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January 2015
- 3 participants
- 4 discussions
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-018
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor-
mation service of AMSAT North America, 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.
In this edition:
* Fox-1A Launch Date
* Most Current ISS Keps
* NASA Cubesat Simulators Intern Opportunities Summer 2015
* AESP-14 CubeSat on ISS awaiting deployment
* OGMS-SA CubeSat to provide FM Transponder
* Call for Speakers and Papers for the 41st Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave
Conference
* Dick Flagg, AH6NM, honored as Yasme Excellence Award Winner
* Video of FUNcube-1 demonstration at IARU-R1 conference
* AMSAT Events
* ARISS News
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-018.01
ANS-018 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 018.01
>From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE January 18, 2015
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-018.01
----------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Fox-1A Launch Date
AMSAT has received a launch date for the Fox-1A satellite. Fox-1A will
be launched on August 27, 2015 on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5
rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on the NROL-55 flight
for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The launch time has not
been announced.
Fox-1A Operating Frequencies include:
Uplink 435.180 MHz FM
Downlink 145.980 MHz FM
The AMSAT Fox series of satellites will include additional opportunities
for launch during 2015-2016:
+ Fox-1B will fly with the Vanderbilt University radiation
experiments expected in 2016.
+ Fox-1C* will launch on Spaceflight's maiden mission of the
SHERPA multi-cubesat deployer during the 3rd quarter of 2015.
+ Fox-1D is a flight spare for Fox-1C. If not needed as a spare
it will become available to launch on any open launch slot which
becomes available and be submitted in a Cubesat Launch Initiative
(CSLI) proposal in 2015.
+ Fox-1E is built as a flight spare for Fox-1B but has been included
in a student science proposal as part of the November, 2014 CSLI
for an ELaNa flight slot. If selected the Fox-1B spare will fly as
Fox-1E.
* The flight for Fox-1C has been purchased by AMSAT. It is not funded by
the Cubesat Launch Initiative ELaNa program. Fund raising for the
$125,000 launch costs for Fox-1C are underway. We have commissioned a
unique challenge coin for donors who have contributed at the $100 level
or higher. This challenge coin is shaped as an isometric view of a Fox-1
CubeSat, complete with details such as the stowed UHF antenna, solar cells,
and camera lens viewport. Struck in 3mm thick brass, plated with antique
silver, and finished in bright enamel, the coin is scaled to be
approximately 1:4 scale, or 1 inch along each of the six sides. The reverse
has the AMSAT Fox logo.
You may donate at:
+ The AMSAT web site
http://www.amsat.org
+ AMSAT's page on the FundRazr crowdsourcing web site
http://fnd.us/c/6pz92/sh/561Zd
+ Or Call Martha at the AMSAT Office (888) 322-6728
[ANS thanks the Fox-1 Team for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------- ------------------
Most Current ISS Keps
AMSAT has been working on updating the keps for the ISS in a more
timely manner. Joe Fitzgerald has confirmed that the AMSAT keps
download site is now updated with the latest ISS data.
Here is his comment:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ftp/keps/current/nasabare.txt
is updated daily at 11:18 UTC with TLE's from Spaceflight.nasa.gov
http://tinyurl.com/ANS018-ISS-TRAJECTORY-DATA
According to Joe Fitzgerald, "This is a very significant improvement
and should be very helpful for this who need accurate keps for school
contacts and other ISS activities."
The bulletins remain on a weekly schedule with data from spacetrack.org
The ARISS team suggests this information should be share accordingly.
[ANS Thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, and ARISS for the above
information.]
----------------------------------------------- -----------------------
NASA Cubesat Simulators Intern Opportunities Summer 2015
CubeSat Simulator Intern Opportunities in Greenbelt, MD USA
The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is offering an internship
position for the Summer 2015 semester. Applications are being taken
on the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI) recruiting web site.
To search, go to:
https://intern.nasa.gov --> Student Opportunities --> Internships -->
and you are brought to a page with tabs. The opening tab HOME
describes the main ground rules and schedule. Click the SEARCH
OPPORTUNITIES tab and scroll to the very bottom. Enter Keyword in the
box: "cubesat" without the quotes, then click the Search and then you
will get a growing list of opportunities including the Cubesat
Simulator, Cubesat Groundstation, and PICetSat Module & PCB
Development. This brings the student to this page:
https://intern.nasa.gov/ossi/web/public/guest/searchOpps/
Again, the Internship Titles are:
o CubeSat Simulator Upgrade Plus
o CubeSat Ground Station Development
o PICetSat Module & PCB Development
The objective of this Opportunity is to allow a university level
student to rework, repair and improve a prototype "1-Unit" CubeSat
simulator/model on loan from AMSAT and then to share his or her
experiences as a result. The model used in this Opportunity is
similar to that described in The AMSAT Journal article "Education
With a Satellite Simulator: ETP CubeSat Simulator," by Mr. Mark
Spencer, ARRL Education and Technology Program Coordinator, Part 1
in the the September/October 2009 issue and Part 2 in the November/
December 2009 issue.
Back copies are available at:
http://www.arrl.org/files/file/ETP/CubeSat/CubeSat-Pt1-SepOct09.pdfhttp://w…
A course of study in engineering is required. Electrical/Electronics
Engineering (EE) or Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) for
university students in their junior class or higher. Experience in
hardware is also required.
Open to U.S. citizens.
The immediate skills required of the intern are to be a well-rounded
individual, and to have an excellent knowledge of and experience with
Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office (especially in using
spreadsheets), electrical and electronic circuits (theory and
practice), microcontrollers, interfacing, and the use of basic
laboratory test equipment and procedures.
Familiarity with the CubeSat community is important.
A proficiency in either C++ or a similar language for microcontrollers
and the desire to learn a new one is necessary. A basic understanding
of data acquisition, signal processing, or control is required.
Hands-on experience in building something, repairing or upgrading
PCs or other electronic gear, or just getting stuff to work is required.
Mechanical and electrical construction skills will be used.
Experience in RF or wireless technology (anywhere between 3 and
2400 MHz) is very important. Holding or obtaining an Amateur Radio
license from the FCC and practical radio experience is a distinct
advantage.
A good attitude, an exceptional willingness to learn and to contribute
as a team player are essential qualities. Likewise, excellent
communicator skills (verbal, writing and definitely e-mail),
reliability, punctuality, having a self-starter work ethic and the
ability & desire to work independently for long periods are required.
You may ask questions regarding the tasks and skill requirements
with the mentor in advance (Mr. Pat Kilroy, Code 568,
Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov) and
telephone interviews will be available.
The student application instructions provide a deadline of March 1
to apply, but mentors will start evaluating applications as soon as
next week. The word to the wise is to get one's application in ASAP
and certainly within the next three weeks!
Applications must be made via the OSSI web. Please Be sure to enclose
your callsign.
https://intern.nasa.gov/ossi/web/public/main/index.cfm?sola rAction=
view&subAction=content&contentCode=HOME_PAGE_INTERNSHIPS
[ANS thanks NASA and Pat, N8PK for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------- -----------------
OGMS-SA CubeSat to provide FM Transponder
The AESP-14 is a 1U CubeSat developed by undergraduate and graduate
engineering students at the Technology Institute of Aeronautics (ITA)
in Brazil. The satellite’s primary mission is to test the various
subsystems in the space environment.
The satellite was sent to the International Space Station (ISS) on
January 10 by the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch and it is now awaiting
release into space by the JEM orbital deployer (J-SSOD) at the Kibo
Japanese module.
