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

24 Mar '24

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

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

17 Mar '24

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

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

10 Mar '24

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

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

03 Mar '24

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

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ANS-056 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Feb. 25
by Mark Johns, K0JM 25 Feb '24

25 Feb '24

*ANS-056 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins* February 25, 2024 by Frank Karnauskas <https://www.amsat.org/author/n1uw/> In this edition: - Bob Twiggs Keynote Address at 2024 AMSAT Space Symposium Now Available - Updated Hamfest Handouts Now Online - UK’s SaxaVord Spaceport to Launch Amateur Radio Satellites - AO-73 Goes on Hiatus - Bochum Space Conference 2024 - Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 23, 2024 - ARISS News - Upcoming Satellite Operations - Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events - Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. *Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat [dot] org.* You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ANS-056 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2024 FEB 25 Bob Twiggs Keynote Address at 2024 AMSAT Space Symposium Now Available For those who missed Bob Twiggs, KE6QMD, keynote address at the 2023 AMSAT Space Symposium, now is your chance to catch up on this delightful and informative presentation. You can view Bob’s 36-minute presentation at https://youtu.be/uDPJ4SHAF74?si=c9f3xM8G1KFUjZPw. Sorry, there are no advanced mathematical formulas or complex orbital mechanics to be found here. Bob is a consummate story teller who brings warmth and humanity to the pioneering days of amateur satellites. If you weren’t in Dallas for the live event, this is the next best thing to being there. Robert J. Twiggs is a professor of Astronautics and Space Science at Morehead State University. He is responsible, along with Jordi Puig-Suari of California Polytechnic State University, for co-inventing the CubeSat reference design for miniaturized satellites which became an Industry Standard for design and deployment of the satellites. Twiggs earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Idaho in 1961 and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in microwave devices from Stanford University in 1964. From 1985 to 1994, Twiggs was the director of the Weber State University Center for Aerospace Technology. He served as a consulting professor in the Stanford University Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics from 1994 to 2008. At Stanford, he established the Space Systems Development Laboratory. Bob Twiggs became a professor at Morehead State University in 2009 in an effort to push the PocketQube standard leveraging the university’s large aperture space tracking system, and to help develop a space economy in the state of Kentucky. In 2019, Twiggs designed and proposed another smaller, simpler satellite form factor called ThinSat which could enable high school students to design and build satellites. [ANS thanks AMSAT and Wikipedia for the above information and David Beaujean, N8EPF, for his excellent work in editing the video presentation for our enjoyment.] ------------------------------ Updated Hamfest Handouts Now Online Realizing that the hamfest season runs from January 1st through December 31st every year, AMSAT needed to update its venerable tri-fold handout. While AMSAT finalizes its plans for reinvigorating its Ambassador program, it wanted to make immediately available a fresh set of handouts for use at hamfests, maker-faires, and so on. Some of the considerations to be factored into an updated program are the increased costs of printing and shipping small quantities of handouts here and there. Conversely, the cost of printing and shipping literature has to be balanced against the inevitable “waste” factor of literature simply tossed into, at best, a nearby recycling bin by passer-by’s who feel obligated to take a handout offered to them as they walk by a display. Considerable thought is being given to this situation. For a few recent hamfests, a few AMSAT Ambassadors have been testing the concept of displaying a poster with a QR code that interested parties can scan to download literature. Although it is too soon to say this approach is a smashing success, AMSAT Ambassadors testing the concept feel positive about the reaction of hamfest participants visiting their displays. In tests, a QR code on a small poster can be successfully decoded at up to 20 feet away. You can view or download the QR code poster at AMSAT Hamfest QR Code <https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Scan-Here-QR-Pos…> . The QR code used brings the ham to a “landing” site of the AMSAT website. The landing site offers the person - A link to join AMSAT online, - A two-page summary brochure as to why they should join AMSAT, - A comprehensive brochure describing AMSAT activities, and - A link to the AMSAT Store to buy a downloadable copy of “Getting Started with Amateur Satellites.” You can view the landing page at https://www.amsat.org/getting-started-with-amsat/. This page has been specially formatted for use on smart phones. You can click on each of the images to view or download each of the documents or links. Since this is a test period for this approach, these pages are not cataloged on the web site. After we receive feedback from AMSAT membership and especially AMSAT Ambassadors, access to these documents and the QR code poster will be open to general membership. The AMSAT Ambassador team looks forward to your feedback on how to improve AMSAT’s presence at local and regional hamfests, maker-faires and other events that can boost interest in amateur satellites and AMSAT membership. Please send your comments and/or questions to info(a)amsat.org. If you are interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador, please send an email with a short resume to volunteer(a)amsat.org. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.] ------------------------------ UK’s SaxaVord Spaceport to Launch Amateur Radio Satellites Two more amateur radio satellites, MARIA-G (HADES-F) and UNNE-1 (HADES-E), are planned to launch from the UK’s SaxaVord Spaceport later in 2024. Previously announced amateur radio payloads on the launch are: ERMINAZ-1U and -1V from AMSAT-DL GENESIS-MA and -ME from AMSAT-EA QUBIK 5, SIDLOC-PQ-1 and -PQ-2 from Libre Space Foundation *MARIA-G* A 1.5u Pocketqube. MARIA-G will offer radio amateurs around the world the opportunity to relay FM voice and AX.25 / APRS 300 / 1200 bps communications. The satellite will also transmit telemetry with its status and voice and CW messages. This all will be achieved by implementing a SDR based FM and FSK repeater. The FM / FSK repeater will be available all time and opened by squelch level without the need of a PL tone/CTCSS. Main mission for MARIA-G is to be a FM repeater but it will also include a simple guess game being implemented by students at Maria Guerrero High School in Collado Villalba – Madrid (Spain). The satellite will send a clue each week in CW so radio amateurs will have to solve the mystery by having all the clues. A small experiment, developed by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft research organization (Germany) will also fly on the satellite to make proof of concept transmissions of a TS-UNB waveform from a low Earth orbit. It will transmit a TS-UNB message according to the ETSI standard ETSI-TS-103-357. It is intended solely as a research and development project with no commercial intent, all its data public and open. ITU modulation classification would be 100K W2DWW but the bandwidth will be narrowed. The operation of this experiment will be managed by AMSAT-EA. *UNNE-1* A 1.5u Pocketqube. UNNE-1 will offer radio amateurs around the world the opportunity to relay FM voice and AX.25 / APRS 300 / 1200 bps communications. The satellite will also transmit telemetry with its status and voice and CW messages. This all will be achieved by implementing a SDR based FM and FSK repeater. The FM / FSK repeater will be available all time and opened by squelch level without the need of a PL tone/CTCSS. A small guessing-game is being implemented by students of Universidad de Nebrija (Spain). The satellite will send a clue each week in its telemetry so radio-amateurs will have to solve the mystery by having all the clues. Game will be detailed in AMSAT-EA and Universidad de Nebrija websites. The main mission for the satellite is acting as a FM voice repeater although due to its SDR nature it can repeat data too. This satellite is based on the hardware of HADES-D (SO-121) that’s currently being used to amateurs worldwide. The guess game implemented by the University is a small challenge for the radio-amateurs and its mission is to make the reception of signals from the satellite fun for youngsters, expecting them to be future radio amateurs. Proposing a UHF downlink, VHF Uplink for FM voice, FSK data up to 1200 bps, APRS up to 1200 bps and FSK telemetry and experimental data up to 1600 bps and CW. These two satellites are part of the Erminaz mission, a joint effort by AMSAT-DL, AMSAT-EA and Libre Space Foundation. Planning a DLR/ESA launch from the UK SaxaVord Spaceport in Summer 2024 into 500/600 km polar orbit. For more information see: IARU satellite frequency coordination pages https://iaru.amsat-uk.org/index.php AMSAT-DL ERMINAZ https://amsat-dl.org/en/erminaz/ AMSAT-EA projects https://www.amsat-ea.org/proyectos/ Libre Space Foundation projects https://libre.space/projects/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information.] ------------------------------ *The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus* *Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and helpKeep Amateur Radio in Space!https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-clu <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/>*b/ <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> ------------------------------ AO-73 Goes on Hiatus A messages from the FC1 operations team reads, “After a good period of transponder activity FUNcube batteries need a short rest. We plan to switch the transponder OFF between March 3rd to 15th subject to operational conditions. The satellite will be placed Safe mode and will still provide low power telemetry [ANS thanks David Johnson, G4DPZ for the above information.] ------------------------------ M2 LEO-Pack Antenna *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/* <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/> ------------------------------ Bochum Space Conference 2024 From September 20-22, 2024, AMSAT-DL is organizing a symposium, flea market and general meeting in the radome of the Bochum Observatory. The radome will once again be dedicated to satellite and space research. AMSAT Deutschland e.V. and the Bochum Observatory are taking the positive experience of the anniversary conference in 2023 as an opportunity to inform AMSAT members and other space enthusiasts about current and future prospects for national and international space projects with a varied program. As the radome is also the location of ESA’s education office in Germany (esero Germany), they want to make the symposium even more attractive in future and at the same time focus even more on current European space travel. The planning so far envisages the following schedule: Friday, September 20, 2024 Come-together in the afternoon including short guided tours in the radome. Saturday, September 21, 2024 From 9:00 a.m. AMSAT symposium with lecture program. Amateur radio flea market in the radome. Sunday, September 22, 2024 From 10:00 a.m. General meeting Further information on the AMSAT-DL space conference in Bochum will follow in the course of 2024. The conference program is expected to be available on our website beginning in July. Speakers with interesting topics wanted, please get in touch! For further information see https://amsat-dl.org/en/bochum-space-conference-2024/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.] ------------------------------ *Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* *Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff* *from our Zazzle store!* *25% of the purchase price of each product goes* *towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space* *https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear* <https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear> ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 23, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/ The following satellites have been removed from this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution: CAPE-3 NORAD Cat ID 47309 Decayed from orbit on or about 17 February 2024 GRIFEX NORAD Cat ID 40379 Decayed from orbit on or about 22 February 2024 [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information.] ------------------------------ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. *Completed Contacts* Girl Scout Troop 1089, Sacramento, CA, direct via N6NA. The ISS callsign was NA1SS. The crewmember was Loral O’Hara, KI5TOM. The ARISS mentor is AA4KN. Contact was successful on Thursday February 22, 2024. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. The packet system is reported to be active on the ARISS status page (145.825 MHz up & down) but the AMSAT satellite status page shows no recent contacts as of the time of this writing. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.] ------------------------------ Upcoming Satellite Operations No operations listed at this time. [ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above information.] ------------------------------ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. CubeSat Developers Workshop 2024 April 23–25, 2024 Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo https://www.cubesatdw.org/ Dayton Hamvention 2024 May 17, 2024 – May 19, 2024 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road, Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org 38th Annual Small Satellite Conference Logan, UT, USA August 3-8, 2024 https://smallsat.org/ ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts From All Over + The European Space Agency Academy’s CubeSat Summer School is open for applications. Taking place over four weeks from 5 to 30 August 2024 at ESEC-Galaxia (Transinne, Belgium), applications are now open for university students with engineering, physics and business management backgrounds. During the Summer School, ESA and external experts will deliver an extensive mix of lectures and hands-on activities. The entire project lifecycle of a satellite mission will be covered, from design to verification, launch and operations, including typical milestone reviews and new methodologies. Students will be introduced to legal, cybersecurity, and economic aspects of space projects. The Summer School will even introduce space entrepreneurship skills, offering support in devising methods of turning a CubeSat into a viable and profitable business opportunity. More information at http://tinyurl.com/ANS-056-ESA-Summer-School. [ANS thanks the European Space Agency for the above information.] + NASA is developing a plan to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) at the end of its lifetime, currently scheduled for 2030. Since the 356-foot-wide laboratory is too big to completely vaporize if left to naturally burn in Earth’s atmosphere, the space agency intends to send a US spacecraft to help deorbit the station and direct its reentry over the unpopulated South Pacific. The goal is to give the ISS an extra “space tug” to help it move more than it could with its own thrust, and guide the final burns for ISS to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere. The space tug is expected to cost $1 billion, agency officials had said earlier this year. Earlier this year, Russia agreed to stay onboard ISS through 2028, rather than its previous timeline of 2024, after which it may focus on building its own station in low-Earth orbit. Other partner countries have agreed to continue their presence through 2030, but it is not clear precisely how they will contribute to retiring the ISS. More information at http://tinyurl.com/ANS-056-ISS-Tug. [ANS thanks the SpaceRef.com for the above information.] + Martians Wanted: NASA has opened the call for a simulated yearlong Mars mission. If you’re looking for an extended vacation next year, NASA is seeking applicants to participate in its next simulated one-year Mars surface mission to help inform the agency’s plans for human exploration of the Red Planet. The second of three planned ground-based missions called CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) is scheduled to kick off in spring 2025. Each CHAPEA mission involves a four-person volunteer crew living and working inside a 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed habitat based at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The habitat, called the Mars Dune Alpha, simulates the challenges of a mission on Mars, including resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, and other environmental stressors. Crew tasks include simulated spacewalks, robotic operations, habitat maintenance, exercise, and crop growth. More information at: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-056-Mars-Mission. [ANS thanks the NASA for the above information.] ------------------------------ *Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org <https://launch.amsat.org/>*/ <https://launch.amsat.org/> In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: - Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). - Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. - Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. - Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week’s ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW n1uw [at] amsat [dot] org

