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ANS-091 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 31 Mar '24

31 Mar '24

*AMSAT *News Service*ANS-091* *March 31, 2024* In this edition: - AMSAT-DL Proposes Next Generation GEO/MEO Amateur Radio Payload - AMSAT-DL's ERMINAZ Satellites Complete IARU Frequency Coordination - LoRa Digipeater Satellite from the U. S. Naval Academy Scheduled for 2025 Launch - Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 29, 2024 - ARISS News - Upcoming Satellite Operations - Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events - Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ------------------------------ AMSAT-DL Proposes Next Generation GEO/MEO Amateur Radio Payload At the request of the IARU, the European Space Agency (ESA) is supporting an initiative to define a future amateur radio satellite payload in geostationary orbit. The implementation is to take place through collaborative cooperation between internal, industrial and amateur radio participants. This activity will consolidate the requirements of the amateur and commercial satellite industry, weigh up different payload options, address the future user segment, develop scenarios for the financing, procurement and operation of such a payload, and investigate possibilities for placement on geostationary platforms. This past weekend, AMSAT-DL released their proposal. AMSAT-UK, along with the British Amateur Television Club, AMSAT-NA, and the UK Microwave Group previously made a separate proposal <https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ESA-GEO-proposal…>. AMSAT-DL's proposal <https://amsat-dl.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AMSAT-DL_Proposal-Geo-Paylo…> is written by the authors Kai Siebels, DH0SK and Matthias Bopp, DD1US. The proposal takes into account the technical requirements and needs of radio amateurs. Various aspects such as orbit, satellite and platform as well as payload are taken into account. Among the possible orbits such as MEO, HEO and GEO, the GEO orbit has proven to be the most suitable due to the extensive experience with OSCAR-100. A good compromise for the orbit position would be at ~43 degrees West to also support Eastern European countries and most of North America. A payload for amateur radio should allow the greatest possible scope for experiments on different bands. Six bands could be used for the uplink to enable experiments with different frequencies. The main uplink band is the 13 cm band, the main downlink band is the 3 cm band. All proposed band / NB transponder combinations can be implemented at the ground station with very reasonable effort. A dedicated AMSAT (Amateur Radio) mission based on an ESA-supported Micro GEO provides opportunities for several additional experiments that support AMSAT’s education, science and development goals to inspire young people with amateur radio technology. Finally, such a mission could also provide an excellent platform for disaster/emergency communications directly via the GEO satellite transponders. Micro GEO and QO-100 Micro GEO satellites are a new class of small geostationary communications satellites. They are around a tenth of the size of traditional geostationary satellites and typically measure just one cubic meter. This smaller size makes them significantly cheaper to manufacture and launch, allowing satellite operators to offer customized regional services or gap fillers that would not be financially feasible with large satellites. The amateur radio payload “QO-100” on the Es’hail-2 geostationary satellite, is a groundbreaking platform for the amateur radio community as it represents the first geostationary payload for amateur radio. The exemplary collaboration between AMSAT-DL, QARS and commercial partners on this project to integrate amateur radio payloads into a commercial satellite is a sign of the ongoing cooperation between the amateur radio community and the commercial space industry. This synergy can open up new avenues for amateur radio projects in space. QO-100 serves as a bridge between traditional approaches and new possibilities, while remaining firmly rooted in the principles of amateur radio. Its presence in geostationary orbit is a triumph for the amateur radio community and a sign that amateur radio can continue to play an important role in the exploration and use of space. SYNCART 2.0 on the Heinrich Hertz satellite The Heinrich Hertz Satellite Mission (also known as H2Sat) is a national, geostationary communications and research satellite. It was planned by the Space Agency of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) on behalf of the BMWi as part of the German government’s space strategy and serves both independent payloads (“hosted payloads”) and the in-orbit verification (IOV) of technologies as well as for research purposes. In July 2012, AMSAT-Germany (AMSAT-DL) proposed an amateur radio payload on the Heinrich Hertz satellite with the name “SYNCART 2.0” <https://amsat-dl.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Projektvorschlag-HeinrichHe…>. This was a further development of the transponders of the P3-D AMSAT-OSCAR-40 satellite in the X and K amateur radio bands and a beacon in the 76 GHz band. The objectives of the amateur radio payload were as follows: - Development of the geostationary orbit for the amateur radio service - Communication resource for emergency and disaster radio (with low-power, small, simple technology) - In-orbit verification of SDX technologies - Promoting the spread of microwave technology - Gaining new insights by studying propagation conditions in the 76 GHz band for satellite applications - Provision of a signal for the calibration of antennas, converters and receivers, in particular for radio astronomical applications - Stimulating the acquisition of scientific and technical education, especially among schoolchildren and young people, by providing a permanently available satellite resource, e.g. for use in teaching, research and education - Acquisition of concrete knowledge and experience with satellite technologies and corresponding research opportunities in order to provide the space industry with highly qualified specialists. The concept aimed to make efficient and effective use of any remaining H2Sat capacity. The Heinrich Hertz feasibility study was completed in 2010. Planning phase B was carried out from 2011 to 2013. In July 2012, AMSAT-DL submitted its proposal for an amateur radio payload. Unfortunately, important positions on the antenna deck and with the payloads were already occupied at this point. There was also an approach for a Ka/Ka relaying transponder, but its use would have been limited to two small spot beams to northern Germany and southern Germany. At the time, this did not seem justifiable to our members and the amateur radio community in terms of the cost/benefit ratio. After it became clear that an amateur radio payload on the Heinrich Hertz satellite in the proposed form was not feasible, the proposal was finally withdrawn in September 2012. Miraculously, however, a new window opened just a few months later! Initial talks and contacts were held as early as December 2012, which ultimately led to an amateur radio payload on the Es’hail-2 satellite, also known as Qatar-OSCAR 100 or QO-100. Es’hail-2/QO-100 was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on November 15, 2018. This project is a joint initiative of the Qatar Satellite Company, the Qatar Amateur Radio Society and AMSAT-DL. The satellite was built by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in Japan and is located in a geostationary orbit at 26° East. Links - Proposal for a Geostationary Microwave Amateur Radio Payload [AMSAT-DL, DH0SK, DD1US, Mar2024] <https://amsat-dl.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Projektvorschlag-HeinrichHe…> - Definition of a future amateur satellite GEO/MEO payload [Frank Zeppenfeldt (PD0AP), ESA, FOSDEM Feb2024] <https://amsat-dl.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Support_for_GEO_payload_FOS…> - Support For GEO Payload AMSAT DL Introduction V1 [Frank Zeppenfeldt (PD0AP), ESA, AMSAT-DL Symposium 2023] <https://amsat-dl.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/08_Support_for_GEO_payload_…> - Proposal for a Geostationary Microwave Amateur Radio Payload [AMSAT-UK, BATC] <https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ESA-GEO-proposal…> - SYNCART 2.0 project proposal on the Heinrich Hertz satellite [AMSAT-DL, 2012] <https://amsat-dl.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Projektvorschlag-HeinrichHe…> *[ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information]* ------------------------------ AMSAT-DL's ERMINAZ Satellites Complete IARU Frequency Coordination AMSAT-DL'S ERMINAZ satellites have completed frequency coordination with the IARU. The ERMINAZ mission is a syndicated multi-PocketQube mission with a total of 7 PQs under the leadership of AMSAT-Germany, which also holds the launch contract with RFA under DLR support. The project is in collaboration between AMSAT-DL, AMSAT-EA (Spain), ESERO-Germany (Bochum Observatory) and Libre Space Foundation (Greece). The mission is to promote, advance and develop knowledge about space and amateur radio. ERMINAZ-1U & ERMINAZ-1V will transmit telemetry, images, provide a digipeat/store/forward functionally to all radio amateurs worldwide. ERMINAZ-1U will operate in the UHF amateur satellite band, while ERMINAZ-1V will operate in the VHF amateur satellite band. Only non-proprietary, open source and documented protocols, accessible to radio amateurs, will be used. This includes CCSDS telemetry, CW beacon, SSDV images, digipeater, AX.25 und possibly other modes. Telemetry and sensor data from radiation sensor and triaxial accelerometer / gyroscope / magnetometer will allow any radio amateur to participate by extending his knowledge about space. In addition, a digipeater and store & forward function will allow licensed radio amateurs to use ERMINAZ-1U/1V as a relay to communicate with other radio amateurs worldwide. The mission will conduct several experiments with different types of modulations, bandwidths, data rates and framing schemes: GFSK with data rate from 9600 up to 19200 GFSK with data rate from 9600 up to 19200 bits/s GMSK with data rate from 9600 up to 19200 bits/s BPSK with data rate from 9600 up to 19200 bits/s QPSK data rate from 19200 up to 38400 bits/s Frames will using three different framing schemes configurable upon the mission requirements: CSDS (residual or suppressed carrier) or IEEE 802.15.4 (preamble, sync) or AX.25. Planning a launch by RFA-Rocket Factory Augsburg AG from SaxaVord Spaceport into a 500km polar orbit not earlier than August 2024 together with UNNE-1 (HADES-E) and MARIA-G (HADES-F) from AMSAT-EA and QUBIK 5 from LibreSpace. Up and downlinks on 145.965 MHz (ERMINAZ-1V) and 435.775 MHz (ERMINAZ-1U) have been coordinated. *[ANS thanks AMSAT-DL and the IARU for the above information]* ------------------------------ LoRa Digipeater Satellite from the U. S. Naval Academy Scheduled for 2025 Launch A 3U CubeSat. USNA-16 will provide UHF LoRa digipeater service to the amateur radio service. Additionally, USNA-16 is a university-student educational amateur radio mission. It will test a modular CubeSat design and integration, as well as the efficacy of student-designed passive magnetic pointing scheme for S-band operation. INCHsat payload will provide UHF service to the amateur radio service. In addition INCHsat payload is a university, student lead, educational amateur radio mission. It will test custom designed and built components. Specifically it will test a custom on-board computer, a custom radio (based off the OpenLST), a custom motherboard, and a custom antenna deployment system. USNA-16 is a student educational amateur radio mission. It will test a modular CubeSat design and integration, as well as student-designed passive magnetic pointing scheme. TT&C will occur at UHF (437.235 MHz, will be designated as UHF-TTC in this document) and data downlinks will occur at 2.42GHz, both within the amateur bands and both using the LoRa protocol. This will be the first satellite launched by USNA using LoRa, with a potential future application of APRS over LoRa. USNA-16 will also provide UHF LoRa digipeater service at 437.235 MHz to facilitate communication between amateur operators. INCHSat is a student educational amateur radio mission built by students at the University of Maryland, including the licensee, KC3VBJ. There are no paid employees. The main goal is to enhance the aerospace skills of students in a professional context. The students are learning about satellites and space mission development and space communication by designing, building, and launching a payload onboard a cube satellite. The payload consists of a custom onboard computer, the radio, basic sensors, motherboard, and