The satellite has an amateur radio experiment developed by the
Americana Amateur Radio Club (CRAM). The experiment consists of the
random transmission of 100 sequences of ASCII characters prefixed
with the “CRAM” word that will used as part of a contest among
receiving stations. The first 10 amateur radio stations that complete
receiving the 100 sequences will be awarded a commemorative diploma.
A web site is being developed to collect the sequences. The site
address will be announced shortly.
AESP-14 will transmit with an RF power of 500 mW on 437.600 MHz using
the 9600 bps G3RUH modulation (GFSK) and AX.25 UI framing. Radio
amateurs are encouraged to send any telemetry frames received back to
the team. Telemetry format and more information will be published in
the project web site
http://www.aer.ita.br/~aesp14
An update bulletin will be released as soon as the final launch date
is announced by NASA.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and Edson, PY2SDR for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------- -----------------
OGMS-SA CubeSat to provide FM Transponder
OGMS-SA is a 3U CubeSat being developed by students at the Paris-Est
Creteil University as part of the QB50 constellation.
The purposes of this CubeSat include upper atmosphere science; radio
communication experiments; technology demonstrator; education,
training and outreach.
Additionally it will provide an FM voice transponder for amateur use.
Planning is to use VHF uplink and UHF downlink with 9k6 FX25 GMSK
modulation. A downlink of 437.545 MHz has been coordinated.
OGMS-SA CubeSat
http://www.esep.pro/-CubeSat-OGMS-SA-En-construction-.html
Source IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination
http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru
QB50 CubeSat Launch Contract Signed
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/28/qb50-cubesat-launch-contract-signed /
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------- -----------------
Call for Speakers and Papers for the 41st Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave
Conference
Talks and papers, both long and short, are needed for the 41st
Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave Conference on April 17-19 2015 in
Manchester, CT.
Please tell us about what you have been working on: Operating,
contesting, construction, homebrewing, microwaves.
Please let Paul, W1GHZ, (w1ghz(a)arrl.net) know if you are considering
a presentation or paper. A commitment by the end of February would be
appreciated, with a deadline of 18 March.
The conference organizers are also planning another Friday afternoon
workshop. One suggestion is for an Antenna Modeling workshop. We
could even do two simultaneous workshops - one for Antenna Modeling
and something else for those who aren't computer-oriented. Any
suggestions, please.
Find additional details at
http://www.newsvhf.com/vhfconf.html
[ANS thanks Paul, W1GHZ for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------- -----------------
Dick Flagg, AH6NM, honored as Yasme Excellence Award Winner
The Yasme Foundation Board of Directors has announced the recipients
of several awards. The Foundation named four individuals to receive
the Yasme Excellence Award for 2014.
Honored as Yasme Excellence Award winners were:
* Kimo Chun, KH7U, for 20 years of behind-the-scenes support to
DXpeditions to Pacific entities -- including logistics, organization,
equipment, local contacts, and planning.
* Dick Flagg, AH6NM, for his years of working with the Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program and its
predecessor Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX), and for
supporting NASA's Radio Jove project, both designed to introduce
Amateur Radio to students and the general public.
* Florin Cristian Predescu, YO9CNU, and Lisa Leenders, PA2LS, for
their work in organizing and promoting Youngsters on the Air (YOTA)
and Amateur Radio youth activities.
The Yasme Excellence Award is presented to individuals who, through
their own service, creativity, effort, and dedication, have made a
significant contribution to Amateur Radio in technical, operating, or
organizational achievement.
http://www.yasme.org/news_release/2014-01-07.pdf
[ANS thanks ARRL Letter and YASME Foundation for the above
information]
------------------------------------------- --------------------------
Video of FUNcube-1 demonstration at IARU-R1 conference
Riaan Greeff ZS4PR has released a video of the demonstration of the
FUNcube-1 (AO-73) CubeSat by Graham Shirville G3VZV to delegates at
the IARU Region 1 Conference in September 2014.
Mats SM6EAN has posted a brief report on the Swedish Amateur Radio
Society (SSA) website about the FUNcube-1 CubeSat presentation at the
IARU Region 1 General Conference in Varna-Albena, Bulgaria.
The following is translated from the original Swedish post.
After the session of the VHF, UHF and Microwave C5 Committee had
completed the delegates were given two interesting presentations.
Graham Shirville G3VZV did a poolside demonstration of the FUNcube-1
satellite which was launched in November 2013. Using a computer,
FUNcube SDR dongle and a turnstile antenna, held by Kjetil Toresen
LA8KV, he received FUNcube-1 and displayed the telemetry data on the
computer screen. The satellite’s telemetry beacon on 145.935 MHz was
also heard using a handheld SSB receiver.
A presentation was also made about Hamnet which is being expanded,
especially in Germany. Hamnet is a high-speed multimedia network and
it was discussed whether and how IARU Region 1 could support the
expansion of this network.
Post by Mats SM6EAN in Swedish
http://www.ssa.se/iaru-reg-1-dag-4/
FUNcube
http://FUNc ube.org.uk/
FUNcube SDR Dongle
http://FUNcubeDongle.com/
FUNcube Yahoo Group
http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/
Dashboard App – Telemetry Decoder
http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboa rd/
Data Warehouse – Telemetry Archive
http://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/
Hamnet
http://hamnetdb .net/
IARU Region 1 Conference documents and pictures
http://iarur1con2014.bfra.bg/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------- -----------------
AMSAT Events
Information about AMSAT activities at other important events around
the country. Examples of these events are radio club meetings where
AMSAT Area Coordinators give presentations, demonstrations of working
amateur satellites, and hamfests with an AMSAT presence (a table with
AMSAT literature and merchandise, sometimes also with presentations,
forums, and/or demonstrations).
* Friday and Saturday, 16-17 January 2015 – Cowtown Hamfest in Forest
Hill TX (south of Fort Worth)
* Saturday, 14 February 2015 – presentation for the Greater Los
Angeles Mensa Regional Gathering 2015 in Los Angeles CA (Concourse
Hotel at Los Angeles International Airport)
* Friday and Saturday, 20-21 February 2015 – Yuma Hamfest in Yuma AZ
(Yuma County Fairgrounds, 32nd Street between Pacific Avenue & Avenue
3E, south of I-8 exit 3)
* Saturday, 7 March 2015 – Irving Amateur Radio Club Hamfest in
Irving TX (west of Dallas)
* Friday and Saturday, 13-14 March 2015 – Green Country Hamfest in
Claremore OK (northeast of Tulsa)
* Friday and Saturday, 20-21 March 2015 – Acadiana Hamfest in Rayne
LA (west of Lafayette)
* Saturday, 21 March 2015 – Weatherford Hamfest in Weatherford TX
(west of Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex)
* Saturday, 21 March 2015 – Scottsdale Amateur Radio Club Hamfest in
Scottsdale AZ (northeast of Phoenix, near AZ-101/Princess Drive)
* Saturday, 28 March 2015 – Tucson Spring Hamfest in Tucson AZ (22nd
Street, east of Columbus Blvd.)
