like in this cooperation with the SONATE-2 mission. Besides the amateur and educational mission parts, the SONATE-2 mission also has a research objective for the demonstration of novel artificial intelligence technology in the space environments. While the AI payload is mainly operated using a separate up/downlink in the space operation service in S-band, the satellite bus and the amateur payloads are operated in the amateur service. Housekeeping telemetry in the amateur service also contains status information of the non-amateur payload. SONATE-2 Test Model, October 2023 (Photo: JMU) According to Kayal, not many similar projects are currently being undertaken. “Let’s assume that a small satellite is to investigate a new asteroid in the solar system in the future. It cannot be trained for this task on the ground, because the object of investigation is largely unknown. There is no training data, so the measurements and recordings can’t be made on the ground,” Kayal added. Transmitting this data to Earth for initial processing and subsequently training the AI via remote control would result in significant time delays for missions located at a considerable distance from Earth. Opting for a heightened level of autonomy with direct on-board AI support would greatly enhance the mission’s efficiency. This approach would expedite the detection of intriguing objects and phenomena on the asteroid, considerably reducing the time required for their identification. To facilitate this, four on-board cameras capture the essential imagery required for training the AI. Initially, the AI acquires knowledge of conventional geometric patterns on Earth’s surface, among other things, which subsequently empowers it to autonomously identify anomalies. A model of the SONATE-2 nanosatellite, here artistically depicted in orbit. (Image: Hakan Kayal / Universität Würzburg) In addition to these AI experiments, SONATE-2 carries a suite of other small satellite technologies that are ready for in-orbit testing. These technologies include an automated lightning detection and recording system, as well as an electric propulsion system developed in collaboration with the University of Stuttgart. Kayal added, “In terms of complexity, SONATE-2 is unparalleled among nanosatellites.” SONATE-2 was one of a cluster of satellites launched on a SpaceX Falcon-9 flight on March 5, 2024. Digipeater and SSTV activations are announced at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. SSTV downlink: Regular downlink of images captured by the on-board cameras Frequency: 145.880 MHz Modulation: Martin M1 SSTV FM (F3F) TX Power: 500mW APRS digipeater: (Updated 26.07.2024) APRS digipeater in half-duplex operation. Digipeater is only active when published at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. When activated, it will transmit a greeting message every 2 minutes. Make sure to include SONATE-2 callsign DPØSNX in the APRS route. Frequency: 145.825 MHz Up/Down Modulation: 1k2 AFSK (F2D) Protocol: AX.25 TX Power: 500mW [ANS thanks JMU Würzburg, Gunter’s Space Page, and AZO Robotics Network for the above information.] Wireless Technology Workshop in India A special workshop on ‘Wireless Technology and its Practical Solutions’ was conducted for Rajkot – Police Wireless Department at Gujarat (India) on 20th July 2024. The venue was the Police Training Center at Rajkot Headquarter. It was a highly informative 3 hours session from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Regional Coordinator of AMSAT-INDIA & The Amateur Radio Society of India, Mr. Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, gave insight into various Radio Communication protocols, types of modulation, modes & various applications used in Amateur Radio & Police department. Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP (hamphotos.com) As this workshop was targeted for 25 technical wireless officers & radio operators, we focused on the radio communication enhancing methods, utilizing various techniques, using different antennas for specific applications and diagnosis of wireless setup with various measuring instruments incl. SWR/Power Meter, NanoVNA/Antenna Analyzer. We extended a handful of maintenance tips for Radio, Antenna, Feed line & repeaters to optimize radio communications. We also gave an overview of Ham Radio & its various events, Understanding of Digital Communication, Satellite Communication, Features of newer Digital protocol incl. DMR, D-STAR & Fusion. There was good interaction with participants, lots of doubt & queries were cleared satisfactorily. Good number of radio stuff was displayed incl. HTs, VHF Base Radio, IC-705 SDR HF Radio, RTL SDR Dongle, Antenna Tuner, CAT Control, Soundcard Interface, Morse Key, CW Paddle & Keyer, CubeSat model, Balun, LNA, SWR/Power meter, NanoVNA, Dummy load, PSU, Feed lines, EFHW Antenna, Telescopic Antenna, Connectors, Adaptors, ARISS Awards, QSL Cards etc., which helped participants to view, discuss & understand our entire stuff better. We always give practical demos, but, here in the audience was a heavy user of CW & RT from the police dept. We didn’t give a demo of that kind hi..hi.., but surely gave demos of Digital Communication – sending text messages between two VHF Setup and a second demo of sending SSTV Images between two local vhf stations! For the audience it was interesting to learn how we ham convert simple ASCII codes to corresponding audio frequencies (for Digital Communication) and RGB pixel values of Image to Slow Scan Television format to transmit & receive ‘IMAGES’ via our standard radios! That’s why we proudly call Ham Radio the oldest Social Media! It was a nice & fruitful workshop overall. I am thankful to Commissioner of Police Rajkot Shri Brajesh Kumar Jha Sir for approval of this workshop and Shri S K Jadeja Sir (PI Wireless) for nicely coordinating this workshop. I am thankful to our AMSAT-INDIA & ARSI (The Amateur Radio Society of India) for their great support and guidance to make this workshop highly successful. We wish Rajkot Gujarat Police will utilize the gained knowledge & implement into the system for better productivity! [ANS thanks Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, for the above information.] Need new satellite antennas? Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger Small satellite companies that have grown out of the New Space boom are retiring the cubesat platforms that made them to focus on larger, more powerful next-get small sats that promise to unlock new possibilities with advanced AI and real-time laser-based inter-satellite communications. Over the past 15 years, small satellites have revolutionized how things are done in space. Built quickly from cheap, off-the-shelf components, and small enough to hitch an affordable ride to orbit on the back of bigger missions, these devices and the young, agile New Space companies behind them taught the old-school space industry a few lessons. But New Space is coming of age and the firms behind the small satellite revolution must live up to expectations less favorable to their trade-mark experimental ethos. The lowest cost and shortest time to orbit may no longer be the technology’s biggest draw as users want maximum return on investment and require granted reliability. The firms behind the disruptive tech, however, have grown up together with their market share and are tapping into emerging innovation, looking to unleash a whole load of new applications in the coming years. The Evolution of the Smallsat Members of the ABMA satellite team (with Gen. Medaris and Dr. von Braun seated in center) with a model of the Explorer 1 satellite. (Photo, U.S. Army) Satellites started small. The first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1 — launched in 1958 — weighed only 14 kilograms. But the technology, prized for opening a whole new perspective on our planet, quickly bulked up, enabled by the increasing lifting powers of fast-evolving rockets. Soon, complex satellites the size of a school bus took over, observing the planet from above, broadcasting TV signals across continents and sensing the environment around them. It was only in the mid-1980s that researchers renewed their interest in smaller satellites with masses of tens to a couple of hundred kilograms. The true small sat revolution, however, began in 1999, with the invention of a cubesat. Based on standardized satellite units of 10 by 10 by 10 centimeters in size, cubesats opened space to anyone with enough technical skill to assemble and operate them. Soon, university teams from all over the world began launching their own experimental spacecraft to provide their students with hands-on space tech experience. By 2014, San Francisco-based Planet Labs launched its first commercial constellation of 28 three-unit (3U) Earth-observing cubesats called Doves. More than 120 Doves are in orbit today, capturing an image of each place on Earth more than once a day. Other companies followed suit. As of today, cubesats have made it to orbit around Mars and the Moon and observed the impact of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) into the asteroid Didymos in 2022 in real-time. The Axelspace Pyxis mission launched in March of this year. (Photo: Axelspace) Larger small satellite platforms — up to 500 kg in mass — have also grown in popularity. In fact, these larger small satellites today dominate space around Earth thanks to SpaceX’s constellation of Starlink internet-beaming satellites. Consulting firm Novaspace predicts that 26,104 small satellites — including minisatellites of 100 to 500 kg in mass, microsatellites between 10 and 100 kg and nanosatellites as light as 1 to 10 kg — will launch in the next decade. And although the smallsat revolution is already behind us, new technologies are emerging that promise to supercharge the sector in the coming years. Via Satellite spoke with a number of experts in the field about what the smallsat of the future will look like. Read the full article at: https://interactive.satellitetoday.com/via/august-2024/what-does-the-smalls… [ANS thanks Via Satellite for the above information.] ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch Published flight manifests indicate that the Chinese amateur radio satellite ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for launch in November of this year aboard a Russian rocket. As always, launches are subject to a wide variety of variables, and space agencies are not always 100% forthcoming about their activities. So while you may not want to mark the calendar just yet, hopeful signs are pointing toward a launch in the coming months. Artist’s sketch of ASRTU-1 ASRTU-1 is a 12U Cubesat mission designed by Russian and Chinese university students for education and amateur radio. Harbin Institute of Technology has successfully developed several amateur radio satellites, including LilacSat-2 (CAS-3H), LilacSat-1 (LO-90), DSLWP-A (LO-93) and DSLWP-B (LO-94). The partner institution is Bauman Moscow State Technical University, which constructed two satellites, Baumanets-1 in 2006 and Baumanets-2 in 2017, both of which unfortunately failed to reach orbit due to launch failures unrelated to the satellite payloads. The amateur radio station onboard ASRTU-1 will provide FM and telecommand uplinks, as well as FM, telemetry, and digital image downlinks. A new SDR based transceiver was developed to provide communication and experimental resources to radio amateurs, including a V/U FM transponder, a UHF telemetry downlink, and a 10.5G image downlink. The repeater uplink will be on 145.875 MHz FM using a 67 Hz CTCSS (PL) tone. Downlink will be on 435.400 MHz FM. The telemetry beacon will be on 436.210 MHz using 9k6 bps BPSK. In addition to the FM repeater, the satellite will also provide an open telecommand system to allow radio amateurs to send commands to control the satellite to take and download images. X Band image downloads using 1 Mbps/10mbps QSPK will downlink on 10.460 GHz. ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for a Roscosmos launch from Vostochny Cosmodrome, Asiatic Russia, in Q4 2024 into a 530 km Sun-synchronous Orbit (SSO). Downlinks and the repeater uplink have been coordinated by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). [ANS thanks IARU and x.com/AKAhamradio/ for the above information.] Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 2 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/. {This spot for changes to TLEs when applicable. Can be eliminated or replaced if none.} {Do note that our Manual of Style specifies that we ALWAYS use first & last names, callsign separated by commas, and then the title of the AMSAT officer, if any. See example below. Same style applies to persons referenced in story bodies, as well as in attributions.} [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager 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. COMPLETED: Kopernik Observatory, Vestal, NY, direct via K2ZRO The ISS callsign was NA1SS The scheduled crewmember was Matthew Dominick KCØTOR. The ARISS mentor was AB1OC Contact was successful: Wed 2024-07-31 18:17:25 UTC 43 degrees maximum elevation. Congratulations to the Kopernik Observatory students, Matthew, mentor AB1OC, and ground station K2ZRO! Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/live/Tv3x3D0DTzU?feature=share SMPIT Nurul Ishlah, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, telebridge via VK4ISS The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember was Sunita Williams KD5PLB. The ARISS mentor was VE3TBD Contact was go for: Fri 2024-08-02 12:43:07 UTC 27 deg Aznakaevsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign was scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember was Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor was RV3DR Contact was go for Sat 2024-08-03 14:40 UTC UPCOMING: International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly 2024, Cape Town, South Africa, telebridge via VK6MJ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, or Mike Barratt, KD5MIJ. The ARISS mentor is KA3HDO Contact is go for: Fri 2024-08-09 11:55:06 UTC 40 deg Watch for Livestream at https://astronomy2024.org/ A.G. Nikolaev Secondary School, Shorshel, Chuvashia, Russia direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Sun 2024-08-11 08:20 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 + N8MR will be in EN57, with roves to EN67 from Friday, August 2 thru Saturday, August 10. Using an Icom 9700, Arrow and Alaskan antennas. Listening for Europe on linear eastern passes, with at least two of these passes being on CW. Can operate CW for NA ops, if anyone wants it. I can rove to EN56, only if needed. Posting passes to http://hams.at a day in advance. All QSOs to LoTW as N8MR. + Posted July 23rd by @SeanKutzko KX9X, on X (formerly Twitter): A reminder that I’m leaving for Hawaii this Friday! Will be on SSB / FM sats *holiday style* plus maybe some QRP FT8. No GreenCube, sorry. Will post passes here and to https://hams.at soon. #HamRadio @AMSAT #AMSAT + Posted July 21st by @W8LR_Jerry, on X (formerly Twitter): EM57/58 and EM67/68 are still planned for Aug 2/3. Please check http://hams.at and @W8LR_Jerry for updates. As I mentioned two months ago EM85 in TN will now be in my travel schedule beginning in Sept. I was just notified today. I will be doing FM/Linear/GC when there. More later. + Posted July 25th by @AD0HJ, on X (formerly Twitter): Work trip coming up the first full week of August in Fort Collins, Colorado. Will make stops on the EN02/EN03 | DN82/DN92 grid lines on the drive out. DN90/DN91 | EN20/EN30 grid lines on the way back. RS-44 satellite passes in the evenings. Posted at http://hams.at. + Jonathan @N4AKV_ has posted an ambitious August roving schedule on his qrz.com page. Tentative plans for a major satellite and 6m road trip through Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon this summer. Satellite passes listed on https://hams.at for the next week include grid squares FN43, FN53, and GN16. + FP/N4AKV will be on IO-117 on August 8. See https://hams.at for details. 