October 2015 - ANS - mailman.amsat.org

ANS-298 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletings
by Lee McLamb 24 Oct '15

24 Oct '15

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-298 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: * FoxTelem 1.01 Released * ARISS-US Proposal Deadline Approaching * 2016 CubeSat Launch Initiative Opportunity * SAREX Reflector to be Closed 1 November 2015 * Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule * Astro Pi Launch Changed SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-298.01 ANS-298 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 298.01 From AMSAT HQ Kensington, MD. October 25, 2015 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-298.01 FoxTelem 1.01 Released Version 1.01 of FoxTelem is being released. You can download it from: http://amsat.us/FoxTelem/windows http://amsat.us/FoxTelem/mac http://amsat.us/FoxTelem/linux This is a patch release. If you already have 1.00 installed then download the file FoxTelem_1.01_patch.zip Only two files have changed (plus the manual). Copy these files into your install directory - FoxTelem.jar - spacecraft/FOX1A_radtelemetry2.csv You can also download the whole install file and install it in a new directory. You can use the settings menu to continue using your existing log files. Ask if you need assistance. Lots has changed in this release and many bugs have been fixed. Please report any issues that you see. Release notes: * Send the frames to both primary and secondary server, if required * Set the default fcd frequency to 145930 so that Fox-1A, Fox-1Cliff and Fox-1D will be in the passband * Allow user to select UDP or TCP for upload to the server (but use UDP for now please) * Shorten the period between passes so that graphs look continuous * Ignore duplicate high speed radiation frames - needed for processing data from the server * Do not change the FCD LNA or Mixer Gain. Leave unchanged. * Do not open the FCD unless the start button is pressed * Allow graphs to be hidden so that average or deriv is easier to see * Fixed a bug where the last 2 bytes of the radiation telemetry were not decoded correctly * Allow Vanderbilt radiation experiment to be graphed * Allow the gain to be set on the FCD (rather than hard coded) * Notify the user when a new release is available * Astro Pi Launch Changed [ANS thanks Chris, G0KLA, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS-US Proposal Deadline Approaching 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 July 1 and December 31, 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 November 1, 2015. The last of the information sessions will be offered Wednesday, September 30, at 2300 UTC. Advance registration is necessary. E-mail ARISS (ariss(a)arrl.org) to sign up. More Information Interested parties can find more information about the program at www.ariss.org and www.arrl.org/ARISS. For proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Sessions go to http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss- contact. Please direct any questions to ariss(a)arrl.org [ANS thanks ARISS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 CubeSat Launch Initiative Opportunity NASA has opened the next round of its CubeSat Launch Initiative to engage the growing community of space enthusiasts that can contribute to NASA's space exploration goals. The CubeSat Launch Initiative gives students, teachers and faculty a chance to get hands-on flight hardware development experience in the process of designing, building and operating small research satellites. The initiative also provides a low-cost pathway to space for research in the areas of science, exploration, technology development, education or operations consistent with NASA's Strategic Plan. Applicants must submit their proposals electronically by 4:30 p.m. EST, Nov. 24, 2015. NASA plans to select the payloads by Feb. 19, 2016, but selection does not guarantee a launch opportunity. Selected experiments will fly as auxiliary payloads on agency rocket launches or be deployed from the International Space Station beginning in 2016 and running through 2019. NASA does not provide funding for the development of the small satellites, and this opportunity is open only to U.S. nonpro?t organizations and accredited educational organizations. For additional information about this opportunity and NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative, visit http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-opens-new-cubesat-opportunities-for-… cost-space-exploration and http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/home/CubeSats_initiative.html. Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Jason Crusan at Jason.Crusan(a)nasa.gov. [ANS thanks NASA Education Express Message -- Oct. 22, 2015 for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- SAREX Reflector to be Closed 1 November 2015 At the request of the ARISS US Team, AMSAT-NA Vice President for Human Spaceflight Frank Bauer, KA3HDO has announced that the SAREX reflector will be closed 1 November 2015, and its functions folded into the AMSAT-BB list. Frank explained that at one time operations from the Space Shuttle and the ISS were considered as sufficiently different from other satellite operations as to need separate forums for their respective interest communities. More recently, changes in the human spaceflight operations, the new generation of satellites, and the interests of the general AMSAT community have removed the reasons for this distinction. What does this mean to the current subscribers? If you are subscribed to both SAREX and AMSAT-BB, there is no need to take any action. You will cease to receive new postings on the SAREX list 1 November 2015, which will now be made on AMSAT-BB. The SAREX archives will continue to be available for historical purposes. If you are not subscribed to AMSAT-BB and wish to continue to receive human spaceflight announcements, please go to http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo and subscribe to AMSAT-BB. Your existing SAREX subscription will not be automatically carried over since not everyone will wish to do so. [ANS thanks Alan WA4SCA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule Dearborn Public Schools, Dearborn, Michigan, USA, direct via K8UTT The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS Contact is a go for Option #3: Tue 2015-10-27 16:01:59 UTC 57 deg Daggett Montessori School K-8, Fort Worth, Texas, USA, direct via K5COW The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS Contact is a go for Option #4: Thu 2015-10-29 14:12:56 UTC 31 deg 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 is available at the following link. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf [ANS thanks Charlie, AJ9N, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Astro Pi Launch Changed Two specially augmented Raspberry Pi’s called Astro Pi‘s were planned to fly with UK astronaut Tim Peake KG5BVI to the International Space Station (ISS) on December 15. On the ISS the Astro Pi’s are planned to run experimental Python programs written by school-age students; the results will be downloaded back to Earth and made available online for all to see. It is hoped that subsequently one of them will be used to provide a video source for the amateur radio HamTV transmitter in the ISS Columbus module. It appears the amount of cargo on Tim’s Soyuz flight was overbooked so the Astro Pi’s will instead fly to the ISS on an Orbital Sciences’ Cygnus cargo freighter. The launch is currently planned for December 3 at 22:48 UT on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral AFS in Florida. Read the full story on the Raspberry Pi site https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/astro-pi-mission-update-7-launch-vehicle- changed/ HamTV http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/hamtv-on-the-iss/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK 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

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ANS-292 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - 4U1UN as 4U70UN on satellite this weekend!
by Joseph Spier 19 Oct '15

19 Oct '15

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN ANS-292 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: * 4U1UN as 4U70UN on satellite this weekend! SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-292.01 ANS-292 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin AMSAT News Service Bulletin 292.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE October 19, 2015 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-292.01 --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-85 OSCAR Number Assigned for Fo4U1UN as 4U70UN on satellite this weekend! Word has been received, that, in celebration of the UN's 70th anniversary, 4U1UN will be activated as 4U70UN on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October. The operation by the UN ARC will be from the ground-level garden area within the UNHQ complex in New York City and will be limited to daylight hours. Satellite operation is included in the plans, but time and equipment limitations will exist. Blockage from high rise buildings toward the West is expected. Best passes will be to the East of FN30as and North/South overhead. Possible satellites in view may be AO-73, FO-29, AO-85, AO-7, SO-50, XW-2E and XW-2F. Note that 4U1UN is a separate DXCC entity. See QRZ.COM for QSL info.” For more information please see http://www.amsat.org/?p=4650 [ANS thanks Mike, N1JEZ, and AMSAT-NA 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

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ANS-291 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by E.Mike McCardel 18 Oct '15