* Friday, 3 April 2015 – presentation for the Associated Radio
Amateurs of Long Beach in Signal Hill CA (Signal Hill Community
Center)
* Saturday TBD in early May 2015 – Cochise Amateur Radio Association
Hamfest in Sierra Vista AZ
* Saturday TBD in early June 2015 – White Mountain Hamfest in Show
Low AZ
* Friday and Saturday, 12-13 June 2015 – HAM-COM in Irving TX (west
of Dallas)
* Friday and Saturday, 7-8 August 2015 – Austin Summerfest in Austin
TX
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------- -----------------
ARISS News
+ A direct contact with students at Richmond Heights Middle School
and at BioTECH @ Richmond Heights High School in Miami, Florida, USA
via W1HQL was successful Thu 2015-01-15 16:09:40 UTC 46 deg.
Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF answered 12 questions for an
audience of 400 students.
RICHMOND HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL
Richmond Heights Middle School opened its doors in 1963 in the
Richmond Heights community in southwest Miami, Florida. The now 50
year old school, is located in a historic African American Community.
An army captain by the name of Frank C. Martin believed it to be a
wise investment as well as the right thing to do to establish a
housing development in which Black veterans of WWII could purchase
their own home. There are currently 636 students and a teaching
staff of 41 faculty members. Along with its exemplary athletics
program, full time gifted program, and Cambridge program, Richmond
Heights Middle School offers a Zoology Magnet program to the students
of Miami Dade County Public Schools. This is an extremely unique
magnet program that is one of only three in the nation. The zoology
magnet is a result of a partnership with Zoo Miami, the Zoological
Society of Florida and Richmond Heights Middle School. It has been
in existence since 1988. Students have the unique opportunity to
visit the zoo to study the animals within their exhibits while
engaging in STEM fields of study.
BIOTECH @ RICHMOND HEIGHTS 9-12 HIGH SCHOOL
BioTECH @ Richmond Heights 9-12 High School is the only Conservation
Biology public magnet high school is the United States and boasts
three campuses: our educational center at Richmond Campus, our
Research Station at Zoo Miami, and our Botanical Outpost at Fairchild
Tropical Botanic Garden. BioTECH provides students with a
challenging and advanced level math and science curriculum focused on
Conservation Biology that exposes them to rigorous STEM coursework as
well as research opportunities with practicing scientists in state-of-
the-art laboratories. In classes taken on-site at Zoo Miami,
students study the human impact on biological diversity, making
BioTECH the only school in the country to offer a full research and
teaching facility within zoo grounds. Research experiences are
offered in collaboration with the local zoo and the local research
and botanic garden. BioTECH is currently home to 130 students that
travel within the boundaries of a 467 square mile area to attend
this unique school. The school opened its doors in August 2014 with
a total of 8 faculty members, 7 support staff members, and
an arsenal of practicing scientists and conservation educators from
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Zoo Miami, Zoological Society of
Florida, Everglades National Park, The Dumond Conservancy, and
Biscayne National Park.
1. How would astronauts combat disease, say an accidental
infection by a Salmonella culture, given the increased virulence of
microbes in space?
2. What kind of work is the crew doing in support of the future
missions to Mars?
3. We have a 3D printer in our school. What are the future
implications of having a 3D printer on-board? What types of prints
will you create?
4. Does experiencing a sunrise/sunset every 90 minutes change
your sleep/wake cycles?
5. Do you feel physical exhaustion in space at the end of your
work day? How long is your work day?
6. Without gravity, how do plants, such as Arabidopsis, determine
orientation germination? Geotropism what do roots do? Do plants on
the ISS grow in all different directions?
7. Do you feel stressed on the space station? How do you cope
with stress on a space station and does it have more or less of an
effect on your immune system in space? Measure muscle conditioning?
8. How are astronaut diets altered to accommodate the changes to
the digestive system in microgravity?
9. All work and no play can be boring. What do you do for fun up
in space?
10. How do you keep from feeling trapped in the space station?
11. What role did your education play in becoming an astronaut?
12. Which teacher influenced you the most in your life and why?
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule
+ A direct contact with high school students at Japanese Broadcasting
Corporation (NHK) headquarters in Shibuya, Japan in connection with
their “Masakame” event is scheduled for
Sat 2015-01-24 14:21:04 UTC 56 deg.
Japan’s NHK is televising a regular science program “Masakame” for
young people. ("Masakame" means Good Heavens.) They are planning to
offer a special program around the ARISS contact, which will be
video recorded, and Amateur Radio satellites on air on February 28.
The following contacts with RSØISS:
+ A direct contact with students in Kursk, Russia scheduled for
Wed 2014-12-24 has been postponed until January.
+ A direct contact with students in Kursk, Russia scheduled for
Thu 2014-12-25 has been postponed until January.
No additional information has been provided.
[ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above
information]
------------------------------------------- --------------------------
Satellite Shorts From All Over
73 on 73 Award #7 - EA4AYW
Congratulations to Jorge Gallardo Sanchez, EA4AYW, for becoming the
seventh recipient of the 73 on 73 Award. He submitted a list of 73
stations worked via AO-73 between September 1, 2014 and
January 9, 2015.
For more information on the award see
http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/73-on-73-award/
[ANS thanks Paul, N8HM for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------- -----------------
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining
donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT
Office.
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 stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.
73,
This week's ANS Editor,
Joe Spier, K6WAO
k6wao at amsat dot org
1
3
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-025
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor-
mation service of AMSAT North America, 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.
In this edition:
* Listen In To Radar Observations of Near-Earth Asteroid 2004 BL86
* SKN on OSCAR Best Fist Nominations Due
* Upcoming ARISS Contact
* Containerized Satellite Survey
* Search for NASA Educational Resources With New Search Tool
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-025.01
ANS-025 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 025.01
From AMSAT HQ Kensington, MD.
January 25, 2015
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-025.01
Listen In To Radar Observations of Near-Earth Asteroid 2004 BL86
On 2015 January 26, the near-Earth asteroid 2004 BL86 will pass within
0.008 AU
of Earth (3.1 times as far away as the Moon). This will be the closest
approach
to Earth by this asteroid for at least the next 240 years.
As part of an extensive campaign of radar observations to learn about
BL86’s shape, spin state, and surface; and to refine knowledge of its
trajectory; the Arecibo Observatory’s S-band planetary radar plans to
illuminate
the asteroid with a continuous-wave signal over 2015 January 27 03:45 –
04:00
UTC. Over that time, BL86’s radar echo will be received by elements of
the Very
Long Baseline Array and the Very Large Array in New Mexico. Anyone with an
antenna and receiver capable of detecting the echo is welcome to listen in.
BL86 will be above the horizon for most observers in North and South
America,
and for some parts of western Europe and western Africa. To readily
detect its
radar echo, observers should have an antenna with an effective
collecting area
of at least 10 square meters. BL86 will be moving rapidly across the
sky. Over
Jan 27 03:45 – 04:00, it will move by ~0.5º. The asteroid’s exact
position on
the sky will depend on where it is observed from as well as the time,
but will
be near (RA,Dec) = (130º,+17º). A current ephemeris can be obtained
from JPL’s
Horizons system:
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/?horizons.
The Arecibo transmission will be tuned to give a nominal echo center
frequency
of exactly 2380 MHz at geocenter. Without correction for Earth’s rotation,
BL86’s radar echo will appear as slowly-drifting and within 15 kHz of
2380 MHz.
Predicted echo frequency as a function of time for a given location can be
obtained on-request by emailing Michael Busch (mbusch(a)seti.org). We
expect an
echo bandwidth of 6 Hz or less.
Details of the BL86 radar observing campaign at the Arecibo Observatory,
NASA’s
Goldstone Solar System Radar facility, and the National Radio Astronomy
Observatory are available at:
http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/2004BL86/2004BL86_planning.html.