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ANS-049 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Feb 18
by Mark Johns, K0JM 18 Feb '24

18 Feb '24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-049 In this edition: * SpaceX Delays Crew-8 Astronaut Launch to Make Way for Private Moon Mission * Upcoming Rideshare Launch to Include Amateur Payloads * Bill Introduced to Eliminate Private Land Use Restrictions on Amateur Radio * Small Launch Companies Seek Niches to Compete With SpaceX Rideshare * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 16 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. *Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org>* You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ANS-049 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2024 Feb 18 SpaceX Delays Crew-8 Astronaut Launch to Make Way for Private Moon Mission NASA’s next astronaut launch will delay nearly a week to let a moon mission leave Earth first. NASA’s Crew-8 astronauts, who will launch on a SpaceX Crew Dragon, will fly to space no earlier than Feb. 28. The delay from Feb. 22 will make room for the expected launch of Intuitive Machines’ moon lander from the same launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Odysseus, a robotic lunar lander built by the Houston-based company Intuitive Machines, lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida early in the morning on Thursday, Feb. 15. If all goes according to plan, Odysseus (designated IM-1) will touch down near the moon’s south pole on Feb. 22, becoming the first-ever private spacecraft to ace a lunar landing. Success would also be a big deal for the United States, which hasn’t been to the lunar surface since NASA’s Apollo 17 mission more than half a century ago. “NASA and SpaceX will continue to assess Crew-8 readiness and may adjust the Crew-8 launch date following a successful IM-1 launch,” agency officials wrote in a statement on Feb. 13, while announcing the delay. The astronaut mission will serve as relief for Crew-7, which flew to space on Aug. 26 for an International Space Station mission expected to last six or seven months. *SpaceX Crew-8 crew. From left to right: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU.* Crew-8 includes NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR (commander), Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ (pilot), and Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU (mission specialist), along with Roscosmos cosmonaut and mission specialist Alexander Grebenkin. Both the ISS crew and the IM-1 launch are using a pad SpaceX leases at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The moon mission has a fairly narrow launch window as the IM-1 lander needs specific landing conditions to land at the lunar south pole, which is part of why the launch date for Crew-8 may be adjusted. Crew-8, as the name implies, is the eighth crewed operational mission by SpaceX that sends commercial crews to the ISS on NASA’s behalf. Starliner, the second vendor, may fly its first test crew in mid-April 2024. [ANS thanks Space.com for the above information.] ------------------------------ *The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!* *Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus* *Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help* *Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* *https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/>* ------------------------------ Upcoming Rideshare Launch to Include Amateur Payloads The SpaceX F9 Transporter-10 Rideshare mission has been scheduled for launch on 1 March 2024. In addition to a half dozen commercial payloads, two amateur satellites are on the launch manifest: SONATE-2 from Germany and CroCube from Croatia. *SONATE-2* SONATE-2 is a 6U+ CubeSat designed and built by the University of Wuerzburg in Germany. As for many university satellites, the mission objectives of the SONATE-2 satellite can be divided into three different parts: – The operation of an amateur radio payload – The development and operation of the satellite for the education of students. – The operation of a novel payload as a technology demonstration in space. The amateur payload of SONATE-2 consists of a VHF transceiver that was already built for the predecessor mission SONATE over the course of several student theses. For SONATE-2 additional student theses extended the transceiver functionalities. It will provide regular SSTV downlinks with images from the optical sensors included in the AI payload as well as an APRS digipeater and CW beacon. On the education side, the mission will serve as a foundation for different aspects of the university aerospace and computer science engineering program. In the context of practical courses, theses or as student assistants, students can participate in the development of all subsystems of the space and ground segment, including the amateur radio payload and the technology demonstration payload. In the context of mandatory lectures and exercises on space operations every student will also be included in the operations of the satellite. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers a School Lab for high school students at the location of our external ground station in Neustrelitz, Germany. Besides experiments on space and satellites, the School Lab includes amateur radio contacts to the ISS under the supervision of licensed local radio amateurs, which they wish to extend to other satellites like in this cooperation with the SONATE-2 mission. In addition to the amateur and educational mission parts, the SONATE-2 mission also has a research objective for the demonstration of novel artificial intelligence technology in the space environments. While the AI payload is mainly operated using a separate up/downlink in the space operation service in S-band, the satellite bus and the amateur payloads are operated in the amateur service. Housekeeping telemetry in the amateur service also contains status information of the non-amateur payload. Proposing CW, SSTV using Martin M1 and APRS downlinks on VHF and a 9k6 G3RUH AX25 telemetry downlink on UHF. Planning a launch into a 550 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). More info at https://go.uniwue.de/hk. Downlinks on 437.025 MHz, 145.825 MHz, 145.840 MHz and 145.880 MHz have been coordinated by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). *CroCube* CroCube is a 1U CubeSat mission to support the Croatian, but also worldwide amateur radio community with many HAM services and activities. The mission’s goal is also to facilitate the technological development of Croatia, create an advanced society focused on prosperity and innovation, and increase participation in the global space sector. Also, drive Croatia into the space era, increase interest in astronomy and space projects, and develop STEM and tech entrepreneurship, create a platform for founding a space center in Croatia, increase investments and employment in robotics, technology and ICT and finally reduce unemployment and prevent brain drain. The CroCube satellite is designed for HAM radio activities. The main purpose is to provide services for radio amateurs in Croatia and worldwide, and also for students of technical universities to get hands-on experience with satellite communication and get radioamateur licences. One of the project goals is to popularize HAM activities across the common population, students and children in Croatia. CroCube will provide these HAM services: – AX.25 telemetry – CW beacon – Digipeater – Anniversary/special occasions AX.25 & CW messages for community engagement – Experimental SSDV transmissions – SATNOGS integration, decoder, dashboard Proposing a UHF downlink using 9k6 G3RUH GFSK with AX25 telemetry. Planning an Exolaunch deployment into a 510 km SSO. More info at https://drustvo-evo.hr . A downlink on 436.775 MHz has been coordinated by IARU. [ANS thanks Libre Space, Jan van Gils, PE0SAT, and IARU 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/* <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/> ------------------------------ Bill Introduced to Eliminate Private Land Use Restrictions on Amateur Radio U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (MS) and Richard Blumenthal (CT) introduced S.3690 on January 30, 2024, the Senate companion bill to H.R.4006, introduced last June. Both bills reflect the Congressional campaign efforts by ARRL to eliminate homeowner association land use restrictions that prohibit, restrict, or impair the ability of an Amateur Radio Operator to install and operate amateur station antennas on residential properties they own. Amateur Radio Operators repeatedly are relied upon to provide essential communications when disaster strikes, but their ability to do so is being impaired by the exponential growth of residential private land use restrictions that hinder their ability to establish stations in their homes with which to train and provide emergency communications when called upon. In announcing the introduction of S.3690, Senator Wicker said: “Because communication during natural disasters is often hindered, we should be making every attempt to give folks more options. Reliable access can make the difference between life and death in an emergency. Our legislation removes roadblocks for amateur radio operators looking to help their friends, families, and neighbors.” In a similar announcement, Senator Blumenthal stated: “Our measure will help clarify the rules so ham radio enthusiasts can successfully continue their communications. In the face of emergency or crisis, they help provide vital, life-saving information that allow listeners to properly and safely respond, but prohibitive home association rules and confusing approval processes for installing antennas have been an unnecessary impediment. The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act resolves these bottlenecks and ensures that radio operators can function successfully.” ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and Director John Robert Stratton, N5AUS, Chair of the ARRL’s Government Affairs Committee, both extended on behalf of ARRL, its Members, and the Amateur Radio community their thanks and appreciation for the leadership of Senator Wicker and Senator Blumenthal in their continuing efforts to support and protect the rights of all Amateur Radio Operators. [ANS thanks ARRL News for the above information] ------------------------------ Small Launch Companies Seek Niches to Compete With SpaceX Rideshare Small launch vehicle developers are working to carve out niches in a market for smallsat launches that is increasingly dominated by SpaceX’s Transporter rideshare missions. The Transporter missions, which fill a Falcon 9 often with more than 100 smallsats, offer per-kilogram prices significantly below dedicated small launch vehicles. SpaceX has seen high demand for those missions and announced plans last year for a related line of missions called Bandwagon that will go to mid-inclination orbits. “The Transporter program was created a few years ago with, in my opinion, the sole purpose of trying to kill new entrants like us,” said Sandy Tirtey, director of global commercial launch services at Rocket Lab, during a panel at the SmallSat Symposium in Mountain View, Calif. on Feb. 7. “Yet, we are still flying because we offer something unique.” That uniqueness, he argued, is the ability to fly missions to specific orbits not served by Transporter rideshare missions. An example is Rocket Lab’s next Electron launch, which will place into orbit the ADRAS-J inspector satellite for Astroscale. That mission requires a specific, precise orbit so that ADRAS-J can rendezvous with a derelict Japanese upper stage. *A Rocket Lab Electron launched four smallsats for NorthStar Earth and Space Jan. 31. Credit: Rocket Lab* “Electron is really the only vehicle capable of delivering such a complex mission on an expedited timeline,” Peter Beck, chief executive of Rocket Lab, said in a Feb. 7 statement about the launch, scheduled for Feb. 19 (New Zealand time). Rocket Lab said the specific launch time will be determined just a day before launch, with a near-instantaneous launch window. “Most of the missions that we fly are enabled by the fact that we offer dedicated services,” Tirtey said, citing the upcoming ADRAS-J launch. “There is no way you could do this on a rideshare.” Other panelists said they are targeting customers with specific requirements or needs that make them less price-sensitive than those who opt for the less expensive Transporter launches. That includes dedicated orbits and high reliability, said Pablo Gallego, senior vice president of sales and customers at Spanish launch company PLD Space. “We are offering a premium service for the ones that are willing to pay.” That argument, though, is in danger of being undercut by the combination of rideshare launches and orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs), which can take satellites to their desired orbit after being deployed from a Transporter or similar launch. Several companies are offering such vehicles and using them on Transporter launches. While that combination may still be less expensive than dedicated launches, it still doesn’t offer sufficient flexibility, launch providers argued. “We are excited to partner with a lot of OTV providers in providing that service to our customers, but it comes down to performance and how quickly you can get there,” said Robert Sproles, chief technology officer of launch services company Exolaunch. “If it takes you multiple months on orbit to get to that final destination, there’s a strong argument to be made to going dedicated.” Tirtey said that maneuvers that require plane changes can take months to complete, adding that current OTV providers have yet to demonstrate the ability to perform such complex maneuvers. “It could be useful, but you can’t expect a revolution because of physics.” However, on another panel at the conference Feb. 6, industry officials said they see challenges for small launch vehicles coming from SpaceX’s Starship, which promises much greater performance at significantly lower prices. “If you’re a smallsat company, your business model should be looking forward to the model of the Starship rideshare,” a scaled-up version of Falcon 9 rideshare, said Abhishek Tripathi, director of mission operations at the University of California Berkeley’s Space Sciences Lab and who previously worked at SpaceX. He said that the introduction of Starship could change how spacecraft are designed, allowing the use of heavier but cheaper materials and components. “You can throw mass and power and volume at your problem and thereby scale up your satellite bus and still be cheap.” [ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information] ------------------------------ *Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* *Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff* *from our Zazzle store!* *25% of the purchase price of each product goes* *towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space* *https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear <https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear>* ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 16 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/. - Lume-1 NORAD Cat ID 43908 Decayed from orbit on or about 13 February 2024 - FEES NORAD Cat ID 48082 Decayed from orbit on or about 12 February 2024 [ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information] ------------------------------ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. *COMPLETED CONTACTS* School TBD, Naro-Fominsk, Russia, direct via UB3AYC The ISS callsign was RSØISS The crewmember was Nikolay Chub The ARISS mentor was RV3DR Contact was successful for Thu 2024-02-15 08:22 UTC Congratulations to the Naro-Fominsk students, Nikolay, and mentor RV3DR! B. Russell High School, Rome, Italy, direct via IKØUSO The ISS callsign was OR4ISS The crewmember was Jasmin Moghbeli KI5WSL The ARISS mentor was IKØUSO Contact was successful: Thu 2024-02-15 11:32:10 UTC 54 deg Congratulations to the B. Russell High School students, Jasmin, and mentor IKØUSO! Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0YEgMvzbn8 Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia, direct via R2FDB The ISS callsign was to be RSØISS The crewmember was Konstantin Borisov The ARISS mentor was RV3DR Contact was successful for: Fri 2024-02-16 09:10 UTC Congratulations to the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University students, Konstantin, and mentor RV3DR! *SCHEDULED CONTACTS* Girl Scout Troop 1089, Sacramento, CA, direct via N6NA The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM The ARISS mentor is AA4KN Contact is go for: Thu 2024-02-22 18:26:02 UTC 89 deg The crossband repeater continues to be *active* (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. The packet system is also *active* (145.825 MHz up & down). As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] ------------------------------ Upcoming Satellite Operations Jonathan Eernisse, N4AKV has been QRV from FM05/FM06 and FM15/FM16 this week. Both LEO and IO-117. Details available on hams.at A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location. [ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] ------------------------------ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. + 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Positive Impact of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight Thursday February 22nd through Saturday February 24th, 2024 Center for Space Education: Astronauts Memorial Foundation Kennedy Space Center, M6-306 405 State Road, FL 32899 https://www.ariss.org/overview.html + Dayton Hamvention 2024 Friday May 17th through Sunday May 19th, 2024 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org [ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information] ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts From All Over + The JAMSAT Annual General Meeting and Symposium 2024 will be held in Sagano, Kyoto on 23-24 March 2024. To join the Symposium by ZOOM, please send e-mail to Ueda-san, ja0fkm(a)gmail.com, with your Callsign and Name by 16 March. He will send you invitation email including Zoom URL. If you are adept at reading Japanese (or have a good translation program) the latest edition of the JAMSAT Newsletter is packed with excellent articles, including a full report of satellite operations by the JAMSAT VK9QO DXpedition to Cocos (Keeling) Island, amateur transmissions from the moon by the SLIM LEV-1/LEV-2 landers, and a how-to on restoring a Yaesu G-5500 rotator. Visit the JAMSAT website at https://www.jamsat.or.jp/ to learn more. (ANS thanks Mikio Mouri, JA3GEP, JAMSAT Newsletter Editor, for the above information.) + An unspecified defect in early model Starlink satellites has prompted SpaceX to preemptively deorbit the units before they potentially fail and become hazards in low Earth orbit. The company has already initiated the disposal of 406 units from the nearly 6,000 satellites launched to date. Among these, 17 are currently non-maneuverable but are expected to naturally decay and eventually burn up in Earth’s atmosphere in the coming years. However, the decision to deorbit a large batch of approximately 100 satellites within a brief amount of time is certainly out of the ordinary. (ANS thanks Gismodo for the above information.) + The European Space Agency’s Cluster mission, which has spent 24 years revealing the secrets of Earth’s magnetic environment, is coming to an end. The first of the four satellites in the Cluster quartet, named ‘Salsa’, will reenter Earth’s atmosphere in September 2024. This month, spacecraft operators carried out a series of manoeuvres to ensure this reentry will take place over a sparsely populated region in the South Pacific. The end of the Cluster mission offers a rare chance to study the safe atmospheric reentry of four identical satellites under different conditions. (ANS thanks The European Space Agency for the above information.) + Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme, has confirmed that January 2024 was the warmest January on record. Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said: “2024 starts with another record-breaking month – not only is it the warmest January on record but we have also just experienced a 12-month period [with a mean global average temperature] more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial reference period. Rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are the only way to stop global temperatures increasing.” (ANS thanks https://climate.copernicus.eu for the above information.) + Voyager 1, humanity’s most distant scientific outpost, is currently careening away from Earth at 17 kilometers every second and unable to transmit useful scientific or engineering data back to us across nearly a light-day of space. The problem with the 46-year-old spacecraft cropped up back in November, when Voyager started sending gibberish back to Earth. Flight controllers have determined that the problem lies within the one remaining flight data system (FDS) computer on board, most likely thanks to a single bit of corrupted memory. The team has tried rebooting the FDS, to no avail. With most of the engineers who originally built the spacecraft long gone now, the team is treading very carefully. (ANS thanks Hackaday for the above information.) ------------------------------ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. * Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week’s ANS Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM k0jm [at] amsat.org Categories AMSAT News <https://www.amsat.org/category/amsat-news/>, AMSAT News Service <https://www.amsat.org/category/amsat-news-service/>, ANS <https://www.amsat.org/category/ans/> ANS-042 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins <https://www.amsat.org/ans-042-amsat-news-service-weekly-bulletins/>