18 Oct '15

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-291 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: * URGENT - AO-85 Operational Update * Joe Kornowski K9JMK Named AMSAT Journal Editor * Help AMSAT Launch FOX-1Cliff and FOX-1D Satellite in 2015 * AMSAT Elects Senior Officer * SAREX Reflector to be Closed 1 November 2015 * Amateur Radio – a hobby for the 21st century * Special Membership Offer for Fox-1A Launch * ARISS-US Contact Proposals Accepted Through November 1 * NASA awards launch services contracts for CubeSat satellites * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-291 ANS-291 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 291 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. October 18, 2015 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-291 URGENT - AO-85 Operational Update After our successful launch on October 8, AO-85 has been chiefly in transponder mode and available to users. While this operational plan resulted in increased data for AMSAT engineering evaluation, we have some necessary tests to complete that require limiting access for a short period. We will be characterizing the uplink and downlink signals, and developing an updated set of recommendations for minimal equipment and best operating practices. For the week of October 19 to 23, AO-85 will be unavailable while this testing and evaluation is complete. Please avoid transmitting to the satellite even if you hear the transponder on. Users are encouraged to collect and forward telemetry via the FoxTelem program. Please share this information to other operators as needed. Cooperation will expedite this testing and the return to normal operations. [ANS thanks Drew KO4MA for the above informatioin] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe Kornowski K9JMK Named AMSAT Journal Editor During the 2015 AMSAT Annual Meeting held in Dayton, Ohio, AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW, announced the appointment of Joe Kornowski, KB6IGK as the Editor of The AMSAT Journal beginning with the November/December 2015 issue, filling the position previously held by JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM, who had to resign for personal reasons. Joe has served as an Assistant Editor since 2014 and has several years of professional experience in writing, editing, and content creation in various fields, including law and legal publishing, technology, health and wellness, and creative/media. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Help AMSAT Launch FOX-1Cliff and FOX-1D Satellite in 2015 For a $1,000.00 donation, AMSAT will provide you, after launch, with a clear solar panel protective cover actually used on Fox-1 Cliff or FOX-1D. The cover will be mounted on a plaque, and engraved with your name, callsign and date of launch. Quantities are limited. The plaque will make an excellent display in your office or shack for you to show off your pride in helping AMSAT launch Fox-1 Cliff! To donate and claim your panel visit https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6pz92/ab/561Zd Similar plaques from FOX-1A were recently presented to their donors during the AMSAT Space Symposium in Dayton. [ANS thanks Barry WD4ASW for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Elects Senior Officer Election of AMSAT's Senior Officers was one of the first orders of business to be settled once the AMSAT Board of Directors meeting opened on October 15, prior to the start of the 2015 AMSAT Space Symposium held in Dayton, Ohio. The following positions were voted upon and filled: Barry Baines, WD4ASW President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA Vice-President Operations Jerry Buxton, N0JY Vice-President Engineering Frank Bauer, KA3HDO Vice-President Human Spaceflight Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Secretary Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF Treasurer Martha Saragovitz Manager The following Senior Officer positions remained open at this time awaiting appointments: Executive Vice President Vice-President User Services Vice-President Marketing The AMSAT Board of Directors for 2016 consists of: Barry Baines, WD4ASW Tom Clark, K3IO JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM Lou McFadin, W5DID Jerry Buxton, N0JY Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA Bob McGwier, N4HY Mark Hammond, N8MH (First Alternate) Bruce Paige, KK5DO (Second Alternate) [ANS thanks Paul N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- SAREX Reflector to be Closed 1 November 2015 At the request of the ARISS US Team, AMSAT-NA Vice President for Human Spaceflight Frank Bauer, KA3HDO has announced that the SAREX reflector will be closed 1 November 2015, and its functions folded into the AMSAT-BB list. Frank explained that at one time operations from the Space Shuttle and the ISS were considered as sufficiently different from other satellite operations as to need separate forums for their respective interest communities. More recently, changes in the human spaceflight operations, the new generation of satellites, and the interests of the general AMSAT community have removed the reasons for this distinction. What does this mean to the current subscribers? If you are subscribed to both SAREX and AMSAT-BB, there is no need to take any action. You will cease to receive new postings on the SAREX list 1 November 2015, which will now be made on AMSAT-BB. The SAREX archives will continue to be available for historical purposes. If you are not subscribed to AMSAT-BB and wish to continue to receive human spaceflight announcements, please go to http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo and subscribe to AMSAT-BB. Your existing SAREX subscription will not be automatically carried over since not everyone will wish to do so. [ANS thanks Alan WA4SCA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Amateur Radio – a hobby for the 21st century The RSGB has launched a new amateur radio promotional video on their YouTube channel. The video was produced in conjunction with TX Factor and has generated lots of positive comment since it was first shown publicly at the RSGB Convention on October 10. One person commented “the video is really good, hardly an oldie to be seen !!” The amateur satellite service features prominently in the video, Peter Goodhall 2E0SQL is shown working the amateur satellites and astronaut Doug Wheelock KF5BOC puts in an appearance from on-board the International Space Station. Among those spotted in the video were amateurs from the Silcoates School, Camb Hams and Essex Ham. Watch the video at https://youtu.be/8x6x_6mDVlQ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Membership Offer for Fox-1A Launch AMSAT’s Fox-1A , AO-85 was launched as part of the GRACE (Government Rideshare Advanced Concepts Experiment) auxillary payload on the NROL- 55 mission October 8, 2015 from Vandenburg AFB on an Atlas V vehicle. NRO has released this factsheet about the mission: http://tinyurl.com/ANS291-FactSheet General information on Fox-1A is available in the downloadable AMSAT Fox Operating Guide. http://tinyurl.com/ANS291-OperatingGuide FoxTelem software for decoding and submitting telemetry has been made available for download at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=4532 . As part of the celebration for the launch and activation of this new satellite, AMSAT is making our “Getting Started With The Amateur Satellites” book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 132 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store http://store.amsat.org/catalog/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out our other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, AMSAT shirts, hats, and other swag. Thank you, and see you soon on Fox-1A! [ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Vice-President Operations for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS-US Contact Proposals Accepted Through November 1 Message to US Educators Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity Call for Proposals Proposal Window September 1 – November 1, 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 July 1 and December 31, 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 November 1, 2015. Proposal information and documents can be found at www.arrl.org/hosting-an- ariss-contact. The next and last of these will be offered Wednesday, September 30, at 2300 UTC. Advance registration is necessary. E-mail ARISS (ariss(a)arrl.org) to sign up for an information session. 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. For proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Sessions go to http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss- contact. Please direct any questions to ariss(a)arrl.org [ANS thanks ARISS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA awards launch services contracts for CubeSat satellites NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP) has awarded multiple Venture Class Launch Services (VCLS) contracts to provide small satellites (SmallSats) - also called CubeSats, microsats or nanosatellites - access to low-Earth orbit. The three companies selected to provide these new commercial launch capabilities, and the value of their firm fixed-price contracts, are: Firefly Space Systems Inc. of Cedar Park, Texas, $5.5 million; Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Los Angeles, $6.9 million; Virgin Galactic LLC of Long Beach, California, $4.7 million. At present, launch opportunities for small satellites and science missions mostly are limited to rideshare-type arrangements, flying only when space is available on NASA and other launches. The services acquired through these new contract awards will constitute the smallest class of launch services used by NASA. "LSP is attempting to foster commercial launch services dedicated to transporting smaller payloads into orbit as an alternative to the rideshare approach and to promote the continued development of the U.S. commercial space transportation industry," said Jim Norman, director of Launch Services at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "VCLS is intended to help open the door for future dedicated opportunities to launch CubeSats and other small satellites and science missions." Small satellites, including CubeSats, are playing an increasingly larger role in exploration, technology demonstration, scientific research and educational investigations at NASA. These miniature satellites provide a low-cost platform for NASA missions, including planetary space exploration; Earth observations; fundamental Earth and space science; and developing precursor science instruments like cutting-edge laser communications, satellite-to-satellite communications and autonomous movement capabilities. LSP supports the agency's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) by providing launch opportunities for more than 50 CubeSats that are awaiting launch during the next three years. The VCLS contracts will demonstrate a dedicated launch capability for smaller payloads that NASA anticipates it will require on a recurring basis for future science SmallSat and CubeSat missions. Small satellites already are used to provide imagery collection for monitoring, analysis and disaster response. In the future, CubeSat capabilities could include ship and aircraft tracking, improved weather prediction, and the provision of broader Internet coverage. The Earth Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington has partnered with LSP to fund the VCLS contracts. These VCLS launches of small satellites are able to tolerate a higher level of risk than larger missions and will demonstrate, and help mitigate risks associated with, the use of small launch vehicles providing dedicated access to space for future small spacecraft and missions. "Emerging small launch vehicles have great potential to expand the use of small satellites as integral components of NASA's Earth science orbital portfolio," said Michael Freilich, director of NASA's Earth Science Division. "Today's CubeSat technology fosters hands-on engineering and flight research training; with the addition of reliable, affordable, and dedicated access to space on small launchers, constellations of SmallSats and CubeSats could revolutionize our science-based spaceborne Earth-observing systems and capabilities. We're eager to work with the VCLS providers as they develop new launch capabilities for the Earth science community." [ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News A Successful contact was made between Bay View Elementary School, Burlington, WA, USA and Astronaut Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS using Callsign OR4ISS. The contact began 2015-10-14 19:41 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was telebridge via IK1SLD. ARISS Mentor was K4SQC. Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2015-10-15 07:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Saku Children’s Science Dome for the Future, Saku City, Japan, direct via 8NØSDF The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Kimiya Yui KG5BPH Contact is a go for: Thu 2015-10-22 09:47:21 UTC 62 deg West Michigan Aviation Academy, Grand Rapids, MI, direct via W8ISS The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS Contact is a go for: Thu 2015-10-22 17:10:02 UTC 36 deg [ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above information] [ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + 2016 Colloqium Dates Set The dates for the next Colloquium have now been confirmed as Fri 29 Jul to Sun 31 July 2016. It will be held in the same location as in 2015, ie the Holiday Inn, Guildford, UK [ANS thanks Jim G3WGM for the above information] + Eimac Moonbounce Notes collection Way back in 1980 when I first got interested in amateur satellites and AMSAT, I wrote off to Eimac Corporation for their "Moonbounce Notes" collection. While on a household paper eradication campaign I came across them and scanned them. I thought others might enjoy a look back at some bleeding-edge ham activities from the mid-late 1970s. It's particularly amusing to see how much effort was spent just tracking the moon with the technology then available. http://www.ka9q.net/moonbounce-notes This is a raw collection of pdf files, but the file names are pretty descriptive. Collect the entire set! If anybody has any notes missing from my collection, please let me know. [ANS thanks Phil KA9Q for the above information + Space Diary: Fire up your imagination! Fire up your imagination and get ready for launch Lucy Hawking and Curved House Kids launch a STEM literacy project to get 500 primary schools involved in Tim’s mission to the ISS. As Tim lifts off in December, school students will follow his mission by creating a personalised log book, the Principia Mission Space Book. Each month a video will be released from amazing space crew including Dallas Campbell, Stephen Hawking, Richard Garriott and Lucy Hawking. To learn more visit https://principia.org.uk/news/spacediary/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK 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

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ANS-284 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Joseph Spier 11 Oct '15