[ANS thanks JPL for the above information]
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SKN on OSCAR Best Fist Nominations Due
Thanks to all who participated in AMSAT's Straight Key Night on OSCAR
2015. If
you haven't already done so, please take a moment to nominate someone
you worked
for Best Fist. Your nominee need not have had the best fist of those
you heard,
only of those you worked.
Send your nomination to w2rs(a)amsat.org
[ANS thanks Ray, W2RS, for the above information]
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Upcoming ARISS Contact
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with
participants
at Masakame" event, Shibuya, Japan on 24 Jan. The event is scheduled to
begin at
approximately 14:21 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9
minutes
and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and JK1ZRW. The
contact
should be audible over Japan and adjacent areas. Interested parties are
invited
to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be
conducted
in English.
Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) are televising a regular science program
Masakame
(means Good Heavens) for young people and their parents.
Aa special program focusing ARISS program and Amateur radio
satellites, etc. on
2015-02-28 on air, with video record of ARISS school contact. Members of
contact are TV talent (who has a amateur radio license) and high school
students (age 15 to 18).
[ANS thanks David, AA4KN, for the above information]
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Containerized Satellite Survey
Bungo Shiotani is a Ph.D. student working with Dr. Norman Fitz-Coy at the
University of Florida. He is requesting your assistance with this survey to
assess the potential impact that containerized satellite have on the debris
population in low Earth orbit. The results will be used as part of his Ph.D.
dissertation to create a statistical database and to quantify the growth of
debris population. The hope is the outcome will increase the awareness
to the
community regarding the potential growth of debris population due to
containerized satellites.
Your identify will not be collected unless you choose to disclose it in the
survey. Additionally, if you would like the results sent directly to
you, please
disclose your contact information when requested in the survey.
Please respond to this survey by Friday, February 27th 2015. The survey
should
take less than 30 minutes to complete.
Survey link: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8CYyyDTFUGKHFbL
Please forward this information to other members of the space community.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to
contact:
Bungo Shiotani
Graduate Researcher
bshiota(a)ufl.edu
Dr. Norman Fitz-Coy
Research Advisor
nfc(a)ufl.edu
[ANS thanks Bungo Shiotani for the above information]
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Search for NASA Educational Resources With New Search Tool
Are you looking for a lesson plan about the planet Jupiter? Do you need a
poster with information about the Wright Brothers' first flight? Or maybe
you're hunting for a website with information about NASA's deep space
missions. NASA Education has a new tool to help you in your search!
NASA's new Educational Resource Search Tool can help you find lesson plans,
posters, educator guides and other materials to supplement your science,
technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum. Search hundreds of
resources by subject, grade level, type and keywords.
To check out the new search tool and begin your educational resource hunt,
visit http://www.nasa.gov/education/materials/
[ANS thanks the NASA Education Express Message -- Jan. 22, 2015 for the
above information]
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining
donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT
Office.
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 stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.
73,
This week's ANS Editor,
Lee McLamb, KU4OS
ku4os at amsat dot org
1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-011
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor-
mation service of AMSAT North America, 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.
In this edition:
* Dayton to Host 2015 AMSAT Space Symposium Oct 16-18
* Space Station Crew Available for Interviews Live from Orbiting
Laboratory
* NASA History Program Office Summer and Fall 2015 Internships
* Dariusz Dabek, SP9TTX Earns 6th 73 on 73 Award
* Next US ARISS Contact Proposal Window opens February 15
* FUNcube-2 on UKube-1 - Jan 2015 update
* SHIN-EN2 Designated as Fuji Oscar 82
* FOX Challenge Coins Still Available
* ARISS News
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-011.01
ANS-011 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 011.01
>From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE January 11, 2015
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-011.01
Dayton to Host 2015 AMSAT Space Symposium Oct 16-18
Mark Your Calendars !!
AMSAT NA announces that the 2015 AMSAT Space Symposium will be held
on Friday through Sunday, Oct 16, 17, 18, 2015 in Dayton, Ohio.
Location will be at the Crowne Plaza , 33 East 5th Street, in
Downtown, Dayton.
The Crown Plaza is a 3.5 star Hotel which has been recently renovated.
Some of the perks include
+ Free parking for attendees (with validation from the hotel).
+ Free transportation to and from the airport and within 5 miles of
hotel for side trips.
+ Several restaurants are in close proximity and within walking
distance.
+ Several alternate activities and attractions are in the Dayton area.
Air Force Museum
Mendelsons
R&L,
Historical Carillon Park
America's Packard Museum
Local PBS Station, Think TV
+ If you are staying longer in the Dayton area, there are several
other points of interest close by.
2015 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting
The annual AMSAT Space Symposium features:
+ Space Symposium with Amateur Satellite Presentations
+ Operating Techniques, News, & Plans from the Amateur Satellite
World
+ Board of Directors Meeting open to AMSAT members
+ Opportunities to Meet Board Members and Officers
+ AMSAT-NA Annual General Membership Meeting
+ Annual Banquet, Keynote Speaker and Door Prizes !!
Several members from The Dayton Amateur Radio Assn as well as many
other local clubs will be participating in helping with this event.
Additional information about the 2015 AMSAT Symposium will be posted
on the AMSAT web site, www.amsat.org, as it becomes available.
[ANS thanks Steve Coy K8UD and the AMSAT Office for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Space Station Crew Available for Interviews Live from Orbiting
Laboratory
Crew members of Expedition 42, currently aboard the International
Space Station, are available for live interviews with media and
social media during their mission aboard the orbital laboratory.
Space station commander Barry Wilmore and Flight Engineer Terry
Virts of NASA and European Space Agency Flight Engineer Samantha
Cristoforetti are on board the station along with their three Russian
crewmates, performing scientific research, demonstrating technology
and maintaining the complex.
Interviews will be offered in windows of 10 minutes. Interview
opportunities will be evaluated based on media audience size, and
relevance to current station activities and individual astronauts
aboard the space station. All three crewmembers may not be available
for every interview.
Interested media should contact Rob Navias at NASA's Johnson Space
Center in Houston at rob.navias-1(a)nasa.gov and provide a two-hour
window of availability between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. EST, Monday through
Friday.
The crew also is available for interactive, social media events that
have the potential to reach significant audiences. All social media
platforms will be considered, but interviewers must meet the same
requirements as traditional media. No direct web connection to the
space station is available for conducting social media interviews.
To schedule a live social media interview, media should contact
Megan Sumner at megan.c.sumner(a)nasa.gov, and provide a two-hour
window of availability.
Actual dates and times for each interview will be provided to
approved media approximately two weeks before the interview date and
are subject to change or cancellation based on operational activity
aboard the station.
Television clients will use NASA Television Media Channel 103 to
conduct the interviews. Print, radio and internet media must conduct
the interviews using a land-line telephone connection and have an
additional telephone connection of any type for coordination. All
interviews will be broadcast live on NASA TV. Further technical
information will be provided to all media upon interview approval.
The International Space Station is a convergence of science,
technology and human innovation that demonstrates new technologies
and makes research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The space
station has had continuous human occupation since November 2000. In
that time, it has received more than 200 visitors and a variety of
international and commercial spacecraft. The space station remains
the springboard to NASA's next great leap in human space exploration.
