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ANS-058 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 27 Feb '22

27 Feb '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-058 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * SanoSat-1 has been assigned Nepal-OSCAR 116 (NO-116) * The First Rocket from Mars * Tiny probes could sail to outer planets with the help of low-power lasers * Northrop Grumman Sends NASA Science, Cargo to International Space Station * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-058 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2022 Feb 27 SanoSat-1 has been assigned Nepal-OSCAR 116 (NO-116) On January 13, 2022, the SanoSat-1 satellite was launched on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Developed by ORION Space, AMSAT-Nepal, and AMSAT-EA, the satellite carries a radiation sensor payload and provides a store and forward capability. At the request of AMSAT-Nepal, AMSAT hereby designates SanoSat-1 as Nepal-OSCAR 116 (NO-116). We congratulate AMSAT-Nepal and their partners, thank them for their contribution to the amateur satellite community, and wish them continued success on this and future projects. [ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations/OSCAR Number Administrator, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The 2022 AMSAT President's Club coins have arrived! To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on October 15, 1972, this year's coin features an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6. Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The First Rocket from Mars. Two weeks ago, Lockheed Martin won a $194M contract to build the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) for the upcoming joint NASA-ESA Mars sample return campaign. The cost-plus contract covers the development and manufacture of 10 test and flight-ready MAVs over the next six years culminating in what will likely be, barring other unforeseen entrants, the first rocket launched on another planet (as opposed to a moon, comet, or asteroid). Lockheed will be supported by Northrop Grumman, who will build the MAV’s solid propulsion motors—updated STAR 15 & 20 solid rocket motors, originally developed in the early 70s, which will need to survive a multi-year cold soak along with their propellant. To keep propellant grains above -40° C, the 2.8-meter long MAV will be housed in “the igloo,” an insulated dome blanketed with CO2, which will be heated by solar-powered electric heaters in 16 separately-instrumented heating zones. Additional information and graphics may be found at: https://bit.ly/3aA7V1G All this is scheduled to kick off with the lander/rover/MAV combo launching NET 2026. Sample retrieval and launch to Martian orbit could take around 13 months after arrival, but samples won’t actually make it back to Earth until sometime in the first half of the 30s. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Tiny probes could sail to outer planets with the help of low-power lasers In this illustration, https://bit.ly/3hjGtsm, a low-power laser (red cone) on Earth could be used to shift the orbit (red lines) of a small probe (grey circle), or propel it at rapid speeds to Neptune and beyond. Space travel can be agonizingly slow: For example, the New Horizons probe took almost 10 years to reach Pluto. Traveling to Proxima Centauri b, the closest habitable planet to Earth, would require thousands of years with even the biggest rockets. Now, researchers calculate in ACS' Nano Letters that low-power lasers on Earth could launch and maneuver small probes equipped with silicon or boron nitride sails, propelling them to much faster speeds than rocket engines. Instead of catching wind, like the sails on boats, "laser sails" would catch laser beams and could, in principle, push spacecraft to nearly the speed of light. Scientists have been working on this concept for a while. For example, one privately funded project called the Breakthrough Starshot initiative aims to send a small, sailed probe weighing about a gram to Proxima Centauri b with a flight taking only 20 years. It would be propelled to 20% of light speed by a 100 GW, kilometer-square laser array. Ho-Ting Tung and Artur Davoyan wondered if much lower-power, smaller laser arrays could find use in applications where conventional electric and chemical rockets are now used. More information at: https://bit.ly/3Il7Mi4 [ANS thanks SpaceDaily.com <http://spacedaily.com/> for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- Northrop Grumman Sends NASA Science, Cargo to International Space Station Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket liftoff from pad 0A at 12:40 p.m. EST from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on Feb. 19, 2022. Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket liftoff from pad 0A at 12:40 p.m. EST from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on Feb. 19, 2022. The Cygnus spacecraft, carrying 8,300 pounds of science investigations and cargo, is scheduled to arrive at the space station on Monday, Feb. 21. A fresh supply of 8,300 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at 12:40 p.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 19, aboard a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft, and is now traveling to the International Space Station. The Cygnus spacecraft, which was launched on an Antares rocket, is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 4:35 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 21. NASA Television, the NASA app, and agency’s website will provide live coverage of the spacecraft’s approach and arrival beginning at 3 a.m. NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron will capture Cygnus with the station’s robotic Canadarm2 upon its arrival. The spacecraft will then be installed on the Earth-facing port of the station’s Unity module. This is Northrop Grumman’s 17th contracted resupply mission under the second Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. The delivery includes critical materials to support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations occurring during NASA’s Expedition 66 mission aboard the space station. Details of the mission at https://go.nasa.gov/3HouZP6. More of the article above at https://go.nasa.gov/3BXyXx5 [ANS thanks Robert Margetta and NASA News for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 24, 2022 The following satellite(s) have been added to this week's AMSAT TLE Distribution. Tevel 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 - NORAD Cat ID 50999 (Thanks to Dk3WN SatBlog for the identification.) A close TLE for Tevel-5 and Tevel-6 is NORAD Cat ID 50999. Since the Tevel series of satellites is very close together, NORAD Cat ID 50999 should work for satellites Tevel 1 thru 4 and Tevel 7 thru 8 also. [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, 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. Carter G. Woodson Middle School, Hopewell, VA, telebridge via K6DUE. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is Thomas Marshburn KE5HOC. Contact is go for: Mon 2022-02-28 14:43:53 UTC 36 deg Watch for Livestream at: https://youtu.be/KmFtTluF3aQ 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] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations A8/EA4NF: March 4-6 IL07, IL17 Hierro Island (FK78) ! If you want to try a QSO with this rare island,check FP and contact Philippe before to be in his NA shortlist KE0PBR: BL10 (HI) 2/26 through 3/5. Holiday style, but will announce on Twitter before hand (usually right before). KE0PBR will probably be on only FO-29 and RS-44, between 17:00UTC and 08:00UTC. 4A90, MEXICO (Special Event) continues. Members of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE)[Mexican Society]are celebrating their 90th anniversary during January, February and March 2022 promoting each of the 31 States and Mexico City with the following 32 different special event callsigns and 4A90FMRE: January 1-15th: 4A90COL, 4A90CMX, 4A90EMX, 4A90GTO, 4A90HGO, 4A90JAL and 4A90MIC January 16-30th: 4A90MOR, 4A90NAY, 4A90PUE, 4A90QRO, 4A90TLX and 4A90VER January 31st-February 14th: 4A90AGS, 4A90BAC, 4A90BCS, 4A90COA, 4A90CHH and 4A90DGO February 15th-March 1st: 4A90NLE, 4A90SLP, 4A90SIN, 4A90SON, 4A90TAM and 4A90ZAC March 2-16th: 4A90CAM, 4A90CHI, 4A90GRO, 4A90OAX, 4A90QUI, 4A90TAB and 4A90YUC Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4 and the satellites. Awards are available (see QRZ.com <http://qrz.com/> for details). For more details on the event, see:http://fmre90.puebladx.org <http://see:http//fmre90.puebladx.org> Frank Aiello, K3TRM, will be operating as PJ5/K3TRM from St. Eustatius between March 6 - 12, 2022. Activity will be on 40-10m using SSB and Digital (RTTY & FT8), and satellite. QSLs will be available via home call, buro, LoTW, ClubLog OQRS. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, 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 Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6CLS is making one of his outstanding Getting Started club presentations on Zoom, March 2 at 7:00PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific. Clint has added a new feature, he is being joined during the presentation by two special guests who will help explain SSB operations on linear satellites and will provide a live pass demonstration. Contact Clint for the latest information on his presentation schedule for the Getting Started With Amateur Satellites at 951-533-4984 or send a request at his website: https://bit.ly/3K0rEXY +Charlotte NC Hamfest March 11-12 (AMSAT Ambassador Phillip Jenkins, N4HF) Forum & demo(s) are Saturday only Cabarrus County Arena & Events Center 4551 Old Airport Rd, Concord, NC 28025 https://charlottehamfest.org/ (note: 2 day hamfest, but only open 4 hours on Friday the 11th.) +Raleigh NC Hamfest April 16 (AMSAT Ambassador Phillip Jenkins, N4HF) (info table and demos; possible forum, but not likely at this point) Jim Graham Building – NC State Fairgrounds 4285 Trinity Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607 https://www.rarsfest.org/ Scheduled Events with AMSAT involvement: + CubeSat Developers Workshop April 26–28, 2022 San Luis Obispo, CA + Hamvention 2022 May 20, 2022 to May 22, 2022 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 210 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 https://www.hamvention.org + 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention October 7, 2022 - October 9, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site. [ANS thanks AMSAT Ambassadors Clint Bradford, K6CLS and Phillip Jenkins, N4HF as well as Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + {Note that Shorts are always a single paragraph, no headlines} + From riverbed to crawlerway, the path to space goes through a unique Alabama resource. Alabama river rocks currently pave the path for rockets on the crawlerway at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This 4.2 mile road of rocks is crucial for launching NASA’s missions, specifically the upcoming launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed test flight of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion Spacecraft. A massive pair of machines called crawler-transporters have carried integrated rockets and spacecraft to Pads 39A and 39B for more than 50 years at Kennedy. Their initial design called for asphalt roads, but engineers quickly encountered issues. Asphalt couldn’t handle the weight of the 6.65-million-pound crawler on its own, much less with the weight of a rocket added to it. The asphalt also proved too sticky and therefore would not allow the crawler-transporter to turn properly, causing damage to its roller bearings. NASA conducted a study to find a material that would allow the crawler to make a proper turn and hold the weight required. The results: river rock. More at http://go.nasa.gov/3K0r3We <https://go.nasa.gov/3K0r3We> [ANS thanks Jennifer Harbaugh of NASA for the above information] + Rocket Lab to debut new launch pad on next mission Rocket Lab’s next mission, targeted for no earlier than Feb. 28, will be the first from a new launch pad at the company’s private spaceport in New Zealand, an addition officials said could double the flight rate of Electron launchers. The new launch pad, named Launch Complex 1B, lies 383 feet (117 meters) from Launch Complex 1A, the pad Rocket Lab has used for all 23 of its Electron rocket missions to date, according to a company spokesperson. More at https://bit.ly/3LUMBW6 [ANS thanks Stephen Clark of Spaceflight Now for the above information] + To survive frigid temperatures, spacecraft often use radioisotope heaters. Masten Space’s under-development NITE system is an alternative that uses the exothermic oxidation of metals with excess propellant to produce power and heat. They claim it saves ~$50 million over nuclear solutions and ~$10 million in reduced launch mass when compared to batteries. The project is partially funded through a 2020 NASA Tipping Point award. More information is avalable at: https://bit.ly/3BOVtbn. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information] +ESA is soliciting ideas and use cases for their proposed commercial lunar communication and navigation satellite network, which promises to allow for cheaper missions by providing shared infrastructure The proposale and timeline are available at: https://bit.ly/3pjcF3H. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index and ESA 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, Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ kd4iz at arrl dot org

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ANS-058 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by kd4iz＠frawg.org 27 Feb '22

