Frank Karnauskas

In this edition:

• AMSAT AO-7 to Celebrate 50th Anniversary
• AMSAT 42nd Space Symposium Presentations Now Available
• Back to Basics: What is the CubeSat Launch Initiative?
• VUCC Satellite Standing for November 2024
• FO-29 November Operating Schedule
• Telemetry Reports Wanted for Upcoming ASRTU-1 Satellite Launch
• Voyager 1 Resorts to Transmitter that Hasn’t Been Used Since 1981
• Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for November 1, 2024
• ARISS News
• Upcoming Satellite Operations
• AMSAT Ambassador Activities
• 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-308 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 Nov 03

AMSAT AO-7 to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

It has often been reported that the oldest satellites still working in space are the space probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. The Voyagers were both launched in 1977 to take advantage of the planetary alignment called, back then, the “Grand Tour”. Their images changed the human vision of our solar system.

But, are they really the oldest, still functional spacecraft in outer space? What if we include spacecraft that remained behind in Earth Orbit? Is it even believable that the oldest still working satellite in space wasn’t even designed or operated by NASA, USAF, ESA or any other space agency? What if this satellite was designed by Radio Amateurs and the final assembly occurred in a basement laboratory not far from Goddard Space Flight Center?

Then all things considered, AO-7, a SmallSat launched on November 15, 1974 is the oldest working satellite and is still providing service to hundreds of Amateur Radio operators around the world. In its first life, AO-7 lived a very healthy lifetime of 6.5 years. Not to over-state the case, AO-7 outlived both its commercial and government co-passengers launched by Delta-104.

In late 1980, AO-7’s poor, abused, NiCad battery began to show serious signs of increased series resistance. This was a sure sign to AMSAT command stations that the end was in sight. The cells had been originally matched for capacity by NASA. And, indeed the cells all failed within a matter of weeks of one another.

AO-7 stayed asleep for 21 years, to the nearest month. Then one day AO-7 woke up again. This was only possible if something caused an open circuit in the battery.

A very active user of AO-7, Pat Gowain, G3IOR, from the UK, made a telephone call to Perry Klein, W3PK, (first AMSAT President and designer of the VHF/HF transponder). This was on June 21, 2002. Pat wondered if we had launched a new LEO spacecraft? He was hearing Morse Code Telemetry again on the old beacon frequency of AO-7. He played Perry a tape recording. It sure sounded like AO-7 telemetry!

Many radio amateurs who were satellite enthusiasts very quickly began to observe the signals from AO-7 and the second life of the “Sleeping Beauty” of satellites began.

Over the next three weeks in November AMSAT News Service will honor this historic achievement with a series of short articles highlighting the life of AMSAT OSCAR 7. In the meantime be sure to visit a special page on the AMSAT website where you will find a collection of AO-7 articles and links at https://www.amsat.org/amsat-ao-7-a-fifty-year-anniversary/.

[ANS thanks Jan King, W3GEY, AMSAT AO-7 Project Manager 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/

AMSAT 42nd Space Symposium Presentations Now Available

The fifteen live presentations given at the recent AMSAT 42nd Space Symposium are now available online for viewing. The URL’s for presentations on Day 1 and Day 2 are shown along with the approximate timeline for each presentation.

Also available is the Symposium Banquet keynote address by Brian Abbott, NA7D, and the AMSAT General Meeting conducted by AMSAT President Robert Bankston, KE4AL.

Day 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdhYXX9AXlI

AMSAT-UK Payload on Jovian-1 CubeSat
David Bowman, G0MRF
0:00:58

CARD-SAT®: A Step Forward for Satellite Miniaturization
Adrian Totu, YO3HOT
0:58:15

Working QO-100 from Beyond the Nominal Footprint
Graham Shirville, G3VZV
1:18:55

AMSAT & ARISS Over the Past 40 Years
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
2:01:20

MO-122 (MESAT1) Commissioning Recap
Mark Hammond, N8MH
2:35:05

AMSAT-HB Update
Michael Lipp, HB9WD
3:08:05

Fox Plus Update
Mike Moore, K4MVM
3:24:45

Day 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G64Zm7rEmi0

AMSAT CubeSatSim Education Update and Software Overview
Alan Johnston, KU2Y
0:00:48