Satellite tuning information is available at:
http://go.nasa.gov/1pOWUhR
For information about the International Space Station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
Source NASA Media Advisory M15-005:
http://tinyurl.com/ANS011-ISSinterviews
[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]]
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NASA History Program Office Summer and Fall 2015 Internships
The NASA History Program Office is seeking undergraduate and
graduate students for summer and fall 2015 internships. The History
Program Office maintains archival materials to answer research
questions from NASA personnel, journalists, scholars, students at all
levels and others from around the world. The division also edits and
publishes several books and monographs each year. It maintains a
large number of websites on NASA history.
Students of all majors are welcome to apply. While detailed prior
knowledge of the aeronautics and space fields is not necessary, a
keen interest and some basic familiarity with these topics are
needed. Strong research, writing and editing skills are essential.
Experience with social media is a plus.
Intern projects are flexible. Typical projects include handling a
variety of information requests, writing posts for the NASA history
Twitter and Facebook pages, editing historical manuscripts, doing
research and writing biographical sketches, and identifying and
captioning photos.
Applications for summer 2015 internships are due Feb. 1, 2015. Fall
2015 internship applications are due June 1, 2015.
For more information, visit http://history.nasa.gov/interncall.htm.
If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Bill
Barry at
bill dot barry at nasa.gov.
[ANS thanks NASA Education Express Message for Jan. 8, 2015 for the
above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Dariusz Dabek, SP9TTX Earns 6th 73 on 73 Award
Congratulations to Dariusz Dabek, SP9TTX, for becoming the
sixth recipient of the 73 on 73 Award. He submitted a list of 78
stations worked via AO-73 between September 1, 2014 and January 3,
2015.
Reviewing the recent log submissions for the award, it appears that
the full time transponder activation over the holiday season
attracted several new users to the satellite.
Paul Stoetzer N8HM is sponsoring the award for contacts made via the
AO-73 (FUNcube-1) amateur radio satellite.
1. Work 73 unique stations on AO-73.
2. Contacts must be made on or after September 1, 2014.
3. There are no geographic restrictions on your operating location.
There will be no cost for this award (donations to AMSAT-UK and
AMSAT-NA's Fox program are encouraged though).
No QSL cards are required. When you complete the requirements, email
your log extract including the callsign of each station worked, time
GMT, and date to n8hm(a)arrl.net as well as the address where you'd
like the award certificate sent.
For more information on the award see
http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/73-on-73-award/
[ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer N8HM for the above information]
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Next US ARISS Contact Proposal Window opens February 15
The next call for proposals for US entities to host an ARISS contact
is coming up in February, 2015.
Call for Proposals
Proposal Window February 15 - April 15, 2015
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and
organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur
Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS. ARISS anticipates
that the contact would be held between January 1, 2016 and June 30,
2016. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact
contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS
is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of
participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed
education plan.
The deadline to submit a proposal is April 15, 2015.
The Opportunity
Crew members aboard the International Space Station will
participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts
are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students and
educators to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-
answer session. An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication
opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts
aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS
contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn
firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space
and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students
also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite
communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of
the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling
activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate
flexibility to accommodate changes in contact dates and times.
Amateur Radio organizations around the world, NASA, and space
agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe sponsor this
educational opportunity by providing the equipment and operational
support to enable direct communication between crew on the ISS and
students around the world via Amateur Radio. In the US, the program
is managed by AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) and ARRL
(American Radio Relay League) in partnership with NASA.
More Information
Interested parties can find more information about the program at
www.ariss.org and www.arrl.org/ARISS. More details on expectations,
audience, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times
of Information Sessions are available at
http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact
Please direct any questions to ariss(a)arrl.org.
[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]
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FUNcube-2 on UKube-1 - Jan 2015 update
Limited testing of the FUNcube-2 435/145 MHz linear transponder on
the UKube-1 spacecraft has been undertaken during the recent holiday
period.
This testing has shown that the transponder is able to work
effectively and that it is capable of a similar performance to the
transponder already operating on FUNcube-1.
AMSAT-UK and the FUNcube team have now submitted a detailed report
on the testing to the UK Space Agency, who are the owners and prime
operators of the UKube-1 spacecraft. It is expected that a meeting
will be held with them late January or early February to plan
possible future testing and operations.
Reception of UKube-1 FUNcube-2 Beacon
http://tinyurl.com/ANS011-FuncubeBeacon
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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SHIN-EN2 Designated as Fuji Oscar 82
William A. (Bill) Tynan, W3XO, OSCAR Number Administrator has
confered on SHIN-EN2 the designation Fuji OSCAR-82 or FO-82.
In reply to Seiji Fukushima's, JH6RTO, request for an OSCAR number,
Bill said, "I along with all in AMSAT-NA and the world's Amateur
Radio satellite community congratulate you and all involved with Fuji
OSCAR-82 and trust that it will fulfill all of its mission
objectives. FO-82 joins an illustrious line of Fuji spacecraft built
and launched by Japan."
Shin-En2 is a 17 kg satellite measuring 490×490×475 mm built by
students at Kagoshima University in Japan which will carry a 145 to
435 MHz linear transponder into a deep space orbit.
The aims of the mission are:
* To establish communication technologies with a long range as far
as moon.
* To establish a new technology of the ultra-light-weight satellite.
Proposing a WSJT 29dBm UHF downlink and a 29dBm 20 kHz linear
transponder and a CW beacon all on UHF with a VHF uplink for the
transponder
The orbit will be quite different from the previous satellites. Shin-
En2 will have an elliptic orbit around the Sun and travel to a deep
space orbit between Venus and Mars. Its inclination will be almost
zero, which means Shin-En2 will stay in the Earth's equatorial plane.
The distance from the Sun will be between 0.7 and 1.3 AU. An
Astronomical Unit (AU) is 149,597,871 km.
Shin-En2 IARU coordinated frequencies:
* 437.505 MHz CW beacon
* 437.385 MHz WSJT telemetry
* Inverting SSB/CW transponder
- 145.940-145.960 MHz uplink LSB
- 435.280-435.260 MHz downlink USB
Shin-En2 launched in the 4th quarter of 2014 with another amateur
radio satellite, ARTSAT2:DESPATCH, on a H-IIA rocket with the
asteroid explorer Hayabusa 2 as the main payload.
Kagoshima University satellite development team
http://tinyurl.com/Kagoshima-Satellite
Shin-En2 English Website
http://www.eee.kagoshima-u.ac.jp/~fuku-lab/sinen,english.html
ARTSAT2:DESPATCH - Art and Ham Radio in Deep Space
http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/03/art-and-ham-radio-in-deep-space/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-UK for the above Information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FOX Challenge Coins Still Available
It's a new year, and hopefully we have all recovered from the
holidays. Here at AMSAT Fox fundraising HQ, we are busy packing up
the new batch of coins that came in over the holidays, to ship to our
generous donors. This year will see the launches of Fox-1A and -1C,
both carrying university experiments and VHF/UHF ham radio repeaters.
Help us keep ham radio in space with your donation and sharing our
FundRazr link via social media.
http://www.amsat.org/?p=3275
The Fox program is designed to provide a platform for university
experiments in space, as well as provide FM repeater capability for
radio amateurs worldwide. Fox-1A and 1C are set to launch in 2015,
and Fox-1B (also known as RadFXSat) is awaiting NASA ELANA launch
assignment. Further information on the Fox project can be found at
http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=1113.