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ANS-042 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ) 11 Feb '24

11 Feb '24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-042 In this edition: * ESA Satellite Communications Group Explores Future Amateur Satellite Payload * GreenCube IO-117 Continues Operations Beyond Expected February 5th Passivation * JS1YMG: Decoding the First Moon-Based Ham Radio Station's Telemetry Signals * GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers February 2024 Rankings * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 9, 2024 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org> You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org ANS-042 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2024 Feb 11 ________________________________ ESA Satellite Communications Group Explores Future Amateur Satellite Payload Frank Zeppenfeldt, PDØAP, representing the European Space Agency (ESA), provided key insights during a presentation on February 4th at the FOSDEM 2024 conference held in Brussels, Belgium. The discussion centered around ESA's initiative to collaborate with the amateur satellite community in defining a prospective payload for Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) or Geostationary Orbit (GEO). The ESA's involvement aims to build upon the success of the QO-100 payload in geostationary orbit, fostering innovation and technological advancements. During the FOSDEM conference, the ESA Satellite Communications Group outlined preliminary ideas, stressing the significance of engaging with the Software-Defined Radio (SDR) community. The primary objectives include consolidating requirements, exploring diverse payload options, addressing user segments, and thoroughly examining financing, procurement, and operational scenarios for a potential MEO/GEO amateur payload. The project's scope encompasses the consideration of various payload options and trade-offs, encompassing aspects such as frequency bands, analog or digital transmission, on-board SDR/Linux/GPU-box configurations, potential applications, technical risks, inter-satellite links, geographical coverage, degree of centralization, and educational components. [cid:[email protected]]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Support_for_MEO_…> Proposed Planning for ESA MEO/GEO Amateur Payload. [Credit: Frank Zeppenfeldt, ESA Satellite Communications Group] To ensure a comprehensive and well-informed approach, the ESA plans to actively involve the amateur community. This engagement seeks to gather valuable input on lessons learned from the QO-100 experience, amateur requirements and interests, as well as suggestions for payload options. The consultation process extends to reaching out to AMSAT and other relevant groups, alongside dialogues with satellite operators, primes, and various stakeholders. Looking ahead, the ESA has outlined a timeline for the project. In March 2024, the agency intends to solicit input from the amateur satellite community and other stakeholders, guided by valuable insights from the AMSAT community. By May 2024, detailed payload options will be presented for discussion at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands, with the support of technical expertise. More information from this presentation including the ten page Slide Deck can be found https://fosdem.org/2024/schedule/event/fosdem-2024-2084-design-of-a-follow-…. The culmination of this extensive process is expected in September 2024 at the World Satellite Business Week, where dedicated discussions with satellite operators will be organized. The ESA envisions proposing a selection of payload options at a subsequent FOSDEM conference in 2025, further demonstrating the collaborative commitment of ESA and the amateur satellite community to propel advancements in satellite communications and explore innovative possibilities for future amateur satellite payloads in both GEO and MEO orbits. [ANS thanks Frank Zeppenfeldt, PDØAP, ESA Satellite Communications Group, for the above information] ________________________________ GreenCube IO-117 Continues Operations Beyond Expected February 5th Passivation GreenCube IO-117 satellite continues to function beyond the initially scheduled shutdown of the amateur radio digipeater on February 5, 2024, at 0000 UTC. There have been no recent developments regarding the fate of this widely-used satellite since AMSAT Italia's announcement on February 2nd that the Italian Space Agency is considering revisiting the decision to decommission it. Originally designed for scientific purposes and placed in MEO orbit, GreenCube satellite has successfully completed its primary mission. The "Save the GreenCube Satellite Digipeater" petition initiated by Peter Goodhall, 2MØSQL, has gained significant traction, garnering over 2,000 signatures to date. The petition, accessible at https://www.change.org/p/save-the-greencube-satellite-digipeater, remains open for further support. [cid:[email protected]]<https://www.change.org/p/save-the-greencube-satellite-digipeater> Save the GreenCube Satellite Digipeater petition continues to gather signatures. [Credit: Change.org] The support from the amateur radio satellite community for the GreenCube IO-117 digipeater has been exceptionally robust. Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR, has introduced significant enhancements to his GreenCube Terminal in the latest Version 1.0.0.88, which can be accessed at https://moonbounce.dk/hamradio/greencube-terminal-program.html. Notable improvements encompass SatNOGS Integration, GPS Integration, "AMSAT Sheriff" Wyatt, and Live World View. The Oscarwatch GreenCube Reporter map, developed by Peter Goodhall, 2MØSQL, is available at https://oscarwatch.org/greencube, serving as a valuable resource for monitoring real-time activity on GreenCube. The recent success of the TX5S Clipperton Island DXpedition, which made numerous GreenCube digipeater contacts, can be attributed to these enhancements and the collaboration of operators adhering to the recently released IO-117 Code Of Conduct recommendations. To get a comprehensive view of the considerable amateur radio activity on the GreenCube digipeater, you can explore the GreenCube IO-117 Users Map curated by Doug Papay, K8DP, accessible at https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Y7O-rWll2QHFTjbBa4ThmZ3AG9ls8Io. According to the latest update, GreenCube has facilitated digipeating for 1,576 unique callsigns and 999 unique grids. This encompasses digipeats from 121 DXCC entities, all 50 US states, all 47 JA prefectures, and 36 out of 40 CQ Zones. Since its launch in July 2022, 846 ground stations have contributed over 3.4 million telemetry and 6.2 million digipeater frames to the SatNOGS database. The top five contributors to the database, in terms of total submissions, are Doug Papay, K8DP, with 1.1M submissions; Dave Webb, KB1PVH, with 734k submissions; Dave Fisher, KGØD, with 576k submissions; Shige Nasu, JH8FIH, with 507k submissions; and Jacob Mol III, N8JCM, with 498k submissions. [cid:[email protected]]<https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Y7O-rWll2QHFTjbBa4ThmZ3AG9ls8Io&ll> GreenCube IO-117 Users Map [Credit: Doug Papay, K8DP] GreenCube IO-117 exemplifies the strong backing the amateur radio satellite community extends to satellite missions incorporating telemetry data alongside communication opportunities for radio amateurs. The forthcoming challenge for satellite missions lies in soliciting input from the amateur radio satellite community and ensuring tools are available prior to launch. Leveraging its unique orbit and capabilities, GreenCube has enabled many to attain challenging awards on satellites, such as ARRL DXCC, ARRL Worked All States (WAS), and the JARL Worked All Japan Prefectures Award (WAJA). AMSAT, alongside thousands of amateur radio operators, remains steadfast in their support for the GreenCube mission, with hopes for its sustained success in the future. [ANS thanks Doug Papay, K8DP, Peter Goodhall, 2MØSQL, and Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR for the above information] ________________________________ The 2024 Coins Are Here Now! Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus. Join<https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> the AMSAT President's Club today! [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-Coin-Both_5…]<https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/2024-coin-both_586/#ma…> ________________________________ JS1YMG: Decoding the First Moon-Based Ham Radio Station's Telemetry Signals JQ1ZVI (JAXA Ham Radio Club, JHRC) recently obtained a radio station license from Japan for the lunar rover LEV-1, designated JS1YMG, marking a historic moment as the first amateur radio station on the moon. This milestone achievement follows Japan's SLIM lunar mission, which saw the deployment of two lunar excursion vehicles, LEV-1 and LEV-2. LEV-1, designed for hopping mobility, features direct-to-Earth communication capabilities via UHF band antennas from the MINERVA and OMOTENASHI projects. Equipped with two wide-angle visible light cameras, LEV-1 conducts lunar exploration while carrying essential science payloads, including a thermometer, radiation monitor, and inclinometer, providing valuable insights into lunar conditions and terrain. It actively receives data from its companion rover LEV-2, and this information is transmitted to Earth using its 1 Watt UHF circular polarization antenna, employing Morse code on a IARU coordinated frequency of 437.410 MHz. [cid:[email protected]]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/JAXA_SLIM_LEV1_L…> <https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/JAXA_SLIM_LEV1_L…>JAXA's SLIM mission delivered probes, LEV-1 and LEV-2, to the lunar surface. [Credit: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency] Decoding efforts by Daniel Estévez, EA4GPZ, and others have shed light on the telemetry data transmitted by LEV-1. Utilizing captures from the 25-meter radio telescope at Dwingeloo in the Netherlands, Estévez identified the telemetry format as PCM/PSK/PM with a symbol rate of 64 baud and a 2048 kHz subcarrier. The residual carrier is modulated in amplitude with Morse code, introducing an unusual element to the signal. Despite challenges posed by amplitude shift keying in the signal, a phase-locked loop (PLL) has proven effective in tracking the phase of the residual carrier. Estévez's decoding journey involved unraveling the CCSDS coding, a task that posed initial challenges. While the IARU coordination sheet hinted at bitrates and coding specifics, the signal's unique characteristics required a thorough investigation. The BCJR decoder, a tool used successfully in previous decoding efforts, validated the presence of convolutional coding. The output provided log-likelihood ratios, offering confidence in the correctness of the convolutional code. Further investigations led to the identification of the syncword 0xFAF320, a crucial element in understanding the structure of the transmitted frames. [cid:[email protected]]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/LEV-1_Demodulato…> <https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/LEV-1_Demodulato…>GNU Radio LEV-1 Demodulator GUI displaying Residual Carrier Amplitude from LEV-1 [Credit: Daniel Estevez, EA4GPZ] One intriguing aspect of the decoded data is the Morse code modulating the residual carrier in amplitude. Despite initial confusion caused by an inverted amplitude representation, subsequent analysis revealed recognizable Morse code sequences. The meaning behind these Morse code transmissions remains a mystery, inviting collaboration from the broader radio amateur community and the LEV-1 team. As decoding efforts continue, the telemetry data's contents remain unknown, emphasizing the need for more documentation from the LEV-1 team. The spacecraft's utilization of the amateur satellite service and its completion of the IARU coordination process suggest that technical documentation may become publicly available in the future. More details on the