Integration of the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator for Education and Research
Rachel Jones, KO4HLC
0:44:00

ARISS Engineering Update – ISS, Lunar, and Commercial Activities
Randy Berger, WA0D
1:47:00

Automation and Remote Control of the Inter-Operable Radio System (IORS) on the ISS
Chris Thompson, VE2TCP/G0KLA
2:51:56

Getting Ready to Receive HamTV from the ISS
Graham Shirville, G3VZV
3:36:00

GOLF-TEE Flight Software and Bus Overview
Burns Fisher, WB1FJ
4:22:55

Determination of Orbiting Spacecraft Space Vectors Solely from In-flight Position Measurements
Joseph DiVerdi, K0NMR
5:20:00

AMSAT Engineering Update
Jerry Buxton, N0JY
6:02:00

AMSAT Annual General Meeting & Awards Ceremony
Robert Bankston, KE4AK, AMSAT President
7:15:30

Banquet Keynote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb-pQmr97KA
Brent Abbott, NA7D, Chief Revenue Officer , Rogue Space
0:00:45

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

Back to Basics: What is the CubeSat Launch Initiative?

(Editor’s note: In this avocation, we sometimes toss around acronyms or titles with scant understanding of what they stand for. From time to time, ANS will offer short articles that can help up better understand the vocabulary of amateur satellites.)

The CubeSat Launch Initiative, or CSLI, is a NASA initiative that provides opportunities for qualified CubeSats to fly as auxiliary payloads on future launches that have excess capacity or as deployments from the International Space Station (ISS). In very simple terms that means that NASA will cover the cost of providing a CubeSat a ride to space in exchange for a report on the results of that CubeSat’s investigation.

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative provides opportunities for CubeSats built by U.S. educational institutions, and non-profit organizations, including informal educational institutions such as museums and science centers to fly on upcoming launches. Through innovative technology partnerships NASA provides these CubeSat developers a low cost pathway to conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations in space, thus enabling students, teachers, and faculty to obtain hands-on flight hardware design, development, and build experience.

CSLI provides a low-cost platform for NASA science missions, including planetary exploration, Earth observation, and fundamental Earth and space science. These efforts are a cornerstone in the development of cutting-edge NASA enabling technologies including laser communications, next generation avionics approaches, power generation, distributive sensor systems, satellite-to-satellite communications, and autonomous movement. Leveraging these missions for collaboration optimizes NASA’s technology investments, fosters open innovation, and facilitates technology infusion. CubeSat missions are enabling the acceleration of flight-qualified technology assistance in raising Technology Readiness Levels, which aligns to NASA’s objective of advancing the Nation’s capabilities by maturing cross-cutting innovative space technologies.

About half of all CSLI missions are conducting scientific investigations, most frequently Space Weather and Earth Science. Specific science investigation areas include: biological science, study of near Earth objects, climate change, snow/ice coverage, orbital debris, planetary science, space-based astronomy, and heliophysics. Sixty-six percent of all CSLI missions are conducting technology development or demonstrations. Communications, propulsion, navigation and control, and radiation testing lead the topics in this area. Other notable technologies are solar sails, additive manufacturing, femtosatellites, and smart phone satellites. The low cost of development for a CubeSat allows for conducting higher risk activities that would not be possible on large-scale NASA missions.

What is the difference between CSLI and ELaNa?

NASA’s Launch Services Program manifests CSLI payloads with a variety of launch providers. Each launch with manifested CSLI payloads is called an ELaNa mission (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites) and is given an ELaNa mission number (e.g., ELaNa 49, ELaNa 50). Simply put, CSLI is the payload and ELaNa is the ride.

To be eligible for CSLI, a CubeSat investigation must be of clear benefit to NASA by supporting at least one goal or objective stated in the NASA Strategic Plan. This plan can be found on NASA’s Web site http://www.nasa.gov.

[ANS thanks NASA 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/

VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for October 1, 2024 to November 1, 2024.