[ANS thanks Drew KO4MA for the above Information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Successful ARISS Contacts with three Italian schools
Contacts with 3 Italian schools Friday January 9, 2015 were
successful. The events included students at Scuola Santa Teresa del
Bambin Gesù, Roma, Italy, direct via IKØUSO, students at Istituto
Salesiano Villa Sora, Frascati, Italy, direct via IWØCZC, and
students at Scuola Pontificia Pio IX, Roma, Italy, via telebridge
with IK1SLD. The contact was with Samantha Cristoforetti using the
callsign IRØISS the contact began 10:14:09 UTC, which is 11:14:09
CEWT.
The downlink was audible in Europe on 145.800MHz FM.
Images of event taken at Scuola Pontificia Pio IX, Roma:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/82104276@N02/xvhd78/
Audio of both contacts established per direct/telebridge today:
http://www.amsat.it/audio/ARISS_January092015_1011UTC.mp3
http://www.amsat.it/audio/ARISS_January092015_1145UTC.mp3
Schools represented:
Scuola Santa Teresa del Bambino Gesù
The school "Santa Teresa del Bambino Gesù" is a catholic primary
school in Rome, established to answer to the needs and demands for
Catholic education by the local population. The school belongs to the
Congregation of Missionary Carmelitane Sisters of Saint Therese of
Jesus Child. The school is open to families that take care of the
religious education and formation of their children. Preparation for
the ISS radio contact has been underway for a long time, including
educational projects on different scientific topics to support the
special event.
Istituto Salesiano Villa Sora
Villa Sora is located on the side of the ancient Roman boulevard
(now Via Tuscolana) in an area known as Tusculanus ager, which is
full of sumptuous villas, including those of Cicero, Lucullus and
Sulpicius Galba. This villa was built as a country house in the same
grounds of Lucullus` villa in the mid-16th century and it was
originally known as 'Torricella'. The earliest documentation of its
history dates back to 1546, when the Chapel of Sancta Sanctorum of
Rome owned the villa. The land currently measures over 6 acres and
includes, in addition to the house and the school, a large park with
several building lots.
The school of Villa Sora has a notable historical tradition. Since
1925, it has a primary school and a liceo classico. The liceo
scientifico was founded in 1966 and in 1986 its admission was opened
to girls. In 1989, the middle school was created, and finally, in
2011, a new liceo economico sociale was founded. The middle school
now has 200 students divided in three classes. The liceo classico has
180 students, the liceo scientifico 280 and the liceo economico
sociale 80, for a total of 740 students.
The space conversation was conducted in Italian. The following 20
questions were answered by Samantha Cristoforetti as well as
greetings and wishes before LOS. This was amazing as Samantha
responded very exhaustively and with many details.
Translation:
1. The time of the re-entry into the atmosphere seems to be less
evolved. There are studies underway to modify or change this stage?
2. How long does it take to arrive on the international space station?
3. What is the equipment of the astronaut during extra vehicular
activity?
4. What kind of material is made the surface that covers the lower
part of the spacecraft re-entry?
5. How many km / h you travel to reach the international space
station?
6. The extra vehicular activities that you will do will umbilical or
free? What goals and how they will be held?
7. How does the deceleration during re-entry?
8. The control of the flight on the Soyuz is automatic or are you a
pilot?
9. How does the return to the international space station after an
extra vehicular activity?
10. After take-off part of the missile is dispersed in space?
11. Which angle is formed between the trajectory of the spacecraft
and the Earth's surface during re-entry? What are the risks an
angle of re-entry is not correct?
12. Samantha, you are the first Italian woman to do extra vehicular
activity. What are your feelings and what your concerns about it?
13. What happens to take off when passing through the Earth's
atmosphere?
14. During the return to earth, how much gravitational force suffer
the astronauts?
15. There is the possibility of accidents during extra vehicular
activity?
16. When it takes off there is a lot of turbulence?
17. Why do astronauts after the mission should go in quarantine?
What happens at the neurological level?
18. How do you prepare for extra vehicular activity? What is the
training and simulations?
19. It was more exciting to enter into the international space
station or the time of takeoff?
20. How do you manage to fit into a specific point on the earth,
without risk to human life and the environment?
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering
the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA,
CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from
participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the
excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers
onboard the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and
communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS
can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology and learning.
[ANS thanks Gaston ON4WF and Francesco IK0WGF, ARISS for the above
information]
ARISS News
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule
Richmond Heights Middle School, Miami, FL, anticipates a direct
contact via W1HQL, scheduled for Thursday 2015-01-15 16:09:40 UTC.
Because this is a reschedule due to the delay of the SpaceX resupply
mission timing depends on the the school confirming availability. As
of press time, ARISS was still awaiting word of the confirmation. The
downlink should be audible across the SE USA. The contact will be
held in English and is scheduled to be with Samantha Cristoforetti
IZØUDF using the callsign NA1SS.
RICHMOND HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL
Richmond Heights Middle School opened its doors in 1963 in the
Richmond Heights community in southwest Miami, Florida. The now 50
year old school, is located in a historic African American Community.
An army captain by the name of Frank C. Martin believed it to be a
wise investment as well as the right thing to do to establish a
housing development in which Black veterans of WWII could purchase
their own home. There are currently 636 students and a teaching
staff of 41 faculty members. Along with its exemplary athletics
program, full time gifted program, and Cambridge program, Richmond
Heights Middle School offers a Zoology Magnet program to the students
of Miami Dade County Public Schools. This is an extremely unique
magnet program that is one of only three in the nation. The zoology
magnet is a result of a partnership with Zoo Miami, the Zoological
Society of Florida and Richmond Heights Middle School. It has been
in existence since 1988. Students have the unique opportunity to
visit the zoo to study the animals within their exhibits while
engaging in STEM fields of study.
BIOTECH @ RICHMOND HEIGHTS 9-12 HIGH SCHOOL
BioTECH @ Richmond Heights 9-12 High School is the only Conservation
Biology public magnet high school is the United States and boasts
three campuses: our educational center at Richmond Campus, our
Research Station at Zoo Miami, and our Botanical Outpost at Fairchild
Tropical Botanic Garden. BioTECH provides students with a
challenging and advanced level math and science curriculum focused on
Conservation Biology that exposes them to rigorous STEM coursework as
well as research opportunities with practicing scientists in state-of-
the-art laboratories. In classes taken on-site at Zoo Miami,
students study the human impact on biological diversity, making
BioTECH the only school in the country to offer a full research and
teaching facility within zoo grounds. Research experiences are
offered in collaboration with the local zoo and the local research
and botanic garden. BioTECH is currently home to 130 students that
travel within the boundaries of a 467 square mile area to attend this
unique school. The school opened its doors in August 2014 with a
total of 8 faculty members, 7 support staff members, and an arsenal
of practicing scientists and conservation educators from Fairchild
Tropical Botanic Garden, Zoo Miami, Zoological Society of Florida,
Everglades National Park, The Dumond Conservancy, and Biscayne
National Park.
The following is the list of the anticipated questions:
1. How would astronauts combat disease, say an accidental infection
by a Salmonella culture, given the increased virulence of
microbes in space?
2. What kind of work is the crew doing in support of the future
missions to Mars?
3. We have a 3D printer in our school. What are the future
implications of having a 3D printer on-board? What types of
prints will you create?
4. Does experiencing a sunrise/sunset every 90 minutes change your
sleep/wake cycles?
5. Do you feel physical exhaustion in space at the end of your work
day? How long is your work day?
6. Without gravity, how do plants, such as Arabidopsis, determine
orientation germination? Geotropism what do roots do? Do plants
on the ISS grow in all different directions?