an antenna deployment system. Communication with the payload will be performed on the 437 MHz band from a ground station that will be constructed on the UMD campus. This payload radio (437MHz) will be designated as UHF-PLD in this document. USNA-16 will have a LoRa digipeater to serve the amateur satellite community. LoRa offers low-power beyond-line-of-sight digital UHF communications to the amateur community. Additionally, USNA-16 is a student educational amateur service mission that communicates on amateur frequencies. This will be the first satellite launched by USNA using the LoRa protocol, with a potential future application of APRS over LoRa. INCHsat payload is for the purpose of the training of UMD students in the construction and development of aerospace components. It also tests the components that we have developed on our own for future missions and research purposes with no commercial benefit. INCHsat payload will have a radio based on the open source OpenLST from Planet Labs to serve the amateur satellite community. INCHsat payload is also a student educational amateur service mission that will be communicating data obtained on amateur frequencies. Pending the mission success the code and schematics of the components used will be published as a cheaper alternative for amateur teams looking to launch a cube satellite. Proposing these downlinks UHF-TTC, 437.235 MHz, U/D, LoRa protocol @ 3.42 kbps data rate and on S-band, 2.42 GHz, LoRa protocol @ 60 kbps data rate. UHF LoRa Digipeater: 437.235 MHz UHF-PLD : Frequency range is 430-445 MHz GSFK-2 @ 7416 baud protocol. Planning an NG STP-29A launch from Vandenberg in Jan 2025 into a 500 km 60 degree inclination orbit with 10 CubeSats to orbit as part of the OSP-4 program, with a total approximate mass of 400kg. Other university CubeSats on STP-29A include AggieSat-6, Auris, MOCI and INCA-2. More info at https://www.usna.edu/SSEL/Programs/index.php#nass <https://www.usna.edu/SSEL/Programs/index.php#nass> Coordination for downlinks on 437.235 MHz and 2420 MHz has been provided. *[ANS thanks the U.S Naval Academy and the IARU for the above information]* ------------------------------ *The 2024 Coins Are Here Now!Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.**Join <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> the AMSAT President’s Club today!* ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 29, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/ The following satellite has been removed from this week's AMSAT-NA TLE distribution: XW-2E NORAD Cat ID 40909 Decayed from orbit on or about 28 March 2024 *[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]* ------------------------------ *Need new satellite antennas? Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the **AMSAT Store! <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/>**When you purchase through **AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards **Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.* ------------------------------ ARISS News Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. *Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, direct via NN4ER* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM, Matthew Dominick KCØTOR, Jeanette Epps KF5QNU, or Mike Barratt KD5MIJ The ARISS mentor is AJ9N Contact is go for: Wed 2024-04-03 15:22:17 UTC 34 deg *Collège Théodore Monod, Gagny, France, direct via TM2ISS* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM, Jeanette Epps KF5QNU, Matthew Dominick KCØTOR, or Mike Barratt KD5MIJ The ARISS mentor is F6ICS Contact is go for: Thu 2024-04-04 14:51:07 UTC 55 deg *Volga State University, Russia, direct via TBD* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Aleksandr Grebyonkin RZ3DSE The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Sun 2024-04-07 09:20 UTC As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down), If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html *[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]* ------------------------------ Upcoming Satellite OperationsQuick Hits: Jay Stephenson, WA1JAY, pays a visit to Paradise Isl. from March 15 to April 2. QRV as C6A/WA1JAY on HF (SSB, FT4/8) and via FM satellites. QSL via ClubLog OQRS, LoTW. Major Roves: *NOIRMOUTIER ISLAND SAT DXPEDITION 2024* *First bits from TM4J…!* *Additionally, F4DXV will be QRV for RS-44 at 1227z on 1st April, listening for NA, Caribbean, and SA. No QRG info at the moment.* *F4DXV* Jérôme (@F4DXV <https://twitter.com/f4dxv>) and *EA4NF* Philippe ( @EA4NF_SAT <https://twitter.com/ea4nf_sat>) announce that they will be actívating Noirmoutier island EU-064 IN86 from April 1 to 4, 2024 with the special callsign *TM4J* In an exciting initiative, Jérôme F4DXV and Philippe EA4NF are preparing for an exceptional expedition to the island of Noirmoutier from 1 to 4 April 2024. Bearing the special call sign TM4J, this experienced team will devote themselves entirely to exploring satellite possibilities, offering a unique opportunity to radio enthusiasts the world over. This international expedition will focus entirely on the LEO, GEO (QO-100) and MEO (GREENCUBE IO-117) satellites, with a variety of modes and operators. Jérôme and Philippe, experts in the field of portable satellite communications, will provide 24-hour coverage over several days, offering an unrivalled experience from this picturesque island in the Vendée. This International DXpedition is the 1st 100% SAT from this French island. Jérôme F4DXV: 120 DXCC LEO SAT 6 international DX expeditions by satellite 24 world distance records on LEO SAT Philippe EA4NF: 126 DXCC LEO SAT 16 international DX expeditions by satellite 1 world distance record on LEO SAT Captivating videos of their performances are available on YouTube, offering a glimpse of their expertise in amateur satellite communications in portable situations. The main objective of this expedition is to maximise contacts with various countries during the 3-day activation, while offering operators around the world the rare opportunity to contact the highly coveted IN86 grid, in addition to accumulating DXCC and IOTA contacts. Funded entirely by the two operators, the expedition will benefit from state-of-the-art technical resources, enabling uninterrupted activity 24 hours a day. This initiative also aims to raise awareness of amateur radio among the general public, by highlighting satellite communication both to visitors on site and through the media. Jérôme and Philippe will be happy to answer any questions you may have about amateur radio communication via satellite. Some picture are available on : Expédition Satellite sur l’Île de Noirmoutier en 2024 | AMSAT Francophone (amsat-f.org) <https://site.amsat-f.org/2024/02/29/expedition-satellite-sur-lile-de-noirmo…> *Updates available on @TM4J_SAT <https://twitter.com/tm4j_sat>* *[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above information]* ------------------------------ * Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store <https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space ------------------------------ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says, "Think a 75-minute presentation on "working the easy satellites" would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!" Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences. Scheduled Events *2024 CubeSat Developer’s Workshop* April 23-25, 2024 San Luis Obispo, CA https://www.cubesatdw.org/ *Dayton Hamvention 2024* Friday May 17th through Sunday May 19th, 2024 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org *[ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, and AMSAT for the above information]* ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts from All Over + Shields up! On October 19, 1989, a monstrous X13 class solar flare triggered a geomagnetic storm so strong that auroras lit up the skies worldwide the following day. Had you been flying around the Moon at that time, you would have absorbed a dose that would most likely kill you within a month or so. This is why the Orion spacecraft that is supposed to take humans on a Moon fly-by mission this year has a heavily shielded storm shelter for the crew. But shelters like that aren’t sufficient for a flight to Mars. To obtain protection comparable to what we enjoy on Earth would require hundreds of tons of material, and that's simply not possible in orbit. The primary alternative—using active shields that deflect charged particles just like the Earth’s magnetic field does—was first proposed in the 1960s. Today, we’re finally close to making it work. Fascinating full article at https://bit.ly/3PANp67 (ANS thanks ARS Technica for the above information.) + Not an April Fool's joke: The U.S. Army has conducted a series of experiments, beginning in 1904 and continuing into the 1970s, on using trees as shortwave antennas. "It would seem that living vegetation may play a more important part in electrical phenomena than has been generally supposed. If, as indicated... in these experiments, the earth surface is already generously provided with efficient antennas which we have but to utilize for communications." For complete details on how to turn the oak in your yard into a radiator for the 60 meter band, there's a 55-page scientific paper at https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0742230.pdf (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.) + I've been workin' on the railroad: Northrop Grumman Corporation was selected this month by DARPA to further develop the concept of building a moon-based railroad network as part of the broader 10-year Lunar Architecture Capability Study. The envisioned lunar railroad network could transport humans, supplies and resources for commercial ventures across the lunar surface. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.) ------------------------------ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: - Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). - Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. - Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. - Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. *73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* *This week's ANS Editor,* *Paul Stoetzer, N8HM* *n8hm [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org>* *ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002*

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ANS-084 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for March 24
by Mark Johns, K0JM 24 Mar '24

24 Mar '24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-084 In this edition: - AMSAT Prepares for Hamvention 2024 - AMSAT VP-Engineering Reviews GOLF Satellite Development - METEOR M2-4 Meteorology Satellite Readying for Operation - Satellite Tracking Rotator from Security Camera System - Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution March 22, 2024 - ARISS News - Upcoming Satellite Operations - Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events - Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on 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 [dot] org.* You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ANS-084 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2024 MAR 24 AMSAT Prepares for Hamvention 2024 It's that time again. Time to start making plans to attend Hamvention 2024 from May 17-19, 2024 in Xenia, Ohio. This year's Hamvention theme is "Expanding our Community" and AMSAT plans to do exactly that by adding new members and recruiting more volunteers. Led by AMSAT Hamvention Team Leader, Phil Smith, W1EME, preparations are well under way. AMSAT, one of the larger Hamvention exhibitors, will again occupy 1,200 square feet of space at the north end of Building 1, also known as the Maxim building. This booth area has always been ideal for AMSAT because of the ample fresh air and easy access to the outdoor satellite ground station. Exhibits will feature members of the engineering team, CubeSatSim, Beginner's Corner, merchandise sales, Youth Initiative, software demonstrations and membership sign-ups. Also featured at this year's booth is information and sign-ups for the revitalized AMSAT Ambassador program. AMSAT will host its annual AMSAT Forum on Saturday from 1:10 to 2:10 in Room 2. Moderated by Phil Smith, W1EME, Robert Bankston KE4AL, AMSAT President, will highlight recent activities within AMSAT and discuss some of our challenges, accomplishments, projects, and any late breaking news. AMSAT Engineering Program: Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT Vice President for Engineering, will talk about the Current and upcoming satellite missions. AMSAT Education: Alan Johnston, KU2Y, AMSAT Vice President Education Relations will talk about the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator. AMSAT Operations: Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Vice President Operations, will discuss current satellites and operations. AMSAT Development: Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, Vice President of AMSAT Development, will report on AMSAT Youth Initiative and its features. Another attraction will be the 15th annual AMSAT/TAPR Banquet on Friday at 18:30 EDT. This dinner is always a highlight of the TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) and AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.) activities during the Dayton Hamvention. This year's banquet speaker will be Bill Reed, NX5R, AMSAT Volunteer Engineer, who will highlight the forthcoming PACSAT digital communications payload. The 2023 Hamvention attendance was 33,861, which is more than 2,000 greater than 2022 and even surpassed the previous pre-pandemic attendance record at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center of 32,472. This year's attendance is expected to be another record breaker. As a bonus, this year's Hamvention will also be the site for the ARRL 2024 National Convention. If you are planning on attending this year's Hamvention, please consider volunteering to help staff the AMSAT booth for an hour or so. Please send an email to volunteer [at] amsat [dot] org if you think you can help. For complete information on Hamvention 2024, go to https://hamvention.org/. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.] ------------------------------ The 2024 AMSAT President's Club coins are here now! Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ ------------------------------ AMSAT VP-Engineering Reviews GOLF Satellite Development Recently AMSAT News Service had the opportunity to interview Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT Vice President of Engineering, about the GOLF satellites that are currently in development. ANS: Jerry, the AMSAT engineering team is developing the GOLF (Greater Orbit, larger Footprint) satellites. What is the idea behind these satellites and the kind of functionality that will be added? JB: "Our original thought was for GOLF is to teach us how to go to Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO.) Higher orbits have greater challenges than the satellites for LEO orbits we have built most recently. These are challenges like the higher radiation environment that the satellite must endure and controlling the satellite at higher altitudes. "We've had a significant additional requirement that has been added since GOLF was originally conceived. We must be able to deorbit the satellite on command. This is a pending FCC regulation. It is also likely that we will be required to move the satellite to avoid orbital debris in the future. To do this we have to be able to accurately know where the satellite is which requires a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), which direction it is pointing which requires adding an Attitude Determination Control System (ADCS), and have a propulsion system to move it. This is not trivial. "Of course, we want to add more and more capabilities which require more power. "So, the purpose of the GOLF satellites is technology development, but they will have radios on board. Once they are up and we have proven the technology we will have another satellite that amateur radios operators can use." ANS: "What is the advantage of higher orbits?" JB: "Most of our current satellites are LEO, so we have about a 10 to 15-minute window to work the satellite. With higher orbits, the satellites will have a larger footprint (the signal will cover a larger area of the earth) and will be available or visible for longer periods of time. ANS: "Could you tell us a little more about how GOLF is being developed?" JB: "We will design and build the systems if we can, and we will acquire (buy) the functionality if need to. We are also using a stepped approach to capability development. We may fly the Attitude Determination Control System (ADCS) on the first satellite, add the propulsion system on the next satellite and so on. ANS: "Interesting! What else makes GOLF different from our previous satellites?" JB: "GOLF-TEE will have a new 3U space frame with deployable solar panels, which will flop open and lock into place. The solar cell system is an in-house design. It will have 14 cells on the satellite space frame and 28 on the deployable solar panels for a total of 42 cells, a significant increase in available power. "GOLF will have a radiation tolerant IHU (Internal Housekeeping Unit, or on-board computer.) It uses an automotive grade 32 bit ARM processor which has two processors. One is the primary. If one locks up the other takes over. The computer cores are in different areas of the chip and are at 90 degrees to each other, which lowers the likelihood of radiation affecting both processors. "We're adding microwave bands with a 10 GHz downlink experiment for increased data speed, that can also be used as a transponder downlink. This is a purchased radio. It has been a little bit of a challenge to fit the SDR into GOLF because it doesn't fit the normal layout. "GOLF will be much more complex than the FOX satellites. This complexity will increase the cost. This is because of the added capability the engineering team is developing like the additional solar panels as well as the selection and integration of purchased items like the ADCS or the 10 GHZ SDR radio." ANS: "Wow, the GOLF satellites will be a give us exciting new capabilities! When will they be launched?" JB: "The first is GOLF-TEE, which will be ready for launch in Q4 of 2025. GOLF-1 will be ready follow in Q4 of 2026. We should have some data and lessons learned from GOLF-TEE by then. "Here is a little more detail on the launch; GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1 have been approved by NASA as sound concepts and eligible for the ELaNa program. This program will pay for launch up to $300k of launch cost (covers everything up to a 3U satellite to LEO) and they will look for a launch that we can ride on. (We don't get to choose just when we launch.) A launch is not a guaranteed, but they always have found a ride for us." ANS: "Thank you, Jerry, for helping us understand these important new satellites!" [ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, and Mark Blackwood, KI5AXK, for the above information.] ------------------------------ METEOR M2-4 Meteorology Satellite Readying for Operation Low earth orbit meteorology satellites are usually overlooked as an easy way to get newcomers involved in amateur satellites. They transmit with high power and gain antennas so they are easily received with a simple dipole antenna and a $30 RTL-SDR dongle that plug into a computer that most everyone owns. They are always on and transmit data that is actually fun and usable: very clear pictures of ones' own locale that is easily decoded with free software. From this first experience, it is a simple jump to tracking and copying the ARISS voice and APRS repeaters, and from there getting a Technician class license and inexpensive handheld. In addition to the NOAA low earth orbit polar meteorology satellites, the Russian METEOR M2-4 was recently added on February 29, 2024. It was launched into a 800km sun-synchronous orbit with a 98 degree inclination from the Vostochny Cosmodrome aboard a Soyuz 2 rocket. Having achieved orbit, it is currently undergoing testing and calibration. There is currently no information when setup will be completed, but it did take several months for NOAA to get the NOAA-21 satellite running. Once it is functioning it will begin transmitting its low-rate picture transmission (LRPT) imagery on 137.1 MHz and/or 137.9 MHz. The antennas are right-hand circular polarization but are easy received with a home-made three-element yagi or even a simple dipole. Complete information on suitable SDR receivers, and free receiving and decoding software can be found at rtl-sdr.com. A simple You Tube search on the topic will also provide you with enough demonstration videos to help get you started. More information at https://www.rtl-sdr.com/. [ANS thanks rtl-sdr.com for the above information.] ------------------------------ *Need New Satellite Antennas?Purchase M2 Antennas LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceedsgoes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space!* *https://www.amsat.org/shop/* <https://www.amsat.org/shop/> ------------------------------ Satellite Tracking Rotator from Security Camera System No stranger to AMSAT publications, Gabe Emerson, KL1FI, publisher of saveitforparts.com is at it again. This month Gabe has posted a 24-minute video on how to use parts from an old security pan-tilt camera mount to build an az-el satellite rotator. The rotator motors are controlled by software based on the Australian School Amateur Radio Club Network (SARKNET) Rotator Mark I Arduino code. The software can be run on either an Arduino device or on a PC laptop. Gpredict is used in this example to track the satellites. Gabe uses the rotator to steer a small dish but it looks strong enough to handle a lightweight yagi such as an Arrow or Elk if suitably counterweighted. Even if you aren't interested in building this az-el rotator, Gabe's video is a fascinating look at how an inventive mind and resourceful scrounger can make something actually useful. Ham radio as it should be! More information at https://www.rtl-sdr.com/. [ANS again thanks rtl-sdr.com for the above information.] [ANS thanks *_* for the above information.] ------------------------------ *Want to Fly the Colors on Your Own Grid Expedition?Get your AMSAT Car Flag and other neat stufffrom our Zazzle Store!25% of the purchase price of each product goestowards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space!https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear <https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear>* ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 22, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/ The following satellite has been added to this week's AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution: SONATE-2 - NORAD Cat ID 59112 Downlinks on 437.025 MHz, 145.825 MHz, 145.840 MHz and 145.880 MHz have been coordinated by the IARU. Thanks to Nico Janssen, PA0DLO, for the identification. The following satellite has been removed from this week's AMSAT-NA TLE distribution: BeliefSat-0 NORAD Cat ID 58695 End of mission. This mission was interesting as BeliefSat-0 is not a free flying satellite. Instead it is a "hosted payload" on a larger platform, in this case the spent upper stage of an Indian launch vehicle. The stage was modified such that it included solar panels and attitude control, so BeliefSat 0 and other payloads were designed to simply bolt on and plug in to a regulated power source. See https://www.isro.gov.in/POEM-3_Mission_achieves_Payload_objectives.html for details. While BeliefSat-0 and its host POEM-3 remain in orbit for now, it appears that BeliefSat-0 has been shut down as there have not been any successful observations of it in SatNogs for several weeks. POEM-3 will reenter within the next few weeks "leaving zero debris in space" according to the Indian Space Resource Organization. [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information.] ------------------------------ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. *Completed Contacts* + Second Chance School of Orestiada, Orestiada, Greece, telebridge via VK4KHZ. The ISS callsign was NA1SS. The crewmember was Loral O'Hara, KI5TOM, and Mike Barratt. KD5MIJ (Observing). The Moderator was William Marchant KW4WZ. The ARISS mentor is IKØWGF Contact was successful on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 17:45 UTC. *Upcoming Contacts* + Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Aleksandr Grebyonkin, RZ3DSE. The ARISS mentor is Energia ARC, RV3DR. Contact is go for Monday March 25, 2024 at 08:40 UTC. + St. John's School Authority, St. John's, NL, Canada, telebridge via ON4ISS. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS. The scheduled crewmember is Loral O'Hara, KI5TOM. The Moderator is scheduled to be Brian Jackson, VE6JBJ. The ARISS mentor is Brian Jackson, VE6JBJ. Contact is go for: Monday, March 25, 2024 at 16:24 UTC. Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/@fidlerville + Kursk, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Aleksandr Grebyonkin, RZ3DSE. The ARISS mentor is Energia ARC, RV3DR. Contact is go for Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 14:55 UTC. + Ufa, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Marina Vasilevskaya. The ARISS mentor is Energia ARC, RV3DR. Contact is go for Friday, March 29, 2024 at 16:20 UTC. The Crossband Repeater (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down) Continues to be active. Note: Powering off for Soyuz docking on March 25. OFF March 24 about TBD UTC. ON March 26 about TBD UTC. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Packet System is also active . (145.825 MHz up & down) Currently active. Note: Powering off for Soyuz docking on March 25. OFF March 24 about TBD UTC. ON March 26 about TBD UTC. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.] ------------------------------ Upcoming Satellite Operations - Paradise Island, C6A Jay Stephenson, WA1JAY, visits from March 15 to April 2. QRV as C6A/WA1JAY on HF (SSB, FT4/8) and via FM satellites. QSL via ClubLog OQRS, LoTW. - NOIRMOUTIER ISLAND, TM4 F4DXV Jerome (@F4DXV) and EA4NF Philippe (@EA4NF_SAT) announce that they will be actívating Noirmoutier island EU-064 IN86 from April 1 to 4, 2024 with the special callsign TM4J. This International DXpedition is the first 100% SAT from this French island. Operating on LEO (FM+SSB), GEO (QO-100) and MEO (GREENCUBE IO-117). Updates are available on @TM4J_SAT. - Austral Islands, FO Haru, JA1XGI, will be QRV as TX5XG from Raivavae, IOTA OC-114, from March 27 to April 3. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and various digital modes. This includes being active on Satellite IO-117. QSL via LoTW. [ANS thanks ARRL DX news.] - Curacao, PJ2 Andreas, DK5ON, is QRV as PJ2/DK5ON until March 27. Activity is on 80 to 6 meters, and possibly 160 meters, using CW, SSB, FT8, and FT4. This includes being active on various Satellites. QSL to home call. [ANS thanks ARRL DX news.] A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location. [ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above information.] ------------------------------ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. - Raleigh NC Hamfest Saturday, 6 April 2024 Jim Graham Building, NC State Fairgrounds https://www.rarsfest.org/ - 2024 CubeSat Developer’s Workshop Tuesday April 23 – Thursday April 25 Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA https://www.cubesatdw.org/ - Dayton Hamvention 2024 Friday May 17 – Sunday May 19 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says, “Think a 75-minute presentation on “working the easy satellites” would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!” Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences. ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts From All Over + Active satellite operator Alan Bowker, WA6DNR, became a silent key on March 8. Alan was one of the first Broadcasting majors at the University of Wyoming and began his career at KATI radio in Casper. He later worked for KCBS-FM and KGO TV in California. As microcomputers emerged in the industry, Alan evolved into a computer technologist, working at Northstar Computers, Fantasy Records, and Dolby Laboratories. During the winter months of 1983 and 1984, he spent time in London as computer consultant to Hollywood film filmmaker, Stanley Kubrick. In retirement, he turned into a travel photographer, touring worldwide and documenting his experiences in still photos and video. First licensed in 1966, he was a consistent voice on RS-44 and an avid experimenter on IO-117 and other digital modes from CM87 in northern California. He earned AMSAT GridMaster Award #62 of which he was very proud, while grateful to the many rovers who worked hard to make that happen for him. We will miss hearing Alan on the birds! [ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM for the above information.] + With the spectacular launch of SpaceX-30 on March 21, 2024, the HamTV system is now back on it's on its way to the ISS. Although it is not expected that the HamTV equipment will be activated for at least a few weeks, the British Amateur Television Club (BAT) has created a new wiki page which gives a lot of information on how to receive, decode and display the DATV signals from the ISS. See https://wiki.batc.org.uk/HAMTV_from_the_ISS; there is also a discussion channel available on the site. [ANS thanks Graham Shirville, G3VZV for the above information.] + The Saudi Amateur Radio Society - Satellite and Communications Committee has established AMSAT-HZ as the amateur satellite society in Saudi Arabia. Their website, currently under construction, is https://amsat-hz.org/. AMSAT congratulates AMSAT-HZ on their establishment and wishes them the best of luck in their endeavors. [ANS thanks Abdul Alshahrani, HZ1DG for the above information.] + Tom Van den Bon, ZR6TG has been toying with this idea of adding a "Widget" to his Icom IC-9700. Playing with satellites requires various kinds of software that requires a fully fledged PC connected to the radio for tracking the satellite, controlling the rotator and automatically adjusting for Doppler effect. While all of that software works perfectly fine, Tom always wondered if there wasn't a simpler solution which is always available and ready at the radio. Tom says, "I know there are a few satellite "controllers" available that allow you to do something similar, but I felt that those are either too specific (i.e., only one radio and one rotator) or was lacking some features. My idea around the Satellite Tracking widget is to try and combine everything I need in a single small display." See Tom's project report on his Raspberry Pi-based widget based at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-084-Widget. [ANS thanks Tom Van den Bon, ZR6TG for the above information.] ------------------------------ *Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.or <https://launch.amsat.org/>*g/ <https://launch.amsat.org/> In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW n1uw [at] amsat [dot] org

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ANS-077 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for March 17
by Mark Johns, K0JM 17 Mar '24

17 Mar '24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-077 In this edition: * First SONATE 2 Images Received * FUNcube Mode Change * Free On-Line Amateur Radio Operating Class * Starship Lifts Off On Third Test Flight * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 15 * NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Finishes Mission, Returns to Earth * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. *Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org>* You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ANS-077 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2024 March 17 First SONATE 2 Images Received First images were received this week from the SONATE 2 satellite. A low-resolution Slow-Scan TV (SSTV) image that had been pre-loaded onto the satellite prior to launch was received on March 8. The first wide field of view earth image from the onboard camera was received on March 11. Both images can be viewed at https://www.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/aerospaceinfo/staff/kayal/resear… [*12.03.2024 First wide field of view image from SONATE-2*] SONATE 2 was built by students and faculty in the Aerospace Information Technology program at at Würzburg University in Germany. It was launched on March 4 as part of the SpaceX Transporter 10 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E in Vandenberg SFB, Calif. Using Doppler measurements, Nico Janssen, PAØDLO, has identified SONATE 2 as object 59112. The telemetry downlink frequency is 437.0254 MHz, just slightly above the published target frequency of 437.025 MHz. Telemetry is in 9k6 G3RUH GMSK AX.25 using a protocol that may be downloaded from https://www.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/fileadmin/1003-ifex/2024/SONATE-2_p… The SSTV downlink is at 145.880 MHz FM using the Martin M1 protocol. The satellite also carries an APRS digipeater for 145.825 MHz, but the digipeater is not yet active. A schedule for upcoming SSTV transmissions is published at https://www.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/aerospaceinfo/mitarbeiter/kayal/for… [ANS thanks Würzburg University and Nico Janssen, PAØDLO, for the above information.] ------------------------------ *The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!* *Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus* *Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help* *Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* *https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/* <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> ------------------------------ FUNcube Mode Change The FUNcube team are pleased to announce that FUNcube 1 (aka AO-73) is out of Safe mode back in Eclipse mode as of March 11. "Eclipse mode" means that the transponder is normally operational only when the satellite is in eclipse, i.e. the solar panels are NOT being illuminated. The nominal transponder frequencies are: Uplink: 435.150 – 435.130 MHz LSB (Inverting) Downlink: 145.950 – 145.970 MHz USB Telemetry Tx: 145.935 MHz BPSK (The passband may be up to 15kHz higher depending on on-board temps. Lower temperatures give higher freqs!) [ANS thanks David Johnson, G4DPZ, and https://funcube.org.uk/ for the above information.] ------------------------------ *Need new satellite antennas?* *Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.* *When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards* *Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.* *https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/* <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/> ------------------------------ Free On-Line Amateur Radio Operating Class A free, weekly, 3-hour Amateur Radio Operating Class on Zoom will begin on Thursday April 4 and run through June 20 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern / 5:30 p.m. Central time. The presenters will be various experienced folks in the various subjects. A detailed syllabus will be published before the classes begin. Attend them all, or any that you like, but you must register for the classes. To receive registration information, contact Rol Anders, K3RA, at roland.anders(a)comcast.net. Subjects will include: - All About Operating--A general Introduction - Amateur Radio Organizations—Local to International - Ham Radio Awards - DXing-History and Tips from the Experts - QSLing-How to get that needed card for DXCC or WAS - VHF/UHF Weak Signal Work and “Roving” - Image Operating—Slow Scan and Fast Scan TV - Remote Station control over internet - Learning CW in the no-code era - Digital Modes—From RTTY to FT8 and beyond - Contesting—How to get started, tips for the beginner and intermediated contester - Logging Software—What’s available, how to use - Propagation—A general intro to HF Propagation - **Amateur Satellites—How to get started** - Portable (backpacking) operation—Tips from an expert - Setting Up a Modern (or not so modern) HF Station - Lightning Protection and Grounding - Traffic Handling - Public Service, Emergency Communications [ANS thanks Dan Hausauer, WØCN, and Rol Anders, K3RA, for the above information.] ------------------------------ Starship Lifts Off On Third Test Flight SpaceX’s Starship vehicle lifted off on its third test flight March 14, making significant progress compared to its first two by achieving most of its planned test milestones. The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle lifted off from the company’s Starbase site at 9:25 a.m. Eastern. The liftoff was delayed by nearly an hour and a half because of ships in restricted waters offshore. SpaceX reported no technical issues during the countdown. [*Starship lifts off on its third integrated test flight March 14. Credit: SpaceX webcast*] The Super Heavy booster fired all 33 of its Raptor engines for nearly three minutes before executing “hot staging”, with the Starship upper stage’s engines igniting while still attached to Super Heavy before separating. The booster then performed burns to attempt what SpaceX webcast hosts called a “soft splashdown” in the Gulf of Mexico, where it would not be recovered. However, the landing burn did not appear to go correctly, and the company later said that the booster broke apart 462 meters above the ocean after lighting several Raptor engines for a landing burn. The Starship upper stage performed its burn, placing the vehicle onto its planned suborbital trajectory. It avoided the fate of the previous Starship launch in November, when the vehicle broke apart late in its burn after catching fire while venting propellant. While in space on its suborbital trajectory, SpaceX opened a payload bay door that will be used on later Starship vehicles for deploying Starlink satellites. It also performed an in-space propellant transfer demonstration as part of a NASA contract where it would move propellant from one tank within the vehicle to another. SpaceX said it was evaluating the data from both tests. SpaceX had planned to perform a brief relight of a Raptor engine on Starship about 40 minutes after liftoff, but the company said on the webcast that this test was skipped for reasons not immediately known. The company later said the engine test was called off because of the vehicle’s roll rates. Several minutes later, the vehicle started reentry. A camera mounted on a flap on Starship provided dramatic images of the reentry, relayed through Starlink satellites. Telemetry was lost about 49 and a half minutes after liftoff when the vehicle was descending through an altitude of 65 kilometers. SpaceX later said on the webcast that it lost contact through both its own Starlink satellites as well as through NASA TDRSS data relay satellites at the same time, speculating that the vehicle may have broken up. While the mission did not achieve all its test objectives, the company considered the launch a success. “What we achieved on this flight will provide invaluable data to continue rapidly developing Starship,” it said in a statement. [ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information. ------------------------------ *Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* *Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!