27 Feb '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-058 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * SanoSat-1 has been assigned Nepal-OSCAR 116 (NO-116) * The First Rocket from Mars * Tiny probes could sail to outer planets with the help of low-power lasers * Northrop Grumman Sends NASA Science, Cargo to International Space Station * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-058 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2022 Feb 27 SanoSat-1 has been assigned Nepal-OSCAR 116 (NO-116) On January 13, 2022, the SanoSat-1 satellite was launched on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Developed by ORION Space, AMSAT-Nepal, and AMSAT-EA, the satellite carries a radiation sensor payload and provides a store and forward capability. At the request of AMSAT-Nepal, AMSAT hereby designates SanoSat-1 as Nepal-OSCAR 116 (NO-116). We congratulate AMSAT-Nepal and their partners, thank them for their contribution to the amateur satellite community, and wish them continued success on this and future projects. [ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations/OSCAR Number Administrator, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The 2022 AMSAT President's Club coins have arrived! To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on October 15, 1972, this year's coin features an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6. Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The First Rocket from Mars. Two weeks ago, Lockheed Martin won a $194M contract to build the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) for the upcoming joint NASA-ESA Mars sample return campaign. The cost-plus contract covers the development and manufacture of 10 test and flight-ready MAVs over the next six years culminating in what will likely be, barring other unforeseen entrants, the first rocket launched on another planet (as opposed to a moon, comet, or asteroid). Lockheed will be supported by Northrop Grumman, who will build the MAVs solid propulsion motorsupdated STAR 15 & 20 solid rocket motors, originally developed in the early 70s, which will need to survive a multi-year cold soak along with their propellant. To keep propellant grains above -40° C, the 2.8-meter long MAV will be housed in the igloo, an insulated dome blanketed with CO2, which will be heated by solar-powered electric heaters in 16 separately-instrumented heating zones. Additional information and graphics may be found at: https://bit.ly/3aA7V1G All this is scheduled to kick off with the lander/rover/MAV combo launching NET 2026. Sample retrieval and launch to Martian orbit could take around 13 months after arrival, but samples wont actually make it back to Earth until sometime in the first half of the 30s. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Tiny probes could sail to outer planets with the help of low-power lasers In this illustration, https://bit.ly/3hjGtsm, a low-power laser (red cone) on Earth could be used to shift the orbit (red lines) of a small probe (grey circle), or propel it at rapid speeds to Neptune and beyond. Space travel can be agonizingly slow: For example, the New Horizons probe took almost 10 years to reach Pluto. Traveling to Proxima Centauri b, the closest habitable planet to Earth, would require thousands of years with even the biggest rockets. Now, researchers calculate in ACS' Nano Letters that low-power lasers on Earth could launch and maneuver small probes equipped with silicon or boron nitride sails, propelling them to much faster speeds than rocket engines. Instead of catching wind, like the sails on boats, "laser sails" would catch laser beams and could, in principle, push spacecraft to nearly the speed of light. Scientists have been working on this concept for a while. For example, one privately funded project called the Breakthrough Starshot initiative aims to send a small, sailed probe weighing about a gram to Proxima Centauri b with a flight taking only 20 years. It would be propelled to 20% of light speed by a 100 GW, kilometer-square laser array. Ho-Ting Tung and Artur Davoyan wondered if much lower-power, smaller laser arrays could find use in applications where conventional electric and chemical rockets are now used. More information at: https://bit.ly/3Il7Mi4 [ANS thanks SpaceDaily.com for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- Northrop Grumman Sends NASA Science, Cargo to International Space Station Northrop Grummans Antares rocket liftoff from pad 0A at 12:40 p.m. EST from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on Feb. 19, 2022. Northrop Grummans Antares rocket liftoff from pad 0A at 12:40 p.m. EST from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on Feb. 19, 2022. The Cygnus spacecraft, carrying 8,300 pounds of science investigations and cargo, is scheduled to arrive at the space station on Monday, Feb. 21. A fresh supply of 8,300 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo launched from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at 12:40 p.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 19, aboard a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft, and is now traveling to the International Space Station. The Cygnus spacecraft, which was launched on an Antares rocket, is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 4:35 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 21. NASA Television, the NASA app, and agencys website will provide live coverage of the spacecrafts approach and arrival beginning at 3 a.m. NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron will capture Cygnus with the stations robotic Canadarm2 upon its arrival. The spacecraft will then be installed on the Earth-facing port of the stations Unity module. This is Northrop Grummans 17th contracted resupply mission under the second Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. The delivery includes critical materials to support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations occurring during NASAs Expedition 66 mission aboard the space station. Details of the mission at https://go.nasa.gov/3HouZP6. More of the article above at https://go.nasa.gov/3BXyXx5 [ANS thanks Robert Margetta and NASA News for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 24, 2022 The following satellite(s) have been added to this week's AMSAT TLE Distribution. Tevel 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 - NORAD Cat ID 50999 (Thanks to Dk3WN SatBlog for the identification.) A close TLE for Tevel-5 and Tevel-6 is NORAD Cat ID 50999. Since the Tevel series of satellites is very close together, NORAD Cat ID 50999 should work for satellites Tevel 1 thru 4 and Tevel 7 thru 8 also. [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, 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. Carter G. Woodson Middle School, Hopewell, VA, telebridge via K6DUE. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is Thomas Marshburn KE5HOC. Contact is go for: Mon 2022-02-28 14:43:53 UTC 36 deg Watch for Livestream at: https://youtu.be/KmFtTluF3aQ 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] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations A8/EA4NF: March 4-6 IL07, IL17 Hierro Island (FK78) ! If you want to try a QSO with this rare island,check FP and contact Philippe before to be in his NA shortlist KE0PBR: BL10 (HI) 2/26 through 3/5. Holiday style, but will announce on Twitter before hand (usually right before). KE0PBR will probably be on only FO-29 and RS-44, between 17:00UTC and 08:00UTC. 4A90, MEXICO (Special Event) continues. Members of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE)[Mexican Society]are celebrating their 90th anniversary during January, February and March 2022 promoting each of the 31 States and Mexico City with the following 32 different special event callsigns and 4A90FMRE: January 1-15th: 4A90COL, 4A90CMX, 4A90EMX, 4A90GTO, 4A90HGO, 4A90JAL and 4A90MIC January 16-30th: 4A90MOR, 4A90NAY, 4A90PUE, 4A90QRO, 4A90TLX and 4A90VER January 31st-February 14th: 4A90AGS, 4A90BAC, 4A90BCS, 4A90COA, 4A90CHH and 4A90DGO February 15th-March 1st: 4A90NLE, 4A90SLP, 4A90SIN, 4A90SON, 4A90TAM and 4A90ZAC March 2-16th: 4A90CAM, 4A90CHI, 4A90GRO, 4A90OAX, 4A90QUI, 4A90TAB and 4A90YUC Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4 and the satellites. Awards are available (see QRZ.com for details). For more details on the event, see:http://fmre90.puebladx.org Frank Aiello, K3TRM, will be operating as PJ5/K3TRM from St. Eustatius between March 6 - 12, 2022. Activity will be on 40-10m using SSB and Digital (RTTY & FT8), and satellite. QSLs will be available via home call, buro, LoTW, ClubLog OQRS. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, 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 Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6CLS is making one of his outstanding Getting Started club presentations on Zoom, March 2 at 7:00PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific. Clint has added a new feature, he is being joined during the presentation by two special guests who will help explain SSB operations on linear satellites and will provide a live pass demonstration. Contact Clint for the latest information on his presentation schedule for the Getting Started With Amateur Satellites at 951-533-4984 or send a request at his website: https://bit.ly/3K0rEXY +Charlotte NC Hamfest March 11-12 (AMSAT Ambassador Phillip Jenkins, N4HF) Forum & demo(s) are Saturday only Cabarrus County Arena & Events Center 4551 Old Airport Rd, Concord, NC 28025 https://charlottehamfest.org/ (note: 2 day hamfest, but only open 4 hours on Friday the 11th.) +Raleigh NC Hamfest April 16 (AMSAT Ambassador Phillip Jenkins, N4HF) (info table and demos; possible forum, but not likely at this point) Jim Graham Building NC State Fairgrounds 4285 Trinity Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607 https://www.rarsfest.org/ Scheduled Events with AMSAT involvement: + CubeSat Developers Workshop April 2628, 2022 San Luis Obispo, CA + Hamvention 2022 May 20, 2022 to May 22, 2022 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 210 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 https://www.hamvention.org + 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention October 7, 2022 - October 9, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site. [ANS thanks AMSAT Ambassadors Clint Bradford, K6CLS and Phillip Jenkins, N4HF as well as Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + {Note that Shorts are always a single paragraph, no headlines} + From riverbed to crawlerway, the path to space goes through a unique Alabama resource. Alabama river rocks currently pave the path for rockets on the crawlerway at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This 4.2 mile road of rocks is crucial for launching NASAs missions, specifically the upcoming launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed test flight of NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion Spacecraft. A massive pair of machines called crawler-transporters have carried integrated rockets and spacecraft to Pads 39A and 39B for more than 50 years at Kennedy. Their initial design called for asphalt roads, but engineers quickly encountered issues. Asphalt couldnt handle the weight of the 6.65-million-pound crawler on its own, much less with the weight of a rocket added to it. The asphalt also proved too sticky and therefore would not allow the crawler-transporter to turn properly, causing damage to its roller bearings. NASA conducted a study to find a material that would allow the crawler to make a proper turn and hold the weight required. The results: river rock. More at http://go.nasa.gov/3K0r3We [ANS thanks Jennifer Harbaugh of NASA for the above information] + Rocket Lab to debut new launch pad on next mission Rocket Labs next mission, targeted for no earlier than Feb. 28, will be the first from a new launch pad at the companys private spaceport in New Zealand, an addition officials said could double the flight rate of Electron launchers. The new launch pad, named Launch Complex 1B, lies 383 feet (117 meters) from Launch Complex 1A, the pad Rocket Lab has used for all 23 of its Electron rocket missions to date, according to a company spokesperson. More at https://bit.ly/3LUMBW6 [ANS thanks Stephen Clark of Spaceflight Now for the above information] + To survive frigid temperatures, spacecraft often use radioisotope heaters. Masten Spaces under-development NITE system is an alternative that uses the exothermic oxidation of metals with excess propellant to produce power and heat. They claim it saves ~$50 million over nuclear solutions and ~$10 million in reduced launch mass when compared to batteries. The project is partially funded through a 2020 NASA Tipping Point award. More information is avalable at: https://bit.ly/3BOVtbn. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information] +ESA is soliciting ideas and use cases for their proposed commercial lunar communication and navigation satellite network, which promises to allow for cheaper missions by providing shared infrastructure The proposale and timeline are available at: https://bit.ly/3pjcF3H. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index and ESA 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, Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ kd4iz at arrl dot org

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ANS-051 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Feb. 20
by Mark Johns, K0JM 20 Feb '22

20 Feb '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-051 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * ARISS Europe to Perform Special Digital SSTV Experiment * Nayif-1 (EO-88) Celebrates a Fifth Birthday in Orbit! * URESAT-1 -- A Chess-Playing Ham Radio Satellite * A DX-pedition to the World's Northernmost Habitable Place! * Amateur Radio Payloads on Cubesats from Western Australia * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 17, 2022 * Message to US Educators: ARISS Contact Opportunity * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-051 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2022 Feb 20 ARISS Europe to Perform Special Digital SSTV Experiment Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is planning for a special SSTV experiment. ARISS is the group that puts together special amateur radio contacts between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on the International Space Station (ISS) and develops and operates the amateur radio equipment on ISS. As part of its ARISS 2.0 initiative, the ARISS International team is expanding its educational and life-long learning opportunities for youth and ham radio operators around the world. ARISS Slow Scan Television (SSTV), which is the transmission of images from ISS using amateur radio, is a very popular ARISS mode of operation. To expand ARISS SSTV capabilities, the ARISS Europe and ARISS USA teams plan to perform special SSTV Experiments using a new SSTV digital coding scheme. For the signal reception, the software "KG-STV" is required, as available on internet. We kindly request that the amateur radio community refrain from the use of the voice repeater thin this SSTV experiment on 20th of February 2022 over Europe. This is a unique and official ARISS experiment. We kindly request keeping the voice repeater uplink free from other voice transmissions during the experiment time period. Also note that ARISS is temporarily employing the voice repeater to expedite these experiments and make a more permanent, more expansive SSTV capability fully operational on other downlink frequencies. The first experiment in the series will utilize ARISS approved ground stations in Europe that will transmit these digital SSTV signals. These will be available for all in the ISS footprint when SSTV transmissions occur. The first SSTV experiment is planned for 20 February 2022 between 05:10 UTC and 12:00 UTC for five ISS passes over Europe. Please be aware that this event depends on ARISS IORS radio availabilities and ISS crew support, so last-minute changes may occur. To promote quick experimental SSTV investigations--to learn and improve--the ARISS team will employ the ISS Kenwood radio in its cross-band repeater mode. The crossband repeater operates on a downlink of 437.800 MHz. Each transmission sequence will consist of 1:40 minute transmission, followed by 1:20 minute pause and will be repeated several times within an ISS pass over Europe. The used modulation is MSK w/o error correction. For the decoding of the 320 x 240 px image, the software KG-STV is required. The KG-STV software can be downloaded from the following link: " http://amsat-nl.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/kgstv_ISS.zip" The ZIP file contains the KG-STV program, an installation and setup manual, some images and MP3 audio samples for your first tests as well as links for additional technical information about the KG-STV use. The members of the ham radio community youth and the public are invited to receive and decode these special SSTV signals. Experiment reports are welcome and should be uploaded to " sstvtest(a)amsat-on.be" More information will be available on the AMSAT-NL.org web page: "https://amsat-nl.org/?page_id=568" [ANS thanks ARISS Team Member Oliver Amend, DG6BCE for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The 2022 AMSAT President's Club coins have arrived! To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on October 15, 1972, this year's coin features an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6. Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Nayif-1 (EO-88) Celebrates a Fifth Birthday in Orbit! Nayif-1 (EO-88) was launched at 03:58 UTC on February 15, 2017, on a PSLV launcher from India. It was part of a world record launch as the C37 flight carried 104 spacecraft into orbit. The transmitter was autonomously activated around 04:47 UTC and the first signals were received and decoded a few minutes later by KB6LTY and within a few hours more than 250 stations around the world had submitted telemetry reports to the Data Warehouse. After more than 27500 orbits of the earth, the spacecraft continues to function nominally. It switches between high power telemetry when in daylight to low power telemetry and transponder when in eclipse. The mission was developed by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and American University of Sharjah (AUS). The UAE’s first Nanosatellite was developed by Emirati engineering students from AUS under the supervision of a team of engineers and specialists from MBRSC within the framework of a partnership between the two entities, aiming to provide hands-on experience to engineering students on satellite manufacturing. [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- URESAT-1 -- A Chess-Playing Ham Radio Satellite The Unión de Radioaficionados Españoles reports intensive work is underway to make URESAT-1 available before the end of the year. If all goes according to plan, URESAT-1 will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in October 2022. A translation of the post by Spain's national amateur radio society URE says: URESAT-1 is based on the architecture used in the GENESIS, EASAT-2 and HADES missions but will include significant improvements, such as a 32-bit computer compared to the 8-bit computers of the previous satellites and improvements in the mechanisms of deployment of antennas and batteries. As for its functionalities, it will have a VHF / UHF FM repeater and FSK frames, like its predecessors. This will allow voice QSOs and digipeating of AX.25 and APRS frames. The payload is not yet defined, but it could be the same SSTV camera that flies in HADES, a thruster or some kind of experiment. Talks with universities and companies and is expected to be closed in the coming weeks. One of the projects that is confirmed is a chess game that will allow radio amateurs to play having as an opponent the on-board computer sending FSK frames with the movements, to which the on-board computer will answer in its telemetry. Several radio amateurs are working on the project and if it is completed by the time the satellite is due to be delivered, it will be included. The expected orbital altitude is around 525 km and the inclination will be polar, probably around 97 degrees, which would place it in the same orbital plane as its companions EASAT-2 and Hades. URE has created a blog in WordPress where the status of the project will be reported, including details of the functionalities and technicians. The blog can be found here https://uresat.ure.es/ [ANS thanks Southgate ARC for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ A DX-pedition to the World's Northernmost Habitable Place! DX-Adventure is a joint venture of Max-ON5UR and Erik-ON4ANN, and consists of 15 very enthusiastic people with all experience in participating or organizing a DX-pedition. The first DX-Adventure project is therefore immediately ambitious: The Arctic Archipelago - Svalbard - IOTA EU026 from April 19-26, 2022, operating as JW0X and on satellite as JW100QO. The setup is to be active with 5 stations on all HF bands in different modes (CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8-FT4). In addition, we have the ambition to be the first to activate EU026 on QO-100. Three team members take on the challenge of driving a snowmobile all the way to Kapp Linné, about 100km east of Longyearbyen. This is the only location that allows a "line of sight" on the QO-100 satellite. In addition, Kapp Linné is also on the edge of the satellite footprint - speaking of a challenge... Every contribution is welcome and appreciated. Read all about the DXpedition at https://www.dx-adventure.com/en/svalbard-dx-pedition/ [ANS thanks DX-adventure.com for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Amateur Radio Payloads on Cubesats from Western Australia Curtin University’s Space Science and Technology Centre in Perth Australia says they are planning on launching six more cubesats containing science, materials engineering, and amateur radio payloads. Their Binar-1 cubesat, which was deployed from the ISS in 2021, carried a packet radio test to verify onboard store and forward functionality for amateur packet radio to engage local schools. Binar-1 frequency coordination page (for reference of their previous amateur radio payload): http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=730 The entire article citing plans for six additional Binar cubesats can be accessed on-line at: https://particle.scitech.org.au/space/was-homegrown-spacecraft-is-putting-p… [Thanks to scitech.org.au for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 17, 2022 The following satellites have been added to this week's AMSAT TLE Distribution: Hxxxx - NORAD Cat ID 51080 (Thanks to Space-Track and CelesTrak for ID.) EASAT-2 - NORAD Cat ID 51081 (Thanks to Space-Track and CelesTrak for ID.) [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Message to US Educators: ARISS Contact Opportunity Call for Proposals: New Proposal Window is February 21, 2022 to March 31, 2022 February 16, 2022 — The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS. ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between January 1, 2023 and June 30, 2023. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. The deadline to submit a proposal is March 31, 2022 Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa/. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on March 3, 2022, at 8 PM ET. The Eventbrite link to sign up is: https://ariss-proposal-webinar-spring-2022.eventbrite.com The Opportunity Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session. An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact. Amateur Radio organizations around the world with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations’ volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using Amateur Radio. Please direct any questions to ariss.us.education(a)gmail.com (ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS PR Team, for the above information) --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. Recently completed: FH Aachen, University of Applied Sciences, Aachen, Germany, direct via DLØFHA with crewmember is Matthias Maurer, KI5KFH, using ISS callsign NA1SS. Contact was successful: Mon 2022-02-14 11:40:36 UTC 85 deg. Congratulations to the FH Aachen, University of Applied Sciences students and Matthias! Upcoming contacts: Erasmus-Gymnasium Denzlingen, Denzlingen, Germany AND Goethe-Gymnasium, Freiburg, Germany, Direct via DN1EME The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be DPØISS The scheduled crewmember is Matthias Maurer, KI5KFH Contact is go for: Tue 2022-02-22 10:05:11 UTC 53 deg Sussex County Charter School for Technology, Sparta, NJ, direct via KD2YAQ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Mark Vande Hei, KG5GNP Contact is go for: Wed 2022-02-23 15:31:11 UTC 74 deg Watch for Livestream at: https://youtu.be/U-gPHjI-2JY 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] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations EA4NF: March 4-6 IL07, IL17 El Hierro, Canary Islands. If you want to try the QSO, check for mutual footprints and contact Philippe in advance to be put in the NA shortlist. AD7DB & N7JY: DM22, 2/18-2/20 at the Yuma Hamfest! Events: Received via Email from JoAnne, K9JKM: 4A90, MEXICO (Special Event). Members of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE)[Mexican Society]are celebrating their 90th anniversary during January, February and March 2022 promoting each of the 31 States and Mexico City with the following 32 different special event callsigns and 4A90FMRE: February 15th-March 1st: 4A90NLE, 4A90SLP, 4A90SIN, 4A90SON, 4A90TAM and 4A90ZAC March 2-16th: 4A90CAM, 4A90CHI, 4A90GRO, 4A90OAX, 4A90QUI, 4A90TAB and 4A90YUC Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4 and the satellites. Awards are available (see QRZ.com for details). For more details on the event, see: http://fmre90.puebladx.org Please submit any additions or corrections to Ke0pbr (at) gmail.com [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, 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. + CubeSat Developers Workshop April 26-28, 2022 San Luis Obispo, CA + Hamvention 2022 May 20, 2022 to May 22, 2022 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 210 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 https://www.hamvention.org + 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention October 7, 2022 - October 9, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + AMSAT regrets to report the passing of Roy Welch, W0SL. Roy was very active on the satellites and wrote the ORBITS III tracking program. He was instrumental in placing a station in the St. Louis Science Center during the Soviet Space exhibit from mid 1992 to January of 1993. One memorable event during the exhibit was a contact between General Tom Stafford, Commander of the Apollo-Soyuz mission and the cosmonauts on board MIR. Roy is pictured at the station on the cover of the February 1993 issue of QST. (ANS thanks Mike Koenig, N0PFF, for the above information) + Two days after launching from Kazakhstan, a Russian Progress cargo freighter docked with the International Space Station on autopilot Thursday, Feb. 16, with a fresh delivery of food, crew supplies, experiments, and CubeSats that will be released outside the complex on a future spacewalk. Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, said the Progress MS-19 spacecraft delivered around 5,562 pounds (2,523 kilograms) of supplies to the station. The arrival of Progress MS-19 at the station marked the first docking at the orbiting outpost this year. Teams at Wallops Island, Virginia are preparing for launch of a Cygnus cargo ship Saturday, Feb. 19 on a commercial Antares rocket. If that launch occurs on time, the Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at the station Monday, Feb. 21. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information) + SpaceX is prepared to shift testing of its Starship next-generation launch vehicle from Texas to Florida if there are extended delays in an ongoing environmental review, company founder and chief executive Elon Musk said Feb. 10. In a long-awaited, and long-delayed, update about development of Starship at the company’s Boca Chica, Texas, test site, Musk said he thought the Federal Aviation Administration would complete an environmental review and award SpaceX a launch license for Starship launches as soon as March. One potential outcome of that review, though, is to perform a more rigorous environmental impact statement (EIS) that could take months. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information) + Astronomers have identified a Chinese rocket booster as an object on a trajectory to strike the Moon on March 4. The Chinese Chang'e 5-T1 mission launched in October 2014 on a Long March 3C rocket. This lunar mission sent a small spacecraft to the Moon as a precursor test for an eventual lunar sample return mission. The launch time and lunar trajectory are almost an exact match for the orbit of the object that will hit the Moon in March. "In a sense, this remains 'circumstantial' evidence," Bill Gray, who writes the widely used Project Pluto software to track near-Earth objects, wrote. "But I would regard it as fairly convincing evidence. So I am persuaded that the object about to hit the moon on 2022 Mar 4 at 12:25 UTC is actually the Chang'e 5-T1 rocket stage." (ANS thanks ARS Technica for the above information) + A company called Halibut Electronics has announced plans to produce and market a Satellite Optimized Amateur Radio (SOAR) rig. Video announcement at https://electronics.halibut.com/ (ANS thanks Halibut Electronics for the above information) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. * Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mark Johns, K0JM k0jm at amsat dot org