7. Do you feel stressed on the space station? How do you cope with
stress on a space station and does it have more or less of an
effect on your immune system in space? Measure muscle
conditioning?
8. How are astronaut diets altered to accommodate the changes to
the digestive system in microgravity?
9. All work and no play can be boring. What do you do for fun up
in space?
10. How do you keep from feeling trapped in the space station?
11. What role did your education play in becoming an astronaut?
12. Which teacher influenced you the most in your life and why?
[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ CQ To Combine Jan/Feb 2015 Issues
(Hicksville, NY, January 9, 2015) -- CQ magazine today announced
that it will be publishing a combined January/February 2015 issue and
will be ceasing publication of its "CQ Plus" digital edition
supplement as of the March 2015 issue. Both moves are intended to
help restore the magazine's normal schedule for its print edition and
to strengthen its foundations moving forward as it enters its eighth
decade of publication, said Publisher Dick Ross, K2MGA. "These
decisions were not made lightly," he added, "but in recognition of
the realities of the publishing industry. It's a tough time to be in
the magazine business, and we appreciate the patience and loyalty of
both our readers and our advertisers."
CQ will continue to publish both print and digital editions, but the
digital edition will no longer contain the 50-60 additional pages
each month that constituted "CQ Plus." Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU,
noted that he hopes to include some former CQ Plus content within the
pages of CQ, but says ham radio will remain the magazine's primary
focus, as it has been for the past seven decades. CQ is marking its
70th anniversary of publication as of its January/February issue.
As a consequence of the changes, CQ Plus Editor Richard Fisher,
KI6SN, will be leaving the CQ staff after serving for many years as a
columnist for, and then as editor of, Popular Communications,
WorldRadio Online and CQ Plus. He was also CQ magazine's Emergency
Communications Editor. "We will miss Richard's many contributions to
CQ's products," noted Moseson, "and thank him for his many years of
service to our readers."
Subscribers to both the print and digital editions of CQ will have
their subscriptions extended by one month due to the combined
January/February issue.
CQ <www.cq-amateur-radio.com> is the world's leading independent
amateur radio magazine, serving the amateur radio community worldwide
since 1945. It is published in three languages (English, Spanish and
Portuguese) and in both print and digital formats.
[ANS thanks Rich Moseson, W2VU, CQ Magazine for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining
donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT
Office.
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 stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.
73,
This week's ANS Editor,
EMike McCardel, KC8YLD
kc8yld at amsat dot org
1
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AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-004
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor-
mation service of AMSAT North America, 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.
In this edition:
* W5PFG/P Northern Maine Grid Expedition
* Opportunities to Help at AMSAT User Services
* Design The Next AMSAT Satellite!
* 73 on 73 Award #5 - EC4TR
* Geosynchronous Es'hail-2 with Amateur Payload Contracted for 2016 Launch
* DESPATCH FO-81 Concludes Operations
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-004.01
ANS-004 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 004.01
From AMSAT HQ Kensington, MD.
January 4, 2015
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-004.01
W5PFG/P Northern Maine Grid Expedition
Weather permitting, a grid expedition to northern Maine will begin Saturday,
January 10, 2015. Planned grids will be: FN53-54, FN57, FN65-67. The
plan is
to try to operate as many satellite passes and gridlines as possible in
the same
fashion as AC0RA's March 2014 trip. The trip will end up in FN42 by Sunday,
January 11 evening.
Twitter via @w5pfg will be the primary form of communications with
follow-up afterwards with some pictures at www.w5pfg.us.
[ANS thanks Clayton, W5PFG, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Opportunities to Help at AMSAT User Services
AMSAT's User Services Department is recruiting for several volunteer
positions to augment our dedicated and elite staff! The User Services
Department provides support in several areas including:
+ AMSAT News Service
+ The AMSAT Journal magazine
+ AMSAT's web presence at www.amsat.org
The AMSAT News Service
-----------------------
We need two or more volunteers to step forward who can dedicate time on a
rotating shift of news editors. The AMSAT News Service (ANS) sends out a
weekly news bulletin of everything of interest to amateur radio in space.
The entire ANS crew (currently 3 editors) helps round up the news and each
ANS editor takes a week as editor to compile the week's ANS bulletins. We'll
get you into the bulletin rotation and you'll take your turn as the ANS
editor this week.
The AMSAT Journal Magazine
--------------------------
We need two or more volunteers who can help compile one of AMSAT's key
membership benefits ... The AMSAT Journal Magazine. An assistant editor is
needed to help our existing team of editors (currently 3) to locate articles
and establish contact with potential authors. All you need is an eye for
articles of interest to amateur radio in space. You'll compile input from
AMSAT HQ, volunteer authors, and amateur radio news sources into articles
for publication in our bi-monthly magazine.
We also need one volunteer who is capable of assuming the position of
editor-in-chief of the AMSAT Journal. You'll help develop article sources
and using AMSAT provided software and templates compile the 32-page magazine
for six issues per year. Our publishing system is the Adobe InDesign CS6
package. This can be learned quickly by any computer literate ham. InDesign
is MS-Word on steroids.
AMSAT's Web Presence
--------------------
Help is needed on the front to locate and publish up to date content for the
AMSAT web. We publish late breaking news of amateur radio in space. We also
publish reference information to help operate on the satellites ...
software, radios, antennas, operating techniques. Web content containing
late-breaking operating news and reliable operator tips currently has
several gaps needing to be filled. Our WordPress environment makes the web
display easy but you'll be spending your volunteer time on the content. This
is a job for 5 or more volunteers and needs to be filled immediately!
AMSAT also is looking for a webmaster who will assume responsibility for the
display of all content in a WordPress environment. The basic framework is in
place but can definitely stand to be fine tuned and made into a world class
display of amateur radio in space. For most hams on-line www.amsat.org is
our "front door" and we are looking for the most capable help on this
important user interface!
Our team is the "voice of AMSAT". News, operator tips, and membership
benefits are important products for AMSAT User Services. For questions or to
volunteer please contact AMSAT's Vice President of User Services, JoAnne
Maenpaa, K9JKM at k9jkm(a)amsat.org
[ANS thanks AMSAT Vice President of User Services, JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM for
the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Design The Next AMSAT Satellite!
At the 2014 AMSAT Space Symposium AMSAT Vice President - Engineering
Jerry Buxton announced the plan for the next generation of AMSAT
satellites. "The door is open for everyone, to submit their ideas.
AMSAT Engineering has a long term strategy and this is the first
step."
The Engineering long term strategy includes the following goals:
- Advancement of amateur radio satellite technical and communications
skills
- Enhance international goodwill
- Grow and sustain a skilled pool of amateur radio satellite engineers
- Establish and maintain partnerships with educational institutions
- Develop a means to use hardware common to all opportunities
With respect to the last goal Jerry said "Within the bounds of the
type of satellite it takes to achieve any of the various orbit
opportunities, let's consider in those plans the possibility of
developing a platform that can suit any and all orbits. Perhaps a
modular CubeSat, using a common bus as we did in Fox-1, which gives
great flexibility in building and flying different sizes and
configurations of CubeSats with simple common-design hardware
changes."
Submissions should be thorough and contain the following
information. The purpose of the proposal is not just in suggesting an
idea; being an all-volunteer team AMSAT needs your help in carrying
out the idea.
Design Implementation - CubeSat platform Estimated timeline Cost -
volunteer resources, commercial (COTS) units Launch - how does it get
to orbit Strategy - how it fits into AMSAT's Engineering long term
strategy
As mentioned above the idea should be based on the CubeSat platform.