* *25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards* *Keeping Amateur Radio in Space* *https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear* <https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear> ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 15 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/. This week there are no additions or deletions to the AMSAT TLE distribution. [ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information.] ------------------------------ NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Finishes Mission, Returns to Earth The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, with NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, KI5WSL, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, KG5GCZ, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, KE5DAW, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov aboard, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa, and Borisov are returning after nearly six-months in space as part of Expedition 70 aboard the International Space Station. The Crew-7 mission lifted off <https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-spacex-crew-7-launches-to-internati…> at 3:27 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2023, on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. About 30 hours later, Dragon docked <https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2023/08/27/spacex-crew-7-mission-docks-…> to the Harmony module’s space-facing port. Crew-7 undocked at 11:20 a.m. Monday, March 11, to begin the trip home. Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa, and Borisov traveled 84,434,094 miles during their mission, spent 197 days aboard the space station, and completed 3,184 orbits around Earth. The Crew-7 mission was the first spaceflight for Moghbeli and Borisov. Mogensen has logged 209 days in space over his two flights, and Furukawa has logged 366 days in space over his two flights. [ *A thermal screenshot showing the successfully deployed four parachutes of the Dragon Capsule as it makes its descent on March 12](Image credit: NASA)* Throughout their mission, the Crew-7 members contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations <https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/crew-5-scientific-…>, including a number of ARISS amateur radio contacts. Moghbeli conducted one spacewalk, joined by NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, replacing one of the 12 trundle bearing assemblies on the port solar alpha rotary joint, which allows the arrays to track the Sun and generate electricity to power the station. The crew contributed to hundreds of experiments and technology demonstrations <https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/iss-research/nasas-spacex-crew-7-comp…>, including the first study of human response to different spaceflight durations, and an experiment growing food on the space station. This was the third flight of the Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance. It also previously supported the Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions. The spacecraft will return to Florida for inspection and processing at SpaceX’s refurbishing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where teams will inspect the Dragon, analyze data on its performance, and process it for its next flight. The Crew-7 flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program <https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/crew/index.html> and its return to Earth follows on the heels of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 launch, which docked to the station March 5, beginning another science expedition. That crew consists of Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ, Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, and Alexander Grebenkin, RZ3DSE. [ANS thanks NASA for the above information.] ------------------------------ [image: ARISS News]ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. Second Chance School of Orestiada, Orestiada, Greece, telebridge via VK4KHZ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM, Mike Barratt, KD5MIJ (Observing) The Moderator is scheduled to be Will KW4WZ The ARISS mentor is IKØWGF Contact is go for: Wed 2024-03-20 17:45:54 UTC 60 deg Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/@sdeorestiadas9736?si=RPdn0JxEjpbK2Rhx Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Aleksandr Grebyonkin, RZ3DSE The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Mon 2024-03-25 08:40 UTC Kursk, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Aleksandr Grebyonkin, RZ3DSE The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Wed 2024-03-27 14:55 UTC Ufa, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Marina Vasilevskaya The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Fri 2024-03-29 16:20 UTC The crossband repeater is active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. The packet system is currently misconfigured (145.825 MHz up & down). The SSTV system is currently stowed. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.] ------------------------------ Upcoming Satellite Operations Jay Stephenson, WA1JAY, pays a visit to Paradise Isl. from March 15 to April 2. QRV as C6A/WA1JAY on HF (SSB, FT4/8) and via FM satellites. QSL via ClubLog OQRS, LoTW. F4DXV Jérôme (@F4DXV) and EA4NF Philippe (@EA4NF_SAT) announce that they will be actívating Noirmoutier island EU-064 IN86 from April 1 to 4, 2024 with the special callsign TM4J. This International DXpedition is the 1st 100% SAT from this French island: LEO (FM+SSB) GEO (QO-100) MEO (GREENCUBE IO-117) Updates available on @TM4J_SAT Please submit any additions or corrections to k5zm (at) comcast (dot) net. A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location. [ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information.] ------------------------------ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT-Francophone Seventh Amateur Radio Space Meeting Saturday March 16th – Sunday March 17th Electrolab Hackerspace à Nanterre 52 Rue Paul Lescop 92000 Nanterre, France https://site.amsat-f.org/ JAMSAT Symposium 2024 Saturday March 23rd – Sunday March 24th Hotel Binario Saga Arashiyama 3-4 Hiromichicho, Saga Tenryuji, Ukyo Ward Sagano, Kyoto, Japan https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=2446 Raleigh NC Hamfest Saturday, 6 April 2024 Jim Graham Building, NC State Fairgrounds https://www.rarsfest.org/ 2024 CubeSat Developer’s Workshop Tuesday April 23rd – Thursday April 25th Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA https://www.cubesatdw.org/ Dayton Hamvention 2024 Friday May 17th – Sunday May 19th Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org [ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information.] ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts From All Over + NASA has terminated its OSAM-1 mission, a multibillion-dollar endeavor aimed at showcasing robotic satellite servicing technology in space, due to ongoing technical, cost, and schedule challenges. Originally intended to demonstrate satellite refueling, the mission expanded to include in-orbit assembly, incorporating a 16-foot robotic arm named SPIDER. Despite significant congressional funding, the project faced continual delays and ballooning costs, reaching $1.5 billion with an estimated additional cost of nearly $1 billion for launch. Changes in the satellite servicing market, with a shift towards alternative technologies like Northrop Grumman's Mission Extension Vehicle, contributed to the cancellation. Maxar, the prime contractor for OSAM-1, faced criticism for poor performance, leading to delays and cost overruns, although the company cited other factors like the COVID-19 pandemic. The cancellation impacts approximately 450 workers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, prompting NASA to review strategies to mitigate workforce impacts and consider alternative uses for developed technologies. (ANS thanks Ars Technica, for the above information.) + China's human spaceflight agency, CMSA, is progressing towards its goal of landing astronauts on the moon before 2030. The spacecraft developed for this purpose has been named Mengzhou, translating to "Dream Vessel," for lunar missions, and Lanyue, meaning "Embracing the Moon," for orbital travel. These names were selected through a public contest, with Mengzhou having a variant for low Earth orbit (LEO) carrying seven astronauts and a moon version transporting three astronauts into lunar orbit. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is designing and building the spacecraft and lander, along with a new rocket, the Long March 10. The moon landing plan involves two Long March 10 rockets launching Mengzhou and Lanyue, rendezvousing in lunar orbit, with astronauts descending to the lunar surface. A 440-pound crew rover will accompany the lunar lander. Progress on various mission hardware is reportedly on track, including completed development of the primary spacecraft and technical proposals for launch and landing sites. Recently, models of the rocket, spacecraft, and lander were showcased at an exhibition in Shanghai. (ANS thanks Space.com, for the above information.) + U.S. regulators have approved ground rules for allowing SpaceX and other satellite operators to use radio waves from terrestrial mobile partners to keep smartphone users connected outside cell tower coverage. The Federal Communications Commission voted March 14 unanimously in favor of its Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) regulatory framework. SCS providers would operate as a secondary service to companies providing Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) with conventional frequencies already approved for use from space. This means an SCS operator would have to immediately cease operations if they interfere with an MSS provider or terrestrial telco with primary rights. (ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information.) + A rocket made by a Japanese company exploded seconds after launch on Wednesday, in a spectacular failure for the start-up's bid to put a satellite into orbit. Tokyo-based Space One's 18-metre (60-foot) Kairos rocket blasted off in the coastal Wakayama region of western Japan, carrying a small government test satellite. But around five seconds later, the solid-fuel rocket erupted in fire, sending white smoke billowing around the remote mountainous area as orange flames raged on the ground, live footage showed. Space One said it had taken the decision to "abort the flight" and details were being investigated. (ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information.) ------------------------------ *Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ <https://launch.amsat.org/>* In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. * Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM k0jm [at] amsat.org

1 0

ANS-070 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ) 10 Mar '24