DF2ET 1500 1602
KF7R 1154 1175
HB9AOF 743 907
W8LR 887 888
IK3ITB 604 800
N7ZO 650 669
N6UTC 600 651
F6GLJ 501 609
JA1GZK 500 575
HB9GWJ 514 553
DJ7NT 348 432
SP5ULN 156 404
JF3MKC 275 280
W6IA 246 278
WA3YDZ New 271
IC8TEM New 147
YB1RQX/P New 100

Congratulations to the new VUCC Satellite holders.
YB1RQX is first VUCC Satellite holder from OJ21

DXCC Satellite has still not been updated since May

[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ for the above information.]

FO-29 November Operating Schedule

FO-29 will be turned on at the following times in November and will remain active following each activation until the satellite’s under-voltage control (UVC) disables the transmitter. The estimated time (UTC) to turn on the analog transmitter are as follows:

2nd 02:10?
3rd 03:00?
4th 02:05?
9th 02:45?
10th 01:50?
16th 01:35?
17th 02:24?
23rd 02:09?
24th 01:15?
30th 02:43?

[ANS thanks JAMSAT for the above information.]

Telemetry Reports Wanted for Upcoming ASRTU-1 Satellite Launch

The LilacSat team is seeking for first day telemetry reception stations all over the world, especially in Europe and Africa.

ASRTU-1 (BJ2CR / RS64S) satellite is planned for a Soyuz 2.1b launch from Vostochny Cosmodrome. Separation is expected on November 5, 2024 at approximately 03:36 UTC.

The satellite carries a V/U FM repeater, UHF SSDV and 10G hi-res image downlink.

The telemetry downlink frequency is 435.400 MHz, 9600bd BPSK. A SDR dongle or a rig that supports bandwidth > 12kHz IF output (e.g. IC-705 or IC-9700) is required.

LiveCD for decode can be found at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-308-ASRTU-1.

The preliminary TLE is shown below:

ASRTU-1
1 00000U 24001A 24310.15069444 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 00014
2 00000 097.3998 174.6627 0017604 130.9343 144.0104 15.26720093000011

A special QSL card is planned for first day telemetry reports.

Follow the project at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/530294498525868/?multi_permalinks=913084726913508&hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen

[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP – Operations for the above information.]

Voyager 1 Resorts to Transmitter that Hasn’t Been Used Since 1981

Following recent communication issues, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft resorted to using a backup radio transmitter that has been inactive since 1981.

The interstellar explorer experienced a brief pause in communications after putting itself in a protective state to conserve power. This was triggered by a command sent on Oct. 16 instructing the spacecraft to turn on one of its heaters.

The mission’s flight team first realized there was an issue with Voyager 1 on Oct. 18, when the spacecraft failed to respond to that command. The team later discovered that the spacecraft had turned off its primary X-band radio transmitter and instead switched over to its secondary S-band radio transmitter, which uses less power, according to a statement from NASA. The transmitter shut-off seems to have been prompted by the spacecraft’s fault protection system, which autonomously responds to onboard issues.

The spacecraft’s fault protection system switched to the S-band radio transmitter, which, prior to that date, hadn’t been used since 1981. Given the spacecraft is located much farther away in interstellar space today than it was 43 years ago, the flight team was not sure a signal on the S-band frequency could be detected — especially because it transmits a significantly fainter signal while using less power.

A command was sent to the S-band transmitter on Oct. 22. Two days later, on Oct. 24, the team was finally able to reconnect with Voyager 1.

Voyager 1, which launched in 1977. Its time in deep space has taken a toll on its instruments and caused an increasing number of technical issues. Earlier this year, the team had to fix a separate communications glitch that was causing the spacecraft to transmit gibberish. Read the complete story at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-308-Voyager.

[ANS thanks Space.com for the above information.]

Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!

25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space

https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for November 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 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/.