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ANS-044 AMSAT Weekly News Bulletin for February 13, 2022
by f.karnauskas＠amsat.org 13 Feb '22

13 Feb '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-044 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(a)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/ In this edition: * AMSAT Volunteer RF and Mechanical Engineers Needed * APRS Developer Bob Bruninga, WB4APR (SK) * IARU Region 1 Working to Resolve Potential Amateur Interference to Satellite Navigation System * Geomagnetic Storm Dooms 40 Starlink Satellites * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-044 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2022 Feb 13 AMSAT Volunteer RF and Mechanical Engineers Needed AMSAT Engineering is currently recruiting RF and mechanical engineers for its FOX-Plus and GOLF satellite programs. AMSAT is looking for an EE with RF experience for its FOX-Plus program. You will have the opportunity to design and build the RF communications subsystems for a series of low earth orbit, 1U-3U CubeSats to support AMSAT's educational and engineering objectives. You should have a working knowledge of analog and digital communications protocols (e.g., FM, PSK, FSK) to provide digitally synthesized audio for FM modulated VHF/UHF/SHF voice and telemetry channels. Development opportunities can begin with modification of previous FOX designs and/or by starting with a blank sheet for an original design. AMSAT is looking for Mechanical Engineers to join its FOX-Plus and GOLF CubeSat teams. You will have the opportunity to use your structural design and analysis skills in the development of a series of low earth orbit and highly elliptical orbit, 1U-3U CubeSats to support AMSAT's educational and engineering objectives. Your contribution may include a) the development of the spaceframe and deployable solar panel subsystem, b) the analysis of the thermal characteristics of the CubeSat and the design of the thermal management system, c) preparation and oversight of the environmental testing procedure, and/or d) management of documentation of the CubeSats adherence to the launch provider's and space vehicle owner's specifications. You will collaborate with AMSAT's all-volunteer teams of up to 12 electrical, mechanical, software and systems engineers. Our volunteers typically spend five hours per week on their project and attend a weekly online update meeting. An Amateur Radio license and CubeSat experience is helpful but not necessary. U.S. citizenship or proof of permanent residency is required. Interested persons should send an email with their resume/curriculum vitae to: volunteer (at) amsat (dot) org. [ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, VP Engineering and Jonathan Brandenburg, KF5IDY, Assistant VP Engineering for the above information.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2022 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered Iron-on AMSAT Logo Patch Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ APRS Developer Bob Bruninga, WB4APR (SK) The creator of the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS), Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, died on February 7. An ARRL Life Member, Bruninga was 73. According to his daughter, Bruninga succumbed to cancer and the effects of COVID-19. Bruninga had announced his cancer diagnosis in 2020. Over the years, he readily shared his broad knowledge of and experience with APRS, among other topics in the amateur radio and electronics fields. While best known for APRS, Bruninga was also a retired US Naval Academy (USNA) senior research engineer who had an abiding interest in alternative power sources, such as solar power. In 2018, he authored Energy Choices for the Radio Amateur, published by ARRL, which explores developing changes in the area of power and energy, and examines the choices radio amateurs and others can make regarding home solar power, heat pumps, and hybrid and electric vehicles. Bruninga drove an all-electric car and had experimented with a variety of electric-powered vehicles over the years. APRS originated in 1982, when Bruninga wrote his first data map program that plotted the positions of US Navy ships for the Apple II platform. A couple of years later, he developed what he called the Connectionless Emergency Traffic System (CETS) on the VIC-20 and C64 platforms for digital packet communications to support an endurance race. The program was ported to the IBM PC platform in 1988, and was renamed APRS in 1992. The recognized North American APRS frequency is 144.39 MHz, and APRS is globally linked via the internet. Bruninga founded the Appalachian Trail Golden Packet (ATPG) event, which fields APRS nodes from Stone Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine each July. ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, remembered Bruninga this way: "Bob kept pushing APRS beyond its origins as a position reporting system. He developed and helped implement numerous other uses of APRS in support of what has become the 'Ham Radio of Things,' with great potential for future amateur radio applications. Bob's far-reaching vision and imagination were as good as it gets." Bruninga mentored USNA midshipmen in building and launching amateur radio satellites and CubeSats, beginning with PCsat in 2001. PCsat was the first satellite to directly report its precise position to users via its onboard GPS module. Subsequent USNA spacecraft included PSK31 capability (HF to UHF) and other innovations. Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) ARRL liaison Rosalie White, K1STO, recalled that Bruninga attended many ARISS-International meetings and contributed “enormously” to ARISS APRS activities, leading a team in developing protocols and software for rapid message exchange via a packet “robot.” White said APRS remains a key staple in the new ARISS InterOperable Radio System (IORS) that’s now on board the ISS. She added that Bruninga offered input for future NASA Lunar and Gateway opportunities in which ARISS hopes to take part. Last year, ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, on behalf of ARRL, honored Bruninga with a brick in the ARRL Diamond Club Terrace at ARRL Headquarters. ARRL sent him a letter of appreciation along with a replica of the brick. Bruninga held a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech (Georgia Institute of Technology) and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. Bruninga was a 20-year US Navy veteran. Dayton Hamvention® honored him in 1998 with its Technical Excellence Award. Bruninga authored and co-authored numerous academic papers over the years, and was frequently in demand as a speaker and presenter at amateur radio gatherings. Survivors include his wife, Elise Albert; daughter, Bethanne Bruninga-Socolar, WE4APR, and son A.J. Bruninga, WA4APR. Arrangements are pending, although his daughter said that a celebratory memorial service will be held this summer in Annapolis, Maryland. [ANS thanks the ARRL for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- IARU Region 1 Working to Resolve Potential Amateur Interference to Satellite Navigation System IARU Region 1 (Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia) continues wrangling with the issue of interference potential to GALILEO global navigation satellite system (GNSS) sites in Europe from amateur radio operation in the 1240 - 1300 MHz (23-centimeter) band. Considerable work has gone into documenting an interference case on a single GALILEO channel between a "very local" Italian 23-centimeter repeater and receivers at the nearby European Commission Joint Research Centre in Ispra, where GALILEO applications are developed and tested. "This one case is often cited as the 'proof' that interference can occur," said Barry Lewis, G4SJH, the chair of IARU Region 1 Spectrum Affairs. As a consequence of this single instance of interference, the IARU has been engaged for several years in defending amateur interests on 23 centimeters. Considerable computer modeling has gone into the effort, in advance of World Radiocommunication Conference 23 (WRC-23). In 2018, the FCC granted, in part, the European Commission's request for a rules waiver so that non-federal devices in the US may access specific GALILEO signals to augment the US Global Positioning System. The two systems are interoperable and RF compatible. That Order permits access to two GALILEO satellite signals -- the E1 signal in the 1559 - 1591 MHz portion of the 1559 - 1610 MHz Radionavigation-Satellite Service (RNSS) band, and the E5 signal in the 1164 - 1219 MHz portion of the 1164 - 1215 MHz and 1215 - 1240 MHz RNSS bands. The Order does not grant access to the Galileo E6 signal on 1278.750 MHz in the 1260 - 1300 MHz band, which is not allocated for such services in the US. Omitting that channel eliminates any need for US radio amateurs to protect GALILEO receivers from interference. "The impact of traffic through this very local repeater (12.5 kilometers distant) on three different GALILEO receivers has been documented," Lewis said. "This work suggests that while RNSS receiver bandwidth can have a part to play in enabling coexistence, beyond that nothing has been reported that could help develop any coexistence criteria." IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ, stated last year that IARU does not want the Amateur Service to affect GALILEO system operation in any way. Lewis said the IARU has provided extensive information regarding amateur applications in the 1240 - 1300 MHz band as well as operational characteristics and data indicating the density of active transmitting stations and the busiest periods when these are most likely to be operational. "Amateur transmissions virtually anywhere in the band will be co-frequency with the RNSS receivers from one system or another," Lewis said. "It is therefore obvious that any RNSS receiver will be open to any co-frequency amateur transmission, and amateur operators have no way of knowing where or when a RNSS service user is active." Lewis suggests that "some compromises will need be necessary" to develop a co-existence model. [ANS thanks The ARRL Letter for the above information.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Geomagnetic Storm Dooms 40 Starlink Satellites SpaceX is in the process of losing up to 40 brand-new Starlink internet satellites due to a geomagnetic storm that struck just a day after the fleet's launch last week. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 49 Starlink satellites on Thursday (Feb. 3) from NASA's historic Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A day later, a geomagnetic storm above Earth increased the density of the atmosphere slightly, increasing drag on the satellites and dooming most of them. "Preliminary analysis show the increased drag at the low altitudes prevented the satellites from leaving safe mode to begin orbit-raising maneuvers, and up to 40 of the satellites will reenter or already have reentered the Earth’s atmosphere," SpaceX wrote in an update Tuesday (Feb. 8). The 49 satellites SpaceX launched last week were deployed in an initial orbit that skimmed as low as 130 miles (210 kilometers) above Earth at its lowest point. SpaceX has said it intentionally releases Starlink batches in a low orbit so that they can be disposed of swiftly in case of a failure just after launch. That orbit design, it turned out, left the fleet vulnerable to Friday's geomagnetic storm. "In fact, onboard GPS suggests the escalation speed and severity of the storm caused atmospheric drag to increase up to 50 percent higher than during previous launches," SpaceX wrote in its update. The satellites were then placed in a protective "safe mode" and commanded to fly edge-on "like a sheet of paper" to minimize drag effects as the company worked with the U.S. Space Force and the company LeoLabs to track them with ground-based radar, it added. But for most of the new Starlink satellites, the drag was too much. Locked in their safe mode, up to 40 of them were expected to fall out of orbit like space debris just days after their launch. "The deorbiting satellites pose zero collision risk with other satellites and by design demise upon atmospheric reentry — meaning no orbital debris is created and no satellite parts hit the ground," SpaceX wrote of the satellites' reentry. "This unique situation demonstrates the great lengths the Starlink team has gone to ensure the system is on the leading edge of on-orbit debris mitigation." [ANS thanks Space.com 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. + Upcoming Contacts FH Aachen, University of Applied Sciences, Aachen, Germany, direct via DLÃ˜FHA. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is Matthias Maurer, KI5KFH. Contact is go for Monday, February 14, 2022 at 11:40:36 UTC. + Completed Contacts Gewerbliche Schulen Donaueschingen, Donaueschingen, Germany, direct via DN2FIS. The ISS callsign was DPØISS. The downlink frequency was 145.800 MHz. The crewmember is Matthias Maurer KI5KFH. Contact was successful on Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 10:00 UTC. 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] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an amateur radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations 4A90, MEXICO (Special Event). Members of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE)[Mexican Society]are celebrating their 90th anniversary during January, February and March 2022 promoting each of the 31 States and Mexico City with the following 32 different special event callsigns and 4A90FMRE: February 15-March 1: 4A90NLE, 4A90SLP, 4A90SIN, 4A90SON, 4A90TAM March 2-16: 4A90CAM, 4A90CHI, 4A90GRO, 4A90OAX, 4A90QUI, 4A90TAB and 4A90YUC Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4 and the satellites. Awards are available (see QRZ.com for details). For more details on the event, see: http://fmre90.puebladx.org [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events + CubeSat Developers Workshop April 26-28, 2022 San Luis Obispo, CA + Hamvention 2022 May 20, 2022 to May 22, 2022 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 210 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 https://www.hamvention.org + 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention October 7, 2022 - October 9, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information.] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Astra failed to deliver four satellites to orbit as planned today (Feb. 10) in the company's first-ever orbital launch from the contiguous United States. The California startup's 43-foot-tall (13 meters) Launch Vehicle 0008 (LV0008) launched the ELaNa 41 mission from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station today, rising off the pad at 2000 GMT. The two-stage LV0008 performed well initially, soaring high into the Florida skies. But something appeared to go wrong about 3 minutes into flight, just after the rocket's first and second stages separated. Footage from a camera onboard the second stage showed the rocket body spinning rather than cruising smoothly toward its intended destination, an orbit with an altitude of 310 miles. Read the full story at https://www.space.com/astra-first-florida-launch-failure-february-2022. [ANS thanks Space.com for the above information. + The International Astronomical Union is establishing a new centre to focus the astronomy's response to huge networks of spacecraft being launched into LEO to deliver broadband internet connections from space. Its work will be led by the U.S. National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab) in Tucson, Arizona; and by the Square Kilometre Array Organisation (SKAO) in Manchester, UK. It will engage with, and encourage, satellite companies to make every effort to minimise the light pollution they are creating. But it will also pursue policy makers around the world to tighten the regulations on what is acceptable behavior in orbit. [ANS thanks BBC.com for the above information.] + A video of the Voyager 1 presentation given by radio amateur Daniel Estevez M0HXM/EA4GPZ at the Fosdem 2022 event is now available. Voyager 1 is the furthest spacecraft and the first ever to exit the solar system. Fueled by its radioisotope generators, after more than 40 years of flight it is still sending data about the interstellar medium using its 3.7 metre dish antenna and 8.4 GHz transmitter. In this talk, Daniel reports two adventures regarding the reception of the Voyager 1 signal. Watch the video at https://fosdem.org/2022/schedule/event/radio_voyager1/. [ANS thanks Southgate Amateur Radio News for the above information.] + NASA raised concerns about SpaceX's new Starlink satellites, including an increase of the risk of collision in orbit, in a letter to the FCC. The five-page letter was submitted to the FCC Tuesday, February 8, 2022. SpaceX submitted a proposal to the FCC to put 30,000 more Starlink internet satellites into orbit as part of a "Gen 2" Starlink system. There are currently about 1,800 operational Starlink satellites in orbit and there have already been several near-misses in orbit; one study has suggested Starlinks are responsible for half of all close encounters in low-Earth orbit. NASA has "concerns with the potential for a significant increase in the frequency of conjunction events and possible impacts to NASA's science and human spaceflight missions, Read the full story at https://www.space.com/nasa-collision-risk-starlink. {ANS thanks Space.com for the above information.] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. * Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org 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-037 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 06 Feb '22