11 Oct '15

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-284 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 Launched at 0549 PDT on October 8, 2015 * AMSAT-NA VP-Engineering on NASA TV * AMSAT's Fox-1A Receives AO-85 Designation * Fox-1A Launch Commemorative Issue of the AMSAT Journal - Free Download * Lapan ORARI (LAPAN-A2) Receives OSCAR Number IO-86 * ISS CubeSats Deployed Monday, October 5 * LQSat Launched on Monday, October 5 * AMSAT at Pacificon 2015 * AO-85 (Fox-1A) FM Voice Transponder Activated * AO-85 Update * New OSCAR Status Page * AMSAT Events * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-284.01 ANS-284 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 284.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE October 11, 2015 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-284.01 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Fox-1A Launched at 0549 PDT on October 8, 2015 Launch and Deployment was Successful! PE0SAT, ON4HF, and R2ANF heard signals on the first pass! Video of liftoff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drTsIV7nR3w&feature=youtu.be Keplerian elements: GRACE2 1 99992U 15281.53437500 .00015007 00000-0 15580-2 0 00009 2 99992 064.7657 291.6734 0216442 282.3705 182.7702 14.73904028000019 AMSAT’s Fox-1A launched as part of the GRACE (Government Rideshare Advanced Concepts Experiment) auxillary payload on the NROL-55 mission October 8, 2015 from Vandenburg AFB on an Atlas V vehicle. The launch occurred at 5:49 AM PDT, with the NASA TV webcast starting at 5:29 AM PDT. NRO has released this factsheet about the mission: http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GRACE_CubeSat_ FactSheet.pdf General information on Fox-1A is available in the downloadable http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FoxOperatingGuide_ May2015_Hi.pdf FoxTelem software for decoding and submitting telemetry has been made available for download at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=4532 Keplerian Elements: We will provide the Keplerian elements (aka Keps or TLEs) to enable you to track Fox-1a as soon after launch as we get them (and are cleared to release them). The information will be placed on http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ftp/keps/current/nasabare.txt . INITIAL COMMISSIONING PERIOD: Initially the transponder will not be on and will not respond to uplinks. Please do not attempt to uplink while we check out the satellite and commission it. We will publicize when we have opened the transponder to general use. You should expect the checkout phase to last for a minimum of several days and possibly for several weeks. What To Listen For: During the initial checkout period and when the satellite is in range, every two minutes you will generally hear about 5 seconds of data followed by a few seconds of a voice ID (and possibly a second data packet). You may occasionally hear ‘data’ mode which Chris, G0KLA, has famously described as sounding like an old-fashioned telephone modem. If you should happen to hear what appear to be QSOs, please resist the temptation to join in before the commissioning period is over. Please Send Telemetry Reports and Data: We would love to have you collect and upload as much data as you can, and to give any other kind of report on the amsat-bb mailing list (which some of the Fox team will monitor). You can also report hearing or not hearing it on http://www.amsat.org/status/ You can upload data using the FoxTelem telemetry program that we recently released. (Check the “upload to server” box in the properties/preference page). More data will help us do the checkout faster! Remember if you hear the “telephone modem” sound, you must switch FoxTelem to high-speed mode manually. Similarly FoxTelem must be in low-speed mode at other times. We are planning a special award to the person who submits the first data from the satellite (by which we mean the earliest downlinked mission elapsed time), so get your rigs ready! As part of the preparations for the launch and activation of this new satellite, AMSAT is making our “Getting Started With The Amateur Satellites” book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 132 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store and selecting any membership option. While there, check out our other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, AMSAT shirts, hats, and other swag. Thank you, and see you soon on Fox-1A! [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT-NA VP-Engineering on NASA TV Radio amateurs Jerry Buxton, N0JY and Courtney Duncan, N5BF were on the panel at a NASA prelaunch briefing on Wednesday, October 7. Participants in the news briefing discussed several of the specific CubeSats aboard the National Reconnaissance Office’s NRO-L55 mission. Four of the CubeSats are NASA-sponsored and nine are NRO-sponsored, one of which was developed with NASA funding. The mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 8 from California’s Vandenburg Air Force Base. The panel comprised: • Richard Welle, director, Microsatellite Systems department at The Aerospace Corporation • Tim Olson, principal investigator for BisonSat, Salish Kootenai College, Pablo, Montana • Morgan Johnson, team lead for the ARC CubeSat, University of Alaska, Fairbanks • Jerry Buxton, N0JY Vice President, Engineering, for AMSAT Fox-1 • Courtney Duncan, N5BF, principal investigator for LMRST-Sat, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=b6duPV3BwcY Jerry described the Fox-1A mission and science, and answered questions. [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-85 OSCAR Number Assigned for Fox-1A William (Bill) Tynan, W3XO, AMSAT-NA OSCAR Number Administrator has issued the following release: I have been informed of the successful launch today, October 8, 2015 of the AMSAT-NA-built Fox-1A CubeSat. I am also informed that the satellite has been heard by several amateurs in various countries. This successful launch comes after years of diligent and dedicated work on the part of AMSAT-NA volunteers including Tony Monteiro, AA2TX, who became a silent key in March, 2014. It was Tony who spearheaded and guided the work on all AMSAT-NA CubeSats until his untimely passing. Thus, it is only fitting that this spacecraft be dedicated to his memory. Following Tony’s death, the work of completing and preparing for launch fell to Jerry Buxton, N0JY, who took over Tony’s post of AMSAT-NA’s Vice President for Engineering and saw to Fox-1A’s successful completion and its preparation for launch. All of those who had a part in designing, constructing and testing Fox-1A and its various subsystems are to be congratulated for jobs well done. Since Fox-1A was properly coordinated through IARU as an Amateur Radio satellite, has been successfully launched and its signals have been received; I, under the authority vested in me by the AMSAT-NA President, do hereby issue to Fox-1A the designation AMSAT-OSCAR-85, or AO-85. May AO-85 serve the radio amateurs of world for many years to come. [ANS thanks Bill, W3XO, and AMSAT-NA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Fox-1A Launch Commemorative Issue of the AMSAT Journal - Free Download Congratulations to AMSAT's Fox-1A team on their successful launch, orbital deployment, and activation of the Fox-1A satellite. (Now to be known as AO-85.) AMSAT has produced a free, commemorative issue of the AMSAT Journal highlighting the Fox-1A launch success. This full color PDF issue can be downloaded from our current top news story, "Fox-1A launch 5:49 AM PDT on October 8, 2015" at http://www.amsat.org. A direct link to this news item is http://www.amsat.org/?p=4591 If you aren't already a member of AMSAT this issue of our magazine will give you an inside look at the best ham radio club in the world. You'll read and see the dedicated efforts of the Fox-1A team that got us to October 8. Please consider joining AMSAT to support our series of launches coming in 2016 and beyond. [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Lapan ORARI (LAPAN-A2) Receives OSCAR Number IO-86 William (Bill) Tynan, W3XO, AMSAT-NA OSCAR Number Administrator has issued the following release: AMSAT-NA has received information from YE0EEE of the successful launch, September 28, 2015 of an Indonesian Amateur Radio satellite, Lapan ORARI (LAPAN-A2). According to the information I have, this satellite meets all of the requirements to receive an OSCAR number, including IARU coordination. Accordingly, by the authority vested in me by the AMSAT-NA President, I hereby confer on this spacecraft the designation Indonesia OSCAR- 86. or IO-86. Dirgan, YE0EEE, and all who had a part in the design, construction, test and launch of IO-86 are to be congratulated. May this Amateur Radio spacecraft have a long and useful life serving the amateurs of the world. The following response was received from Dirgantara, YE0EEE from AMSAT-ID: Many thanks for good news. I, the AMSAT-ID Team, and LAPAN are all very happy about the new Oscar number. By today, I will have informed all the ORARI members. Link to AMSAT-UK article on LAPAN-A2 launch http://amsat-uk.org/2015/09/28/lapan-a2-fm-and-aprs-satellite-launched/ [ANS thanks Bill, W3XO, and AMSAT-NA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ISS CubeSats Deployed Monday, October 5 Two Danish CubeSats carrying amateur radio payloads were successfully deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, October 5 at 1405 UT. Originally launched to the ISS on August 19, 2015, the two CubeSats, AAUSat-5 and GomX-3, were deployed from the ISS Japanese Kibo module airlock using the Kibo robotic arm. After deployment the CubeSats stated transmitting signals to Earth that can be picked up by anyone with common amateur radio equipment. The frequencies to listen on are: • AAUSat-5 – 437.425 MHz with 30 WPM CW beacon every 3 minutes and 9600 bps GMSK packet every 30 seconds • GomX-3 – 437.250 MHz with 1200-9600 bps GMSK data using CSP protocol AAUsat-5 is a 1-Unit CubeSat built by students at Aalborg University. The primary mission is to test an improved receiver for detecting Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals emitted by ships. Down on the ground, these signals are short-range, operating mainly on a ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship basis, leaving large spans of the world’s oceans uncovered. But signals also travel up to orbital altitude, opening up the prospect of worldwide monitoring. GomX-3 is a 3-Unit CubeSat which aims to demonstrate new radio technology. A reconfigurable software-defined radio receiver will intercept L-band spot beams from telecom satellites in geostationary orbit, to provide independent measurements of their signal strength and quality. This receiver can also be re-purposed to receive any other L-band signal, such as navigation satellite signals or radar beams. A receiver will pick up Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) signals automatically broadcast by civilian aircraft, to build up an overview of regional air traffic. Additionally there is a high data rate X-band transmitter developed by Syrlinks. The CNES X-band ground station in Kourou, South America, will be used to demonstrate the link. The GomX-3 amateur radio payload uses a NanoCom AX100 UHF transceiver and ANT430 antenna. Mineo Wakita JE9PEL in Japan reported receiving the GomX-3 beacon in Japan from 1505-1510 UT on October 5 and Luciano Fabricio PY5LF reported hearing GomX-3 in Brazil at 1605 UT. Jan van Gills PE0SAT in the Netherlands received AAUSat-5 at 1800 UT. The two spacecraft may have a lifetime of around 7 months before they burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. GomX-3 telemetry beacon https://www.dropbox.com/s/x4mipoz9gmqhlib/GOMX3_Beacon.pdf AAUSat-5 telemetry beacon http://www.space.aau.dk/aausat5/index.php?n=Main.HamInfo ESA article CubeSats set for Monday Release (with video) http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/ESA_CubeSats… _for_Monday_release ESA invites radio amateurs to listen for AAUSat-5 CubeSat http://amsat-uk.org/2015/09/24/esa-listen-for-aausat-5/ [ANS thanks ESA and AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- LQSat Launched Monday, October 5 LQSat was launched into a 656 km sun synchronous orbit at 0413 UT on Wednesday, October 7 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) in Inner Mongolia on a Chang Zheng 2D (CZ-2D) rocket. The satellite was developed by researchers and students at the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP) and carries an amateur radio payload. LQSat is technology demonstrator measuring 40x40x60 cm with a mass of 50 kg and carries a 2 m resolution camera as the main payload. The IARU coordinated downlink frequencies are • 437.650 MHz at 0.5 watts (27 dBm) with either 25 WPM CW or 4800 bps MSK CSP packet data • 2404 MHz at 1 watt (30 dBm) using 1 Mbps QPSK Launch report http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/10/china-launches-jilin-1-mission-long- march-2d/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT at Pacificon 2015 AMSAT will participate at Pacificon on October 17, 2015 in San Ramon, California. The ARRL Pacific Division's Conference, Pacificon 2015 will be held in the Marriott, 2600 Bishop Drive in San Ramon. The host for Pacificon is the Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club (MDARC). Alan, WA6DNR will be representing AMSAT with a table and Michael, WA6ARA will be giving a forum presentation titled, “Satellites - Amateur Radio's Future.” Micheal's forum presentation will be at 1100 PDT, October 17 in the San Ramon Marriott's Pleasanton Room. Say Hi Hi to both! If you're on the west coast and cannot make it to Dayton for the AMSAT Space Symposium, Pacificon is always a fun alternative with swap meet, forums, dinner, events, and Gordo West. Further details on Pacificon are at: https://sites.google.com/a/mdarc.org/pacificon2015/home [ANS thanks Alan Bowker, WA6DNR for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-85 (Fox-1A) FM Voice Transponder Activated The 435 to 145 MHz FM voice transponder on AO-85 was activated during Friday, October 9 allowing many contacts to be made. Among those active on the satellite was 9-year-old Hope KM4IPF. Hope is the daughter of Michelle N8ZQZ and James WX4TV, other radio amateurs in the family are Hope’s elder sister Faith WA4BBC and brother Zechariah, WX4TVJ. Her younger sister is studying for her license. In this video Hope KM4IPF describes her first AO-85 (Fox-1A) contact https://vimeo.com/141916942 Fox-1A Real-time track and Orbital Predictions (click on Draw Footprint to show coverage area) http://www.n2yo.com/?s=40967 Read the Fox Operating Guide to find out how to set up your handheld radio to work the satellite http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FoxOperatingGuide_ May2015_Hi.pdf Note: If your rig has selectable FM filters use the wider filter for 5 kHz deviation 25 kHz channel spacing. See http://amsat-uk.org/2015/10/09/fox-1a-fm-transponder-activated/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-85 Update AO-85 is still being tested. Please note that while AO-85 is in Transponder Mode right now, we have not officially commissioned her and testing is still underway. Part of the testing involves observations in Transponder and Data Modes. We may switch out of Transponder Mode at any time without notice, until we are done testing. If AO-85 is in Safe Mode or Data Mode when it passes and you were expecting Transponder Mode, don't be surprised or angry! [ANS thanks AMSAT Vice-President for Engineering Jerry, N0JY for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- New OSCAR Status Page Thanks to the efforts of Joe KM1P and Pete 2E0SQL, and with the permission of David, KD5QGR, we have set up a copy of the OSCAR satellite status page at http://www.amsat.org/status This page will be maintained by multiple volunteers, including myself, and we will be able to add and delete satellites as required, as well as keep information links current. It will take a few days to populate the database, but please begin using this page as soon as possible. In the near future the old page will point to this one for a while, until people get used to the new address. There are still some satellites to add and delete, so this will be a work in progress for a bit. First and foremost we will delete the reentered sats, and add Fox-1A for next Thursday! [ANS thanks Drew, KO4MA 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, Saturday, and Sunday, October 16-18 2015, AMSAT Symposium in Dayton OH (Dayton Crown Plaza) *Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 16-18 2015, ARRL Pacific Division Convention (Pacificon), San Ramon, California *Saturday, 7 November 2015 – Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club Hamfest in Marana AZ *Saturday and Sunday, 7-8 November 2015 – Stone Mountain Hamfest and ARRL Georgia Section Convention in Lawrenceville GA *Monday, 16 November 2015 – Tri-City Amateur Radio Association meeting in Goodyear AZ *Saturday, 5 December 2015 – Superstition Superfest 2015 in Mesa AZ [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News Successful Contacts October 6, 2015 * A telebridge contact via LU1CGB with students at Corpus Christi Catholic School, Chambersburg, PA, USA was successful Tue 2015-10-06 16:29:32 UTC 33 deg. Students received answers to 18 questions from astronaut Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS. Listen to a recording of the contact: http://www.ariss.org/news.html School Information Corpus Christi Catholic School is a K - 8 Roman Catholic Elementary School, located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. With an enrollment of 215 students and 17 full-time and 3 part-time faculty members, Corpus Christi School is committed to the pursuit of excellence in Catholic education. The school strives to be on the cutting edge of technology with Smartboards in every classroom, two computer labs, iPads, and Chromebooks. Students in the primary grades participate in weekly swim lessons at the local YMCA. Intermediate grades place a strong emphasis on STEM related concepts and careers. Grades four through eight have background knowledge of NASA starting with Gemini and continuing onto Mars. In 2013, three teachers were selected to be on the Reduced Gravity Flight through NASA Explorer Schools. This experience increased the entire students’ awareness of space flight and experiments being conducted in microgravity on the International Space Station. Middle school students are able to expand their curriculum by traveling to major cities such as Pittsburgh, Washington DC, and Williamsburg, VA. Scores on standardized tests are above the national average. School pride runs deep with the students, faculty, staff and parents. * A direct contact via 9M2RPN with students at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Tun Dr Ismail (1), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was successful Fri 2015-10-09 08:00:04 UTC 47 deg. The scheduled astronaut was Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS. Video Link of Contact https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCMo_BkXOaI School Information Our first ARISS contact was made in 2007 when, Malaysia's first Astronaut Shiekh Muzapher went on board the ISS. We made 5 direct contacts when, some 80 school children talked to him and asked questions. Since then it has become a highly sought after yearly event which is tied up with the Prime Minister's Space Challenge Trophy. This year we will be making our 8th yearly contact. Since the schools do not have ground stations, they make use of Satellite Ground Station at the National Planetarium established in 1995 under the call sign of 9M2RPN. The schools are the nurseries to produce future astronauts and space scientists. The forthcoming contact in October 2015 provides the hands on experience and the seeding operation for tomorrow's space scientists. Upcoming Contacts * A telebridge contact via IK1SLD with students at Bay View Elementary School in Burlington, Washington, USA is scheduled for Wed 2015-10-14 19:41:44 UTC 59 deg. School Information Bay View School in Burlington, Washington has been serving kindergarten through eighth grade students in the Burlington-Edison School District for 22 years. Named after the small community of Bayview, which was later incorporated by the town of Burlington, it serves mainly in-district neighborhood students. This year 562 students are enrolled. The town of Burlington is 66 miles north of Seattle, Washington. Located at the intersection of two major highways, Burlington serves as a retail and commercial hub for the region. Industry is mainly agricultural, retail, and commercial. Over the past three years, Bay View has committed to becoming a school of inquiry. Through inquiry and collaboration, Bay View’s purpose is to nurture compassionate, creative, knowledgeable growth-minded world citizens, who pursue dreams and positively impact the future. Bay View continually inquires to understand one essential question. What do we need to understand, commit to and implement to prepare students to be career, college, and/or world ready for the 21st century? This journey has led them to begin creating concept-based units of inquiry at each grade level. Multi-disciplinary and intra-disciplinary units support school-wide connections through inquiry. The opportunity to ask questions of astronauts on the ISS was pursued as an experience that could spark students’ interest in space, engineering, technology, mathematics, and support a school-wide inquiry. Watch http://www.ariss.org/upcoming-contacts.html for information about upcoming contacts as they are scheduled. [ANS thanks ARISS, and Charlie, AJ9N for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over AMSAT Highlighted in This Week at NASA Fox, amateur radio, and AMSAT are briefing featured this week in the short weekly news update “This Week at NASA.” See: https://youtu.be/tWOiU2oJMSA [ANS thanks Frank, KA3HDO for the above information] Magazine Archive Free (hams like free!) access to electronics and radio magazines from the past. Something to read while waiting for that next AO-85 pass ... See http://americanradiohistory.com/ Hover mouse over Broadcast & Consumer for a menu Hover mouse over Consumer Electronics then Popular Electronics & Similar The old issues download as PDF files. Gotta try it on my tablet to see if it works in the little room down the hall ... [ANS thanks JoAnne, K9JKM for the above information] AMSAT Symposium / VUCC/WAS QSL Card Checking Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards reports that if you have any cards you would like checked for VUCC/WAS, I will be at the Symposium. I will give preference to satellite contacts first before I check other bands/modes. If you are going to have cards checked, I prefer the list be in Grid Square order using an Excel spreadsheet or Word doc with the second column being the call sign worked. Place all your cards in the same grid square order as the list with any cards that contain multiple grids at the end of the stack. If you have lists (from Yuri, etc), I can go through them as well. [ANS thanks Bruce, KK5DO for the above information] NASA to Announce Selections for Small Satellite Launch Contract October 07, 2015 MEDIA ADVISORY M15-150 NASA to Announce Selections for Small Satellite Launch ContractNASA will host a news conference at 1 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to announce the outcome of the Venture Class Launch Service (VCLS) competition. The news conference will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website. The participants are: • Garrett Skrobot, Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) mission lead for the Launch Services Program (LSP) at Kennedy • Eric Ianson, associate director of NASA’s Earth Sciences Division in the Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington • Mark Wiese, flight projects office chief, NASA Launch Services Program, Kennedy Space Center • Representatives from the selected launch service providers [ANS thanks NASA for the above information] See you in Dayton! - Joe, K6WAO --------------------------------------------------------------------- /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