ongoing efforts to decode LEV-1's amateur radio transmissions can be found at Daniel Estévez's website at https://destevez.net/2024/01/trying-to-decode-lev-1/. This achievement in establishing the first amateur radio station on the Moon opens up new possibilities for lunar communications and amateur radio enthusiasts worldwide. The collaborative efforts of radio amateurs contribute significantly pave the way for future advancements in space communication technologies. [ANS thanks Daniel Estévez, EA4GPZ, and Hackaday for the above information] ________________________________ GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers February 2024 Rankings The February 2024 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap<https://twitter.com/GridMasterMap> on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr<http://gridmaster.fr> website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr in order to provide more accurate data. Updated: 2024-02-07 1 ND9M 26 K8BL 51 F4DXV 76 DF2ET 2 NJ7H 27 KE4AL 52 KE9AJ 77 WA9JBQ 3 N5UC 28 LU5ILA 53 JL3RNZ 78 W8LR 4 JA9KRO 29 DL2GRC 54 KM4LAO 79 OE3SEU 5 DL6AP 30 KI7UNJ 55 VE1CWJ 80 VE3GOP 6 WI7P 31 VE3HLS 56 PA3GAN 81 KJ7NDY 7 UT1FG 32 KB5FHK 57 VK5DG 82 KB2YSI 8 HA3FOK 33 LA9XGA 58 N4UFO 83 K0FFY 9 N9IP 34 N7AGF 59 KI7QEK 84 CU2ZG 10 N6UA 35 F4BKV 60 SM3NRY 85 N0TEL 11 WY7AA 36 XE3DX 61 N8RO 86 DL4EA 12 K5ZM 37 N6DNM 62 PT2AP 87 W8MTB 13 AD0DX 38 KE0PBR 63 W1AW 88 KG4AKV 14 W5PFG 39 KE0WPA 64 VA7LM 89 VE6WK 15 DP0POL 40 JO2ASQ 65 XE1ET 90 VE7PTN 16 AK8CW 41 PR8KW 66 AA8CH 91 HB9GWJ 17 AD0HJ 42 AC0RA 67 M1DDD 92 AF5CC 18 WD9EWK 43 K7TAB 68 VA3VGR 93 DK9JC 19 ON4AUC 44 W7WGC 69 VE1VOX 94 PT9ST 20 KG5CCI 45 EB1AO 70 FG8OJ 95 JM1CAX 21 KX9X 46 JK2XXK 71 PT9BM 96 KI0KB 22 ND0C 47 EA4NF 72 KI7UXT 97 VO2AC 23 N5BO 48 AA5PK 73 LU4JVE 98 LW2DAF 24 F5VMJ 49 SP5XSD 74 YU0W 99 N4AKV 25 DJ8MS 50 AD7DB 75 N4DCW 100 N6UTC [ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information] ________________________________ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 9, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources. AO-92 NORAD Cat ID 43137 Decayed from orbit on or about 02 February 2024 NO-116 NORAD Cat ID 51031 Decayed from orbit on or about 04 February 2024 Editor's Note: Thanks AO-92 for all the contacts, memories, and friends that you provided us! Miss you Veronica :( [ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information] ________________________________ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the AMSAT Store!<https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/> When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/cm/LEO-Pack1-300x298.png] ________________________________ 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 Lilburn Elementary School, Lilburn, GA, direct via K4RGK The ISS callsign was NA1SS The crewmember was Jasmin Moghbeli KI5WSL The ARISS mentor was K4RGK Contact was successful: Wed 2024-02-07 14:24:10 UTC Congratulations to the Lilburn Elementary School students, Jasmin, and mentor K4RGK! Watch the event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlwg2rof0LA School of Telecommunications Engineering, ETSIT Valencia (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain, direct via EA5RKP The ISS callsign was OR4ISS The crewmember was Loral O'Hara KI5TOM The ARISS mentor was IKØUSO Contact was successful: Fri 2024-02-09 08:12:46 UTC Congratulations to the ETSIT Valencia students, Loral, and mentor EA5RKP! Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IMdKcM2Fw8 + Upcoming Contacts School TBD, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Nikolay Chub The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for 2024-02-15 08:20 UTC B. Russell High School, Rome, Italy, direct via IKØUSO) The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember is Jasmin Moghbeli KI5WSL The ARISS mentor is IKØWGF Contact is go for: Thu 2024-02-15 11:32:10 UTC Baltic Federal University. I. Kanta, Kaliningrad, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Konstantin Borisov The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Fri 2024-02-16 09:10 UTC The Service Module radio is temporarily stowed. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html<https://gridmaster.fr> The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] ________________________________ Upcoming Satellite Operations From Jonathan N4AKV: Next week I am hoping to head to a few of the FM grids, namely FM05, 06, 15, 16, 25, and 26. Plans and dates not finalized yet but will post here and on http://hams.at as usual when I figure them out. Hopefully GC will remain active. A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location. [ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above information] ________________________________ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Positive Impact of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight Thursday February 22nd through Saturday February 24th, 2024 Center for Space Education: Astronauts Memorial Foundation Kennedy Space Center, M6-306 405 State Road, FL 32899 https://www.ariss.org/overview.html 2024 CubeSat Developer's Workshop April 23-25, 2024 San Luis Obispo, CA https://www.cubesatdw.org/ Dayton Hamvention 2024 Friday May 17th through Sunday May 19th, 2024 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says, Had a marvelous time last night with the South Pasadena (CA) ARC. BUT - I might have to "tighten up" my trivia questions throughout: They knew the answers IMMEDIATELY to all of them!!! Twenty-one members joined via Zoom. The rainstorms here made Zoom-ing the best-available option for the show. Next up: Bellingham WA, Orange County CA, and Brea CA! Think a lively and informative 75-minute presentation on "working the easy satellites" would be appropriate for your event or club? Just let us know! Clint Bradford K6LCS clint(a)k6lcs.org<mailto:[email protected]> 909-999-SATS (7287) [ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information] ________________________________ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store<https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AMSAT-Car-Flag-2…] ________________________________ Satellite Shorts From All Over + The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft Freedom successfully concluded its three-week private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by splashing down off the Florida coast on February 9th. Commanded by former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, KE5GTK, the Ax-3 mission lifted off on January 18 and included pilot Walter Villadei, IUØRWB, along with mission specialists Alper Gezeravcı, KJ5DIY, and Marcus Wandt, KJ5COO, who represented the European Space Agency. Despite a nearly week-long extension due to poor weather, the spacecraft's reentry and descent went according to plan, marking Axiom Space's third private astronaut mission to the ISS. This mission served as a precursor to Axiom's installation of commercial modules on the ISS, which will form the basis of a future standalone space station. Additionally, SpaceX announced plans for five or six crewed missions in 2024, including Ax-4 and NASA's Crew-8 and Crew-9 missions, while the Polaris Dawn mission, led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, is expected to launch in the summer for a historic Crew Dragon spacewalk. (ANS thanks Jeff Foust, SpaceNews, for the above information) + NASA's PACE satellite, aimed at studying ocean health, air quality, and climate change effects, was successfully launched into orbit at 1:33 a.m. EST on February 8th aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Signal acquisition was confirmed five minutes post-launch, with the satellite performing as anticipated. With instruments to study microscopic life in oceans and particles in the atmosphere, PACE aims to uncover crucial factors affecting global warming, aligning with the Biden-Harris Administration's climate agenda. The satellite's capabilities include tracking phytoplankton distribution globally and monitoring atmospheric aerosols and cloud properties. PACE's data will significantly advance understanding of the Earth system, particularly in relation to climate change impacts on oceans and phytoplankton dynamics, offering valuable insights for coastal communities and industries. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information) + NASA is preparing for the launch of Intuitive Machines' first lunar lander, Nova-C, as part of the CLPS initiative and Artemis campaign. The launch is scheduled for no earlier than 12:57 a.m. on February 14 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Nova-C lander is expected to land on the Moon on February 22, carrying NASA science and technology instruments for various purposes. Live launch coverage will be available on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website, starting from February 12. The payload includes instruments focusing on plume-surface interactions, space weather/lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy, precision landing technologies, and communication/navigation for autonomous navigation technologies. NASA's virtual guest program allows the public to attend the launch virtually, and social media engagement is encouraged with the hashtag #Artemis. The CLPS initiative aims to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface through partnerships with U.S. companies, with a cumulative maximum contract value of $2.6 billion through 2028. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information) + Virgin Galactic has temporarily halted its operations after a small part, an alignment pin, unintentionally detached from the mothership of its rocket-powered space plane during the Galactic 06 space tourism flight on January 26. The company assured that the part's loss did not compromise the mission's safety. The alignment pin is crucial for pre-flight procedures, ensuring the spaceship aligns with the mothership. Virgin Galactic discovered the issue during routine checks and promptly notified government regulators on January 31. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will conduct a mishap investigation, requiring Virgin Galactic's final report and corrective actions approval before resuming flights. The alignment pin's absence did not affect the safety of the successful Galactic 06 mission, and the company plans to provide further updates after the FAA review for the upcoming Galactic 07 mission in the second quarter of 2024. (ANS thanks Jackie Wattles, CNN, for the above information) + Ongoing efforts persist in the bid to resolve the critical computer glitch affecting NASA's Voyager 1, the most distant human-made object in space, which has disrupted telemetry data transmission since November 14. The glitch, impacting the Flight Data Subsystem (FDS) developed five decades ago, has prevented access to vital information regarding the spacecraft's propulsion, power, and control systems. Suzanne Dodd, the Voyager project manager, acknowledges the severity of the situation, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the issue due to Voyager 1's age and declining nuclear battery power. A dedicated team of experts is actively crafting a plan to transmit commands aimed at isolating and potentially correcting the corrupted FDS memory. The unique challenge lies in the absence of simulators for testing commands, making decision-making a complex process requiring a delicate balance between thorough analysis and prompt action. Despite the intricate troubleshooting process, NASA remains resolute in its commitment to resolving the issue and ensuring the continued success of the historic Voyager 1 mission. (ANS thanks Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, for the above information) ________________________________ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. * Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half-time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org> for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ ad0hj [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org>