06 Feb '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-037 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * Apogee View - November/December 2021 * VUCC Satellite Awards/Endorsements For February 2022 * FO-29 Enters Full Sun Period, Analog Transponder Active * Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for February 3, 2022 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-037 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2022 Feb 6 Apogee View - November/December 2021 As 2021 comes to a close, AMSAT’s schedule for 2022 is quickly filling up. Our Engineers will be busy with GOLF, launching a new program, called Fox +, and beginning to formulate our return to high earth orbits. Additionally, in-person events are kicking off again, starting with + Feb 11-13, Hamcation, Orlando, FL + Apr 26-28, CubeSat Developers Workshop, San Luis Obispo, CA + May 20-22, Hamvention, Xenia, OH + Aug 6-11, Small Satellite Conference, Logon, UT + Oct 21-22, 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, Bloomington, MN If your schedule allows it, I hope you will join us on this exciting ride. Fox + At the December 7, 2021 Board of Directors Meeting, Jonathan Brandenburg, KF5IDY, presented a plan for a sustained presence of “Easy Sats” in low earth orbit. As I mentioned back in the July/August 2021 Apogee View, Easy Sats play a critical role in introducing amateur radio in space, so I was both excited and impressed with Jonathan’s proposal. Fox + (Plus), as the new program will be called, is based on the Fox-1 bus design and will develop a new transceiver and power system in an open-hardware and open-source environment. In addition, Fox + CubeSats will be able to host both student science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiments and AMSAT radio experiments. Of course, the Board enthusiastically and unanimously approved Jonathan’s Fox + proposal. I want to personally thank Jonathan for developing this forward-thinking program and congratulate him on being appointed Assistant Vice-President, Engineering. Well done and well deserved. A Sad Farewell It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of Robert “Bob” Davis, KF4KSS, on Friday, December 10, 2021. Bob has been involved with every AMSAT & ARISS project since 1996, including Phase 3D (AO-40), Eagle, Suitsat, ARISSAT, the FOX series of satellites, and, most recently, the GOLF program. His expertise in mechanical engineering and willingness to share will be sorely missed. Lou McFadin, W5DID, has written a nice tribute to Bob for this issue of The AMSAT Journal, and many have shared pictures of their time with Bob. Please take a few moments to read and reflect. God speed, Bob, and thank you for sharing your life with us. A Welcome Surprise Earlier this year, I was notified that AMSAT had been named as one of the beneficiaries of the Robert Donnell, Sr. (KD7NM) and Joan Donnell Trusts. AMSAT received an initial distribution of $250,000 in December. AMSAT was not aware of the Donnell’s bequest until the attorney handling the Trust distribution notified us. I am ashamed to admit that I did not have the chance to meet or even know of Robert and Joan Donnell. Scouring the internet and our records, I did find Robert’s callsign, KD7NM, see where he posted to the AMSAT-Bulletin Board, and was active in ARES and packet radio in the State of Washington. Robert Donnell, Sr. KD7NM passed away on August 24, 2011, and was followed by his wife, Joan, February 4, 2013. Robert and Joan’s daughter, passed away in September 2019, which may offer some explanation as to the later distribution of the Donnell estate. If you have any further information on Robert Donnell, please let me know. I think it is important to know as much as we can about the person who thought so much of AMSAT. While we are greatly appreciative of this tremendous gift, please do not make the assumption that AMSAT does not need more help. We have an ambitious, forward-thinking plan for the future ( https://www.amsat.org/strategicplan/) that takes us to new heights and encourages the next generation to reach for the stars, but space is not cheap. We need your help your help to get us there. Knowing that all of our planned initiatives cannot be funded strictly from membership dues and donations, AMSAT submitted three separate grant requests to Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) in November. One is to fund a commercially-purchased and launched 1U FM CubeSat to help relieve some of the strain on the remaining EasySats until AMSAT can develop the Fox + program. Our second request is to fund the open-hardware design and construction of GOLF program’s 3U frame and deployable solar panels. And finally, our third request is for the initial kickoff of the AMSAT Youth Initiative Program, the purpose of which is to promote interest among youth in STEM topics and opportunities, particularly those related to satellite technologies, communications and electronics, and how those technologies improve life here on Earth. I will keep you apprised, as soon as I hear something. Help Wanted Big plans and finding the money to fund them is a great start, but we cannot make it happen without volunteers. As an all-volunteer, member organization, AMSAT depends on the generosity of people, donating their time and expertise, to develop the next generation of amateur radio satellites, but, also, share that knowledge with the rest of the world. If your expertise is in engineering, education, journalism, project management, or even office administration, we could use your help. Come join us on our journey Onward & Upward. [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT President, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The 2022 AMSAT President's Club coins have arrived! To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on October 15, 1972, this year's coin features an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6. Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ VUCC Satellite Awards/Endorsements For February 2022 VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for January 01, 2022 to February 01, 2022: WD9EWK (DM43) 671 675 VE6WQ 232 541 G0IIQ 251 519 VE4MM 421 432 KQ4DO 406 426 EA2AA 400 425 F4BKV 200 400 N7UJJ 201 250 KC9ELU 233 249 N8MR 175 206 YS1MS New 169 4J6D New 150 AA0MZ 116 138 JH0BBE 112 129 S21RC New 107 IK7FMQ New 103 K2MJP New 101 KC8T New 100 The above automated from a script from Doug-K8DP, thanks Doug! [ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ FO-29 Enters Full Sun Period, Analog Transponder Active FO-29 has entered a period of full sun and the analog V/u linear transponder has been active continuously since 10:00 UTC on January 31st. The current full sun period will last until the end of April. Between April and July, the satellite will resume entering eclipses, but will return to full sun at the end of July. While the satellite is in full sun, continuous operation of the transponder should be possible. If the battery voltage does drop below the configured threshold voltage, causing the transponder to shut down, the transponder will be reactivated after approximately two days. FO-29 was launched in August 1996 and has been one of the most popular amateur radio satellites during its long lifetime due to its very sensitive 100 kHz wide transponder, stable downlink with 1 watt output, and orbit of 1320 km x 801 km supporting intercontinental QSOs, even with low power and minimal equipment. Due to increasing eclipse periods and aging batteries, operation of the satellite's linear transponder has been limited since July 2019. The uplink of the inverting linear transponder is 145.900 MHz - 146.000 MHz and the downlink is 435.800 MHz - 435.900 MHz. [ANS thanks JARL and JA1OGZ for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for February 3, 2022 The following satellites have been added to this week's AMSAT TLE Distribution. IRIS-A - NORAD Cat ID 51044 (Thanks to Nico Janssen for the identification.) GASPACS - NORAD Cat ID 51439 (Thanks to Nico Janssen for the identification.) Still waiting for the SpaceTrack Catalog ID for Tevel-1 thru Tevel-8, SO-114 (EASAT-2), and SO-115 (HADES) to be identified. Sorry, we still need a little more separation to identify these satellites. [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News Gewerbliche Schulen Donaueschingen, Donaueschingen, Germany, direct via DN2FIS The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be DPØISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crew member is Matthias Maurer KI5KFH Contact is go for: Thu 2022-02-10 10:00:59 UTC 71 deg Watch for Livestream at: https://www.kmz-sbk.de/livestream/ The USOS ARISS station is currently operating in voice cross-band repeater mode 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 SSTV Activation: The Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) will be conducting their routine SSTV experiment during orbits that pass within range of Moscow, Russia on February 7 and 8. They typically operate PD180 on a downlink frequency of 145.800 MHz using the Kenwood D710E located in the Service Module. The images are sent with about 3 minute gaps between transmissions. Feb. 7 - Start about 08:35 UTC, stopping about 15:05 UTC. Feb. 8 - Start about 10:40 UTC, stopping about 14:30 UTC. Received images can be uploaded at https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations Events: 4A90, MEXICO (Special Event). Members of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE)[Mexican Society]are celebrating their 90th anniversary during January, February and March 2022 promoting each of the 31 States and Mexico City with the following 32 different special event callsigns and 4A90FMRE: January 31st-February 14th: 4A90AGS, 4A90BAC, 4A90BCS, 4A90COA, 4A90CHH and 4A90DGO February 15th-March 1st: 4A90NLE, 4A90SLP, 4A90SIN, 4A90SON, 4A90TAM March 2nd-16th: 4A90CAM, 4A90CHI, 4A90GRO, 4A90OAX, 4A90QUI, 4A90TAB and 4A90YUC Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4 and the satellites. Awards are available (see QRZ.com for details). For more details on the event, see: http://fmre90.puebladx.org [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, 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. Clint Bradford, K6LCS, AMSAT Ambassador gave his “Getting Started“ presentation last June to a great club on the east coast – now they want MORE! The club has asked for a speaker to cover working the linear satellites. EME is of interest to them too! Clint would appreciate help finding a Zoom-capable speaker. For further details, please contact Clint Bradford, K6CLS at: Email: clintbradford [at] mac DOT com or 951-533-4984 – cell + ARRL National Convention February 10-13, 2022 DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld 10100 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32821 + Orlando HamCation February 11-13, 2022 Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park 4603 West Colonial Drive Orlando, Florida 32808 + CubeSat Developers Workshop April 26–28, 2022 San Luis Obispo, CA + Hamvention 2022 May 20, 2022 to May 22, 2022 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 210 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 https://www.hamvention.org + 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention October 7, 2022 – October 9, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, and Clint Bradford, K6LCS, 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 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Satellite Shorts From All Over + The February 2022 operating schedule for FO-99 is available at https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=1748 + 2 CubeSats were deployed from the Japanese Kibo module of the International Space Station on February 3rd, Light-1 from the UAE and GT-1 from Georgia Tech. + NASA released an updated transition plan for the ISS on Janaury 31st. The updated plan provides for continued operation through 2030 and de-orbiting in 2031. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-provides-updated-international-space-stat… --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 dot org

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ANS-030 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins For January 30, 2022
by kd4iz＠frawg.org 30 Jan '22

