SAREX Reflector to be Closed 1 November 2015
At the request of the ARISS US Team, AMSAT-NA Vice President for Human Spaceflight Frank Bauer, KA3HDO has announced that the SAREX reflector will be closed 1 November 2015, and its functions folded into the AMSAT-BB list. Frank explained that at one time operations from the Space Shuttle and the ISS were considered as sufficiently different from other satellite operations as to need separate forums for their respective interest communities.
More recently, changes in the human spaceflight operations, the new generation of satellites, and the interests of the general AMSAT community have removed the reasons for this distinction. Frank explained that "The AMSAT membership, in general, has embraced all vehicles with amateur radio on-board that are operating in space on equal ground. They enjoy the SSTV events on ISS as well as a quick QSO on AO-7". He went on to note that "This past year my team has noticed that those on AMSAT-BB have missed out on some ARISS significant events. These include school contacts in their area that were only posted on SAREX." Moving all discussions to a common list will insure that ISS announcements as well as operational information will be available in one place.
What does this mean to the current subscribers? If you are subscribed to both SAREX and AMSAT-BB, there is no need to take any action. You will cease to receive new postings on the SAREX list 1 November 2015. The SAREX archives will continue to be available for historical purposes. If you are not subscribed to AMSAT-BB and wish to continue to receive human spaceflight announcements, please go to http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo and subscribe to AMSAT-BB. Your existing SAREX subscription will not be automatically carried over since not everyone will wish to do so.
[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]