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ANS-035 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 04 Feb '24

04 Feb '24

*AMSAT *News Service*ANS-035* *February 4, 2024* In this edition: - AO-92 Reenters Earth's Atmosphere - The First Amateur Radio Station on the Moon - Lunar Excursion Vehicle (LEV-1) Amateur Telemetry Received - AMSAT CubeSatSim Beta Release – v1.3 - VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standing as of February 1, 2024 - Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 2, 2024 - Request to Reconsider Decommissioning of IO-117 Under Evaluation by Italian Space Agency - ARISS News - Upcoming Satellite Operations - Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events - Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ------------------------------ AO-92 Reenters Earth's Atmosphere After just over six years in orbit, Fox-1D, designated as AMSAT-OSCAR 92 (AO -92), likely re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on February 3, 2024 (Space-Track had not issued the final decay message as of the time of this writing.) AO-92 was a 1U CubeSat developed and built by AMSAT. It carried a single-channel transponder for mode U/v in FM and also had an L-band converter (the AMSAT L-band downshifter experiment), which allowed the FM transponder to be switched to an uplink in the 23 cm band. In addition to the transponders, the satellite carried the following scientific and technical payloads: - High Energy Radiation CubeSat (HERCI) built by the University of Iowa - Camera Experiment built by Virginia Tech - MEMS GYRO Experiment built by Penn State-Erie The satellite had a single whip antenna for the 70 cm and 23 cm bands (uplink), as well as an antenna for the 2m band (downlink). AO-92 was launched on January 12, 2018 at 03:59 UTC on an Indian PSLV XL rocket, along with the main payloads Cartosat-2F, NovaSAR-S, and 31 other small satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Center, India. At 05:17 UTC, the antennas were deployed over the North Pole and the satellite began to operate. At 05:28 UTC the first telemetry was received. On the 03:25 UTC pass on January 26, 2018, AMSAT Vice President – Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, announced that AO-92 had been commissioned and formally turned the satellite over to AMSAT Operations. AMSAT Vice President – Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, then declared that AO-92 was open for amateur use. *Rick Behma, VE4AMU, working AO-92 in Mode L/v with a Kenwood TM-941 mobile transceiver and Comet CYA-1216E yagi crossed with 2 meter Arrow II elements.* In addition to a very popular U/v transponder, the satellite provided a couple of unique capabilities. First was the L-band downshifter experiment, which was generally activated for 24 hours each Sunday while the satellite was able to support it. Pre-launch estimates suggested that approximately 100 watts ERP would be required to access the satellite, but much lower power outputs proved to be usable. Many stations operated through the satellite with radios such as the Alinco DJ-G7T at 1 watt of output into handheld antennas of between between 10 and 16 elements. At least one station reported accessing the satellite with just a simple whip antenna on 23 cm. The camera, developed by students at Virginia Tech, also proved to be popular and delivered many good pictures, with the last photos received on September 19, 2020. An archive of all of the photos captured by ground stations can be found at https://www.amsat.org/tlm/showImages.php?id=4. <https://www.amsat.org/tlm/showImages.php?id=4> The distance record on AO-92's U/v mode was 5,011 km - a transatlantic QSO between F4DXV and VE1VOX that took place on August 10, 2020. The record via the L/v mode was 4,202 km between OA4/XQ3SA and XE1MEX on June 3, 2020. By early 2021, the aging NiCd cells - having been purchased in the early 2010s along with the rest of the Fox-1 battery cells - had degraded to the point where the satellite was entering safe mode on every eclipse. It was rarely operational in recent months. The transponder was occasionally turned on, but usually defaulted into "Safe Mode" at the next eclipse. The last telemetry frame was received from the satellite on October 27, 2023 at 01:36 UTC. By every measure, AO-92 was a tremendously successful amateur radio satellite, providing educational and research benefits to AMSAT's university partners, as well as providing several years of reliable FM communication for amateurs. Its useful life far exceeded the average operational lifespan for commercial or educational CubeSats. *[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, and Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive Vice President, for the above information]* ------------------------------ The First Amateur Radio Station on the Moon *A rendering of the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on the lunar surface. [Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, image]* The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully landed their Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on January 19, 2024. Just before touchdown, SLIM released two small lunar surface probes, LEV-1 and LEV-2. LEV-2 collects data while moving on the lunar surface, and LEV-1 receives the data. The JAXA Ham Radio Club (JHRC), JQ1ZVI, secured amateur radio license JS1YMG for LEV-1, which has been transmitting Morse code on 437.41 MHz since January 19. The probe uses a 1 W UHF antenna with circular polarization and is transmitting "matters related to amateur business." Radio amateurs have been busy analyzing JS1YMG's signal, with Daniel Estévez's, EA4GPZ, blog <https://destevez.net/2024/01/trying-to-decode-lev-1/> introducing the method and extraction results for demodulating Morse code from the signal, as well as extracting the code string. It's unclear how long signals will be heard. JAXA has said that SLIM was not designed to survive a lunar night, which lasts about 14 days, and is due to return in a few days. SLIM was launched on September 6, 2023, and landed on January 19, 2024, with the mission of analyzing the composition of rocks to aid research about the origin of the moon. SLIM's landing made Japan the fifth country to achieve a soft touchdown on the moon. The landing was achieved with exceptional precision -- within 180 feet of its targeted touchdown location. *[ANS thanks ARRL News for the above information]* ------------------------------ *The 2024 Coins Are Here Now!Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.**Join <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> the AMSAT President’s Club today!* <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/2024-coin-both_586/#ma…> ------------------------------ Lunar Excursion Vehicle (LEV-1) Amateur Telemetry Received The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) confirmed on January 20, 2024, that the Lunar Excursion Vehicle (LEV-1), a small robot deployed from the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), successfully conducted activities on the lunar surface. The telemetry data were sent directly from the small robot. According to telemetry data, after deployment from SLIM, LEV-1 executed planned leaping movements and direct communication with ground stations, including inter-robot test radio wave data transmission from the Transformable Lunar Robot (LEV-2, nicknamed "SORA-Q"). On the other hand, image acquisition on the lunar surface has not been confirmed as of now. Currently, LEV-1 has completed its planned operational period on the lunar surface, depleted its designated power, and is in a standby state on the lunar surface. While the capability to resume activity exists contingent on solar power generation from changes in the direction of the sun, efforts will be maintained to continue receiving signals from LEV-1. Both LEV-1 and LEV-2 have become Japan's first lunar exploration robots. Additionally, the small LEV-1 with a mass of 2.1 kg (including a 90g communication device), achieved successful direct communication with Earth from the moon. This is considered as the world's smallest and lightest case of direct data transmission from approximately 380,000 kilometers away. Furthermore, the accomplishment of LEV-1's leaping movements on the lunar surface, inter-robot communication between LEV-1 and LEV-2, and fully autonomous operations represent groundbreaking achievement. It would be regarded as a valuable technology demonstration for future lunar explorations, and the acquired knowledge and experience will be applied in upcoming missions. Moreover, the transmission of UHF band radio waves from LEV-1 as part of outreach efforts has encouraged participation from amateur radio operators globally, and we have been receiving reports of successful signal receptions. This initiative provided an opportunity for the public to be directly engaged in lunar exploration missions. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone involved in the LEV-1 mission. LEV-1 has an International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) coordinated downlink frequency of 437.410 MHz. A detailed report on receiving and decoding LEV-1 telemetry has been prepared by Daniel Estevez, EA4GPZ/M0HXM. It can be found at https://destevez.net/2024/01/trying-to-decode-lev-1/ An earlier summary of LEV-1 design and specifications is at https://robotics.isas.jaxa.jp/lev /LEV_HAM_Club.html. *[ANS thanks the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Daniel Estevez, EA4GPZ/M0HXM, for the above information]* ------------------------------ AMSAT CubeSatSim Beta Release – v1.3 You might have heard about it or seen it at Hamvention or Symposium, but the official release of the new Beta CubeSatSim hardware and software is finally here!! The new beta PCB board set v1.3 is shown in Figure 1, the new board stack is shown in Figure 2, and the new frame and solar panels is in Figure 3. *Figure 1. AMSAT CubeSatSim Beta PCB Board Set. From left to right, battery board, STEM Payload board, and Solar board (the replacement for the Main board)* *Figure 2. AMSAT CubeSatSim Beta Board Stack* *Figure 3. AMSAT CubSatSim Beta Frame and Solar Panel* Here are some links to information about the Beta release: The software for the beta release is here: https://CubeSatSim.org/beta <https://cubesatsim.org/beta> The beta wiki instructions are here: https://CubeSatSim.org/wiki-beta <https://cubesatsim.org/wiki-beta> The beta Bill of Materials (BOM) is here: https://CubeSatSim.org/bom-beta <https://cubesatsim.org/bom-beta> The beta hardware files are here: https://CubeSatSim.org/hardware-beta <https://cubesatsim.org/hardware-beta> The beta frame STL files for 3D printing are here: https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/tree/beta/hardware/frame/v1.3.2 Information about the latest beta software release is here: https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/releases/tag/v1.3.2 The AMSAT CubeSatSim is a low-cost, fully functional open source model of a CubeSat nano-satellite. It has the following features: - Working solar panels and rechargeable batteries - Multi-channel voltage, current, and temperature telemetry transmitted in the Amateur Radio UHF band generated by a Raspberry Pi Zero single board computer - Telemetry decoding using AMSAT's FoxTelem software or APRS software - STEM Payload board with Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller with sensors - Tape measure dipole or SMA antenna with integrated Low Pass Filter - 3D printed frame Here is a summary of the changes with the new beta hardware and software: - New FM transceiver module for better frequency stability and simple command and control receiver to change telemetry modes using RF - More modern and cheaper Raspberry Pi Pico micro controller on STEM Payload board - Easily connect additional sensors for the Pico or Pi using the Qwiic connector system (https://www.sparkfun.com/qwiic ) - SSTV camera images now display callsign and battery status overlay - Can be modified to fly as a balloon payload with 500mW FM output for SSTV, APRS, or CW transmissions with software support on Pico for a serial GPS module - Lower parts cost and easier to source. All parts can now be sourced from electronics distributors and Amazon including easy to find solar panels. New BOM uses Octopart electronic part inventory site with one click distributor ordering (https://CubeSatSim.org/bom-beta <https://cubesatsim.org/bom-beta>) - Redesigned for blue INA219 voltage and current sensors instead of more expensive purple ones - Battery board now has integrated voltage and current sensor - Simpler electrical power system with no boost converter or charge control modules - Kits can be built with through hole parts except for a few surface mount parts. Fully assembled boards will hopefully be available in the future using SMT parts - Transmit and receive frequencies easily configurable from default 434.9 MHz and 435 MHz *During this beta period, we ask for your help in testing the new hardware and software and making sure that all the instructions and documentation are accurate. To help with this, I am pleased to announce that past purchasers of the CubeSatSim v1 PCB board sets are eligible for a free beta v1.3.2 set of PCB boards. Just email me ku2y at arrl.net <http://arrl.net>! I will verify the order and ship you a new set of 3 blank boards. The boards will have the surface mount components already mounted. The first one hundred who contact me in the next three months will be eligible to receive them. For other orders, you will be able to choose between the v1 boards or the new beta v1.3.2 boards.