30 Jan '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-030 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * AMSATs GOLF-TEE CubeSat de-manifested from launch on ELaNa-46 * Weak Signals Heard from Spanish Satellites EASAT-2 and HADES * Svalbard QO-100 Satellite DX-Pedition Announced * Orbital Mechanics for New and Experienced Satellite Operators * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 27, 2022 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-030 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2022 Jan 30 AMSATs GOLF-TEE CubeSat de-manifested from launch on ELaNa-46 NASA has de-manifested GOLF-TEE from the ELaNa-46 mission at the request of AMSAT. ELaNa-46 was expected to launch no earlier than 2022. COVID-related restrictions and supply chain disruptions, affecting both AMSATs vendors and team, have put AMSATs ability to meet the mission integration timeline at high risk. AMSAT Vice-President Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, described some of the reasons for this decision: AMSAT finds itself in a similar situation to what other payloads and space-industry providers are experiencing. The worldwide pandemic and supply chain shortages are threatening everyones ability to properly and successfully deliver for launches. Out of respect for NASA, the launch provider, and other payloads, it is important to withdraw now, rather than later or, even worst, missing a launch integration deadline, which has possible financial penalty implications. GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1 have both been selected to participate in NASAs CubeSat Launch Initiative program, and NASA will continue to look for another launch for GOLF-TEE. AMSATs GOLF program plays an important role in AMSATs return to highly elliptical orbits. In addition to proving the maneuverability capabilities required by current and proposed orbital debris regulations, the GOLF program will work through a series of increasingly capable spacecraft to develop skills and learn systems for which we do not yet have the necessary low-risk experience. Among these are active attitude control, deployable/steerable solar panels, radiation tolerance for Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) components in higher orbits, and propulsion. The TEE designation in GOLF-TEE stands for Technology Exploration Environment and reflects GOLF-TEEs mission goal to test two critical systems needed for higher orbits. The first is an Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) that will allow active pointing of high gain satellite antennas, provide accurate attitude adjustments in future missions with maneuverability systems, and allow pointing the fixed solar panel array for best solar power in any given orbit type. The second is the Radiation-Tolerant Integrated Housekeeping Unit (RTIHU), which will allow AMSAT to gain initial orbit and space radiation exposure for radiation event-induced fault tolerant systems designed using COTS components. GOLF-TEEs RTIHU includes a command transceiver, and its design is based on the Hercules line of ARM architecture-based microcontrollers. GOLF-TEE will also evaluate a low-cost, deployable, fixed attitude, solar panel array design as part of AMSAT Engineerings exploration of fixed panel arrays that allow for outfitting a variable number of wings in order to best match the power requirements of various CubeSat missions. Additionally, GOLF-TEE will carry a modified Ettus E310 commercial software-defined radio (SDR), as an experimental package, to test the high speed data downlink in the 10 GHz band and a parrot V/x mode linear transponder to provide users with an opportunity to experiment with the 10 GHz microwave downlink. GOLF-TEE will also carry a legacy V/u linear transponder. GOLF-1 will build on technology and lessons learned from the GOLF-TEE mission; however, it will be a return to STEM-based educational missions, including hosted student radiation and imaging experiments in collaboration with AMSATs educational partners. GOLF-1 will require a more comprehensive de-orbiting plan and hardware that are in compliance with NASAs NPR 8715.6 NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital Debris in order to be manifested on an ELaNa launch to the high altitude AMSAT is seeking. A significant amount of funding is necessary to complete the development and construction of the GOLF series of CubeSats. Please consider a donation today. Donations designated for the AMSAT GOLF program may be made at https://www.amsat.org/donations/amsat-golf-program-donations/ [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, President AMSAT for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The 2022 AMSAT President's Club coins have arrived! To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on October 15, 1972, this year's coin features an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6. Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Weak Signals Heard from Spanish Satellites EASAT-2 and HADES AMSAT-EA (Spain) has said it appears that EASAT-2 and HADES are transmitting, and that weak signals have been heard, but the satellites antennas may not have deployed. We confirm the reception of both EASAT-2 and HADES, as well as the decoding of telemetry and the FM recorded voice beacon with the call sign AM5SAT of the first one. EASAT-2 appears to be working well, except for the deployment of the antennas something that apparently has not yet occurred and causes weak signals, said AMSAT-EA Mission Manager Felix Paez, EA4GQS. However, the AMSAT-EA team confirms that, based on the reception of FSK, CW, the FM voice beacon, and the telemetry data that has been decoded, it can be said that the satellite is working perfectly. In the event of low battery or system malfunction, the onboard computer would not transmit CW messages or the voice beacon call sign, as it would be in [safe mode] with only fast and slow telemetry transmissions. At the request of AMSAT-EA, EASAT-2 has been designated as Spain-OSCAR 114 (SO-114) and HADES as Spain-OSCAR 115 (SO-115). These signals that confirm the operation of both satellites were received by Daniel Estévez, EA4GPZ, at 1807 UTC on Saturday, January 15, using two antennas from the Allen Telescope Array. Doppler observations from the co-launched Delfi-PQ satellite and the amateur radio community have been used to identify the satellites orbits or TLEs. AMSAT-EA reports that Estévez performed a preliminary analysis using just one polarization of one of the Allen Telescope Array satellite dishes. EASAT-2 was detected with a relatively strong signal, close to the Delfi-PQ signal, obtaining voice FM beacon transmissions and FSK, FSK-CW at 50 baud, AMSAT-EA said. The CW beacon clearly shows the message VVV AM5SAT SOL Y PLAYA, which is one of several that both satellites emit, although the call sign AM5SAT confirms that it is EASAT-2, AMSAT-EA said. In the recording made by EA4GPZ, there is also a faint trace confirmed to be from HADES and stronger packets probably from the IRIS-A satellite. AMSAT-EA reports that signals from HADES are weaker than those of EASAT-2, most likely because the onboard computer has not yet managed to deploy the antennas either, although it will continue trying regularly, AMSAT-EA said. The reason the signals are suspected to be weaker at HADES is that the antennas are more tightly folded than those of EASAT-2. In any case, this is great news, since the transmission pattern confirms the proper functioning of the satellite. In the observations, you can see the FSK tones with a deviation of about 5 kHz interspersed with the FM carrier corresponding to the voice beacon of the satellite, which has call sign AM6SAT. The AMSAT-EA team is working to try to decode the telemetry signals and obtain more detailed information on the state of the satellite. AMSAT is asking amateurs with very high-gain antennas to try to receive them especially HADES. If we could decode telemetry, it would be very helpful for us. AMSAT-EA said. Until antennas are deployed, it will be very difficult to use their repeaters or to receive any SSTV camera images from HADES, but we hope that this will happen sooner or later, at least because, even if the computer doesnt succeed applying heat to the resistor where the thread [retaining the antennas] is attached, with time, the thread should break due to the space environment conditions. Details of the decoded telemetry and voice, as well as more details in: https://www.amsat-ea.org/ (Texts are In Spanish) And in the following Twitter threads: EASAT-2 transmissions: https://twitter.com/ea4gpz/status/1482457631566487553 EASAT-2 decodings by Gabriel Otero: https://twitter.com/gaoterop/status/1482758196037050382 HADES transmissions: https://twitter.com/ea4gpz/status/1482696274797338625. [ANS thanks Felix Paez, EA4GQS, AMSAT-EA Mission Manager and AMSAT News Service for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Svalbard QO-100 Satellite DX-Pedition Announced The very first Svalbard QO-100 Satellite DX-Pedition will take place April 22-24, 2022 from Kapp Linné Isfjord Radio at 78° North. ON4CKM Cedric, ON5UR Max and ON4DCU Patrick will take up the challenge and travel to Kapp Linné and stay there for 3 days, trying to be active 24 hours a day via the Qatar-OSCAR 100 satellite. They will operate two QO-100 satellite stations under the callsigns JW0W and JW100QO, while JW0X will be used by another team for contacts on shortwave. With QO-100 only 3° above the horizon, Kap Linné was the only suitable place in the area with Svalbard at the edge of the satellite footprint. Looking for a suitable location to stay and getting there, is one of the biggest challenges and cost drivers for the team. This is indeed a very unique opportunity to work this rare location and DXCC via satellite. And if they are lucky, they might also be able to contact DP0GVN at the german antarctic research Neumayer-Station III for the North/South distance record via QO-100. The team is seeking donations. Additional information and graphics may be found at: https://bit.ly/3KLZsJI. [ANS thanks Peter Gülzow, DB2OS, President AMSAT-DL for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Orbital Mechanics for New and Experienced Satellite Operators Bob Meyers, WA8FXQ posted a useful link he discovered in the most recent Orbital Index. It is particularly good for those who want a better understanding of fundamental behind GPS. The link's author, Bartosz Ciechanowski, is a blogger who focuses on explorations of physics, math, and engineering. His animations couple with his straight forward explanations to create a clear view of each topic he tackles. His current blog post is focused on the principles behind GPS systems, however in the process of explaining how GPS systems work, he tackles orbital mechnics and the relationship of orbital altitude to radio footprint of satellites. His excellent animations make it possible for him to present the rather complicated mathematics visually and without requiring the viewer to have a strong mathematical background. His blog on the GPS system may be seen at: https://ciechanow.ski/gps/. He is also a Patreon creator and fields questions and discussions on that platform. [ANS thanks Bob Meyers, WA8FXQ and The Orbital Index for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 27, 2022 The following satellite has been added to this week's AMSAT TLE Distribution. Grizu-263a - NORAD Cat ID 51025 (Thanks to Space-Track/CelesTrak for the identification.) Still waiting for the SpaceTrack Catalog ID for Tevel-1 thru Tevel-8, EASAT-2, and Hades to be identified. For info on these satellites, see AMSAT News Service Bulletin ANS-023 (January 23.2022) on www.amsat.org Finally, per AMSAT News Service Bulletin ANS-023, AMSAT-EA Receives Two OSCAR Designations: SO-114 & SO-115. Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations/OSCAR Number Administrator wrote: "At the request of AMSAT-EA, AMSAT hereby designates EASAT-2 as Spain-OSCAR 114 (SO-114) and HADES as Spain-OSCAR 115 (SO-115). We congratulate AMSAT-EA, thank them for their contribution to the amateur satellite community, and wish them continued success on this and future projects." [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS NEWS: Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2022-01-27 01:30 UTC 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. Lewis Center for Educational Research, Apple Valley, CA, telebridge via K6DUE. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is Thomas Marshburn KE5HOC. Contact is go for: Mon 2022-01-31 17:47:42 UTC 35 deg Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is Pyotr Dubrov. Contact is go for Wed 2022-02-02 08:45 UTC Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium, Lebach, Germany, direct via DLØJKG (***). The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be DPØISS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is Matthias Maurer KI5KFH. Contact is go for: Fri 2022-02-04 11:37:09 UTC 25 deg The next mode change to voice cross band repeater is expected to occur in late January/early February 2022. 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] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations {Copy directly from https://www.amsat.org/satellite-info/upcoming-satellite-operations/ however, leave out sub-headings for "Major Roves" or "Quick Hits." If time permits, edit out first-person comments such as "I will be going to ...." Make these third-person as news reports.} ISS Is in packet mode as of Jan 11th. 145.825 up and down. Going back to cross band repeater on 1/31. 4A90, MEXICO (Special Event). Members of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE)[Mexican Society]are celebrating their 90th anniversary during January, February and March 2022 promoting each of the 31 States and Mexico City with the following 32 different special event callsigns and 4A90FMRE: January 1-15th: 4A90COL, 4A90CMX, 4A90EMX, 4A90GTO, 4A90HGO, 4A90JAL and 4A90MIC January 16-30th: 4A90MOR, 4A90NAY, 4A90PUE, 4A90QRO, 4A90TLX and 4A90VER January 31st-February 14th: 4A90AGS, 4A90BAC, 4A90BCS, 4A90COA, 4A90CHH and 4A90DGO February 15th-March 1st: 4A90NLE, 4A90SLP, 4A90SIN, 4A90SON, 4A90TAM and 4A90ZAC March 2-16th: 4A90CAM, 4A90CHI, 4A90GRO, 4A90OAX, 4A90QUI, 4A90TAB and 4A90YUC Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4 and the satellites. Awards are available (see QRZ.com for details). For more details on the event, see:http://fmre90.puebladx.org [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, 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. Clint Bradford, K6LCS, AMSAT Ambassador gave his Getting Started presentation last June to a great club on the east coast - now they want MORE! The club has asked for a speaker to cover working the linear satellites. EME is of interest to them too! Clint would appreciate help finding a Zoom-capable speaker. For further details, please contact Clint Bradford, K6CLS at: Email: clintbradford [at] mac DOT com or 951-533-4984 - cell + ARRL National Convention February 10-13, 2022 DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld 10100 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32821 + Orlando HamCation February 11-13, 2022 Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park 4603 West Colonial Drive Orlando, Florida 32808 + CubeSat Developers Workshop April 2628, 2022 San Luis Obispo, CA + Hamvention 2022 May 20, 2022 to May 22, 2022 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 210 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 https://www.hamvention.org + 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention October 7, 2022 - October 9, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site. Clint Bradford K6CLS, AMSAT Ambassador writes: "I have a really great club needing a speaker specializing in SSB, and touching on EME. They were given my Getting Started presentation last year, and want MORE! An East Coast club meets on Wednesdays Please send me a private email message if youre ready to Zoom!" Write to: Clint Bradford K6LCS Email: clintbradford AT mac DOT com 951-533-4984 - cell [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + A Martian carbon biosignature? Not content to be overshadowed by the newer, shinier Perseverance, Curiosity has roved and drilled on (for nearly 10 years now). A paper and NASA summary both report (appropriately conservatively) on tantalizing new evidence from the rover of potential biosignatures in Gale crater. Curiositys SAM lab heated 24 different powdered rock samples to 850° C, releasing their solid carbon as methane gas. The onboard Tunable Laser Spectrometer then measured the carbon isotopes in that gas and found more 12C than would be expected based on the 12C-to-13C ratio in the modern Martian atmosphere. On Earth, life preferentially uses 12C over the heavier 13C, bioaccumulating it, so that we observe significantly more 12C than 13C in ancient rocks where life grew. Did ancient Martian microbial methanogenesis concentrate this isotope at Gale crater as it built up complex organic molecules? Maybe. Two other hypotheses offer abiotic explanations: one suggests that UV light could have caused CO2 in the Martian atmosphere to form isotopically enriched carbon monoxide molecules that settled to the surface, the other wonders if the isotopes arrived from space when our solar system drifted through a 13C-depleted giant molecular cloud hundreds of millions of years ago. Its also possible that the Martian atmospheric concentration changed over time for some unknown reason. On Earth, processes that would produce the carbon signal were detecting on Mars are biological, but we dont understand the Martian carbon cycle well enough yet to have any real confidence. As with other tantalizing results about microbial extraterrestrial life, this will probably just turn out to be a physicochemical process we dont yet understand. Or maybe not. See https://go.nasa.gov/35vE0IQ and http://bit.ly/3IIKpyF for details. [ANS thanks NASA and The Orbital Index for the above information] + Reaching the tipping point for 3D printing satellites: The number of 3D-printed parts on board satellites is growing amid advances in additive manufacturing. Satellite shops are embracing the technology to cut costs and accelerate production for increasingly capable spacecraft. Advances are paving the way to a future where satellites can print parts in orbit. But how close is the industry to 3D printing entire satellites? Its a tricky question, not least because the number of parts on a satellite differs greatly depending on its size and complexity, and range from simple foundational structures to intricate semiconductors. Cubesat parts can number in the hundreds of components while larger satellites can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands for flagship missions such as the just-launched $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope, said Emile de Rijk, CEO of additive manufacturing specialist Swissto12. But just five years ago, the use of 3D printed structures was largely experimental with very few parts being flown in missions and payloads that had a healthy risk appetite, according to de Rijk. Now, nearly all satellites built today have at least some 3D printed parts, he says, although most are still relatively simple mechanical bracketing systems for keeping a spacecrafts structure together. More information may be found at: https://bit.ly/3g3sWod. [ANS thanks Jason Rainbow at SpaceNews.com for the above information] + SpaceX rocket on collision course with moon: A rocket launched by Elon Musk's space exploration company is on course to crash into the Moon and explode. The Falcon 9 booster was launched in 2015 but after completing its mission, it did not have enough fuel to return towards Earth and instead remained in space. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell told BBC News it will be the first known uncontrolled rocket collision with the Moon, but the effects will be minor. The rocket was abandoned in high orbit seven years ago after it completed a mission to send a space weather satellite on a million-mile journey. It was part of Elon Musk's space exploration programme SpaceX, a commercial company that ultimately aims to get humans living on other planets. See https://bbc.in/3o4bpRa for the full story. [ANS thanks Georgina Rannard of BBC News for the above information] + NASA to name astronauts this year for first Artemis moon mission: NASA will announce later this year the four astronauts who will slingshot around the far side of the moon on the Artemis lunar programs first crew mission, currently scheduled for launch in 2024, the head of the agencys human space exploration division recently said. The crew is expected to include three U.S. fliers and one Canadian astronaut. The Artemis 2 mission will follow two years after NASAs Artemis 1 test flight, an unpiloted pathfinder mission scheduled to launch no earlier than March from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Artemis 1 will be the first flight of NASAs Space Launch System, a heavy-lift rocket designed for lunar missions thats been in development for more than a decade. It will also be first trip by NASAs Orion crew capsule to the moon, following a demonstration flight that orbited Earth in 2014. The goal of NASAs Artemis program is to land astronauts on the moons surface for the first time since the final Apollo lunar mission in December 1972. The Artemis programs first attempt to land a crew on the moon is penciled in for the Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for 2025, with a derivative of the Starship vehicle SpaceXs is developing in South Texas. More info is available at: https://bit.ly/3L0nGQG. [ANS thanks Stephen Clark of Spaceflight Now for the above information] + Two New Satellite Distance Records Claimed: An initial distance record has been claimed on HO-113. A65GC (@farangov) worked @F4DXV on 13-Jan-2022 at 19:52 UTC - a distance of 5,298 km. Earlier in the month a new distance record has been claimed on AO-109. @ES4RM in KO49al completed a SSB QSO with @F4DXV in JN04iu on 22-Dec-2021 at 15:24 UTC - a distance of 2,445 km. See https://amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/. [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, Executive Vice President of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) and ANS Editor 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, Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ kd4iz [at] frawg dot org