10 Mar '24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-070 In this edition: * SpaceX's Transporter-10 Successfully Launches Over Fifty Satellites * Vostochny Spaceport Sends Meteor-M2-4 Weather Satellite Into Orbit * NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Launches to International Space Station * GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers March 2024 Rankings * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 8, 2024 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching, and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on https://www.amsat.org<https://www.amsat.org/> publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org/> You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ANS-070 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2024 Mar 10 ________________________________ SpaceX's Transporter-10 Successfully Launches Over Fifty Satellites SpaceX successfully executed its tenth Transporter rideshare mission, showcasing the continued high demand for satellite deployment services. The flawless launch took place at Vandenberg Space Force Base, on March 4th at 5:05 p.m. EST, where a Falcon 9 rocket carried 53 small satellites into orbit. While this success underscores the persistent need for such services from satellite developers, it also brings attention to emerging challenges in maintaining space situational awareness. Among the diverse payloads was SONATE-2, a 6U+ CubeSat developed by the University of Wuerzburg in Germany. This satellite serves as a technology demonstration for artificial intelligence hardware, software, and machine learning techniques, coupled with an educational component through the DLR School Lab. SONATE-2's amateur payload includes a VHF transceiver and an AI payload with optical sensors, providing regular SSTV downlinks, an APRS digipeater, and CW beacon. The mission aims to engage students in aerospace and computer science engineering programs, offering practical skills and participation in satellite operations. SONATE-2 reported successful operation, with over 1000 telemetry frames downloaded in the first day post-launch, indicating a safe and stable state of the satellite. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpaceX-Transport…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpaceX-Transport…> The SpaceX Transporter-10 Payload Stack. Annotations by https://twitter.com/GewoonLukas_ [Credit: SpaceX] However, the CroCube mission faced a slight setback, with the first Croatian satellite now scheduled for launch on Transporter-11 in June 2024. This decision, prompted by tightened technical conditions set by Exolaunch and SpaceX, aims to ensure project criteria are met, minimizing risks. CroCube, a 1U CubeSat designed for amateur radio and Earth surface imaging, sees this delay as an opportunity to focus on key activities, including ground station completion, mission promotion, educational events, and finalizing the financial structure. The Transporter-10 mission also witnessed the deployment of various payloads from different companies, showcasing innovation in satellite inspection, proximity operations, and technology testing. Notable deployments include Spire's Lemur CubeSats, Iceye's radar mapping satellites, and Satellogic's imaging satellite. Lynk Global, in the process of going public, launched two satellites to fund its direct-to-device constellation development. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sonate-2_Satelli…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sonate-2_Satelli…> SONATE-2 is Equipped with Amateur Radio SSTV, Digipeater, and CW Beacon. [Credit: University of Würzburg] Startups such as Unseenlabs, Loft Orbital, Atomos Space, True Anomaly, Quantum Space, and Sidus Space seized the opportunity, deploying their first satellites. This diverse array of payloads highlights the industry's commitment to pushing boundaries in space exploration. Another notable payload, MethaneSAT, developed by Ball Aerospace for the Environmental Defense Fund, aims to track global methane emissions with high-resolution precision, contributing to environmental monitoring efforts. Despite the success of Transporter-10, challenges in space situational awareness have surfaced. Owen Marshall of LeoLabs highlighted a degradation in cataloging objects after launch, particularly in rideshare missions where the median catalog time can exceed two weeks. This delay poses risks to satellite operators' communication capabilities, emphasizing the need for enhanced tracking capabilities in the era of growing satellite deployments. As the space industry evolves, addressing these challenges becomes crucial to ensure the sustainability and safety of activities in Earth's orbit. The success of SpaceX's Transporter-10 mission underscores the industry's vitality, but the spotlight on emerging challenges signals the need for continual innovation and collaboration to navigate the complexities of our expanding presence in space. [ANS thanks Jeff Foust, SpaceNews, for the above information] ________________________________ Vostochny Spaceport Sends Meteor-M2-4 Weather Satellite Into Orbit On February 29, 2024, the Vostochny spaceport witnessed the successful launch of a Soyuz-2-1b rocket, inaugurating the first mission of the year from this spaceport. On board was the Meteor-M2-4 weather spacecraft, a notable addition to the Meteor-M series, alongside several secondary payloads, including an Iranian micro-satellite dedicated to Earth observation. Developed by the Moscow-based VNIIEM Corporation, Meteor-M2-4, weighing nearly three tons, boasts advanced instruments designed for comprehensive monitoring of global weather patterns, the ozone layer, ocean surface temperature, and ice conditions. Recognized for its military applications by the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, this mission marked a significant stride in space exploration. Meteor-M2-4 encountered delays in its journey, originally slated for a December 26, 2023 launch. However, due to multiple rescheduling, the liftoff finally took place on February 29, 2024. The spacecraft, delivered to the launch site on December 28, 2023, underwent meticulous preparations, including fueling and integration with the launch vehicle, ultimately culminating in a successful liftoff. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SZ2.1b-MeteorM2-…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SZ2.1b-MeteorM2-…> Meteor-M 2-4 Satellite / Secondary Payloads Encapsulated in Payload Fairing [Credit: Roscosmos] Following the standard ascent profile for Meteor satellites, the launch trajectory headed northwest over eastern Russia, reaching a near-polar orbit with an inclination of approximately 98.57 degrees. The fairing protecting the payload separated during the second stage operation, with subsequent stage separations carefully planned for safe impact zones in the Amur Region and the Sakha Republic. The Fregat upper stage took charge of the final payload deployment, executing precise maneuvers over the Arctic and Antarctica. Approximately 59 minutes and 46 seconds after liftoff, the Meteor-M2-4 satellite was successfully released, accomplishing its primary mission. The Fregat then proceeded to deploy the secondary payloads into their designated orbits. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Meteor-M2-4_Davi…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Meteor-M2-4_Davi…> Meteor M2-4 Image Decoded Using a Raspberry Pi 5 and SatDump by N5ZKK [Credit: David Trolinger] The Russian Meteor M2-4 satellite commenced transmitting weather images within the first day in orbit. Known for their accessibility to amateur users, Meteor M satellites operate around 137 MHz, making them receivable with a RTL-SDR dongle and suitable satellite antennas. The satellite also transmits in the L-band, enabling reception with a 60cm or larger dish and motorized or hand tracking. Unlike previous satellites in the series, M2-4 experienced a smooth launch and deployment, with reports indicating excellent signal strength and clear image reception in both VHF and L-band frequencies. Two-Line Elements (TLE's) and the SatDump decoding software (https://github.com/SatDump/SatDump) have been updated to support Meteor M2-4, simplifying access for enthusiasts through Github updates. Space historian Jonathan McDowell shared valuable insights into the flight, detailing each Fregat maneuver and its impact on the satellite cluster. While the majority of the secondary payloads adhered to the expected orbits, anomalies in the deployment of some SITRO satellites prompted further investigation. The launch of Meteor-M2-4 and its accompanying payloads stands as a noteworthy accomplishment for Russia's space program, contributing significantly to global endeavors in weather monitoring, Earth observation, and satellite technology development. [ANS thanks Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com and RTL-SDR.com for the above information] ________________________________ The 2024 Coins Are Here Now! Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus. Join<https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> the AMSAT President's Club today! [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-Coin-Both_5…]<https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> ________________________________ NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Launches to International Space Station After overcoming multiple delays in the past few weeks, a diverse team of astronauts lifted off into orbit late on a Sunday evening. NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission achieved a flawless launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:53 p.m. EST on March 3rd, propelling four astronauts toward the International Space Station (ISS). Marking the eighth collaboration between NASA and SpaceX for crew rotations, the Crew-8 mission embarked on a scientific journey to the ISS. The Crew-8 team is led by Commander Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, Pilot Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, and Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin, RZ3DSE. Dominick, a first-time astronaut, will serve as a mission specialist during Expedition 70/71. Barratt, with two spaceflights under his belt, brings valuable experience to the mission. Epps, NASA's first-time astronaut selected in 2009, plays a crucial role in monitoring the spacecraft during dynamic flight phases. Grebenkin, on his inaugural space mission, serves as a flight engineer during Expeditions 70/71. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpaceX_Crew-8_Fa…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpaceX_Crew-8_Fa…> Members of NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Standing in Front of a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket [Credit: SpaceX] NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulated NASA and SpaceX, stating, "On this eighth crew rotation mission, we are once again showing the strength of our commercial partnerships and American ingenuity that will propel us further in the cosmos." The crew's mission aboard the ISS involves conducting over 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to support space exploration and benefit humanity on Earth. The Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, autonomously docked with the forward port of the station's Harmony module under the vigilant watch of SpaceX and NASA mission control centers in Hawthorne, California, and Houston, Texas. The successful docking occurred on Tuesday, March 5th, at 2:28 a.m. EST over the central North Atlantic. Crew-8's arrival at the ISS expands the existing Expedition 70 crew, comprising astronauts from NASA, ESA, JAXA, and Roscosmos. With the temporary addition of Crew-8 members, the ISS will briefly host eleven individuals until the return of Crew-7 members a few days later. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpaceX_Crew-8_Ar…]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpaceX_Crew-8_Ar…> Current Crew of International Space Station until Crew-7 Departs on March 10 [Credit: NASA TV] Beyond the space environment, Crew-8 aims to conduct various scientific experiments to advance human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and address challenges faced by humanity on Earth. These experiments include studies on brain organoids to understand neurodegenerative disorders, the effects of microgravity on plant growth, and shifts in body fluids during spaceflight. The ISS continues to serve as a crucial platform for research and development, with NASA's commitment to maximizing its utility. Research conducted onboard not only benefits life on Earth but also lays the groundwork for future missions, such as NASA's Artemis program, aimed at returning humans to the Moon and beyond. [ANS thanks NASA for the above information] ________________________________ GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers March 2024 Rankings The March 2024 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap<https://twitter.com/GridMasterMap> on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr<http://gridmaster.fr/> website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr<https://gridmaster.fr/> in order to provide more accurate data. Updated: 2024-03-06 1 ND9M 26 N5BO 51 SP5XSD 76 N4AKV 2 NJ7H 27 K8BL 52 AD7DB 77 DF2ET 3 JA9KRO 28 LU5ILA 53 F4DXV 78 YU0W 4 N5UC 29 KE4AL 54 JL3RNZ 79 DL4EA 5 UT1FG 30 DL2GRC 55 KE9AJ 80 KJ7NDY 6 OE3SEU 31 VE3HLS 56 KI7QEK 81 N4DCW 7 WI7P 32 KB5FHK 57 N8RO 82 WA9JBQ 8 DL6AP 33 KI7UNJ 58 XE1ET 83 N0TEL 9 HA3FOK 34 LA9XGA 59 VE1CWJ 84 VE3GOP 10 N6UA 35 F4BKV 60 KM4LAO 85 KI0KB 11 K5ZM 36 N7AGF 61 PA3GAN 86 KB2YSI 12 N9IP 37 JO2ASQ 62 N4UFO 87 JM1CAX 13 WY7AA 38 XE3DX 63 SM3NRY 88 CU2ZG 14 W5PFG 39 K7TAB 64 W1AW 89 K0FFY 15 AD0DX 40 KE0PBR 65 VA7LM 90 KG4AKV 16 AK8CW 41 KE0WPA 66 VA3VGR 91 HB9GWJ 17 DP0POL 42 PR8KW 67 PT2AP 92 W8MTB 18 WD9EWK 43 AC0RA 68 M1DDD 93 VE7PTN 19 AD0HJ 44 N6DNM 69 AA8CH 94 DK9JC 20 ON4AUC 45 EB1AO 70 LU4JVE 95 AF5CC 21 KG5CCI 46 JK2XXK 71 VE1VOX 96 K6VHF 22 KX9X 47 W7WGC 72 FG8OJ 97 VE6WK 23 ND0C 48 EA4NF 73 PT9BM 98 N6UTC 24 F5VMJ 49 VK5DG 74 KI7UXT 99 PT9ST 25 DJ8MS 50 AA5PK 75 W8LR 100 VO2AC [ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information] ________________________________ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the AMSAT Store!