* 73, Alan Johnston, PhD KU2Y AMSAT Vice President for Educational Relations P.S. AMSAT has CubeSatSim Loaners available to ship to your event or presentation or STEM outreach activity – just contact me if you have an upcoming event email at ku2y at arrl.net or on social media at @[email protected] <http://%[email protected]/> *[ANS thanks Alan Johnston, KU2Y, AMSAT Vice President - Educational Relations for the above information]* ------------------------------ VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standing as of February 1, 2024VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary January 01, 2024 to February 01, 2024 Call 1-Jan 1-Feb WC7V 1451 1457 N8RO 1401 1423 W5CBF 1224 1326 DL5GAC New 1300 DF2ET 1102 1200 KF7R 1075 1100 N0JE 1075 1100 N3GS 986 1038 OZ9AAR 900 1000 N8JCM New 917 EA2AA 875 883 KQ4DO 827 853 W8LR 825 841 W2GDJ 705 822 FG8OJ 737 801 VU2LBW 603 751 WD9EWK (DM43) 734 736 JL1SAM 601 700 N8MR 658 675 AF5CC 646 651 JG6CDH 553 605 N6UTC 551 600 WB7VUF 555 572 N5EKO 500 550 N3CAL 480 525 F6GLJ 400 501 N7ZO 350 501 DL6KBG 331 500 SA0UNX 362 463 LA6OP New 458 AD2DD 356 403 KF2T 111 399 N6PAZ 350 369 JH8RZJ New 328 AG4W 161 314 JI5USJ 236 301 AA0MZ 276 277 NJ2DX 100 260 IK8YTA 162 243 N7GR 205 226 KR7LD New 211 PY2YJ 150 210 WD9EWK (DM22) 198 200 WD9EWK (DM31) 187 195 IK0WRB 123 174 W0SX New 134 WK7G New 118 K7AXA New 104 SP7JS New 104 W6CZ New 103 YO6OEV New 103 BA7LVG New 100 Congratulations to the new VUCC holders! W6CZ is first VUCC Satellite holder from DM07 W0SX is first VUCC Satellite holder from DM37 LA6OP is First VUCC Satellite holder from JP67 YO6OEV is First VUCC Satellite holder from KN26 SP7JS is First VUCC Satellite holder from KO00 BA7LVG is First VUCC Satellite holder from OL63 DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary January 01, 2024 to February 01, 2024 Call 1-Jan 1-Feb HB9BZA 158 188 PS8ET 160 178 F4BKV 150 171 G4GIR 163 167 PA3FWP 127 157 EA2AA 154 156 I3BUI 142 155 AC4G 151 152 OZ9AAR 125 151 EA6VQ 127 145 HB9RYZ 141 145 IK4CIE 133 143 HB9GWJ 129 134 RA3DNC 107 131 W5CBF 100 130 DL2QB 100 120 LA0FA 102 109 N3GS 100 108 IK8YTA New 100 Congratulations to the new DXCC Satellite holders! IK8YTA is first DXCC Satellite holder from JN70 *[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information]* ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 2, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/ This week there are no additions or deletions to the AMSAT TLE distribution. *[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]* ------------------------------ *Need new satellite antennas? Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the **AMSAT Store! <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/>**When you purchase through **AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards **Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.* ------------------------------ Request to Reconsider Decommissioning of IO-117 Under Evaluation by Italian Space Agency On Thursday, January 25, 2024 S5Lab posted on X that the GreenCube (IO-117) Digipeater would be permanently deactivated on February 5th. Designed and developed by students of Sapienza University of Rome, IO-117 is the first satellite to carry an amateur radio payload into a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) of approximately 6,000 km. The message from S5Lab read: *Dear Friends,* *After one year and a half of operations, it is time to conclude the GreenCube operations with the planned de-commissioning activities. After the conclusion of the nominal experiment and with the digipeater payload active for more than one year, we will perform the passivation operations for the satellite.* *The planned passivation operations will be executed on Monday, 5 February 2024, at 00:00 UTC. From that day, GreenCube will be completely passivated and the digipeater will be switched off for good.* *We want to thank everyone that endorsed, supported or participated in the mission and the radio amateur community that enthusiastically became a true part of our project. We hope that GreenCube will somehow be part of your memories of radio amateurs, space engineering enthusiasts, and we hope to involve you soon in many more adventures.* *Thanks once again for the unbelievable memories shared together… See you soon!* *The GreenCube Team at S5Lab* That afternoon, AMSAT sent a letter to S5Lab <https://www.amsat.org/amsat-responds-planned-decommissioning-io-117-greencu…> expressing the organization's desire to leverage our decades of experience and work with S5Lab, AMSAT Italia, other AMSAT organizations, and the amateur satellite community at large to overcome any obstacles, regulatory or otherwise, to keeping IO-117 in service for as long as possible. AMSAT-DL, AMSAT-F, and other amateur satellite organizations also expressed similar sentiments. Peter Goodhall, 2M0SQL, began a petition on change.org <https://www.change.org/p/save-the-greencube-satellite-digipeater> that garnered over 1,500 signatures from amateur radio operators around the world in one week. On the afternoon of Friday, February 2, 2024, AMSAT Italia made the following announcement: *AMSAT Italia would like to inform the amateur community that its request to the Italian Space Agency, the owner of the GREENCUBE satellite, to reconsider its decision of decommissioning the satellite is under evaluation.* *Waiting for its decision, IO-117 is still operational.* *The GreenCube satellite was born as a scientific experiment placed in MEO orbit which successfully concluded its mission.* *IO-117 is the HAM Radio part of the satellite consisting of a digipeter which was promoted by AMSAT Italia and coordinated by IARU-R1.* *At the moment AMSAT Italia is committed to promoting the continuation of the mission for the HAM Radio part of Greencube.* *AMSAT Italia BoD* During its lifetime, IO-117 has proved to be a popular resource, allowing amateurs all over the world to obtain ARRL's Worked All States (WAS) and DX Century Club (DXCC) awards via satellite and to boost their VHF/UHF Century Club (VUCC) grid totals. A strong presence by Japanese amateurs has allowed many to work all the Japanese prefectures. A few DXpeditions, such as TX5S to Clipperton Island, have also brought gear for IO-117 along and provided rare DX entities via satellite. Multiple future DXpeditions also plan IO-117 activities. AMSAT is hopeful that the satellite's lifetime can be extended. *[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, AMSAT-DL, AMSAT-IT, AMSAT, Peter Goodhall, 2M0SQL, and S5Lab 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. *Lilburn Elementary School, Lilburn, GA, direct via K4RGK* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Jasmin Moghbeli KI5WSL The ARISS mentor is K4RGK Contact is go for: Wed 2024-02-07 14:24:10 UTC 57 deg *School of Telecommunications Engineering, ETSIT Valencia (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain, direct via EA5RKP* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM The ARISS mentor is IKØUSO Contact is go for: Fri 2024-02-09 08:12:46 UTC 31 deg *School TBD, Russia, direct via TBD* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Nikolay Chub The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for 2024-02-15 08:20 UTC The Service Module radio is temporarily stowed. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down), If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html *[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]* ------------------------------ Upcoming Satellite OperationsIO-117!! JR5JAQ/6 will be QRV from *PM53* and *PM62* in *Oita prefecture* for a few days. He will also be active from *PM62* in *Miyazaki prefecture* later in the week. Check hams.at for individual pass times. JS3KKT/3 will be QRV from *PM74* (prefecture unknown) just one day before the planned passivation of Greencube. Refer to hams.at for additional info. A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location. *[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above information]* ------------------------------ * Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store <https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space ------------------------------ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says, "Think a 75-minute presentation on "working the easy satellites" would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!" Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences. Scheduled Events *Orlando HamCation 2024* Friday February 9th through Sunday February 11th, 2024 Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park 4603 West Colonial Drive Orlando, Florida 32808 https://www.hamcation.com *40th Anniversary Celebration of the Positive Impact of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight* Thursday February 22nd through Saturday February 24th, 2024 Center for Space Education: Astronauts Memorial Foundation Kennedy Space Center, M6-306 405 State Road, FL 32899 https://www.ariss.org/overview.html *2024 CubeSat Developer’s Workshop* April 23-25, 2024 San Luis Obispo, CA https://www.cubesatdw.org/ *Dayton Hamvention 2024* Friday May 17th through Sunday May 19th, 2024 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org *[ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, and AMSAT for the above information]* ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts from All Over + NASA announced the crew assignments on January 31 for the SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station. They will join Expedition 71 and 72 crew members no earlier than August, and will arrive at the space station for a short duration handover with NASA's SpaceX Crew-8. Launching aboard the Dragon spacecraft will be NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman, Pilot Nick Hague, KG5TMV, and Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson, KD5DZE, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Aleksandr Gorbunov. The four crew members are preparing to conduct a wide-ranging set of operational and research activities, including ARISS contacts. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information) + After more than 3 years in orbit, AO-109 remains operational and usable for QSOs using modes such as FT4 despite extremely low power output. SSB QSOs are also possible with high gain receive antennas. Due to a failed final power amplifier transistor, the total output power of AO-109 is approximately 8 mW. + YouTube channel Ham Radio Crash Course has featured IO-117 in two recent videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjW3XOKCmBo and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn_qPVoue3A ------------------------------ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: - Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). - Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. - Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. - Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. *73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* *This week's ANS Editor,* *Paul Stoetzer, N8HM* *n8hm [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org>* *ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002*