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ANS-023 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins For January 23, 2022
by f.karnauskas＠amsat.org 23 Jan '22

23 Jan '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-023 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(a)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/ In this edition: * Visit AMSAT at Orlando Hamcation * EASAT-2 and HADES Updates * AMSAT EA Receives Two OSCAR Designations: SO-114 & SO-115 * Amateur Operation in 3.45 – 3.5 GHz Must Cease by April 14, 2022 * Launch of a Wooden Satellite Still Pending * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 20, 2022 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-023 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2022 Jan 23 Visit AMSAT at Orlando Hamcation Hamcation 2022 is scheduled for February 11 - 13, 2022 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Orlando, FL. You are invited to visit the AMSAT booth located at the far west end of West Hall. There you can see the SatPC32 and CubeSat Sim demos, ask questions, or just say "Hi." In addition, AMSAT President, Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT President, will host An AMSAT forum in Classroom 1 on Saturday at 3:00 PM. For more information about Hamcation 2022, including directions, operating hours, vendors, and a complete forum schedule, please visit https://www.hamcation.com/. If you are interested at volunteering at the AMSAT booth, contact Dave Jordan, AA4KN, at aa4kn at amsat dot org. [ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, for the above information.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2022 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered Iron-on AMSAT Logo Patch Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ EASAT-2 and HADES Updates Felix Paez, EA4GQS, AMSAT-EA Mission Manager provided the last information on their satellites as of January 18, 2022. "We confirm the reception of both EASAT-2 and HADES, as well as the decoding of telemetry and the FM recorded voice beacon with the callsign AM5SAT of the first one. EASAT-2 appears to be working well except for the deployment of the antennas, something that apparently has not yet occurred and causes weak signals. However, the AMSAT-EA team confirms that, based on the reception of FSK, CW, the FM voice beacon and the telemetry data that has been decoded, it can be said that the satellite is working perfectly. In the event of low battery or system malfunction, the on-board computer would not transmit CW messages or the voice beacon-callsign, as it would be in a 'safe' state with only fast and slow telemetry transmissions. "These signals that have been able to confirm the operation of both satellites were received by Dr. Daniel Estévez EA4GPZ at 18:07 UTC on Saturday, January 15, using two antennas from the Allen Telescope Array. The TLEs used were obtained from the radio amateur community, with Doppler observations from the Delfi-PQ satellite, deployed together with EASAT-2 and Hades. "TLEs used were these ones: https://github.com/AMSAT-EA/easat2-tle-lottery/blob/main/satnogs-2022-01-16… Daniel, EA4GPZ, performed a preliminary analysis using just one polarization of one of the satellite dishes. EASAT-2 has been detected with a relatively strong signal, close to the Delfi-PQ signal, obtaining said recorded voice FM beacon transmissions and FSK, FSK-CW at 50 baud. "The CW beacon clearly shows the message: VVV AM5SAT SOL Y PLAYA, which is one of several that both satellites emit, although the callsign AM5SAT confirms that it is EASAT-2. "In the recording made by Daniel EA4GPZ there is also a faint trace confirmed to be from Hades and stronger packets probably from the IRIS-A satellite. "HADES, like EASAT-2, is transmitting weak signals, weaker than the ones of EASAT-2, most likely because the on-board computer has not yet managed to deploy the antennas either, although it will continue trying regularly. The reason the signals are suspected to be weaker at Hades is that the antennas are more tightly folded than those of EASAT-2. In any case, this is great news, since the transmission pattern confirms the proper functioning of the satellite. In the observations you can see the FSK tones with a deviation of about 5 kHz interspersed with the FM carrier corresponding to the voice beacon of the satellite, which has callsign AM6SAT. The AMSAT-EA team is working to try to decode the telemetry signals and obtain more detailed information on the state of the satellite. "We kindly ask you, if you have very high gain antennas, to try to receive them, specially Hades. If we could decode telemetry it would be very helpful for us. "Until antennas are deployed it will be very difficult to use their repeaters or to receive any SSTV camera images from Hades, but we hope that this will happen sooner or later, at least because even if the computer doesn't succeed applying heat to the resistor where the thread is attached, with time, the thread should break due to the space environment conditions. Details of the decoded telemetry and voice, as well as more details in: https://www.amsat-ea.org/ (Texts are In Spanish) And in the following Twitter threads: EASAT-2 transmissions: https://twitter.com/ea4gpz/status/1482457631566487553 EASAT-2 decodings by Gabriel Otero: https://twitter.com/gaoterop/status/1482758196037050382 HADES transmissions: https://twitter.com/ea4gpz/status/1482696274797338625." [ANS thanks Felix Paez, EA4GQS, AMSAT-EA Mission Manager for the above information.] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT EA Receives Two OSCAR Designations: SO-114 & SO-115 On January 13, 2022, the EASAT-2 and HADES satellites were launched on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Developed by AMSAT-EA, both satellites carry FM and digital repeater payloads to provide services to amateur radio enthusiasts around the world. At the request of AMSAT-EA, AMSAT hereby designates EASAT-2 as Spain-OSCAR 114 (SO-114) and HADES as Spain-OSCAR 115 (SO-115). We congratulate AMSAT-EA, thank them for their contribution to the amateur satellite community, and wish them continued success on this and future projects. [ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations/OSCAR Number Administrator for the above information.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Amateur Operation in 3.45 – 3.5 GHz Must Cease by April 14, 2022 The FCC has established April 14, 2022, as the date by which amateur radio transmissions must stop in the upper 3.45 – 3.5 GHz segment of the amateur secondary 9-centimeter band. Secondary operations are permitted to continue indefinitely in the remainder of the band, 3.3 – 3.45 GHz, pending future FCC proceedings. On January 14 the FCC released DA 22-39, which announces the results of Auction 110 for the 3.45 – 3.55 GHz band. Release of this notice triggered FCC rules adopted last year requiring that amateur radio operations between 3.45 GHz and 3.5 GHz cease within 90 days of the public notice. In October 2021, ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, urged Congress to direct the FCC to preserve Amateur Radio’s secondary use of the 3 GHz band in a written statement responding to H.R. 5378, the Spectrum Innovation Act of 2021, before the US House Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee. A chronology of actions responding to amateur access on the 3.5 GHz band can be found on the ARRL website. [ANS thanks the ARRL for the above information.] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Launch of a Wooden Satellite Still Pending Two spacecraft comprised of wood or using wooden framing are hoping to launch this year and next. One will carry an amateur radio payload. WISA Woodsat, a Finnish spacecraft that planned to include an amateur radio payload, was forced to postpone its announced launch target from 2021 to 2022 after the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination system turned away its request to use amateur radio frequencies. “I regret to inform you that IARU is not in a position to support the WISA Woodsat Coordination request,” the coordinator said. “The main reason is that the primary mission doesn’t seem to be an amateur mission.” As announced last year, WISA Woodsat was designed to accommodate multiple missions — from materials science, space education, and awareness to promoting and facilitating amateur radio communication with and via satellites. No transponder was on board, but the satellite’s sponsors said they had the support of Finland’s IARU member-society, SRAL, to use amateur radio frequencies. They are now reworking the spacecraft to use commercial radio frequencies. “To our great disappointment, we can’t serve the radio amateur community with the LoRa-repeater mission as we had hoped and planned. We will continue to share the pictures and data online, but the technical aspect has been diminished due to this decision,” said WISA Woodsat’s Chief Engineer Samuli Nyman of Arctic Astronautics. Meanwhile, LignoSat, a 1U-sized CubeSat with an outside structure mainly composed of wood, has applied for IARU frequency coordination and hopes to launch from the ISS in 2023. Built by students at Japan’s Kyoto University, LignoSat includes a unique amateur radio payload but not a transponder. The LignoSat application for IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination in December said the CubeSat would carry amateur radio equipment that will extract call signs of amateur radio stations from uplinked FM packet signals and respond to them via the CW downlink and the sender’s call signs to convey thank you messages. The plan proposes UHF downlinks for CW and FM. The satellite’s development team, comprised of Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry Company, said it’s aiming to harness the environmental friendliness and the economy of wood in spacecraft development. They say a satellite with a wooden exterior would burn up upon re-entering Earth’s atmosphere at the end of its mission, lessening its burden on the environment. The wooden framework also will permit the satellite’s antennas to be inside the spacecraft. A plan is under way to use an experimental apparatus on the International Space Station to hold wooden sheets of varying hardness, taken from several tree species, attached. These would remain exposed to the space environment for about 9 months to determine their deterioration. The team is headed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Tako Doi. Now a Kyoto University professor, Doi was the first JAXA astronaut to take part in spacewalks from the shuttle Columbia in 1997. He said the concept, if successful, could lead the way to “allowing even children who are interested in space to make a satellite.” LignoSat would be deployed from the ISS in July 2023. [ANS thanks the ARRL for the above information.] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 20, 2022 The following satellite has been added to this week's AMSAT TLE Distribution: - DELFI-PQ - NORAD Cat ID 51074 (Thanks to Nico Janssen, PA0DLO for the identification) - Still waiting for the SpaceTrack Catalog ID for Tevel-1 thru Tevel-8, EASAT-2, and Hades to be identified. As always, the latest Keps data can be found at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]. [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ 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. + Quantorium Children's Technopark, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is Anton Shkaplerov. Contact is go for January 25, 2022 at 08:45 UTC + Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is Pyotr Dubrov. Contact is go for February 2, 2022 at 08:45 UTC 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.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an amateur radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations + 4A90, MEXICO (Special Event). Members of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE)[Mexican Society]are celebrating their 90th anniversary during January, February and March 2022 promoting each of the 31 States and Mexico City with the following 32 different special event callsigns and 4A90FMRE: - January 16-30: 4A90MOR, 4A90NAY, 4A90PUE, 4A90QRO, 4A90TLX and 4A90VER - January 31-February 14: 4A90AGS, 4A90BAC, 4A90BCS, 4A90COA, 4A90CHH and 4A90DGO - February 15-March 1: 4A90NLE, 4A90SLP, 4A90SIN, 4A90SON, 4A90TAM and 4A90ZAC - March 2-16: 4A90CAM, 4A90CHI, 4A90GRO, 4A90OAX, 4A90QUI, 4A90TAB and 4A90YUC Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4 and the satellites. Awards are available (see QRZ.com for details). For more details on the event, see: http://fmre90.puebladx.org + N5BO – 1/22-26/2022 Justin travels five days to see how many #pota he can activate with a minimum of 50 QSOs at each stop. He will also look to add EL88/87 to his SAT /R at some point. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information.] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events + ARRL National Convention February 10-13, 2022 DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld 10100 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32821 + Orlando HamCation February 11-13, 2022 Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park 4603 West Colonial Drive Orlando, Florida 32808 + CubeSat Developers Workshop April 26–28, 2022 San Luis Obispo, CA + Hamvention 2022 May 20, 2022 to May 22, 2022 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 210 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 https://www.hamvention.org + 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention October 7, 2022 - October 9, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information.] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + The January operating schedule shows one remaining date in January for FO-29 operation. That will be January 29 from 00:03 UTC until battery exhaustion. FO-29 will be in full sunshine from January 28 to the end of April. During that time, continuous operation can be expected. [AMSAT thanks Akira Kaneko,JA1OGZ, for the above information.] + The SpaceX Smallsat Rideshare program offers a viable and affordable option to launch up to 200 kg into a sun-synchronous, low Earth orbit. That is why, along with approximately 80-90 other satellites, USC’s Dodona satellite—it’s third ever—hitched a ride on SpaceX’s latest mission, Transporter 3 this week. Dodona is a project out of USC’s Space Engineering Research Center. Part of SERC’s mission is creating hands-on opportunities for students and faculty to build and test advanced space technology, in addition to integrating, launching and operating small satellites. Dodona takes advantage of the space focused curriculum through analysis tools and techniques that are taught at USC through the Astronautical Engineering Department. The complete story can be found at https://www.isi.edu/news/45250/usc-launches-its-3rd-satellite-into-space/. [AMSAT thanks Information Sciences Institute for the above information.] + The very first Svalbard QO-100 Satellite DX-Pedition will take place April 22-24, 2022 from Kapp Linné – Isfjord Radio at 78° North. They will operate two QO-100 satellite stations under the callsigns JW0W and JW100QO, while JW0X will be used by another team for contacts on shortwave. With QO-100 only 3° above the horizon, Kap Linné was the only suitable place in the area with Svalbard at the edge of the satellite footprint. Looking for a suitable location to stay and getting there, is one of the biggest challenges and cost drivers for the team. More information at https://amsat-dl.org/en/svalbard-qo-100-satellite-dx-pedition/. [AMSAT thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.] + The University of Cambridge has announced the creation of the Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre. With computers and digital technologies increasingly shaping all of our lives, it’s more important than ever that every young person, whatever their background or circumstances, has meaningful opportunities to learn about how computers work and how to create with them. The Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre wants to increase understanding of what works in teaching and learning computing, with a particular focus on young people who come from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in the field of computing or who experience educational disadvantage. MOre information can be found at tinyurl.com/ANS-023-Cambridge. [AMSAT thanks Raspberrypi.org 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, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW n1uw at amsat dot org

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ANS-016 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Jan. 16
by Mark Johns, K0JM 16 Jan '22