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ANS-281 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - AO-85 OSCAR Number Assigned for Fox-1A
by Joseph Spier 09 Oct '15

09 Oct '15

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN ANS-281 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: * AO-85 OSCAR Number Assigned for Fox-1A SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-281.01 ANS-281 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin AMSAT News Service Bulletin 281.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE October 8, 2015 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-281.01 --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-85 OSCAR Number Assigned for Fox-1A Willian (Bill) Tynan, W3XO, AMSAT-NA OSCAR Number Administrator has issued the following release: I have been informed of the successful launch today, October 8, 2015 of the AMSAT-NA-built Fox-1A CubeSat. I am also informed that the satellite has been heard by several amateurs in various countries. This successful launch comes after years of diligent and dedicated work on the part of AMSAT-NA volunteers including Tony Momteiro, AA2TX, who became a silent key in March, 2014. It was Tony who spearheaded and guided the work on all AMSAT-NA CubeSats until his untimely passing. Thus, it is only fitting that this spacecraft be dedicated to his memory. Following Tony’s death, the work of completing and preparing for launch fell to Jerry Buxton, W0JY, who took over Tony’s post of AMSAT-NA’s Vice President for Engineering and saw to Fox-1A’s successful completion and its preparation for launch. All of those who had a part in designing, constructing and testing Fox-1A and its various subsystems are to be congratulated for jobs well done. Since Fox-1A was properly coordinated through IARU as an Amateur Radio satellite, has been successfully launched and its signals have been received; I, under the authority vested in me by the AMSAT-NA President, do hereby issue to Fox-1A the designation AMSAT-OSCAR-85, or AO-85. May AO-85 serve the radio amateurs of world for many years to come. [ANS thanks Bill, W3XO, and AMSAT-NA 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

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ANS-277 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by E.Mike McCardel 04 Oct '15