<https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/> When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/cm/LEO-Pack1-300x298.png]<https://www.amsat.org/product/m2-leo-pack-antenna-system/> ________________________________ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 8, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources. CUBEL-1 NORAD Cat ID 49017 Decayed from orbit on or about 06 February 2024 [ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information] ________________________________ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. ARISS Celebration at Kennedy Space Center Interview with Randy Berger WAØD ARISS-USA Director of Engineering, Randy Berger, WAØD, recently spoke to ARISS fan Michael Randazzo, KO4PDI. They covered Ham Radio gear on the ISS and more. See the interview at Michael's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sdW_mhbUew + Recently Completed Contacts "IES Pedro Simón" Abril High School, Alcaraz, Spain, telebridge via K6DUE The ISS callsign was NA1SS The scheduled crewmember was Loral O'Hara KI5TOM The ARISS mentor was IKØUSO Contact successful: Mon 2024-03-04 11:21:02 UTC Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xgk4YZT5w4 + Upcoming Contacts No upcoming contacts scheduled As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. The Service Module radio is currently misconfigured. SSTV radio is currently stowed. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html<https://gridmaster.fr/> The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] ________________________________ Upcoming Satellite Operations PJ2, CURACAO: Andreas, DK5ON, is going to pay a visit to Curacao from March 11 to 27. QRV as PJ2/DK5ON on 80-6m, maybe also on 160m and via satellites, on CW, SSB, FT4/8. QSL via DK5ON (d/B), ClubLog OQRS, LoTW. Thanks to DXNL DARC DX Newsletter March 6, 2024 (http://www.darcdxhf.de<http://www.darcdxhf.de/>). NOIRMOUTIER ISLAND SAT DXPEDITION 2024 F4DXV Jérôme (@F4DXV<https://twitter.com/F4DXV>) and EA4NF Philippe (@EA4NF_SAT<https://twitter.com/EA4NF_SAT>) announced that they will be activating Noirmoutier Island EU-064 IN86 from April 1 to 4, 2024 with the special callsign TM4J This International DXpedition is the 1st 100% SAT from this French island: GEO (QO-100) MEO (GREENCUBE IO-117) LEO (FM+SSB) Updates available on @TM4J_SAT<https://twitter.com/TM4J_SAT> A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at<https://hams.at/>. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location. [ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above information] ________________________________ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT-Francophone Seventh Amateur Radio Space Meeting Saturday March 16th - Sunday March 17th Electrolab Hackerspace à Nanterre 52 Rue Paul Lescop 92000 Nanterre, France https://site.amsat-f.org/ JAMSAT Symposium 2024 Saturday March 23rd - Sunday March 24th Hotel Binario Saga Arashiyama 3-4 Hiromichicho, Saga Tenryuji, Ukyo Ward Sagano, Kyoto, Japan https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=2446 2024 CubeSat Developer's Workshop Tuesday April 23rd - Thursday April 25th Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA https://www.cubesatdw.org/ Dayton Hamvention 2024 Friday May 17th - Sunday May 19th Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org<https://hamvention.org/> ________________________________ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store<https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AMSAT-Car-Flag-e…]<https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear> ________________________________ Satellite Shorts From All Over + Congratulations to both Eddy Schebesta, OE3SEU, and Paulo Bauer Jorge, F5VMJ, for their outstanding achievements in providing satellite contacts! Eddy has achieved an impressive 132 grid squares, earning him the AMSAT VUCC/r Award #13, while Paulo has excelled with contacts from 102 grid squares, earning him AMSAT VUCC/r Award #14. The Reverse VUCC or VUCC/r Award, originally introduced by the Central States VHF Society and now carried on by AMSAT, recognizes the dedication of satellite rovers like Eddy and Paulo. For more information about this prestigious award, you can visit the AMSAT website at https://www.amsat.org/reverse-vucc-or-vucc-r-award. Keep on roving, Eddy and Paulo, and continue to inspire others in the AMSAT community with your remarkable achievements! (ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information) + NASA will broadcast live coverage of SpaceX Crew-7's return to Earth from the International Space Station on March 10. The coverage will commence with a change-of-command ceremony at 11:55 a.m. EDT. Astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli, Andreas Mogensen, Satoshi Furukawa, and Konstantin Borisov will conclude their nearly six-month science mission. Weather permitting, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is set to undock on March 11 at 11:05 a.m., with splashdown targeted for as early as 5:35 a.m. on March 12 off the Florida coast. The live coverage will be available on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website, featuring farewell remarks, hatch closure, undocking, and splashdown events, as well as a media teleconference on March 12 with key participants. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information) + SpaceX is aiming for the third test flight of its Starship rocket on March 14, as announced through a post on the X platform. The Starship vehicle comprises a stainless-steel reusable upper stage, also known as Starship, and a Super Heavy first-stage booster, standing over 400 feet tall together. A recent critical fueling test at the Starbase facility in Texas involved pumping over 10 million pounds of liquid methane and liquid oxygen into the rocket. The upcoming launch follows two previous test flights in April 2023 and November 2023, where Starship faced issues like failure to separate from the first-stage booster and a subsequent explosion of the Super Heavy. After the second test, the FAA identified seventeen corrective actions, all of which SpaceX claims to have completed, addressing issues related to leak reduction, fire protection, and propellant vent operations. The Starship and Super Heavy, designed for full reusability, are pivotal for NASA's Artemis 3 mission to land astronauts on the moon by 2026. (ANS thanks Brett Tingley, Space.com, for the above information) + NASA has identified a growing air leak on the International Space Station (ISS) located at the end of the Russian service module. The leak, situated in Russia's Zvezda service module, initially released one pound of air per day but accelerated to over two pounds daily in early February. Despite the increased rate, NASA assures that it does not currently jeopardize the safety of the ISS crew or impact the station's operations. Collaboration between the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada is underway to address the situation. Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, confirms ongoing monitoring and asserts that there is no immediate threat to the crew or the station itself. The leak is in a three-foot-long area and has prompted precautionary measures, including sealing off the affected vestibule to mitigate further air loss from the rest of the space station. (ANS thanks Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, for the above information) + The inaugural components for Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket have reached the port of Pariacabo in Kourou, French Guiana, transported by the container ship, Canopée. Manufactured across Europe, the central core arrived on Canopée, which uses sails to reduce emissions and save up to 30% on fuel during its 10-day, 7,000 km journey. The rocket's stages were produced in various European locations, with the main engine and stage integrated in Les Mureaux, France, and the upper stage and insulation in Bremen, Germany. Following transport, the components were offloaded and taken to the Ariane 6 assembly building, a few kilometers away, where they will undergo integration before liftoff. The boosters, already at Europe's Spaceport, are P120C solid propulsion boosters similar to those used for the Vega-C rocket. The central core will be assembled horizontally and then transported to the launchpad, where it will be erected, followed by the addition of boosters and the upper stage, with the goal of a summer launch for Flight Model-1. (ANS thanks the European Space Agency for the above information) ________________________________ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. * Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half-time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org/> for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ ad0hj [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org/>

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ANS-063 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 03 Mar '24

03 Mar '24

*AMSAT *News Service*ANS-063* *March 3, 2024* In this edition: - ARISS 40th Anniversary Celebration Held at Kennedy Space Center - AMSAT-Francophone Hosts 7th Amateur Radio Space Meeting (RSR) March 16th and 17th - VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standing as of March 1, 2024 - Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 1, 2024 - ARISS News - Upcoming Satellite Operations - Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events - Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ------------------------------ ARISS 40th Anniversary Celebration Held at Kennedy Space Center ARISS held their 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Positive Impact of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight at Kennedy Space Center on February 22-24. Highlights of the event included a surprise live telebridge contact with the ISS via K6DUE where students present at the conference were able to ask questions of Astronauts Loral O'Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli aboard the ISS. It was also announced that the repaired HamTV module will launch on the SpaceX-30 resupply mission, scheduled for launch on March 12th. HamTV sends a 2.3 GHz amateur television video signal from the ISS to support student contacts and other projects. Discussions were held regarding the Amateur Radio Exploration (AREx) initiative with plans for amateur radio aboard Lunar Gateway. Teams are currently working with spectrum planners for frequencies between 2.4 and 10.5 GHz and the CAVIAR prototype on-station radio was demonstrated. Lou McFadin, W5DID, received a special achievement award. Lou has been active in amateur radio in human spaceflight since STS-9. The keynote speaker for the weekend was Richard Garriott, W5KWQ. His conference keynote was a retrospective of his father's amateur radio efforts entitled "Owen Garriott, W5LFL, Ham Radio Pioneer" and he also delieved a banquet keynote entitled "Exploration Endeavors in Space: Experiences and Leadership as a Private Astronaut and in Space Communication in LEO, to the Moon and Beyond." Stay tuned to ANS for further reports from this event. *[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]* ------------------------------ AMSAT-Francophone Hosts 7th Amateur Radio Space Meeting (RSR) March 16th and 17th The *AMSAT-Francophone* is organizing the* seventh Amateur Radio Space Meeting (RSR)* on *March 16 and 17, 2024* in Nanterre. This event, held within the framework of its general assembly, aims to bring together both amateur radio satellite users and the designers of these satellites (whether they are amateurs, students, or academics). The goal is to share and exchange ideas about their passion and projects. Here are the formats of activities that will be offered during these two days: - Conferences: These will last between 20 to 30 minutes. - Working sessions on predefined topics. - Unconference, where you get to define the topic. Admission to the conferences is free, and on-site catering will be available for your convenience. In addition, here are some additional details: - More than 20 conferences will be part of the program. - Participatory moments will take place (in a Grid format). - Over 17 speakers will share their knowledge and experiences. - The conferences will be broadcast on QO100 and Twitch - All conference are in French For more information, you can visit the AMSAT-Francophone website (AMSAT Francophone | L'activité radioamateur par satellite (amsat-f.org) <https://site.amsat-f.org/>) *[ANS thanks AMSAT-Francophone for the above information]* ------------------------------ *The 2024 Coins Are Here Now!Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.**Join <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> the AMSAT President’s Club today!* ------------------------------ VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standing as of March 1, 2024VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary February 01, 2024 to March 01, 2024 *Call* *1-Feb* *1-Mar* WC7V 1457 1550 AA5PK 1426 1450 N8RO 1423 1444 DF2ET 1200 1300 MI6GTY 970 1201 N0JE 1100 1175 KF7R 1100 1128 F4BKV 1000 1100 VE6WQ 814 1007 YO2CMI 820 1003 WI7P 882 975 N8JCM 917 952 JK2XXK 503 903 EA2AA 883 892 KQ4DO 853 880 KK4YEL 674 728 N8MR 675 684 JG6CDH 605 677 VE7PTN 301 635 IK3ITB 500 604 LA6OP 458 600 N7ZO 501 600 N3CAL 525 580 DL6KBG 500 550 VE4MM 536 550 WB7QXU 500 550 HP2VX 496 500 I3BUI New 500 JA1GZK 435 500 F6EQD 311 420 PA7RA 300 408 ZS2BK 305 405 KH6WI 300 400 N6PAZ 369 386 JI5USJ 301 355 LA9KY New 347 K6VHF 276 300 K7OGW New 300 DL5KUA 128 266 KB9DAK 171 255 JF3MKC 200 250 BX1AD New 237 KB2MFS New 215 PU5DDC 200 213 N2WLS 104 205 W6CZ 103 200 WD9EWK (DM42) 183 189 7J1ADJ New 164 KJ7SXR New 151 N4UFO New 150 BD8CBU New 132 KA9CFD New 126 HB9BIN New 119 BI1QGX New 102 N2YZH New 101 AA0K New 100 AG1A New 100 LZ3SV New 100 VK5DG New 100 Congratulations to the new VUCC holders! LZ3SV is first VUCC Satellite holder from Bulgaria and KN21 BX1AD is first VUCC Satellite holder from Taiwan and PL04 KJ7SXR is first VUCC Satellite holder from CN86 HB9BIN is first VUCC Satellite holder from JN37 LA9KY is first VUCC Satellite holder from JP65 BI1QGX is first VUCC Satellite holder from ON80 7J1ADJ is first VUCC Satellite holder from PL36 VK5DG is first VUCC Satellite holder from QF02 DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary February 01, 2024 to March 01, 2024 *Call* *1-Feb* *1-Mar* OE9DGV 210 212 SM3NRY 171 174 G4WFQ 143 173 RA3S 101 161 YO2KHK 151 156 OZ9AAR 151 153 DK9JC 100 152 ZS4TX 128 152 UX0FF 135 147 YO2RR 138 142 F6AOJ 129 139 SP3AU 137 138 PA7RA 113 133 IK5CBE New 131 IW7DOL 122 127 K8DP 122 125 XE1MEX 115 122 FG8OJ 114 116 LA0FA 109 112 UW7LL New 107 NS3L 100 104 EA5RM 101 103 DL5KUA New 101 AC9O New 100 Congratulations to the new DXCC Satellite holders! IK5CBE is first DXCC Satellite holder from JN53 DL5KUA is first DXCC Satellite holder from JO53 *[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information]* ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 1, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/ The following satellite has been removed from this week's AMSAT-NA TLE distribution: IT-SPINS NORAD Cat ID 49017 Decayed from orbit on or about 25 February 2024 *[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]* ------------------------------ *Need new satellite antennas? Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the **AMSAT Store! <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/>**When you purchase through **AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards **Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.* ------------------------------ ARISS News Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. *“IES Pedro Simón” Abril High School, Alcaraz, Spain, telebridge via K6DUE* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM The ARISS mentor is IKØUSO Contact is go for: Mon 2024-03-04 11:21:02 UTC 70 deg Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xgk4YZT5w4 As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down), If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html *[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]* ------------------------------ Upcoming Satellite OperationsQuick Hits: From…me! (K5ZM) I’ll be heading back to SGU for some sorely needed R & R and will be there from *Saturday, 2 Mar* through *Saturday, 9 Mar* and leaving on the morning of the 10th. Rove-wise, the main objectives are reactivations of the *DM46/DM47 & DM56/DM57 gridlines*, plus a trip just a bit farther south for the *DM44/DM45 gridline* -that will be new /r for me. Given the windshield time involved, I’m thinking these will take the form of a Mon/Wed/Fri scenario, but that’s not set in stone. I don’t necessarily care about the order in which I do them. Let me know your thoughts. I’ll probably hit DM36 (and of course DM37) and maybe another grid or two in between. Major Roves: *NOIRMOUTIER ISLAND SAT DXPEDITION 2024* *F4DXV* Jérôme (@F4DXV <https://twitter.com/f4dxv>) and *EA4NF* Philippe ( @EA4NF_SAT <https://twitter.com/ea4nf_sat>) announce that they will be actívating Noirmoutier island EU-064 IN86 from April 1 to 4, 2024 with the special callsign *TM4J* In an exciting initiative, Jérôme F4DXV and Philippe EA4NF are preparing for an exceptional expedition to the island of Noirmoutier from 1 to 4 April 2024. Bearing the special call sign TM4J, this experienced team will devote themselves entirely to exploring satellite possibilities, offering a unique opportunity to radio enthusiasts the world over. This international expedition will focus entirely on the LEO, GEO (QO-100) and MEO (GREENCUBE IO-117) satellites, with a variety of modes and operators. Jérôme and Philippe, experts in the field of portable satellite communications, will provide 24-hour coverage over several days, offering an unrivalled experience from this picturesque island in the Vendée. This International DXpedition is the 1st 100% SAT from this French island. Jérôme F4DXV: 120 DXCC LEO SAT 6 international DX expeditions by satellite 24 world distance records on LEO SAT Philippe EA4NF: 126 DXCC LEO SAT 16 international DX expeditions by satellite 1 world distance record on LEO SAT Captivating videos of their performances are available on YouTube, offering a glimpse of their expertise in amateur satellite communications in portable situations. The main objective of this expedition is to maximise contacts with various countries during the 3-day activation, while offering operators around the world the rare opportunity to contact the highly coveted IN86 grid, in addition to accumulating DXCC and IOTA contacts. Funded entirely by the two operators, the expedition will benefit from state-of-the-art technical resources, enabling uninterrupted activity 24 hours a day. This initiative also aims to raise awareness of amateur radio among the general public, by highlighting satellite communication both to visitors on site and through the media. Jérôme and Philippe will be happy to answer any questions you may have about amateur radio communication via satellite. Some picture are available on : Expédition Satellite sur l’Île de Noirmoutier en 2024 | AMSAT Francophone (amsat-f.org) <https://site.amsat-f.org/2024/02/29/expedition-satellite-sur-lile-de-noirmo…> *Updates available on @TM4J_SAT <https://twitter.com/tm4j_sat>* *[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above information]* ------------------------------ * Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store <https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space ------------------------------ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says, "Think a 75-minute presentation on "working the easy satellites" would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!" Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences. Scheduled Events *2024 CubeSat Developer’s Workshop* April 23-25, 2024 San Luis Obispo, CA https://www.cubesatdw.org/ *Dayton Hamvention 2024* Friday May 17th through Sunday May 19th, 2024 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org *[ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, and AMSAT for the above information]* ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts from All Over + Longtime satellite operator and AMSAT member George Carr, WA5KBH, became a silent key on Sunday, February 25, 2024. His obituary can be found at https://www.johnsonfuneralhome.net/obits/deacon-george-k-carr-ii/. George was a frequent and friendly presence on amateur satellites for many years. AMSAT extends our condolences to George's family and friends. + Bob Heil, K9EID, became a silent key this past week after a battle with cancer. From the Heil Facebook page: * "Our beloved founder, Dr. Bob Heil, K9EID, is now a Silent Key. Bob fought a valiant, year-long battle with cancer, and passed peacefully surrounded by his family. Bob’s lifelong passion for amateur radio was clear to everyone involved in the hobby. Everything Bob did for the betterment and growth of amateur radio - from his instructional handbooks and countless presentations to his support of the ARRL and youth programs - was based on the foundation and spirit of service. Bob was an Elmer to all of us. While Bob’s presence will dearly be missed, his impact on the hobby and everyone in it will forever be felt. On behalf of Bob to all ham radio operators worldwide, 73."* Dr. Heil was a longtime friend of AMSAT and we extend our condolences to his family and friends. (ANS thanks Heil for the above information.) + After spending over a decade on a mission in space, a defunct 5,000 pound satellite returned to Earth on Feb. 21, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean somewhere between Alaska and Hawaii. After tracking the dead satellite for most of the day, the European Space Agency confirmed the satellite had returned to earth by about 19:30 UTC. ERS-2 launched in 1995 and was initially planned to serve the ESA for three years. However, it remained in operation until 2011, providing data for over 5,000 projects, including tracking Earth's shrinking polar ice, sea levels and atmospheric make-up. The majority of the 2.5 ton satellite disintegrated in Earth's atmosphere, though remaining debris likely landed in the north Pacific. (ANS thanks USA Today for the above information.) + The International Space Station (ISS) took more than a quarter-century, 42 space launches, and $150 billion to build. Voyager Space is cooperating with multiple companies and space agencies, including Europe's Airbus, American defense contractor Northrop Grumman, and -- intriguingly -- Hilton Hotels, to build a "Starlab" commercial space station to replace the aging ISS. On Jan. 31, the Starlab space station team announced that it had hired SpaceX to launch its entire Starlab space station to Low Earth Orbit "in a single mission prior to the decommissioning of the International Space Station." SpaceX will use its new Starship megarocket for this mission. Furthermore, "Starlab will ... be fully outfitted on the ground, and ready to permanently host four crew members in LEO to conduct microgravity research and advanced scientific discovery," say the companies. (ANS thanks Yahoo! Finance and the Motley Fool for the above information.) + India has unveiled four Air Force pilots who have been shortlisted to travel on the country's maiden space flight scheduled for next year. The Gaganyaan mission aims to send three astronauts to an orbit of 400km and bring them back after three days. India's space agency, ISRO, has been carrying out a number of tests to prepare for the flight. The officers were introduced as Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla. If it succeeds, India will become only the fourth country to send a human into space after the Soviet Union, the U.S. and China. (ANS thanks the BBC for the above information.) + SLIM, the wrong-side-up Japanese lander, which had been hibernating through the two-week-long, -130 °C lunar night and the following week of unfavorable illumination angles (due to its aforementioned tipsy state), has somewhat surprisingly responded to commands from JAXA. The mission was not originally designed to survive the frigid night time temperatures. However, in a bit of situational irony, the agency had to shut the lander down again almost immediately due to overheating of the communications equipment in the 100 °C+ lunar mid-day. (ANS thanks the Orbital Index for the above information.) ------------------------------ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: - Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). - Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. - Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. - Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. *73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* *This week's ANS Editor,* *Paul Stoetzer, N8HM* *n8hm [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org>* *ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002*

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