16 Jan '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-016 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * SpaceX Rideshare Mission Carries Multiple Amateur Satellites * Tevel Mission Launched on SpaceX Transporter-3 Mission January 13 * EASAT-2 and Hades Satellites with FM Repeaters Are Launched * SpaceX Launches TU Delft Mini-Satellite * AMSAT Awards Update * First Ever Svalbard QO-100 DXpedition JW100QO * Eight U.S. Schools Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-016 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2022 Jan 16 SpaceX Rideshare Mission Carries Multiple Amateur Satellites A SpaceX Falcon 9 placed more than 100 smallsats into orbit on January 13 as the company accelerates the pace of its dedicated rideshare missions. The mission, dubbed Transporter-3, or TR-3, carried a number of Amateur Radio satellites to orbit. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 15:25 UTC. The upper stage reached orbit eight and a half minutes later and, after a second burn 55 minutes after liftoff, deployed its payloads into a 525-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit over the following half-hour. The Falcon 9 first stage landed at the company’s Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral, the first land landing of a Falcon 9 booster since the Transporter-2 rideshare mission in June 2021. The booster was on its tenth flight, having first launched in May 2020 on the Demo-2 commercial crew mission for NASA. It subsequently launched the ANASIS-2 satellite, CRS-21 cargo mission, Transporter-1 and five Starlink missions before Transporter-3. SpaceX is planning up to three more dedicated rideshare launches this year. SpaceX said that the TR-3 launch carried 105 spacecraft. Among them were the long-delayed EASAT-2 and Hades satellites from Spanish satellite organization AMSAT-EA, and the Tevel mission consisting of 8 satellites developed by the Herzliya Science Center in Israel. All ten of these satellites carry FM repeaters, among other function, and are detailed in the following stories. [ANS thanks SpaceNews.com for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The 2022 AMSAT President's Club coins have arrived! To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on October 15, 1972, this year's coin features an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6. Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Tevel Mission Launched on SpaceX Transporter-3 Mission January 13 The Tevel mission consisting of 8 satellites developed by the Herzliya Science Center in Israel, each carrying an FM transponder, was launched on January 13 at 15:25 GMT on the SpaceX Falcon-9 Transporter-3 mission. This mission also carries AMSAT-EA's EASAT-2 and HADES satellites. Tevel-1, Tevel-2 ….Tevel-8 Beacon transmissions on 436.400 MHz, (9600bps BPSK G3RUH) FM transponders uplink frequency: 145.970 MHz| FM transponders downlink frequency: 436.400 MHz All 8 satellites will have the same frequencies, so as long as the footprints are overlapping, only one FM transponder will be activated. The satellites were built by 8 schools in different parts of Israel. Prelaunch TLEs: Deployment number 28 TEVEL-4/TEVEL-5 1 12345U 22-T3TE 22013.69008102 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9997 2 12345 97.3652 83.6317 0010843 246.0911 147.6817 15.12493461 06 Deployment number 30 TEVEL-1/TEVEL-2/TEVEL-3 1 12345U 22-T3TE 22013.69038194 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9991 2 12345 97.3658 83.6317 0009074 254.1211 141.2940 15.11975594 07 Deployment number 55 TEVEL-6/TEVEL-7/TEVEL-8 1 12345U 22-T3TE 22013.69375000 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9991 2 12345 97.3676 83.6318 0009046 252.0606 161.7026 15.11914367 05 Control station will be 4X4HSC at the Herzliya Science Center. [ANS thanks David Greenberg, 4X1DG, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- EASAT-2 and Hades Satellites with FM Repeaters Are Launched The Scottish space broker Alba Orbital has confirmed the launch of the EASAT-2 and Hades satellites in the Falcon-9 vehicle, using the company's AlbaPOD ejector for this purpose. The launch took place as schedule on January 13 at 15:25 UTC (16:25 Spanish peninsular time). Both satellites should have been launched a year ago, but the problems of the Momentus integrator, on whose Vigoride vehicle Alba Orbital's AlbaPod ejectors were to be integrated with the American administration, caused this delay. Momentus was replaced by Exolaunch for the flight. Both satellites offer FM voice communications and data retransmission in FSK or AFSK up to 2400 bps, such as AX.25 or APRS frames. They also emit FM voice beacons with the callsigns AM5SAT and AM6SAT, as well as CW. The EASAT-2 satellite, designed and built jointly by AMSAT-EA and students of the European University of the Degrees in Aerospace Engineering in Aircraft and in Telecommunications Systems Engineering, with contributions from ICAI in the communications part, incorporates as an experimental load Basaltic material from Lanzarote, similar to lunar basalts, provided by the CSIC's research group on meteorites and planetary geosciences at the Institute of Geosciences, IGEO (CSIC-UCM) and which could be used as a construction material on the Moon. This project was promoted and has the collaboration of the ETSICCP (UPM). As for Hades, its payload consists of a miniature camera module that sends the captured images as an audio signal in SSTV mode. The SSTV formats it uses are compatible with Robot36, Robot72, MP73 and MP115. The design is based on the one used in the successful mission of the PSAT2 satellite, an amateur radio satellite of the United States Naval Academy and the Brno University of Technology. This camera has been operational since June 25, 2019: (http://www.aprs.org/psat2.html). The camera chip is the Omnivision OV2640, which provides a resolution of up to 2M pixels and compressed JPEG output. Resolution is limited by the internal memory of the CPU (MCU) that controls the camera to 320x240 (typical) or 640x480 maximum. The MCU selected for control is the STM32F446RET6, which has the smallest footprint possible with connection to DCMI peripheral, necessary for connection to the camera. Images can be stored in 2 MB serial flash memory. The complete SSTV encoder has managed to be implemented on a 4-layer PCB with dimensions of just 38x38mm. The MCU can be fully controlled from ground stations. The firmware allows the sending of live camera images, images previously saved in flash memory or images encoded in ROM. It also provides advance PSK telemetry and imaging schedule with current status (event counters, temperature, voltage, light conditions, etc.) and a brief summary. The described module has been developed and manufactured in the Radioelectronics Department of the Brno University of Technology in the Czech Republic. Both hardware and firmware designs with source codes will be available on Github under the MIT license ( https://github.com/alpov/SatCam). Initially, only the EASAT-2 repeater is active. The Hades one will be activated by telecommand a few days after launch. The frequencies coordinated with IARU for both satellites are as follows: EASAT-2 145.875 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps 436.666 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW, FSK 50 bps, FM voice beacon with AM5SAT callsign Hades 145.925 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps 436.888 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW FSK 50 bps, SSTV Robot 36, FM voice beacon with AM6SAT callsign The description of the transmissions in English can be found in the .pdf document at: https://bit.ly/31VmA6W AMSAT-EA appreciates the reception of telemetry, voice beacons and SSTV images. A paper QSL is sent to those who send their transmissions. It can be done through the following link: http://data.amsat-ea.org Preliminary post-launch Keplerian elements for EASAT-2 and HADES are: 1 99999U 22013.68430556 .00000000 00000-0 50000-4 0 02 2 99999 97.5220 83.8550 0002429 -171.2750 173.6400 15.12786821 04 [ANS thanks Felix Paez, EA4GQS, and AMSAT-EA for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ SpaceX Launches TU Delft Mini-Satellite During the Transporter-3 satellite launch by SpaceX on 13 January from Cape Canaveral a small satellite from Delft in the Netherlands also traveled into space. The DelfiPQ is one of the smallest satellites in the world. Satellite researchers Alessandra Menicucci, Stefano Speretta and Sevket Uludag from TU Delft designed and built the satellite themselves to demonstrate that technology on such a small scale can actually function in space. Swarms of these small satellites are better able than today's large satellites to observe the earth. They could play an important role in monitoring climate change and in fast wireless broadband connections, among other things. An important goal of these tiny satellites is that they prove that even miniature-scale technology can still function in space. And moreover, that the satellites can be monitored from Earth and can be distinguished from space debris. A big advantage is that the development time is much shorter than for larger satellites, some of which still run on 20-year-old technology. “We can build and launch a whole new generation of instruments every one or two years, so we can always incorporate the latest technology,“ says Speretta. In the future, satellite swarms may even play a role in high-speed wireless broadband connections. The DelfiPQ measures just 5 by 5 by 18 centimetres, making it one of the smallest satellites in the world. The satellite is the third TU Delft satellite to actually go into space. DelfiC3 was the first. This satellite has been in space for over 12.5 years and is still alive. DelfiN3xt was launched in 2013. Contact has recently been re-established with this satellite. University lecturer and project leader Alessandra Menicucci: "Whether the DelfiPQ also comes to life in space is the most exciting of all three. DelfiPQ is eight times smaller than its brothers. And those were already no bigger than a milk carton." The DelfiPQ has UHF downlink for GMSK at up to 19k2. A downlink on 436.650 MHz has been coordinated. [ANS thanks Delft University of Technology for the above information] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Awards Update As we have rolled into 2022, I am posting the awards from the last part of 2021 and a couple from 2022. AMSAT Satellite Communicators Award for making their first satellite QSO John Gesell, KB7JJG Brian Lopeman, KI7WXP Peter Stover, KD4QNA James Gillanders, KG6HXN ------ AMSAT Communications Achievement Award Richard Nolet, VA3VGR #639 ------ AMSAT South Africa Satellite Communications Achievement Award Richard Nolet, VA3VGR #242 ------ AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award (1,000-4,000) Edward Campagnulol, KN4ZAA #US120 Hector Martinez, W5CBF #US121 4,000 Upgrade Keith Austermiller, KB9STR #US122 Giancarlo Zanella, IK1DOC #US123 Dwight Fletcher, N1RCN #US124 ------ AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award (5,000) Hector Martinez, W5CBF #39 Mitchell Ahrenstorff, AD0HJ #40 ----- AMSAT Rover Award Rover Call ===== ======== #60 KF6JOQ #61 VA3VGR #62 N6UTC ------ GridMaster Award #33 Dave Chasey, N9FN #34 Douglas Tabor, N6UA ----- Our newest award the Reverse VUCC or VUCC/r #03 James Clary, ND9M Ugrade to 385 #09 Randy Kohlwey, WI7P To see all the awards visit http://www.amsat.org and click on Services then Awards. [ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Board Member and Director Contests and Awards, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control, now manifested for launch on NASA's ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ First Ever Svalbard QO-100 DXpedition JW100QO A DXpedition to Svalbard (78° North) is planned for April 19-26 with the callsign JW0X. In addition to the five HF stations (FT8/FT4/RTTY/SSB/CW) the team will activate the first QO-100 satellite DX Station callsign JW100QO April 22-24. Making the first ever QO-100 calls from Svalbard is the biggest challenge of this DXpedition. ON4CKM Cedric, ON4DCU Patrick and ON5UR Max will make a rugged snowmobile ride of almost 100 km in temperatures of -20° – 25° Celsius to reach their goal. Kapp Linné is the only place in the area that allows a view of the QO-100 satellite at only 3° above the horizon. Svalbard also lies on the edge of the satellite area (footprint), which makes the challenge even greater. We want to give as many radio amateurs as possible the opportunity to work this first QO-100 DXpedition. For this unique challenge we also have a special callsign JW100QO. Further info at: Svalbard QO-100 JW100QO April 22-24 https://www.dx-adventure.com/en/qo-100-our-goal/ Svalbard JW0X April 19-26 https://www.dx-adventure.com/en/svalbard-dx-pedition/ QO-100 geostationary amateur satellite transponder provides coverage from Brazil to Thailand, see https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/geo/eshail-2/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK 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 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Eight U.S. Schools Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased to announce the schools/host organizations selected for the July 1 through December 31, 2022, time period. A total of eight of the submitted proposals during the recent proposal window have been accepted to move forward in the processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur radio contact with crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) activities and raise their awareness of space communications, radio communications, space exploration, and related areas of study and career possibilities. The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for the eight US host organizations during the July 1 through December 31, 2022, time period. They are now at work completing an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by the ARISS Technical Mentors, the final selected schools/organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities offered by NASA. The schools and host organizations are: * Buehler Challenger & Science Center, Paramus, NJ * Eaton Public Library, Eaton, CO * Davis Aerospace Technical High School, Detroit, MI * St. Stephen’s Episcopal School Houston, Houston, TX * Harris Middle School, Spruce Pine, NC * Kopernik Observatory & Science, Vestal, NY * Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN * Canterbury School of Fort Myers, Ft Myers, FL Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, and NASA’s Space communications and Navigation program. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org [ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS PR 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. The next scheduled contact is with Quantorium Children's Technopark, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS, and the scheduled crewmember is Russian Cosmonaut, Anton Shkaplerov. The contact is go for 2022-01-25 08:45 UTC. The next mode change, from APRS digital repeater to FM voice cross band repeater is expected to occur in late January/early February 2022. 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] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations 4A90, MEXICO (Special Event). Members of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE)[Mexican Society]are celebrating their 90th anniversary during January, February and March 2022 promoting each of the 31 States and Mexico City with the following 32 different special event callsigns and 4A90FMRE: January 16-30th: 4A90MOR, 4A90NAY, 4A90PUE, 4A90QRO, 4A90TLX and 4A90VER January 31st-February 14th: 4A90AGS, 4A90BAC, 4A90BCS, 4A90COA, 4A90CHH and 4A90DGO February 15th-March 1st: 4A90NLE, 4A90SLP, 4A90SIN, 4A90SON, 4A90TAM and 4A90ZAC March 2-16th: 4A90CAM, 4A90CHI, 4A90GRO, 4A90OAX, 4A90QUI, 4A90TAB and 4A90YUC Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4 and the satellites. Awards are available (see QRZ.com for details). For more details on the event, see: http://fmre90.puebladx.org [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, 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. Events with a confirmed AMSAT presence: HamCation 2022 - The ARRL National Convention Friday, February 11th, 2022 to Sunday, February 13, 2022 Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park 4603 West Colonial Drive Orlando, Florida 32808 https://www.hamcation.com/ ------ Hamvention 2022 Friday May 20, 2022 to Sunday May 22, 2022 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 210 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 https://hamvention.org/ ------ 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention Friday, October 7th, 2022 to Sunday, October 9th, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site ------ Clint Bradford, K6LCS reports: 2022 is starting off with a bang! Presentations set for clubs in … Tennessee South Bay CA New York British Columbia Ontario Canada Victoria BC Sonoma CA Tampa FL Texas Nevada Think a 90-minute lively, informative, and fun “How to Work the Easy Satellites” Zoom presentation would be appropriate for your convention or club? Always included are overviews of the ARRL, AMSAT, and ARISS. And pre-presentation questions are solicited and welcome. Send an email or call! Clint Bradford K6LCS AMSAT Ambassador, ARRL instructor http://www.work-sat.com 909-999-SATS (7287) [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, and Clint Bradford, K6LCS, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + NASA has recognized Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) as a science education and research program. Two images of ARISS activity are among those singled out by the space agency as some of the Best Space Station Science Pictures of 2021. The photos feature "some of the best photos of breakthrough investigations crew members worked on in 2021." The complete gallary of photos can be seen at https://go.nasa.gov/3rdedwh (ANS thanks ARRL and NASA for the above information) + Among the 105 satellites launched on Thursday aboard the SpaceX TR-3 rideshare was the Brazilian satellite PION-BR1, "a radio amateur mission combined with education with the aim of promoting access to space technologies and interaction between students and the radio amateur community.” In addition, “the satellite’s main mission will be a digital experiment in storing and sending messages using the NGHam protocol.” A downlink on 437.300 MHz has been coordinated. (ANS thanks the Internation Amateur Radio Union frequency coordination site for the above information.) + In addition to the SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-3 launch on January 13, Virgin Orbit completed another flight of its air-dropped rocket later the same day off the coast of California. The LauncherOne rocket carried seven mini-payloads into low Earth orbit. The Boeing 747 carrier jet took off from the Mojave runway around 2100 GMT) to begin an hour-long flight out to the mission's drop point 35,000 feet (10,700 meters) over the Pacific Ocean. The satellites on-board were from three customers: The U.S. Space Force, SatRevolution of Poland, and Spire. There were no Amateur Radio payloads this time. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information) + U.S. space tracking has linked the breakup of Chinese satellite Yunhai-1 (02) to a collision with a small piece of debris from a Russian satellite launch, according to NASA. The Yunhai-1 (02) satellite was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and launched in September 2019 into a Sun-synchronous orbit with an altitude of around 783 kilometers. It suffered a breakup event on March 18, 2021, creating a number of pieces of debris. The breakup of Yunhai-1 (02) is the fifth confirmed accidental collision between two cataloged objects, according to the report. A total of 37 fragments from the collision have been cataloged as of 1 October 2021, with four of these having reentered the atmosphere. (ANS thanks SpaceNews.com for the above information) + As widely reported in the media, the ESA/NASA James Web Space Telescope (JWST) has successfully deployed. We can now all breathe out and marvel at how complex it all was. According to NASA, “The unfolding and tensioning of the sunshield involved 139 of Webb’s 178 release mechanisms, 70 hinge assemblies, eight deployment motors, roughly 400 pulleys, and 90 individual cables totaling roughly one quarter of a mile in length.” The telescope now faces approximately six more months of commissioning and calibration before beginning operation. (ANS thanks NASA and The Orbital Index for the above information) + Now that the JWST is deployed and could have a lifespan of 20 years, some are already turning attention to NASA’s next telescope. The wide-field infrared Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (née WFIRST) is scheduled to launch in 2025. Like JWST, it will also orbit at the Sun-Earth L2 point. The NGRST has two instruments: the Wide Field Instrument, a 300-megapixel camera with a Hubble-class 2.4 m aperture, but 100x the field of view, and the Coronagraph Instrument, for imaging and spectroscopy of nearby exoplanets. It is predicted to find 100,000 transiting exoplanets, expanding far beyond the 4,884 exoplanets discovered so far. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. * Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mark Johns, K0JM k0jm at amsat dot org