04 Oct '15

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-277 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: * Special Membership Offer for Fox-1A launch on October 8, 2015 * NASA Sets Coverage Schedule for CubeSat Launch Events * AMSAT-NA VP-Engineering on NASA TV Wednesday * Volunteer Opportunity: Editor-in-Chief of the AMSAT Journal * ISS CubeSats set to deploy Monday, Oct 5 * LQSat Launch Monday, October 5 * Beijing Launches Three More Amateur Radio Satellites * LAPAN-A2 FM and APRS Satellite Launched * September/October 2015 AMSAT Journal is at the Print Shop * Online Registration for the AMSAT Symposium Closes October 8th * White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's Spring 2016 Policy Internship Program * AMSAT Events * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-277.01 ANS-277 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 277.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE October 4, 2015 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-277.01 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Membership Offer for Fox-1A launch on October 8, 2015 AMSAT’s Fox-1A is set to launch as part of the GRACE (Government Rideshare Advanced Concepts Experiment) auxillary payload on the NROL-55 mission October 8, 2015 from Vandenburg AFB on an Atlas V vehicle. More details will be released when made available from our launch provider. NRO has released this factsheet about the mission: http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GRACE_CubeSat_ FactSheet.pdf General information on Fox-1A is available in the downloadable AMSAT Fox Operating Guide. http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FoxOperatingGuide_ May2015_Hi.pdf FoxTelem software for decoding and submitting telemetry has been made available for download at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=4532 . As part of the preparations for the launch and activation of this new satellite, AMSAT is making our “Getting Started With The Amateur Satellites” book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 132 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store http://store.amsat.org/catalog/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out our other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, AMSAT shirts, hats, and other swag. Thank you, and see you soon on Fox-1A! [ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Vice-President Operations for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA Sets Coverage Schedule for CubeSat Launch Events NASA Press Release: http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-sets-coverage-schedule-for-cubesat- launch-events Thirteen NASA and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)-sponsored CubeSats are scheduled to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket Thursday, Oct. 8, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Prelaunch media briefings and launch commentary coverage will be carried live on NASA Television and the agency's website. Four of the CubeSats are NASA-sponsored and nine are NRO-sponsored, one of which was developed with NASA funding. All will be flown on the NRO's Government Rideshare Advanced Concepts Experiment (GRACE), which is an auxiliary payload aboard the NROL-55 mission. The CubeSat developed with NASA funding will evaluate the ability to point a small satellite accurately as it demonstrates data transfer by laser at rates of up to 200 Mb/s -- a factor of 100 increase over current high-end CubeSat communications systems. The NASA-sponsored CubeSats will test new small satellite control and communications systems, Earth observations, amateur radio communications and an X-Band radio science transponder. These CubeSats also include the first to be designed, built and operated by students in Alaska and the first from Native American tribal college students. Small satellites, including CubeSats, are playing an increasingly larger role in exploration, technology demonstration, scientific research and educational investigations at NASA. These miniature satellites provide a low-cost platform for NASA missions, including planetary space exploration; Earth observations; fundamental Earth and space science; and developing precursor science instruments like cutting-edge laser communications, satellite-to-satellite communications and autonomous movement capabilities. They also allow an inexpensive means to engage students in all phases of satellite development, operation and exploitation through real-world, hands-on research and development experience on NASA-funded rideshare launch opportunities. NASA will host two prelaunch briefings at Vandenberg on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The first briefing will highlight the growing importance of CubeSats in exploration and technology development and will begin at 1 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. PDT). The participants will be: * Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for Space Technology at NASA Headquarters * Meagan Hubbell, deputy chief, CubeSat Program Office, National Reconnaissance Office * Sherrie Zacharius, vice president, Technology and Laboratory Operations at The Aerospace Corporation * John Serafini, vice president, Allied Minds and CEO, BridgeSat and HawkEye 360 * Andrew Petro, Small Spacecraft Technology Program executive at NASA Headquarters * Scott Higginbotham, Launch Services Program ELaNa-12 Mission manager at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida The second briefing will discuss the five NASA-sponsored CubeSats. This briefing will begin at 2 p.m. EDT (11 a.m. PDT). The participants will be: * Richard Welle, director, Microsatellite Systems department at The Aerospace Corporation * Tim Olson, principal investigator for BisonSat, Salish Kootenai College, Pablo, Montana * Morgan Johnson, team lead for the ARC CubeSat, University of Alaska, Fairbanks * Jerry Buxton, vice president, Engineering, for AMSAT Fox-1 * Courtney Duncan, principal investigator for LMRST-Sat, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California Panelists also will be available from noon to 1 p.m. PDT for one-on-one interviews. Slots are limited. Media interested in participating in the briefings by telephone or to schedule an interview must contact Joshua Buck at 202-358-1130 or jbuck(a)nasa.gov by 5 p.m. PDT, Tuesday, Oct. 6. Questions also can be submitted via Twitter during the briefings using the hashtag #askNASA. Media may obtain access badges by contacting Capt. Selena Rodts, Vandenberg Air Force Base Public Affairs at 805-606-3595 or selena.rodts.1(a)us.af.mil and submitting the necessary information by noon PDT on Tuesday. For information about NASA TV launch coverage, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv For more information about NASA CubeSats, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/cubesats [ANS thanks Joshua Buck, NASA Headquarters, Washington for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT-NA VP-Engineering on NASA TV Wednesday AMSAT-NA VP-Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY will be on the panel at a NASA prelaunch briefing on Wednesday, October 7 at 1800 UT. The briefing will be shown live on NASA TV. The amateur radio FM transponder CubeSat, AMSAT Fox-1A, will be among 13 CubeSats flying as secondary payloads on the NROL-55 mission which should launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Thursday, October 8, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA will be holding two briefings about the launch. The first on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 1700 UT (1pm EDT) will highlight the growing importance of CubeSats in exploration and technology development. The second at 1800 UT (2pm EDT) will discuss five of the CubeSats. Jerry Buxton, N0JY will on the panel in the 1800 UT briefing to talk about the Fox mission and science, and answer questions. Fox-1A is a 1-Unit CubeSat carrying an FM repeater that will allow simple ground stations using an HT and an “Arrow” or “Elk” type antenna to make contacts using the satellite. Data Under Voice (DUV) is used to send 200 bps FSK telemetry data at the same time as FM audio. This is achieved by making use of sub-audible frequencies below 200 Hz. Information on the free Fox telemetry decoder software is at http://amsat-uk.org/2015/09/23/fox-telemetry-decoder-software/ Read the Fox Operating Guide at http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp- content/uploads/2015/05/FoxOperatingGuide_May2015_Hi.pdf The launch is still listed as TBD, Thursday, October 8 - CubeSat Launch Coverage from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Watch the following website for updated coverage: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/schedule.html Watch NASA TV at http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv [ANS thanks AMSAT and AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Volunteer Opportunity: Editor-in-Chief of the AMSAT Journal AMSAT is searching for a volunteer to assume 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. The editor-in-chief leads a team of assistant editors who 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 semi-monthly magazine. Contact Barry Baines, WD4ASW (wd4asw(a)amsat.org) for additional information. [ANS thanks the AMSAT Office the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ISS CubeSats set to deploy Monday, Oct 5 The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that two Danish CubeSats carrying amateur radio payloads should be deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, October 5. Originally launched to the ISS on August 19, 2015 the two CubeSats, AAUSat-5 and GomX-3, will be deployed from the ISS Japanese Kibo module airlock. An astronaut will manipulate the Kibo robotic arm to lift AAUSAT-5 from the airlock and place it in orbit. Once deployed from the ISS the CubeSat will begin transmitting signals to Earth that can be picked up by anyone with common amateur radio equipment. The frequencies to listen on are: AAUSat-5 – 437.425 MHz with 30 WPM CW beacon every 3 minutes and 9600 bps GMSK packet every 30 seconds GomX-3 – 437.250 MHz with 1200-9600 bps GMSK data from a NanoCom AX100 using CSP protocol In addition to the amateur radio payloads new radio technology being demonstrated by GomX-3 will support the tracking of civil aircraft and measuring telecom satellite signal quality. AAUSat-5 will demonstrate the tracking of ships on the open sea. ESA article CubeSats set for Monday Release (with video) http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/ESA_CubeSats… _for_Monday_release ESA invites radio amateurs to listen for AAUSat-5 CubeSat http://amsat-uk.org/2015/09/24/esa-listen-for-aausat-5/ [ANS thanks ESA and AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- LQSat Launch Monday, October 5 onday, October 5 should see the launch of LQSat which was developed by researchers and students at the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP) and carries an amateur radio payload. The launch will take place from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) in Inner Mongolia on a Chang Zheng 2D (CZ-2D) rocket. LQSat is technology demonstrator 40x40x60 cm with a mass of 50 kg and carries a 2 m resolution camera as the main payload. The IARU coordinated downlink frequencies are • 437.650 MHz at 0.5 watts (27 dBm) with either 25 WPM CW or 4800 bps MSK CSP packet data • 2404 MHz at 1 watt (30 dBm) using 1 Mbps QPSK See http://amsat-uk.org/2015/10/02/lqsat-launch/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Beijing Launches Three More Amateur Radio Satellites On September 25, 2015 at 01:41 UT Beijing launched three satellites with amateur radio payloads from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) in the Gobi desert, Inner Mongolia. They were carried on a new launcher, Beijing’s first solid-fuel rocket Chang Zheng 11 (CZ-11), and deployed in a 470 x 485 km, 97.3 degree inclination Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). This launch occurred just over 5 days after nine satellites carrying amateur radio payloads were launched by Beijing from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) in Shanxi on September 19 at 23:01 UT. The satellites were developed by students at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in collaboration with the Shanghai Engineering Center for Microsatellites (SECM). The main goal of the mission is to experiment with Software Defined Radio (SDR) in space. The amateur radio payloads will be used for exchanging Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) information with the amateur radio ground control station. Information about the telemetry will be made publicly available so that radio amateurs around the world may track and monitor the health of the satellites. Other payloads include a video camera along with receivers for dual-band GPS/Beidou, Maritime Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Aeronautical Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B). Using MEMS based cold-gas micropropulsion it is planned to demonstrate formation flying by two of the CubeSats along with inter satellite communication using GAMALINK 2.4 GHz spread spectrum at 1 Mbps and the CubeSat Space Protocol (CSP). The TW-1A and TW-1B CubeSats are 2U (20x10x10cm) in size while TW-1C is 3U (30x10x10cm). Michael Chen BD5RV reports the satellites have these downlinks in the 435-438 MHz ITU Amateur Satellite Service allocation: • Tianwang-1A (TW-1A / SECM): Camera, 435.645 MHz GMSK 4800/9600 CSP TX interval 10s • Tianwang-1B (TW-1B / NJUST-2): AIS, 437.645 MHz GMSK 4800/9600 CSP TX interval 20s • Tianwang-1C (TC-1C / NJFA-1): ADS-B, 435.645 MHz GMSK 4800/9600 CSP TX interval 10s Note: TW-1A and 1C use the same frequency. On the same launch was the technology demonstration satellite Pujian-1 which has WiFi for intra-satellite communications. Object identification from information supplied by Nico Janssen PA0DLO and Zhang Xuan BH4DBE: TW-1A object 40928, 2015-051B TW-1B object 40927, 2015-051C, (other IDs: TianWang 1B, NJUST-2) TW-1C object 40926, 2015-051D Pujian 1 object 40925, 2015-051A Chang Zheng 11 (CZ-11) fourth stage object 40929, 2015-051E Keplerian Two Line Elements (TLEs) ‘Keps’ for new satellites launched in past 30 days http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt Shanghai Engineering Centre for Microsatellites http://www.microsate.com/en/ GAMALINK in Space http://tekevernews.