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ANS-033 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - Request to Reconsider Decommissioning of IO-117 Under Evaluation by Italian Space Agency
by Paul Stoetzer 02 Feb '24

02 Feb '24

*AMSAT *News Service Special Bulletin*ANS-033* *February 2, 2024* In this edition: - Request to Reconsider Decommissioning of IO-117 Under Evaluation by Italian Space Agency The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ------------------------------ Request to Reconsider Decommissioning of IO-117 Under Evaluation by Italian Space Agency Moments ago, the AMSAT News Service received the following announcement from AMSAT Italia regarding IO-117 (GreenCube): *AMSAT Italia would like to inform the amateur community that its request to the Italian Space Agency, the owner of the GREENCUBE satellite, to reconsider its decision of decommissioning the satellite is under evaluation.* *Waiting for its decision, IO-117 is still operational.* *The GreenCube satellite was born as a scientific experiment placed in MEO orbit which successfully concluded its mission.* *IO-117 is the HAM Radio part of the satellite consisting of a digipeter which was promoted by AMSAT Italia and coordinated by IARU-R1.* *At the moment AMSAT Italia is committed to promoting the continuation of the mission for the HAM Radio part of Greencube.* *AMSAT Italia BoD* *[ANS thanks AMSAT Italia 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 Contributing Editor,* *Paul Stoetzer, N8HM* *n8hm [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org>* *ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002*

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ANS-028 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Jan. 28
by Mark Johns, K0JM 28 Jan '24