This is the standard through which we will look for launches in the
foreseeable future.
In considering your proposal, Jerry encourages you to contact him
for more details on the criteria. A guidebook to the criteria is now
available for download here. In particular, if you plan to include a
university as a partner to provide experiments or other support and
you are not representing that university, please contact Jerry for
assistance in working with our existing partners or establishing a
new partnership.
"Being amateur radio operators, it is easy for us to fall into a
particular trap because of our history of communicating with other
amateurs throughout the world" says Jerry. "Specifically, most people
who are not already involved in the world of satellite technology are
unaware of or simply overlook the provisions of the current ITAR and
soon to be EAR export rules particularly with regard to deemed
exports which requires governmental permission to discuss satellite
projects with foreign nationals."
While all amateurs are invited to submit ideas, U.S. amateurs must
take particular care of they choose to become involved in a
collaboration which includes individuals from other countries. It is
permissible to receive ideas and proposals from outside the U.S., but
it is not permitted for U.S. Persons to export or share design ideas
with other countries unless they have taken the proper steps to
insure compliance with ITAR and deemed export rules.
Additionally, those wishing to work on proposals should use care in
presenting themselves in their contacts. While the goal is for AMSAT
to build and launch the satellite, it is not an AMSAT project until
it is accepted by the AMSAT Board of Directors. It is acceptable to
represent yourself as members of a project team that plans to submit
a proposal to AMSAT for a future satellite project, as the AMSAT name
is well known.
"It is not our intention that ideas be submitted to AMSAT-NA which
would be more appropriately handled by an AMSAT organization in a
country where AMSAT is established. AMSAT-NA is seeking ideas from
amateurs in North America and will certainly consider ideas from
amateurs in countries which do not have an established AMSAT
organization or relationships with an existing AMSAT organization."
The deadline for submissions is May 30, 2015. After the submission
date the ideas will be screened for completeness and then reviewed by
a board consisting of the AMSAT Engineering Team, AMSAT Senior
Officer and Board of Directors representatives, and aerospace
industry members. The review board may modify or consolidate ideas
and will consider which meet the criteria to become a project based
on feasibility, cost, and the ability to bring value to the amateur
satellite community. The review process is expected to be completed
in September 2015.
For those ideas selected to become a project which satisfy the
requirements for an ELaNa launch, the idea authors will be asked to
work with the AMSAT Engineering Team on an ELaNa proposal.
The Engineering Team will then work on the details of execution for
the selected project(s) and present a proposal to the AMSAT Board of
Directors in October 2015 for final approval to begin work. Once
approved, any ELaNa proposals will be submitted in November 2015 and
the project(s) will move forward.
Now is the time for YOU to begin working on the next AMSAT satellite!
[ANS thanks Jerry, N0JY, for the above information
---------------------------------------------------------------------
73 on 73 Award #5 - EC4TR
Congratulations to Jose Luis Peña Sanchez, EC4TR, for becoming the
fifth recipient of the 73 on 73 Award. He submitted a list of 73
stations worked via AO-73 between September 1, 2014 and December 31,
2014.
For more information on the award see
http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/73-on-73-award/
[ANS thanks Paul, N8HM, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Geosynchronous Es'hail-2 with Amateur Payload Contracted for 2016 Launch
The new satellite will be positioned at 26° East. In September 2014, a
contract
with MELCO was signed to build the satellite based on the DS-2000 bus. In
December 2014, a launch contract was signed with SpaceX to launch the
satellite
on a Falcon-9 v1.1 booster in late 2016.
Es'hail 2 will also provide the first Amateur Radio geostationary
communication
capability linking Brazil and India. It will carry two "Phase 4" Amateur
Radio
transponders. The payload will consist of a 250 kHz linear transponder
intended
for conventional analogue operations in addition to another transponder
which
will have an 8 MHz bandwidth. The latter transponder is intended for
experimental digital modulation schemes and DVB amateur television. The
uplinks
will be in the 2.400-2.450 GHz and the downlinks in the 10.450-10.500 GHz
amateur satellite service allocations. Both transponders will have broad
beam
antennas to provide full coverage over about third of the earth’s
surface. The
Qatar Amateur Radio Society and Qatar Satellite Company are cooperating
on the
amateur radio project. AMSAT-DL is providing technical support to the
project.
[ANS thanks Gunter Krebs for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
DESPATCH FO-81 Concludes Operations
The following update was provided by Akihiro Kubota.
One month has past since Deep Space Sculpture "ARTSAT2:DESPATCH(FO-81)"
was put into an Earth-escape orbit as a piggyback payload of H-IIA F26
launched at December 3, 2014 from Tanegashima Space Center, JAXA. It is
estimated to have stopped sending radio waves since the battery of
DESPATCH already ran out (We predicted that the battery will work for 27
days according to the running time of the transmitter).
Today January 3, the main control station, Tama Art University Ground
Station, decided to conclude the operation of DESPATCH. Many people
supported and cooperated us throughout the design and development of
DESPATCH. In addition, many excellent many ham radio operator received
and reported super weak radio waves of DESPATCH from deep space. To
have this opportunity, I would like once again to thank all of them very
much.
Reception reports of DESPATCH are summarized on the following page.
Reception Reports
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WP-
FzXHe8axAzNy44SGbKpJqIRKWHAcIP9vXnaHMb6g/edit#gid=0
Finally, we had two reception reports at 4.7 million kilo-meters from
the Earth (more than 12 times of the distance to the Moon). They were
far beyond what we expected. They are the the longest communication
distance in the world between two amateur radio stations.
Orbital elements of DESPATCH is as follows (J2000 heliocentric ecliptic
coordinates).
- Semi-major axis a : 1.003881127 [AU]
- Eccentricity e : 0.08741828512
- Inclination i : 6.796995362 [deg]
- Argument of perihelion w : 96.90057903 [deg]
- Longitude of the ascending node W : 250.5520871 [deg]
- Mean anomaly at epoch M : 101.6280436 [deg]
- Epoch : 2457023.50000 [JD]
(Time of perihelion : 2456919.7870655278675 [JD])
cf. Orbital elements of EARTH :
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/earthfact.html
Celestial sphere position and orbital trajectory of DESPATCH can be
checked anytime on the following web pages.
- Celestial Sphere
http://artsat.jp/project/despatch/celestial
- Orbital Position
http://artsat.jp/project/despatch/orbit
Transmission of the radio wave from DESPATCH has ended. However, the
life of DESPATCH as a sculpture around the sun is almost eternal.
We calculated the orbit (the distance from the Earth) of DESPATCH for
500 years from now.
http://artsat.jp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/500years.png
http://artsat.jp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/500years_large.png
DESPATCH will continue to orbit around the sun as an artificial
asteroid. By examining the calculated results for the local minimum
value of the distance between the Earth, DESPATCH will approaches to
less than 1 million km from Earth after about 350 years. Possibly it
will approach more closer to the Earth due to the interaction with
unpredictable other celestial bodies.
We are glad if you think of DESPATCH as the most distant artwork in the
world sometimes in the future.
ARTSAT project will continue to the future. We already started the
conceptual design of next ARTSAT3. We kindly ask for your continuous
support and cooperation for the project.
[ANS thanks Akihiro Kubota for the above information]
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining
donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT
Office.
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 stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.
73,
This week's ANS Editor,
Lee McLamb, KU4OS
ku4os at amsat dot org
1
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