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/gamalink-in-space.html IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination pages http://amsat.org.uk/iaru/ Satellite tracking information http://amsat-uk.org/beginners/satellite-tracking/ Adding new satellites to SatPC32, Gpredict and Nova http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/23/adding-new-satellites-to-satpc32/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- LAPAN-A2 FM and APRS Satellite Launched The Indonesian amateur radio society ORARI report that on Monday, September 28, 2015 04:30 hours UT, the LAPAN-A2/ORARI satellite was launched from the Sriharikota Range (SHAR) of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India. Deployment took place 23 minutes later. LAPAN-A2 is in a 650 km orbit with an inclination of 6 degrees. It takes about 110 minutes to orbit the Earth and should pass over Indonesia and other near equatorial locations 14 times a day. The low inclination equatorial orbit means it will be receivable from about 30 degrees North to 30 degrees South. About a third of the world’s population, over 2.4 billion people, live within the coverage area of the satellite. The ground station at the LAPAN Satellite Technology Centre in Rancabungur, Bogor has made contact with LAPAN-A2. There will now be a period of activation and testing of all the satellite systems and it is expected to be about a month before the amateur radio payload becomes available for general use. The primary aims of the mission are Earth observation using an RGB camera and maritime traffic monitoring using AIS, both using frequencies outside the Amateur Satellite Service. The IARU has coordinated these frequencies for LAPA-A2/ORARI: • 437.425 MHz telemetry beacon • 435.880 MHz FM uplink • 145.880 MHz FM downlink (5 watts) • 145.825 APRS digipeater (5 watts) Please send reports to yd1eee(a)gmail.com Listen to a recording of the 437.425 MHz telemetry signal at https://chirb.it/MrgLGy Pre-launch Keps courtesy of Dirgantara Rahadian YE0EEE YBSAT 1 99999U 00000 15270.20393519 .00010000 00000-0 10000-3 0 00011 2 99999 006.0383 028.8188 0001450 317.4897 243.6033 14.00000000000018 Keplerian Two Line Elements (TLEs) ‘Keps’ for new satellites launched in past 30 days http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt Adding new satellites to SatPC32, Gpredict and Nova http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/23/adding-new-satellites-to-satpc32/ Satellite tracking information http://amsat-uk.org/beginners/satellite-tracking/ AMSAT-ID Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/831872960241607/ Organisasi Amatir Radio Indonesia (ORARI) in Google English http://tinyurl.com/IndonesiaORARI LAPAN-A2 paper http://www.researchgate.net/publication/259844289_Development_of_ Micro-satellite_Technology_at_the_Indonesian_National_Institute_of_Aeronautics_ and_Space_%28LAPAN%29 The IARU Region 3 Conference takes place in Bali, Indonesia, October 12-16, 2015 http://amsat-uk.org/2015/08/21/iaru-region-3-act-on-band-plan-satellite/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- September/October 2015 AMSAT Journal is at the Print Shop The September/October 2015 AMSAT Journal is complete and has been sent to the print shop. Watch for your issue arrive in a few weeks (sent 2nd class mail). In this issue you will find: + AMSAT Announcements + Apogee View by Barry Baines, WD4ASW + Amateur Radio, AMSAT and STEM events: a great partnership by Tom Schuessler, N5HYP + AMSAT Fox Presentation to Dallas Area Ham Clubs by Jonathan Brandenburg, KF5IDY + AMSAT Fox-1A: Concept to Launch, Contributions by the Fox-1A team: o The Fox-1A Story - Ready for Launch October o Some History: Introducing the Fox-1 Cubesat o Fox-1A Design + Build + Software = Engineering Prototype o Fox-1A Shake and Bake o Fox-1A Delivery and Integration o Congratulations to AMSAT's Fox-1 Team! o Fox-1A at Vandenberg AFB and Ready for Launch o Operating Tips When You Operate on Fox-1A + DopplerPSK: Doppler-Correction Software for NO-84's (PSAT) PSK31 Transponder by Andy Flowers, K0SM/2 + ARISS-International Meeting Held in Tokyo, Japan by David Jordan, AA4KN + Implementation of the International Arms Export Control Act of 1976 by Elizabeth Garbee, KC0OTR Thanks to all who contributed to this issue of the AMSAT Journal. As always please send your photos, articles, news about club activities, awards to k9jkm(a)amsat.org. The Journal's editorial team will be glad to help you get it published. We have an author's guide, "How to Write for the AMSAT Journal", posted at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=1709 [ANS thanks the AMSAT Journal Editorial Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Online Registration for tne AMSAT Symposium Closes October 8th Online reservations for the upcoming AMSAT Space Symposium close October 8th. After that, you will have to register at the October 16-18 meeting in Dayton, Ohio. See http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=3667 [ANS thanks Martha at the AMSAT Office for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's Spring 2016 Policy Internship Program The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is seeking students for spring 2016 internships. The OSTP advises the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs. The office serves as a source of scientific and technological analyses and judgment for the president with respect to major policies, plans and programs of the federal government. Policy internships are open to interested students from all majors and programs, including law school programs. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are enrolled, at least half-time, in an accredited college or university during the period of volunteer service. Students in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in all fields are encouraged to apply. While these positions are without compensation, the assignments provide educational enrichment, practical work experience and networking opportunities with other individuals in the science and technology policy arena. Applications for spring 2016 internships are due Oct. 30, 2015. For more information, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/about/student. If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Rebecca Grimm at Rebecca_L_Grimm(a)ostp.eop.gov. [ANS thanks the NASA Education Express Message -- Oct. 1, 2015 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, Saturday, and Sunday, October 16-18 2015, AMSAT Symposium in Dayton OH (Dayton Crown Plaza) *Saturday, 7 November 2015 – Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club Hamfest in Marana AZ *Saturday and Sunday, 7-8 November 2015 – Stone Mountain Hamfest and ARRL Georgia Section Convention in Lawrenceville GA *Monday, 16 November 2015 – Tri-City Amateur Radio Association meeting in Goodyear AZ *Saturday, 5 December 2015 – Superstition Superfest 2015 in Mesa AZ [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News Successful Contacts * A direct contact via 8N2F with students at Fukara Junior High School, Susono, Japan, was successful Thu 2015-10-01 10:26:55 UTC 85 deg. Thirteen students were able to ask 17 questions of astronaut Kimiya Yui before the signal was lost. Fukara Junior High School is located in the eastern part of Susono City in Shizuoka Prefecture. Susono faces magnificent Mt. Fuji to the northwest, and extends to the crater of Mt. Hakone in the east. We have an unbroken view from the foot of Mt. Fuji to Suruga Bay.This school is a smaller school with only 147 students – 2 classes for each grade. The students are friendly and obedient and the school is always full of activity. All of the students belong to a sports team – we have baseball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and table tennis teams, so all of the students are involved in sports. Integrated activities are the focus of our educational philosophy. For example, we perform a play each year called “The Canal of Life”, in which the students study about local history and perform a play about the work left behind by our forbearers – an irrigation canal that was built in the area. Through this kind of study, the students develop many strong ties to their community as well as pride in their hometown. Also, all the students in the school analyze newspaper articles each morning to build awareness of current events around the world. They form their own thoughts and opinions about each article, and discuss their opinions with friends to further develop their thought process. This is how we are promoting the NIE program (Newspapers in Education). The opportunity to talk with Mr. Yui via wireless transmission is a valuable experience to the students. We believe that this activity will elevate the quality of our students. A video file has been uploaded: http://www.ariss.jp/fukara/8n2f.wmv * A telebridge contact via LU1CGB with students at Nowogard Union Schools, Junior High School No. 2, Nowogard, Poland was successful Tue 2015-09-29 12:56:27 UTC 36 deg. Astronaut Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS answered 14 questions for students. Nowogard Union Schools consists of two schools: Junior High School No 2 and II High School. The school is situated in Nowogard in West Pomernia Province. Our students are 13-19 years old. II High School provides students mainly with humanities, science and mathematics curriculum. In December 2013 the schools joined the ARISS School Contacts project. In 2004 the Nicolaus Copernicus School Amateur Radio called SP1KMK was established. Since then our students have been keenly developing their radio ham interests. Students have taken part in astronomy and astronautics projects such as: MiniSat (they sent their own experiments in near space via balloons thanks to Copernicus Project Foundation), EarthKam (pupils ordered images of Earth taken from the ISS). There was also an educational project called “SUPERCOMPUTER” in which our students gained some knowledge of the latest wireless networking technologies. Apart from the above projects, they have made numerous astronomical observations and got involved in astrophotography. Moreover, we hosted some members of Polish Amateur Astronomers Society who showed at the school the largest amateur telescope called “SOWA”. Within the project, Nowogard Union Schools started to cooperate with some institutes of higher education such as West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin and University of Szczecin. We also has established cooperation with NASA staff and conducted a video conference with a NASA astronauts’ trainer and a NASA flight engineer. There have been some school trips to Air Force Base in Ewidwin and Dolna Odra Power Station in Gryfino organized to expand students’ technological and technical knowledge. Upcoming Contacts * A telebridge contact with students at Corpus Christi Catholic School, Chambersburg, PA, USA via LU1CGB is scheduled for Tue 2015-10-06 16:29:32 UTC 33 deg. The scheduled astronaut is Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS. Audio from this contact will be fed into: - EchoLink *AMSAT* (101377) - IRLP Node 9010 Discovery Reflector - Streaming Audio at: https://sites.google.com/site/arissaudio/ Audio on Echolink and web stream is generally transmitted around 20 minutes prior to the contact taking place so that you can hear some of the preparation that occurs. IRLP will begin just prior to the ground station call to the ISS. Please note that due to control issues with Echolink and IRLP there are manual breaks approximately every 2 minutes to prevent timeout of connected repeaters and links. You may still time out depending on your local configuration. Corpus Christi Catholic School is a K - 8 Roman Catholic Elementary School, located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. With an enrollment of 215 students and 17 full-time and 3 part-time faculty members, Corpus Christi School is committed to the pursuit of excellence in Catholic education. The school strives to be on the cutting edge of technology with Smartboards in every classroom, two computer labs, iPads, and Chromebooks. Students in the primary grades participate in weekly swim lessons at the local YMCA. Intermediate grades place a strong emphasis on STEM related concepts and careers. Grades four through eight have background knowledge of NASA starting with Gemini and continuing onto Mars. In 2013, three teachers were selected to be on the Reduced Gravity Flight through NASA Explorer Schools. This experience increased the entire students’ awareness of space flight and experiments being conducted in microgravity on the International Space Station. Middle school students are able to expand their curriculum by traveling to major cities such as Pittsburgh, Washington DC, and Williamsburg, VA. Scores on standardized tests are above the national average. School pride runs deep with the students, faculty, staff and parents. * A direct contact via 9M2RPN with students at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Tun Dr Ismail (1), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is scheduled for Fri 2015-10-09 08:00:04 UTC 47 deg. The scheduled astronaut is Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS. Our first ARISS contact was made in 2007 when, Malaysia's first Astronaut Shiekh Muzapher went on board the ISS. We made 5 direct contacts when, some 80 school children talked to him and asked questions. Since then it has become a highly sought after yearly event which is tied up with the Prime Minister's Space Challenge Trophy. This year we will be making our 8th yearly contact. Since the schools do not have ground stations, they make use of Satellite Ground Station at the National Planetarium established in 1995 under the call sign of 9M2RPN. The schools are the nurseries to produce future astronauts and space scientists. The forthcoming contact in October 2015 provides the hands on experience and the seeding operation for tomorrow's space scientists. Watch http://www.ariss.org/upcoming-contacts.html for information about upcoming contacts as they are scheduled. [ANS thanks ARISS, and Charlie, AJ9N for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over Two Tenure-Track Faculty Positions Open at Cal Poly, Looking for Experience with SmallSats The Aerospace and Electrical Engineering Departments at California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo have 2 tenure-track faculty positions open. Each position is looking for experience with or that can directly be applied to small satellites. A description of each position is listed below. If interested in either position, please visit www.calpolyjobs.org and use the applicable requisition number for the position. Micro-Satellite and Space Propulsion (Requisition # 103821): Review Begin Date December 1, 2015 The Aerospace Engineering Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, invites applications for a full-time, academic year, tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank beginning no later than Fall 2016. Duties include teaching undergraduate and master's level courses, developing an externally funded research program in the area of micro-satellite space propulsion, expanding the space propulsion curricula; collaborating with the department’s ongoing CubeSat initiatives; and providing service to the department, university, and community. Rank and salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The position requires individuals who have demonstrated ability to provide undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on engineering education in a multidisciplinary, systems-based environment. A Ph.D. in engineering, or closely related field, is required. It is expected that the successful candidate will work with faculty from the department and the college of engineering to grow and sustain the department’s CubeSat initiative in the area of propulsion systems and related technologies including nonchemical propulsion, advanced propulsion technologies, and supporting technologies. Industry experience, especially in the area of CubeSat or other micro-satellite propulsion systems, and a commitment to working in a multidisciplinary and collaborative setting are preferred. Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering Joint Position (Requisition # 103796): Review Begin Date January 4, 2016 The Electrical Engineering Department and Aerospace Engineering Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, invite applications for a full-time, academic year tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank. The projected start date is September 15, 2016. Duties include teaching coursework in Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, building a collaborative research program in the area of Satellite Communication and Mobile Terrestrial Communications, and service to the department, university, and community. Desired areas of expertise include satellite electronics systems including the Cube Sat form factor, mobile terrestrial communication systems with a strong hands-on orientation in working with students. Rank and salary are commensurate with qualifications and experience. Candidates with research or private industry experience are encouraged to apply. [ANS thanks Ryan Nugent, CubeSat Program Cal Poly 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