28 Jan '24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-028 In this edition: - IO-117 GreenCube to cease operating on February 5 - AMSAT Responds to Scheduled Decommisioning of IO-117 - Apogee View - New, Portable Antenna Satellite Antenna Design is Perfect for ECOM - AMSAT Thanks 2023 President’s Club Members - Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 26, 2024 - ARISS News - Upcoming Satellite Operations - Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events - Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. *Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat [dot] org.* You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ANS-028 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2024 JAN 28 IO-117 GreenCube to cease operating on February 5 At 1622 GMT on Thursday, January 25, 2024 @S5Lab posted on X that the GreenCube IO-117 Digipeater would be permanently deactivated on February 5. Designed and developed by students of Sapienza University of Rome, GreenCube IO-117 was the first satellite to carry an amateur radio payload into Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) – 6,000 km. The S5Lab post on X said: Dear Friends, After one year and a half of operations, it is time to conclude the GreenCube operations with the planned de-commissioning activities. After the conclusion of the nominal experiment and with the digipeater payload active for more than one year, we will perform the passivation operations for the satellite. The planned passivation operations will be executed on Monday, 5 February 2024, at 00:00 UTC. From that day, GreenCube will be completely passivated and the digipeater will be switched off for good. We want to thank everyone that endorsed, supported or participated in the mission and the radio amateur community that enthusiastically became a true part of our project. We hope that GreenCube will somehow be part of your memories of radio amateurs, space engineering enthusiasts, and we hope to involve you soon in many more adventures. Thanks once again for the unbelievable memories shared together… See you soon! The GreenCube Team at S5Lab [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information.] ------------------------------ AMSAT Responds to Scheduled Decommisioning of IO-117 AMSAT leadership, as were all amateurs, saddened to learn that S5Lab plans to decommission IO-117 (GreenCube) and execute a passivation operation on February 5, 2024. AMSAT stands ready to leverage its decades of experience and work with S5Lab, AMSAT Italia, other AMSAT organizations, and the amateur satellite community at large to overcome any obstacles, regulatory or otherwise, to keeping IO-117 in service for as long as possible. This afternoon, AMSAT President Robert Bankston, KE4AL, sent the following letter to S5Lab expressing its desire to provide any support it can to keep the satellite in operation. January 25, 2024 Sapienza Space Systems and Space Surveillance Laboratory (S5Lab) Sapienza University of Rome Via Email To The GreenCube Team: Over the past 13+ months, amateur satellite operators around the world have enjoyed the use of the digipeater on GreenCube (IO-117). As amateur radio’s first satellite in a medium earth orbit (MEO), it has opened worldwide long-distance contacts via amateur radio satellite that had not been possible since the loss of AMSAT-OSCAR 40 in 2004. As this letter is being written, a DXpedition to Clipperton Island in the Pacific Ocean has made contact with several hundred amateur operators around the world – the first activation of this rare location on amateur satellite in over 30 years. AMSAT and the amateur satellite community greatly appreciate your team making this wonderful resource available. Not only has this satellite been a great resource to the amateur community, but the amateur community has also assisted GreenCube’s mission by uploading millions of frames of data received – including much data from when the satellite is not within the primary ground station’s footprint. Launches above low earth orbit are rarely available for amateur satellite missions. Since the first amateur radio satellite launched in 1962, fewer than ten have gone to orbits beyond LEO and only QO-100 (available to only part of the world) and IO-117 remain in service. Due to the unique orbit and capabilities, we request that S5Lab postpone the scheduled passivation operation and keep the satellite’s digipeater in service. Amateur satellites have a long tradition of extended lifetimes. Amateur radio operators still utilize AMSAT-OSCAR 7 – launched nearly fifty years ago in 1974 – for communications on a daily basis. Many other amateur radio satellites have been actively used for ten to twenty years. AMSAT stands ready to leverage our 55 years of experience in managing amateur radio satellites and work with S5Lab, AMSAT Italia, other AMSAT organizations, and the amateur satellite community at large to overcome any obstacles, regulatory or otherwise, to keeping GreenCube in service for as long as possible. Sincerely, Robert Bankston, KE4AL President Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.] *+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+* *The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus* *Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and helpKeep Amateur Radio in Space!https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-clu <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club>*b <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club> *+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+* Apogee View As 2023 comes to a close, it is a great time to reflect on where we are, what we have accomplished, and what is waiting for us over the next horizon. 2023 has passed by so quickly. Our presence at Hamcation led right into Hamvention, followed by our annual Symposium. We shared the AMSAT story with attendees at the CubeSat Developers Workshop and developed strategic contacts with others in the space industry. Our engineers on the GOLF team found a solution for an attitude determination and control system – a major sticking point in developing GOLF-TEE. The Fox Plus team made significant progress, with the possibility of being able to launch their first satellite at the end of the coming year. Our volunteers in the ASCENT program developed a new packet radio that will fly on an upcoming Fox Plus mission and started work on a software-defined radio (SDR) that will add greater flexibility to how we communicate in future flights. Additionally, if that was not enough, our Education and CubeSat Simulator team is nearing completion of the new v1.3 AMSAT CubeSat Simulator, which incorporates a Raspberry Pi Pico microprocessor. AMSAT should… Not a day goes by when an AMSAT member does not recommend a great idea to advance amateur radio in space, expand our communications footprint, educate new satellite operators, and make our organization more efficient. While I would love to implement each and every one of them, we do not have the resources to make it happen. While we have never been in a better position financially, we need to have the necessary people to bring all these great ideas and dreams into reality. AMSAT is an all-volunteer organization. As such, we rely on our members to not only invest their hard-earned dollars but also roll up their sleeves to design, build, and launch amateur radio payloads into space. Being short-staffed is not the end of the world, nor does it mean we must give up on our dreams. We just need to find creative ways to make it happen. One solution is to partner with other AMSAT organizations worldwide on future satellite projects. We have already proven that together, we can accomplish so much more. Additionally, we can outsource some of the basic satellite systems and components we have already mastered and focus our limited human resources on developing new technologies and communication methods. When AMSAT was formed in 1969, we were the only game in town. Now, you can’t google satellites without stumbling across a trove of commercial vendors who offer complete, flight-proven satellite packages with just a click of a button. This same outsourcing principle can be applied not only to building satellites but to our administrative and back-office tasks, as well. We desperately need someone to assist in providing the quality of service that our members deserve, and our website seriously needs a complete makeover and rewrite. In closing, I want to thank each of our volunteers and members personally. None of this would have been possible without your hard work, dedication, and support. We have an opportunity to achieve so much more with you. As we move forward into the coming year and beyond, I hope your generosity will continue. Until the next time, 73! [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT President for the above information.] ------------------------------ New, Portable Antenna Satellite Antenna Design is Perfect for ECOM Researchers at Stanford University and the American University of Beirut (AUB) have developed a portable antenna that could be quickly deployed in disaster-prone areas or used to set up communications in underdeveloped regions. The antenna, described recently in Nature Communications, packs down to a small size and can easily shift between two configurations to communicate either with satellites or devices on the ground. “The state-of-the-art solutions typically employed in [disaster] areas are heavy, metallic dishes. They’re not easy to move around, they require a lot of power to operate, and they’re not particularly cost-effective,” said Maria Sakovsky, an assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford. The antenna designed by Sakovsky and her colleagues at AUB is made of fiber composites (a material often used in satellites) and resembles a child’s finger-trap toy, with multiple strips of material crossing in spirals. Just like any helix-based antenna, conductive material running through the antenna sends out signals, but thanks to its unique structure, the researchers can adjust the pattern and power of those signals in the new antenna by pulling it into longer shapes or shorter shapes. “Because we wanted the antenna to be able to collapse into a packable shape, we started with this structure that led us to a very untraditional antenna design,” Sakovsky said. At its most compact, the antenna is a hollow ring that stands just over 1 inch tall and about 5 inches across – not much larger than a bracelet – and weighs 1.4 ounces. In this shape, it’s able to reach satellites with a high-power signal sent in a particular direction. When stretched out to about a foot tall, the antenna sends a lower power signal in all directions. “The frequency you want to operate at will dictate how large the antenna needs to be, but we’ve been able to show that no matter what frequency you operate at, you can scale this design principle to achieve the same performance,” Sakovsky said. To be deployed in the field, the antenna would need to be paired with a transceiver to send and receive signals, a ground plane to reflect radio waves, and other electronics, but the whole package would still only weigh about 2 pounds. Read the complete story at http://tinyurl.com/ANS-028-Antenna. [ANS thanks Stanford News and Space Daily for the above information.] *+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+* * Need new satellite antennas? Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/>* *+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+* AMSAT Thanks 2023 President’s Club Members AMSAT gratefully recognizes the generous members of the 2023 AMSAT President’s Club. These AMSAT members together contributed $52,542 in 2023 to support AMSAT’s continuing innovations in engineering and educational programs. Since its inception three years ago, President’s Club members have raised well over $150,000 as AMSAT prepares for Amateur Radio’s continued presence in space with the Fox Plus and GOLF programs. AMSAT invites you to become a member of this select group by visiting the announcement at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/. <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> *TITANIUM LEVEL ($4,800+)* Anonymous Barry Baines, WD4ASW Alan Biddle, WA4SCA William Brown, K9LF *PLATINUM LEVEL ($2,400+)* Steve Belter, N9IP Doug Tabor, N6UA *GOLD LEVEL ($1,200+)* John Botti, KC8OKB Burns Fisher, WB1FJ Mark Hammond, N8MH Frank Karnauskas, N1UW John Kludt, K7SYS Glenn Miller, AA5PK Mary Monteiro Michael Stipick, KC4RI *SILVER LEVEL ($600+)* Warren Fugate, W3WE Mark Johns, K0JM Joseph Lynch, N6CL Thomas Oates, KQ4FJW Bruce Paige, KK5DO Peter Pendergast, W2PP Scott Shaheen, WB8OOJ Jason Schwarz, N4JJS *BRONZE LEVEL ($300+)* Allen Kenny, KK4AK Edward Krome, K9EK Donald Lum, WA6ICW Bruce Perens, K6BP Donald Pettigrew, K9ECT Barbara Simpson, KA5CFB Dave Taylor, W8AAS James Tittsler, 7J1AJH David Vine, WA1EAW *CORE LEVEL ($120+)* Arlan Arrison, KB2AYU David Batzie, N2VDY Randy Berger, WA0D Alan Boggs, K7IIV George Carr, WA5KBH Jim Clary, ND9M Richard Dittmer, KB7SAT Todd Dugdale, KD0TLS Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA Stephan Greene, KS1G David Hartrum, WA3YDZ Brian Lopeman, KI7WXP Art Payne, VE3GNF Thomas Schaefer, NY4I Larry Schroeder, KD4HSL Martin Shinko, KB3AEV Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Stefan Wagener, VE4NSA Jeremy Wyatt, KA2PFD David York, N8SGZ [ANS thanks Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP – Development for the above information.] *+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+* *Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stufffrom our Zazzle store!25% of the purchase price of each product goestowards Keeping Amateur Radio in Spacehttps://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gea <https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear>*r <https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear> *+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 26, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/. The following satellites have been removed from this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution: DCBB NORAD Cat ID 40912 Decayed from orbit on or about 21 January 2024 [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information.] ------------------------------ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. *Upcoming Contacts* Omer Cemile Guler Imam Hatip Secondary School, Konya, Selcuklu, Turkey, telebridge via VK4KHZ. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be TC100ISS. The scheduled crewmember is Alper Gezeravci, KJ5DIY. The ARISS mentor is ON6TI. Contact is go for Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at 13:36:20 UTC. Bandirma Sehit Guvenc Anatolian High School, Balikesir, Bandirma, Turkey, telebridge via IK1SLD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be TC100ISS. The scheduled crewmember is Alper Gezeravci, KJ5DIY. The ARISS mentor is ON6TI. Contact is go for: Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 12:10:37 UTC. Bilingual Montessori School of Lund (Stiftelsen BMSL), Lund, Sweden, telebridge via VK4KHZ. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS. The scheduled crewmember is Marcus Wandt, KJ5COO. The ARISS mentor is ON6TI. Contact is go for: Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 12:48:03 UTC. Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering, Huntsville, AL, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS. The scheduled crewmember is Jasmin Moghbeli, KI5WSL. The ARISS mentor is W4NTR. Contact is go for: Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 17:31:46 UTC. Thrive Home School Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, direct via AFØS. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS. The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara, KI5TOM. The ARISS mentor is KD8COJ. Contact is go for: Friday, February 2, 2024 at 18:17:46 UTC. *Completed Contacts* IC Statale Villa Guardia, Villa Guardia, Italy, telebridge via ZS6JON. The ISS callsign was NA1SS. The crewmember was Walter Villadei, IUØRWB. The ARISS mentor was IZ2GOJ. Contact was successful on Monday, January 22, 2024 at 09:35 UTC. Watch the Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMQUWMww9yE. Istituto Comprensivo “Anna Rita Sidoti”, Gioiosa Marea, Italy, direct via IT9DBI. The ISS callsign was IRØISS. The crewmember was Walter Villadei, IUØRWB. The ARISS mentor was IKØWGF. Contact was successful on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 14:37 UTC. Center for Children’s (Youth) Technical Creativity “Young Motorist”, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, direct via UB3T. The ISS callsign was RSØISS. The crewmember was Konstantin Borisov. The ARISS mentor was RV3DR. Contact was successful on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 15:30 UTC. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. The Service Module radio, the Kenwood D710GA, normally operating as a APRS packet repeater is currently stowed. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.] ------------------------------ Upcoming Satellite Operations None currently listed. A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location. [ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above information.] ------------------------------ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. - Orlando HamCation 2024 Friday February 9th through Sunday February 11th, 2024 Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park 4603 West Colonial Drive Orlando, Florida 32808 https://www.hamcation.com - 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Positive Impact of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight Thursday February 22nd through Saturday February 24th, 2024 Center for Space Education: Astronauts Memorial Foundation Kennedy Space Center, M6-306 405 State Road, FL 32899 https://www.ariss.org/overview.html - 2024 CubeSat Developer’s Workshop April 23-25, 2024 San Luis Obispo, CA https://www.cubesatdw.org/ - Dayton Hamvention 2024 Friday May 17th through Sunday May 19th, 2024 Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center 120 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385 https://hamvention.org ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts From All Over - Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) was named Partner of the Month of the International Space Station National Laboratory, which is managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Using amateur radio, ARISS offers students around the world opportunities to talk with astronauts on the International Space Station. A primary goal of ARISS is to inspire interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects and careers among young students. ARISS is a cooperative venture of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States, and other international space agencies and international amateur radio organizations around the world. [ANS thanks ARRL for the above information.] - Ingenuity, the little Mars helicopter that could, can’t anymore. At least one rotor broke during the robotic flying machine’s most recent flight last week, NASA officials announced on Thursday. Ingenuity remains in contact with its companion, the Perseverance rover, which has been exploring a dried-up riverbed for signs of extinct Martian life. Ingenuity will now be left behind. [ANS thanks the New York Times for the above information.] - The International Space Station might keep flying past 2030. A senior NASA official said there is “no big concern” about the health of the International Space Station (ISS) that would require an operational stop six years from now, when the current agreement expires between most of the ISS partners. “There’s nothing magical that happens in 2030,” according to Steve Stich, the manager of the commercial crew program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Stich said NASA is eyeing the progress of commercial space stations that will host agency astronauts and science in the 2030s. “We want them [the commercial stations] to be supportive, and then when they’re ready to go, that’s when ISS will move out of the way.” [ANS thanks the 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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