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] 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. August 17-18, 2024 Huntsville Hamfest Huntsville, AL AMSAT Booth and Forum N8DEU and W4FCL September 7, 2024 Greater Louisville Hamfest Shepherdsville, KY AMSAT Forum and Information Table W4FCL October 5, 2024 Central Kentucky Hamfest Lexington, KY AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table AI4SR and W4FCL October 5, 2024 North Star Radio Convention Hennepin Technical College (North Campus) Brooklyn Park, Minn. AMSAT Forum and Information Table KØJM and ADØHJ October 25-27, 2004 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting Double Tree Rocky Point Waterfront Hotel Tampa Bay, FL November 2-3, 2024 Stone Mountain Hamfest, ARRL State Convention Stone Mountain, GA K4RGK Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/ [ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information] Satellite Shorts From All Over + The MESAT-1 team are continuing to test and commission the satellite. It is currently in Health Mode transmitting continuously and the downlink power is now about 6dB higher. So it should be easier to hear and decode. If you have had trouble decoding it then now is a good time to try again. Software may be downloaded from https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/ (ANS thanks Chris E. Thompson, VE2TCP / G0KLA / AC2CZ, for the above information.) + SpaceX is now targeting mid- to late August for the launch of Polaris Dawn, a mission funded by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman. The upcoming flight, which will employ SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket, had been slated to lift off no earlier than July 31. SpaceX announced the delay today (July 26), during a press conference focusing on the company’s upcoming Crew-9 astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA. The NASA mission will include Zena Cardman, KJ5CMN, Nick Hague, KG5TMV, Stephanie Wilson, KD5DZE, and Aleksandr Gorbunov, Roscosmos. Crew-9 will launch no earlier than Aug. 18, and Polaris Dawn will fly sometime after that, the company said. The Polaris Dawn mission is scheduled to include the first-ever private spacewalk. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above information.) + The U.S. military is installing modular state-of-the-art satellite jammers capable of disrupting Russian or Chinese communications, should the need arise. Even though the hardware is ground-based, the U.S. Space Force will oversee installation and operation. The technology is already past prototyping. The military tested the system at two different locations earlier this year. The Department of Defense allocated funds to build 24 remote installations, with 11 scheduled to deploy before the end of the year. (ANS thanks SatNews.com for the above information.) + SpaceX Falcon 9 returned to flight with three Starlink launches in 30 hours after only 15 days of being grounded due to its recent upper-stage anomaly (a brittle, and presumably cracked, pressure monitoring line) and conducted its 300th reflight of a booster. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.) + Boeing performed a hot fire test of the 27 maneuvering thrusters aboard the docked Starliner space capsule, which could be the last test before the spacecraft’s delayed return to Earth is approved. Astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore, and Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, took Starliner to the International Space Station on June 5 for what was to have been a 10-day test flight. NASA says they may now return in late August. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index 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 Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM mjohns [at] amsat.org ----------------------------------------------------------- ANS mailing list -- ans(a)amsat.org View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/ans@amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to ans-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org

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VUCC Satellite Standing August 2024
by Jon Goering 02 Aug '24

02 Aug '24

Satellite DXCC has still not been updated since May 13. Here is Satellite VUCC update. VUCC Satellite Standing August 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------ VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for May 13, 2024 to August 01, 2024. ------------------------------------------------------------ DF2ET 1402 1500 N0JE 1206 1225 WI7P 1050 1078 JK2XXK 903 1036 EA2AA 931 954 FG8OJ 888 921 KK4YEL 768 799 N8MR 706 731 JS1LQI 617 701 N3CAL 637 653 N7ZO 600 650 LA6OP 600 632 IK7FMQ 550 626 AC9DX 525 625 EA3TA 503 607 N5EKO 550 581 LY4AA 505 555 AD2DD 403 517 KF2T 399 505 AL7ID 425 502 N6PAZ 400 450 AG4W 314 423 KF0QS 301 400 W9FF 284 400 K6VHF 350 376 KB3IAI 254 358 DJ7NT 234 348 AG1A 200 301 N8HRZ 102 298 KB9DAK 255 278 N4QWF 136 255 KH6WI/W9 (EN54) New 250 KB4DSL 127 226 K0JQZ New 205 K5WO New 200 WD9EWK (DM31) 195 200 KD8RTT 101 150 BI8FFH New 132 G4BWP New 123 ER1KW New 111 XE1RCU New 108 BG6HXD New 103 KK7OVF New 103 N6NU New 103 W4BB New 100 ------------------------------------------------------------ Congratulations to the new VUCC holders. ER1KW is first VUCC Satellite holder from Moldova and KN46 KH6WI/W9 (EN54) is first VUCC Satellite holder from EN54 BI8FFH is first VUCC Satellite holder from PM06 G4BWP is first VUCC Satellite holder from JO02 BG6HXD is first VUCC Satellite holder from OM83 W4BB is first VUCC Satellite holder from FM04 73 Jon N7AZ

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