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ANS-277 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Joseph Spier 03 Oct '15

03 Oct '15

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-277 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: * Special Membership Offer for Fox-1A launch on October 8, 2015 * NASA Sets Coverage Schedule for CubeSat Launch Events * AMSAT-NA VP-Engineering on NASA TV Wednesday * Volunteer Opportunity: Editor-in-Chief of the AMSAT Journal * ISS CubeSats set to deploy Monday, Oct 5 * LQSat Launch Monday, October 5 * Beijing Launches Three More Amateur Radio Satellites * LAPAN-A2 FM and APRS Satellite Launched * September/October 2015 AMSAT Journal is at the Print Shop * Online Registration for the AMSAT Symposium Closes October 8th * White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's Spring 2016 Policy Internship Program * AMSAT Events * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-277.01 ANS-277 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 277.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE October 4, 2015 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-277.01 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Membership Offer for Fox-1A launch on October 8, 2015 AMSAT’s Fox-1A is set to launch as part of the GRACE (Government Rideshare Advanced Concepts Experiment) auxillary payload on the NROL-55 mission October 8, 2015 from Vandenburg AFB on an Atlas V vehicle. More details will be released when made available from our launch provider. NRO has released this factsheet about the mission: http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GRACE_CubeSat_ FactSheet.pdf General information on Fox-1A is available in the downloadable AMSAT Fox Operating Guide. http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FoxOperatingGuide_ May2015_Hi.pdf FoxTelem software for decoding and submitting telemetry has been made available for download at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=4532 . As part of the preparations for the launch and activation of this new satellite, AMSAT is making our “Getting Started With The Amateur Satellites” book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 132 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store http://store.amsat.org/catalog/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out our other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, AMSAT shirts, hats, and other swag. Thank you, and see you soon on Fox-1A! [ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Vice-President Operations for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA Sets Coverage Schedule for CubeSat Launch Events NASA Press Release: http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-sets-coverage-schedule-for-cubesat- launch-events Thirteen NASA and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)-sponsored CubeSats are scheduled to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket Thursday, Oct. 8, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Prelaunch media briefings and launch commentary coverage will be carried live on NASA Television and the agency's website. Four of the CubeSats are NASA-sponsored and nine are NRO-sponsored, one of which was developed with NASA funding. All will be flown on the NRO's Government Rideshare Advanced Concepts Experiment (GRACE), which is an auxiliary payload aboard the NROL-55 mission. The CubeSat developed with NASA funding will evaluate the ability to point a small satellite accurately as it demonstrates data transfer by laser at rates of up to 200 Mb/s -- a factor of 100 increase over current high-end CubeSat communications systems. The NASA-sponsored CubeSats will test new small satellite control and communications systems, Earth observations, amateur radio communications and an X-Band radio science transponder. These CubeSats also include the first to be designed, built and operated by students in Alaska and the first from Native American tribal college students. Small satellites, including CubeSats, are playing an increasingly larger role in exploration, technology demonstration, scientific research and educational investigations at NASA. These miniature satellites provide a low-cost platform for NASA missions, including planetary space exploration; Earth observations; fundamental Earth and space science; and developing precursor science instruments like cutting-edge laser communications, satellite-to-satellite communications and autonomous movement capabilities. They also allow an inexpensive means to engage students in all phases of satellite development, operation and exploitation through real-world, hands-on research and development experience on NASA-funded rideshare launch opportunities. NASA will host two prelaunch briefings at Vandenberg on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The first briefing will highlight the growing importance of CubeSats in exploration and technology development and will begin at 1 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. PDT). The participants will be: * Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for Space Technology at NASA Headquarters * Meagan Hubbell, deputy chief, CubeSat Program Office, National Reconnaissance Office * Sherrie Zacharius, vice president, Technology and Laboratory Operations at The Aerospace Corporation * John Serafini, vice president, Allied Minds and CEO, BridgeSat and HawkEye 360 * Andrew Petro, Small Spacecraft Technology Program executive at NASA Headquarters * Scott Higginbotham, Launch Services Program ELaNa-12 Mission manager at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida The second briefing will discuss the five NASA-sponsored CubeSats. This briefing will begin at 2 p.m. EDT (11 a.m. PDT). The participants will be: * Richard Welle, director, Microsatellite Systems department at The Aerospace Corporation * Tim Olson, principal investigator for BisonSat, Salish Kootenai College, Pablo, Montana * Morgan Johnson, team lead for the ARC CubeSat, University of Alaska, Fairbanks * Jerry Buxton, vice president, Engineering, for AMSAT Fox-1 * Courtney Duncan, principal investigator for LMRST-Sat, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California Panelists also will be available from noon to 1 p.m. PDT for one-on-one interviews. Slots are limited. Media interested in participating in the briefings by telephone or to schedule an interview must contact Joshua Buck at 202-358-1130 or jbuck(a)nasa.gov by 5 p.m. PDT, Tuesday, Oct. 6. Questions also can be submitted via Twitter during the briefings using the hashtag #askNASA. Media may obtain access badges by contacting Capt. Selena Rodts, Vandenberg Air Force Base Public Affairs at 805-606-3595 or selena.rodts.1(a)us.af.mil and submitting the necessary information by noon PDT on Tuesday. For information about NASA TV launch coverage, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv For more information about NASA CubeSats, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/cubesats [ANS thanks Joshua Buck, NASA Headquarters, Washington for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT-NA VP-Engineering on NASA TV Wednesday AMSAT-NA VP-Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY will be on the panel at a NASA prelaunch briefing on Wednesday, October 7 at 1800 UT. The briefing will be shown live on NASA TV. The amateur radio FM transponder CubeSat, AMSAT Fox-1A, will be among 13 CubeSats flying as secondary payloads on the NROL-55 mission which should launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Thursday, October 8, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA will be holding two briefings about the launch. The first on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 1700 UT (1pm EDT) will highlight the growing importance of CubeSats in exploration and technology development. The second at 1800 UT (2pm EDT) will discuss five of the CubeSats. Jerry Buxton, N0JY will on the panel in the 1800 UT briefing to talk about the Fox mission and science, and answer questions. Fox-1A is a 1-Unit CubeSat carrying an FM repeater that will allow simple ground stations using an HT and an “Arrow” or “Elk” type antenna to make contacts using the satellite. Data Under Voice (DUV) is used to send 200 bps FSK telemetry data at the same time as FM audio. This is achieved by making use of sub-audible frequencies below 200 Hz. Information on the free Fox telemetry decoder software is at http://amsat-uk.org/2015/09/23/fox-telemetry-decoder-software/ Read the Fox Operating Guide at http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp- content/uploads/2015/05/FoxOperatingGuide_May2015_Hi.pdf The launch is still listed as TBD, Thursday, October 8 - CubeSat Launch Coverage from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Watch the following website for updated coverage: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/schedule.html Watch NASA TV at http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv [ANS thanks AMSAT and AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Volunteer Opportunity: Editor-in-Chief of the AMSAT Journal AMSAT is searching for a volunteer to assume 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. The editor-in-chief leads a team of assistant editors who 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 semi-monthly magazine. Contact Barry Baines, WD4ASW (wd4asw(a)amsat.org) for additional information. [ANS thanks the AMSAT Office the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ISS CubeSats set to deploy Monday, Oct 5 The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that two Danish CubeSats carrying amateur radio payloads should be deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, October 5. Originally launched to the ISS on August 19, 2015 the two CubeSats, AAUSat-5 and GomX-3, will be deployed from the ISS Japanese Kibo module airlock. An astronaut will manipulate the Kibo robotic arm to lift AAUSAT-5 from the airlock and place it in orbit. Once deployed from the ISS the CubeSat will begin transmitting signals to Earth that can be picked up by anyone with common amateur radio equipment. The frequencies to listen on are: AAUSat-5 – 437.425 MHz with 30 WPM CW beacon every 3 minutes and 9600 bps GMSK packet every 30 seconds GomX-3 – 437.250 MHz with 1200-9600 bps GMSK data from a NanoCom AX100 using CSP protocol In addition to the amateur radio payloads new radio technology being demonstrated by GomX-3 will support the tracking of civil aircraft and measuring telecom satellite signal quality. AAUSat-5 will demonstrate the tracking of ships on the open sea. ESA article CubeSats set for Monday Release (with video) http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/ESA_CubeSats… _for_Monday_release ESA invites radio amateurs to listen for AAUSat-5 CubeSat http://amsat-uk.org/2015/09/24/esa-listen-for-aausat-5/ [ANS thanks ESA and AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- LQSat Launch Monday, October 5 onday, October 5 should see the launch of LQSat which was developed by researchers and students at the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP) and carries an amateur radio payload. The launch will take place from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) in Inner Mongolia on a Chang Zheng 2D (CZ-2D) rocket. LQSat is technology demonstrator 40x40x60 cm with a mass of 50 kg and carries a 2 m resolution camera as the main payload. The IARU coordinated downlink frequencies are • 437.650 MHz at 0.5 watts (27 dBm) with either 25 WPM CW or 4800 bps MSK CSP packet data • 2404 MHz at 1 watt (30 dBm) using 1 Mbps QPSK See http://amsat-uk.org/2015/10/02/lqsat-launch/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Beijing Launches Three More Amateur Radio Satellites On September 25, 2015 at 01:41 UT Beijing launched three satellites with amateur radio payloads from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) in the Gobi desert, Inner Mongolia. They were carried on a new launcher, Beijing’s first solid-fuel rocket Chang Zheng 11 (CZ-11), and deployed in a 470 x 485 km, 97.3 degree inclination Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). This launch occurred just over 5 days after nine satellites carrying amateur radio payloads were launched by Beijing from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) in Shanxi on September 19 at 23:01 UT. The satellites were developed by students at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in collaboration with the Shanghai Engineering Center for Microsatellites (SECM). The main goal of the mission is to experiment with Software Defined Radio (SDR) in space. The amateur radio payloads will be used for exchanging Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) information with the amateur radio ground control station. Information about the telemetry will be made publicly available so that radio amateurs around the world may track and monitor the health of the satellites. Other payloads include a video camera along with receivers for dual-band GPS/Beidou, Maritime Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Aeronautical Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B). Using MEMS based cold-gas micropropulsion it is planned to demonstrate formation flying by two of the CubeSats along with inter satellite communication using GAMALINK 2.4 GHz spread spectrum at 1 Mbps and the CubeSat Space Protocol (CSP). The TW-1A and TW-1B CubeSats are 2U (20x10x10cm) in size while TW-1C is 3U (30x10x10cm). Michael Chen BD5RV reports the satellites have these downlinks in the 435-438 MHz ITU Amateur Satellite Service allocation: • Tianwang-1A (TW-1A / SECM): Camera, 435.645 MHz GMSK 4800/9600 CSP TX interval 10s • Tianwang-1B (TW-1B / NJUST-2): AIS, 437.645 MHz GMSK 4800/9600 CSP TX interval 20s • Tianwang-1C (TC-1C / NJFA-1): ADS-B, 435.645 MHz GMSK 4800/9600 CSP TX interval 10s Note: TW-1A and 1C use the same frequency. On the same launch was the technology demonstration satellite Pujian-1 which has WiFi for intra-satellite communications. Object identification from information supplied by Nico Janssen PA0DLO and Zhang Xuan BH4DBE: TW-1A object 40928, 2015-051B TW-1B object 40927, 2015-051C, (other IDs: TianWang 1B, NJUST-2) TW-1C object 40926, 2015-051D Pujian 1 object 40925, 2015-051A Chang Zheng 11 (CZ-11) fourth stage object 40929, 2015-051E Keplerian Two Line Elements (TLEs) ‘Keps’ for new satellites launched in past 30 days http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt Shanghai Engineering Centre for Microsatellites http://www.microsate.com/en/ GAMALINK in Space http://tekevernews.