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ANS-012 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - Tevel Mission to Launch on SpaceX Transporter-3 Mission January 13th
by Paul Stoetzer 12 Jan '22

12 Jan '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN ANS-012 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * Tevel Mission to Launch on SpaceX Transporter-3 Mission January 13th SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-012.01 ANS-012 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin AMSAT News Service Bulletin 012.01 From AMSAT HQ WASHINGTON, DC DATE January 12, 2022 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-012.01 Tevel Mission to Launch on SpaceX Transporter-3 Mission January 13th The Tevel mission consisting of 8 satellites developed by the Herzliya Science Center in Israel, each carrying an FM transponder, is expected to launch on January 13 at 15:25 GMT on the SpaceX Falcon-9 Transporter-3 mission. This mission also carries AMSAT-EA's EASAT-2 and HADES satellites. Tevel-1, Tevel-2 ….Tevel-8 Beacon transmissions on 436.400 MHz, (9600bps BPSK G3RUH) FM transponders uplink frequency: 145.970 MHz| FM transponders downlink frequency: 436.400 MHz All 8 satellites will have the same frequencies, so as long as the footprints are overlapping, only one FM transponder will be activated. The satellites were built by 8 schools in different parts of Israel. Prelaunch TLEs: Deployment number 28 TEVEL-4/TEVEL-5 1 12345U 22-T3TE 22013.69008102 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9997 2 12345 97.3652 83.6317 0010843 246.0911 147.6817 15.12493461 06 Deployment number 30 TEVEL-1/TEVEL-2/TEVEL-3 1 12345U 22-T3TE 22013.69038194 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9991 2 12345 97.3658 83.6317 0009074 254.1211 141.2940 15.11975594 07 Deployment number 55 TEVEL-6/TEVEL-7/TEVEL-8 1 12345U 22-T3TE 22013.69375000 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9991 2 12345 97.3676 83.6318 0009046 252.0606 161.7026 15.11914367 05 Control station will be 4X4HSC at the Herzliya Science Center. [ANS thanks David Greenberg, 4X1DG, for the above information] /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. President's Club donations may be made at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-PresClub. 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. Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space, This week's ANS Contributing Editor, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm at amsat dot org

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ANS-009 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 09 Jan '22

09 Jan '22

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-009 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * The ARRL Foundation Grants an Award for the ARISS *STAR* Keith Pugh Memoriam Project * EASAT-2 and Hades Satellites with FM Repeaters Scheduled for Launch on January 13th * Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for January 6, 2022 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-009 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2022 Jan 09 The ARRL Foundation Grants an Award for the ARISS *STAR* Keith Pugh Memoriam Project ARISS‐USA is known for engaging students in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) subjects by arranging live question-and-answer sessions via amateur radio (ham radio) between K‐12 students and astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). In the last two decades, over 1,400 contacts have connected more than one million youth using amateur radio, with millions more watching and learning. ARISS is constantly pursuing educational opportunities that inspire student interest and outcomes. ARISS-USA is pleased to announce that the ARRL Foundation awarded funding for the first year of a two-year project called the “ARISS *STAR* Keith Pugh Memoriam Project” with *STAR* being the acronym for Space Telerobotics using Amateur Radio. The ARRL Foundation very generously provided $47,533. The project honors the memory of highly-respected Keith Pugh, whose call sign was W5IU (Silent Key, May 2019). He was an expert supporter of ARISS for many years, a star ARISS Technical Mentor assisting schools with their ARISS contacts, finding educators who might be interested in learning about ARISS, and going to schools to lead youth in a variety of lessons about wireless radio technology. ARISS *STAR* (short for ARISS *STAR* Keith Pugh Memoriam Project), is a brand-new education program that will enable US junior high and high school education groups to remotely control robots through digital APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) commands using amateur radio. Year 1 focuses on systems development and initial validation of *ARISS* STAR, and Year 2 focuses on evaluation and final validation. Systems development and evaluation will be led by university staff and students who will undertake hands-on-wireless and telerobotics lesson development, learn about Amateur Radio, and support the development of the *STAR* engineering hardware and software. Next, youth teams will be selected to experiment and critique *STAR* telerobotics scenarios along closed courses and radio lessons. Some participating students will want to prepare for, and earn, their amateur radio licenses, using ham radio to learn and practice concepts in radio technology and radio communications. Overarching goals for *STAR* are to improve and sustain ARISS STEAM educational outcomes with youth. Robotics is gaining popularity among youth and adults alike. Telerobotics adds a wireless accent to robotic control. *STAR*, therefore, gives ARISS a new educational dimension to attract the attention of more education groups and their students and educators—outreach that promises to attract new audiences. The ARRL Foundation was established in 1973 by ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio ®, and advances the art, science and societal benefits of the Amateur Radio Service by awarding financial grants and scholarships to individuals and organizations in support of their charitable, educational and scientific efforts. ARISS-USA Executive Director Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, praised the ARRL Foundation, saying, “ARISS team member, Keith Pugh, W5IU, poured his energy into inspiring, engaging and educating youth in space and in amateur radio endeavors. What a better way to honor Keith than through the ARISS *STAR* initiative. We thank the ARRL Foundation for their vision to move this initiative forward. Maybe someday one of our ARISS *STAR* students will use their telerobotics skills to control scientific rovers on the Moon or Mars!” [ANS thanks ARISS for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The 2022 AMSAT President's Club coins have arrived! To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on October 15, 1972, this year's coin features an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6. Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ EASAT-2 and Hades Satellites with FM Repeaters Scheduled for Launch on January 13th I just wanted to confirm with you all that the launch of EASAT-2 and Hades satellites is scheduled for this January, 13, 15.25 UTC on SpaceX TR-3 flight, as it has been confirmed to us by Alba Orbital. As it has been noted in older posts, both satellites offer voice communications in FM and data retransmission in FSK or AFSK up to 2400 bps, such as AX.25 or APRS frames. They also transmit voice beacons in FM with the callsigns AM5SAT and AM6SAT, as well as CW, and, in the case of Hades, SSTV live images too. We thank you in advance for trying to receive their signals and of course for trying to use the repeater. EASAT-2 one will be automatically active 30 minutes after the launch although it would be a priority for us trying to have some telemetry frames first to check if all is working properly. I tell you a bit more about the satellites: EASAT-2 has been designed and built jointly by AMSAT-EA and students from the European University of Degrees in Aerospace Engineering in Aircraft and in Telecommunication Systems Engineering, with contributions from ICAI in the communications part, and it incorporates as an experimental load a basalt material from Lanzarote, similar to lunar basalts, provided by the CSIC research group on meteorites and planetary geosciences at the Institute of Geosciences, IGEO (CSIC-UCM) and that could be used as a construction material on the Moon. This project was promoted and has the collaboration of the ETSICCP (UPM). The UNESCO world geopark of Lanzarote and the Chinijo archipelago has been used for different investigations as an analogue of the Moon and Mars, also including the training of ESA astronauts. The selected basalt material meets the requirements to be used as a simulant of the existing basalt on the Moon. The purpose of the experiment is to determine its evolution in space based on periodic measurements of some of its properties. Although the experiment is limited and constitutes the first phase of this type of study, it represents an important milestone as it is the first of its kind to be introduced on such a small satellite. As for Hades, its payload consists of a miniature camera module that outputs the captured images as an audio signal in SSTV mode. The SSTV formats it uses are compatible with Robot36, Robot72, MP73 and MP115. The design of the cam module is based on the one used in the successful mission of the PSAT2 satellite, an amateur radio satellite of the United States Naval Academy and the Brno University of Technology. This camera has been operational since June 25, 2019: (http: // www.aprs.org/psat2.html). The camera chip is the Omnivision OV2640, which provides a resolution of up to 2M pixels and compressed JPEG output. The resolution is limited by the internal memory of the CPU (MCU) that controls the camera to 320x240 (typical) or 640x480 maximum. The MCU selected for the control is the STM32F446RET6, which has the smallest possible footprint with connection to a DCMI peripheral, necessary for the connection with the camera. Images can be stored in 2MB serial flash memory. The complete SSTV encoder has managed to be implemented on a 4 layer PCB with dimensions of only 38x38mm. The MCU can be fully controlled from ground stations. The firmware allows the sending of live camera images, images previously saved in flash memory, or images encoded in ROM. It also provides PSK telemetry and imaging advance scheduling with current status (event counters, temperature, voltage, light conditions, etc.) and a brief summary. The described module has been developed and manufactured in the Department of Radioelectronics of the Brno University of Technology in the Czech Republic. Both hardware and firmware designs with the source codes will be available on Github under the MIT license (https://github.com/alpov/SatCam). As noted, initially only the EASAT-2 repeater is active. Hades one will be activated by remote control a few days after launch. The frequencies coordinated with IARU for both satellites are as follows: EASAT-2 145.875 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200/2400 bps 436.666 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW, FSK 50 bps, FM voice beacon with AM5SAT callsign HADES 145.925 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200/2400 bps 436.888 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW FSK 50 bps, SSTV Robot 36, FM voice beacon with callsign AM6SAT The description of the transmissions can be found in the following document. https://www.amsat-ea.org/app/download/12530621/AMSAT+EA+-+EASAT-2+and+HADES… AMSAT-EA appreciates the receipt of telemetry, voice beacons and SSTV images. A paper QSL will be sent to those who submit their transmissions. It can be done through the following link: http://data.amsat-ea.org [ANS thanks Felix Paez, AMSAT-EA Mission Manager, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for January 6, 2022 CAMSAT XW-3(CAS-9) is designated Hope-OSCAR 113, HO-113: HO-113 - Cat ID 50446 (Formerly known as XW-3 (CAS-9)) Drew Glasbrenner, AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number Administrator, announced the following OSCAR assignment in AMSAT News Service Bulletin ANS-002 dated January 2, 2022: "At the request of CAMSAT and the XW-3 (CAS-9) team, AMSAT hereby designates XW-3 (CAS-9) as Hope-OSCAR 113 (HO-113). We congratulate the owners and operators of HO-113, thank them for their contribution to the amateur satellite community, and wish them continued success on this and future projects." Also thanks to Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, for his timely name changing of CAMSAT's new satellite to HO-113 in last week's AMSAT NA webpage TLE distribution of Object Cat ID 50446. [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News No scheduled contacts reported. The next mode change to voice cross band repeater is expected to occur in early January, 2022. 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] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations Events: 4A90, MEXICO (Special Event). Members of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE)[Mexican Society]are celebrating their 90th anniversary during January, February and March 2022 promoting each of the 31 States and Mexico City with the following 32 different special event callsigns and 4A90FMRE: January 1st-15th: 4A90COL, 4A90CMX, 4A90EMX, 4A90GTO, 4A90HGO, 4A90JAL and 4A90MIC January 16-30th: 4A90MOR, 4A90NAY, 4A90PUE, 4A90QRO, 4A90TLX and 4A90VER January 31st-February 14th: 4A90AGS, 4A90BAC, 4A90BCS, 4A90COA, 4A90CHH and 4A90DGO February 15th-March 1st: 4A90NLE, 4A90SLP, 4A90SIN, 4A90SON, 4A90TAM March 2nd-16th: 4A90CAM, 4A90CHI, 4A90GRO, 4A90OAX, 4A90QUI, 4A90TAB and 4A90YUC Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4 and the satellites. Awards are available (see QRZ.com for details). For more details on the event, see: http://fmre90.puebladx.org [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, 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. Events with a confirmed AMSAT presence: HamCation 2022 - The ARRL National Convention Friday, February 11th, 2022 to Sunday, February 13, 2022 Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park 4603 West Colonial Drive Orlando, Florida 32808 https://www.hamcation.com/ Hamvention 2022 Friday May 20, 2022 to Sunday May 22, 2022 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 210 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 https://hamvention.org/ 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention Friday, October 7th, 2022 to Sunday, October 9th, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site Clint Bradford, K6LCS reports: Part of the “job description” for volunteer AMSAT Ambassadors is to “spread the gospel” of working satellites to clubs and conventions. PS 2022 is starting off with a bang! Presentations set for clubs in … Tennessee South Bay CA New York British Columbia Ontario Canada Victoria BC Sonoma CA Tampa FL Texas Nevada Think a 90-minute lively, informative, and fun “How to Work the Easy Satellites” Zoom presentation would be appropriate for your convention or club? Always included are overviews of the ARRL, AMSAT, and ARISS. And pre-presentation questions are solicited and welcome. Send an email or call! Clint Bradford K6LCS AMSAT Ambassador, ARRL instructor http://www.work-sat.com 909-999-SATS (7287) [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, and Clint Bradford, K6LCS, 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 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Satellite Shorts From All Over + A new distance record has been claimed on AO-109. ES4RM in KO49al completed a SSB QSO with F4DXV in JN04iu on 22-Dec-2021 at 15:24 UTC - a distance of 2,445 km. With a reported total power output of 8 mW, SSB QSOs over a decent range are quite a challenge. Can anyone do better? + With the recent re-enabling of the AO-73 transponder, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, has issued the 59th 73 on 73 Award to JA1OJA. This award was completed using CW only. N8HM notes, "AO-73 is a fantastic satellite, but it can be a challenge due to the transponder's frequency drift. With the recent technical issues, we don't know how long it will be available. Get on and make some QSOs so that more operators can receive this award!" More information about the award can be found at https://amsat-uk.org/funcube/73-on-73-award/ + John Brier, KG4AKV, has posted a video regarding HO-113 and some of the issues with working it successfully. The video can be found at https://youtu.be/NglO_WJ2hhc + NASA reports that the James Webb Space Telescope has successfully deployed its sunshade and the full primary mirror. + Abstract Submission for the 2022 CubeSat Developer's Workshop is still open! The deadline is January 14th, 2022! More information about the 2022 CubeSat Developer's Workshop, to be held ar Cal Poly on April 26-28, 2022, can be found at https://www.cubesatdw.org/ + Version 1.11 of the HO-113 (XW-3) User's Manual, mainly adding the test mode telemetry data format. is now available at https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/XW-3_Manual_1.11… --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 dot org

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