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/gamalink-in-space.html IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination pages http://amsat.org.uk/iaru/ Satellite tracking information http://amsat-uk.org/beginners/satellite-tracking/ Adding new satellites to SatPC32, Gpredict and Nova http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/23/adding-new-satellites-to-satpc32/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- LAPAN-A2 FM and APRS Satellite Launched The Indonesian amateur radio society ORARI report that on Monday, September 28, 2015 04:30 hours UT, the LAPAN-A2/ORARI satellite was launched from the Sriharikota Range (SHAR) of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India. Deployment took place 23 minutes later. LAPAN-A2 is in a 650 km orbit with an inclination of 6 degrees. It takes about 110 minutes to orbit the Earth and should pass over Indonesia and other near equatorial locations 14 times a day. The low inclination equatorial orbit means it will be receivable from about 30 degrees North to 30 degrees South. About a third of the world’s population, over 2.4 billion people, live within the coverage area of the satellite. The ground station at the LAPAN Satellite Technology Centre in Rancabungur, Bogor has made contact with LAPAN-A2. There will now be a period of activation and testing of all the satellite systems and it is expected to be about a month before the amateur radio payload becomes available for general use. The primary aims of the mission are Earth observation using an RGB camera and maritime traffic monitoring using AIS, both using frequencies outside the Amateur Satellite Service. The IARU has coordinated these frequencies for LAPA-A2/ORARI: • 437.425 MHz telemetry beacon • 435.880 MHz FM uplink • 145.880 MHz FM downlink (5 watts) • 145.825 APRS digipeater (5 watts) Please send reports to yd1eee(a)gmail.com Listen to a recording of the 437.425 MHz telemetry signal at https://chirb.it/MrgLGy Pre-launch Keps courtesy of Dirgantara Rahadian YE0EEE YBSAT 1 99999U 00000 15270.20393519 .00010000 00000-0 10000-3 0 00011 2 99999 006.0383 028.8188 0001450 317.4897 243.6033 14.00000000000018 Keplerian Two Line Elements (TLEs) ‘Keps’ for new satellites launched in past 30 days http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt Adding new satellites to SatPC32, Gpredict and Nova http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/23/adding-new-satellites-to-satpc32/ Satellite tracking information http://amsat-uk.org/beginners/satellite-tracking/ AMSAT-ID Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/831872960241607/ Organisasi Amatir Radio Indonesia (ORARI) in Google English http://tinyurl.com/IndonesiaORARI LAPAN-A2 paper http://www.researchgate.net/publication/259844289_Development_of_ Micro-satellite_Technology_at_the_Indonesian_National_Institute_of_Aeronautics_ and_Space_%28LAPAN%29 The IARU Region 3 Conference takes place in Bali, Indonesia, October 12-16, 2015 http://amsat-uk.org/2015/08/21/iaru-region-3-act-on-band-plan-satellite/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- September/October 2015 AMSAT Journal is at the Print Shop The September/October 2015 AMSAT Journal is complete and has been sent to the print shop. Watch for your issue arrive in a few weeks (sent 2nd class mail). In this issue you will find: + AMSAT Announcements + Apogee View by Barry Baines, WD4ASW + Amateur Radio, AMSAT and STEM events: a great partnership by Tom Schuessler, N5HYP + AMSAT Fox Presentation to Dallas Area Ham Clubs by Jonathan Brandenburg, KF5IDY + AMSAT Fox-1A: Concept to Launch, Contributions by the Fox-1A team: o The Fox-1A Story - Ready for Launch October o Some History: Introducing the Fox-1 Cubesat o Fox-1A Design + Build + Software = Engineering Prototype o Fox-1A Shake and Bake o Fox-1A Delivery and Integration o Congratulations to AMSAT's Fox-1 Team! o Fox-1A at Vandenberg AFB and Ready for Launch o Operating Tips When You Operate on Fox-1A + DopplerPSK: Doppler-Correction Software for NO-84's (PSAT) PSK31 Transponder by Andy Flowers, K0SM/2 + ARISS-International Meeting Held in Tokyo, Japan by David Jordan, AA4KN + Implementation of the International Arms Export Control Act of 1976 by Elizabeth Garbee, KC0OTR Thanks to all who contributed to this issue of the AMSAT Journal. As always please send your photos, articles, news about club activities, awards to k9jkm(a)amsat.org. The Journal's editorial team will be glad to help you get it published. We have an author's guide, "How to Write for the AMSAT Journal", posted at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=1709 [ANS thanks the AMSAT Journal Editorial Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Online Registration for tne AMSAT Symposium Closes October 8th Online reservations for the upcoming AMSAT Space Symposium close October 8th. After that, you will have to register at the October 16-18 meeting in Dayton, Ohio. See http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=3667 [ANS thanks Martha at the AMSAT Office for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's Spring 2016 Policy Internship Program The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is seeking students for spring 2016 internships. The OSTP advises the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs. The office serves as a source of scientific and technological analyses and judgment for the president with respect to major policies, plans and programs of the federal government. Policy internships are open to interested students from all majors and programs, including law school programs. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are enrolled, at least half-time, in an accredited college or university during the period of volunteer service. Students in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in all fields are encouraged to apply. While these positions are without compensation, the assignments provide educational enrichment, practical work experience and networking opportunities with other individuals in the science and technology policy arena. Applications for spring 2016 internships are due Oct. 30, 2015. For more information, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/about/student. If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Rebecca Grimm at Rebecca_L_Grimm(a)ostp.eop.gov. [ANS thanks the NASA Education Express Message -- Oct. 1, 2015 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, Saturday, and Sunday, October 16-18 2015, AMSAT Symposium in Dayton OH (Dayton Crown Plaza) *Saturday, 7 November 2015 – Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club Hamfest in Marana AZ *Saturday and Sunday, 7-8 November 2015 – Stone Mountain Hamfest and ARRL Georgia Section Convention in Lawrenceville GA *Monday, 16 November 2015 – Tri-City Amateur Radio Association meeting in Goodyear AZ *Saturday, 5 December 2015 – Superstition Superfest 2015 in Mesa AZ [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News Successful Contacts * A direct contact via 8N2F with students at Fukara Junior High School, Susono, Japan, was successful Thu 2015-10-01 10:26:55 UTC 85 deg. Thirteen students were able to ask 17 questions of astronaut Kimiya Yui before the signal was lost. Fukara Junior High School is located in the eastern part of Susono City in Shizuoka Prefecture. Susono faces magnificent Mt. Fuji to the northwest, and extends to the crater of Mt. Hakone in the east. We have an unbroken view from the foot of Mt. Fuji to Suruga Bay.This school is a smaller school with only 147 students – 2 classes for each grade. The students are friendly and obedient and the school is always full of activity. All of the students belong to a sports team – we have baseball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and table tennis teams, so all of the students are involved in sports. Integrated activities are the focus of our educational philosophy. For example, we perform a play each year called “The Canal of Life”, in which the students study about local history and perform a play about the work left behind by our forbearers – an irrigation canal that was built in the area. Through this kind of study, the students develop many strong ties to their community as well as pride in their hometown. Also, all the students in the school analyze newspaper articles each morning to build awareness of current events around the world. They form their own thoughts and opinions about each article, and discuss their opinions with friends to further develop their thought process. This is how we are promoting the NIE program (Newspapers in Education). The opportunity to talk with Mr. Yui via wireless transmission is a valuable experience to the students. We believe that this activity will elevate the quality of our students. A video file has been uploaded: http://www.ariss.jp/fukara/8n2f.wmv * A telebridge contact via LU1CGB with students at Nowogard Union Schools, Junior High School No. 2, Nowogard, Poland was successful Tue 2015-09-29 12:56:27 UTC 36 deg. Astronaut Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS answered 14 questions for students. Nowogard Union Schools consists of two schools: Junior High School No 2 and II High School. The school is situated in Nowogard in West Pomernia Province. Our students are 13-19 years old. II High School provides students mainly with humanities, science and mathematics curriculum. In December 2013 the schools joined the ARISS School Contacts project. In 2004 the Nicolaus Copernicus School Amateur Radio called SP1KMK was established. Since then our students have been keenly developing their radio ham interests. Students have taken part in astronomy and astronautics projects such as: MiniSat (they sent their own experiments in near space via balloons thanks to Copernicus Project Foundation), EarthKam (pupils ordered images of Earth taken from the ISS). There was also an educational project called “SUPERCOMPUTER” in which our students gained some knowledge of the latest wireless networking technologies. Apart from the above projects, they have made numerous astronomical observations and got involved in astrophotography. Moreover, we hosted some members of Polish Amateur Astronomers Society who showed at the school the largest amateur telescope called “SOWA”. Within the project, Nowogard Union Schools started to cooperate with some institutes of higher education such as West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin and University of Szczecin. We also has established cooperation with NASA staff and conducted a video conference with a NASA astronauts’ trainer and a NASA flight engineer. There have been some school trips to Air Force Base in Ewidwin and Dolna Odra Power Station in Gryfino organized to expand students’ technological and technical knowledge. Upcoming Contacts * A telebridge contact with students at Corpus Christi Catholic School, Chambersburg, PA, USA via LU1CGB is scheduled for Tue 2015-10-06 16:29:32 UTC 33 deg. The scheduled astronaut is Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS. Audio from this contact will be fed into: - EchoLink *AMSAT* (101377) - IRLP Node 9010 Discovery Reflector - Streaming Audio at: https://sites.google.com/site/arissaudio/ Audio on Echolink and web stream is generally transmitted around 20 minutes prior to the contact taking place so that you can hear some of the preparation that occurs. IRLP will begin just prior to the ground station call to the ISS. Please note that due to control issues with Echolink and IRLP there are manual breaks approximately every 2 minutes to prevent timeout of connected repeaters and links. You may still time out depending on your local configuration. Corpus Christi Catholic School is a K - 8 Roman Catholic Elementary School, located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. With an enrollment of 215 students and 17 full-time and 3 part-time faculty members, Corpus Christi School is committed to the pursuit of excellence in Catholic education. The school strives to be on the cutting edge of technology with Smartboards in every classroom, two computer labs, iPads, and Chromebooks. Students in the primary grades participate in weekly swim lessons at the local YMCA. Intermediate grades place a strong emphasis on STEM related concepts and careers. Grades four through eight have background knowledge of NASA starting with Gemini and continuing onto Mars. In 2013, three teachers were selected to be on the Reduced Gravity Flight through NASA Explorer Schools. This experience increased the entire students’ awareness of space flight and experiments being conducted in microgravity on the International Space Station. Middle school students are able to expand their curriculum by traveling to major cities such as Pittsburgh, Washington DC, and Williamsburg, VA. Scores on standardized tests are above the national average. School pride runs deep with the students, faculty, staff and parents. * A direct contact via 9M2RPN with students at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Tun Dr Ismail (1), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is scheduled for Fri 2015-10-09 08:00:04 UTC 47 deg. The scheduled astronaut is Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS. Our first ARISS contact was made in 2007 when, Malaysia's first Astronaut Shiekh Muzapher went on board the ISS. We made 5 direct contacts when, some 80 school children talked to him and asked questions. Since then it has become a highly sought after yearly event which is tied up with the Prime Minister's Space Challenge Trophy. This year we will be making our 8th yearly contact. Since the schools do not have ground stations, they make use of Satellite Ground Station at the National Planetarium established in 1995 under the call sign of 9M2RPN. The schools are the nurseries to produce future astronauts and space scientists. The forthcoming contact in October 2015 provides the hands on experience and the seeding operation for tomorrow's space scientists. Watch http://www.ariss.org/upcoming-contacts.html for information about upcoming contacts as they are scheduled. [ANS thanks ARISS, and Charlie, AJ9N for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over Two Tenure-Track Faculty Positions Open at Cal Poly, Looking for Experience with SmallSats The Aerospace and Electrical Engineering Departments at California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo have 2 tenure-track faculty positions open. Each position is looking for experience with or that can directly be applied to small satellites. A description of each position is listed below. If interested in either position, please visit www.calpolyjobs.org and use the applicable requisition number for the position. Micro-Satellite and Space Propulsion (Requisition # 103821): Review Begin Date December 1, 2015 The Aerospace Engineering Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, invites applications for a full-time, academic year, tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank beginning no later than Fall 2016. Duties include teaching undergraduate and master's level courses, developing an externally funded research program in the area of micro-satellite space propulsion, expanding the space propulsion curricula; collaborating with the department’s ongoing CubeSat initiatives; and providing service to the department, university, and community. Rank and salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The position requires individuals who have demonstrated ability to provide undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on engineering education in a multidisciplinary, systems-based environment. A Ph.D. in engineering, or closely related field, is required. It is expected that the successful candidate will work with faculty from the department and the college of engineering to grow and sustain the department’s CubeSat initiative in the area of propulsion systems and related technologies including nonchemical propulsion, advanced propulsion technologies, and supporting technologies. Industry experience, especially in the area of CubeSat or other micro-satellite propulsion systems, and a commitment to working in a multidisciplinary and collaborative setting are preferred. Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering Joint Position (Requisition # 103796): Review Begin Date January 4, 2016 The Electrical Engineering Department and Aerospace Engineering Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, invite applications for a full-time, academic year tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank. The projected start date is September 15, 2016. Duties include teaching coursework in Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, building a collaborative research program in the area of Satellite Communication and Mobile Terrestrial Communications, and service to the department, university, and community. Desired areas of expertise include satellite electronics systems including the Cube Sat form factor, mobile terrestrial communication systems with a strong hands-on orientation in working with students. Rank and salary are commensurate with qualifications and experience. Candidates with research or private industry experience are encouraged to apply. [ANS thanks Ryan Nugent, CubeSat Program Cal Poly 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

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