The following satellites have been removed from this week’s AMSAT TLE distribution:

UVSQ-SAT NORAD Cat ID 43758 Decayed from orbit on or about 26 October 2024
TianYi 6 NORAD Cat ID 43158 Decayed from orbit on or about 18 October 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

Instituto Privado Rivadavia, Alderetes, Tucuman, Argentina, direct via LU5KHF.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB.
The ARISS mentor is Brian Jackson, VE6JBJ.
Contact is go for Monday, November 4, 2024 at 13:02 UTC.

Scuola Primaria “Bandello”, Castelnuovo Scrivia, Italy, telebridge via VK6MJ.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB.
The ARISS mentor is Ferrario Gianpietro, IZ2GOJ.
Contact is go for Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 07:56 UTC.

Completed Contacts

Coastal Community School, Satellite Beach, FL, direct via KD4GPI.
The ISS callsign was NA1SS.
The crewmember ass Sunita Williams, KD5PLB.
The ARISS mentor was Charlie Sufana, AJ9N.
Contact was successful on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at 13:42 UTC.

Colegio Parroquial el Salvador, Yerba Buena, Argentina, direct via LU5KHF.
The ISS callsignwas NA1SS.
The crewmember was Don Pettit, KD5MDT
The ARISS mentor was Brian Jackson, VE6JBJ.
Contact was successful on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at 15:32 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 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

There are no operations 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, and Alex Ners, K6VHF, for the above information.]

AMSAT Ambassador Activities

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

November 9, 2024
Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club
Marana Middle School
11285 West Grier Rd.
Marana, AZ 85653
https://www.tucsonhamradio.org/copy-of-hamfest-2022
N1UW

February 14-15, 2005
Yuma Hamfest & ARRL Southwestern Division Convention
Yuma County Fairgrounds
https://www.yumahamfest.com/
N1UW

Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program for the above information.]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

• As millions of people around the world celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams radioed home a message of festive cheer. “I want to extend my warmest wishes for a Happy Diwali to everyone celebrating the festival of lights today at the White House and around the world,” Williams said in a recent video message sent from the International Space Station. Speaking from the ISS’ window-filled cupola with Earth as her backdrop, Williams, who is an American with Indian heritage, spoke about her father’s efforts to keep Indian culture alive after he migrated to the United States in 1957. She also touched upon the symbolism of Diwali — the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and hope over despair. “Diwali is a time of joy as goodness in the world prevails,” she said. [ANS thanks Space.com for the above information.]
• In a few years, as part of the Artemis Program, NASA will begin the creation of permanent infrastructure that will allow for regular missions to the surface (once a year) and a sustained program of lunar exploration and development. In a recent NASA-supported study, a team of researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign investigated a new method of sending spacecraft to the Moon. It is known as “multimode propulsion,” a method that integrates a high-thrust chemical mode and a low-thrust electric mode – while using the same propellant. To break it down, a multimode thruster relies on a single chemical monopropellant – like hydrazine or Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic (ASCENT) propellant – to power chemical thrusters and an electrospray thruster (aka. colloid thruster). The latter element relies on a process known as electrospray ionization (ESI), where charged liquid droplets are produced and accelerated by a static electric field. Electrospray thrusters were first used in space aboard the ESA’s LISA Pathfinder mission to demonstrate disturbance reduction. By developing a system that can switch as needed, satellites will be able to perform propulsive manuevers using less propellant, thus requiring fewer fuel transfers. Read the complete story at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-308-Propulsion. [ANS thanks UniverseToday.com for the above information.]
• Has orbital debris gone out of control? In 1978, NASA scientists Donald J. Kessler and Burton G. Cour-Palais proposed a scenario where the density of objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) would be high enough that collisions between objects would cause a cascade effect. In short, these collisions would create debris that would result in more collisions, more debris, and so on. This came to be known as the Kessler Syndrome, something astronomers, scientists, and space environmentalists have feared for many decades. In recent years, and with the deployment of more satellites than ever, the warning signs have become undeniable. Currently, there is an estimated 13,000 metric tons (14,330 US tons) of “space junk” in LEO. With the breakup and another satellite in orbit – the Intelsat 33e satellite – the situation will only get worse. Read the full report at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-208-Debris. [ANS thanks UniverseToday.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 [dot] org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org

In this edition:

• MESAT1 Designated MESAT1-OSCAR 122 (MO-122)
• ARISS Slow Scan TV Transmissions Begin Tuesday
• SDRplay Announces the nRSP-ST Networked Receiver
• VUCC Satellite Standing October 2024
• Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for October 4, 2024
• ARISS News
• Upcoming Satellite Operations
• AMSAT Ambassador Activities
• 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-280 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 OCT 06

MESAT1 Designated MESAT1-OSCAR 122 (MO-122)

On July 4, 2024 at 04:04 UTC, the MESAT1 satellite was launched on a Firefly Alpha launch vehicle from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Developed by the University of Maine, the satellite carries an earth imaging experiment and an AMSAT-provided LTM-1 linear transponder to provide services to amateur radio enthusiasts around the world. The satellite has been commissioned and the transponder is currently active.

At the request of University of Maine, AMSAT hereby designates MESAT1 as MESAT1-OSCAR 122 (MO-122). We congratulate the University of Maine, thank them for their contribution to the amateur satellite community, and wish them continued success on this and future projects.

[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP – Operations and OSCAR Number Administrator, 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/

ARISS Slow Scan TV Transmissions Begin Tuesday

ARISS is planning a Slow Scan Television (SSTV) experiment from the International Space Station, scheduled to start on Tuesday, October 8, at 16:00 GMT and running until Monday, October 14, at 14:10 GMT.

There will be an interruption on Friday, October 11, for planned school contacts over Europe.

The transmission frequency will be 145.800 MHz FM, using SSTV mode PD120. The ISS callsign will be RS0ISS.

The SSTV transmissions will be made using the station in the Russian ISS Service Module. The equipment used is a Kenwood D710 transceiver running about 25 watts output which provides a very strong signal enabling reception using simple equipment. Images received by amateurs world-wide during previous transmissions can be seen at http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV.

Amateurs can receive the SSTV pictures directly from the space station by connecting the audio output of their two-meter transceiver via a simple interface to the soundcard on a Windows PC or an Apple iOS device. On Windows PC’s the free application MMSSTV can be used to decode the signal, on Apple iOS devices you can use the SSTV app for compatible modes. For Linux systems try QSSTV.

The ISS puts out a strong signal so even a 2M handheld with a 1/4 wave antenna will be enough to receive it but one’s chances of success are significantly improved with the use of a handheld beam antenna. The FM transmission uses 5 kHz deviation which is standard in much of the world. Many FM rigs can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters. For best results you should select the filter for wider deviation FM. Handhelds all seem to have a single wide filter fitted as standard.

Reports are requested: please send ARISS uploading your decoded pictures in the official ARISS SSTV gallery: https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/

Useful information to receive the pictures can be found here at https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/

Follow ARISS on X for official updates during the event https://x.com/ARISS_Intl.

[ANS thanks ARISS and AMSAT-UK for the above information.]

Registration Deadline Looms for 42nd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting

The 42nd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be held on Friday through Saturday, October 25-26, 2024, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront in Tampa, Florida.

Highlights of all scheduled events include:

AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting, October 24-25
42nd AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, October 25-26
Friday Night Social and Auction, October 25
AMSAT Banquet and Reception, October 26
AMSAT Ambassador Breakfast (all are welcome), October 27

If you are interested in presenting or submitting a paper for inclusion in the Symposium Proceedings, please see https://www.amsat.org/2024-symposium/call-for-papers-2024.

IMPORTANT: The deadline for Symposium registrations if you want to include the Saturday evening banquet or Sunday breakfast is Friday, October 18th. Meals cannot be ordered after that date. Register now at https://launch.amsat.org/event-5833792.

[ANS thanks AMSAT 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/

SDRplay Announces the nRSP-ST Networked Receiver

SDRplay Limited has announced the imminent launch of the nRSP-ST, an all-in-one, plug-and-play networked SDR receiver. The nRSP-ST was demonstrated publicly for the first time at the UK National Hamfest this week.

(Editors Note: AMSAT News Service does not typically run new product announcements, but the nRSP-ST seems to provide satellite enthusiasts and operators with a radically new opportunity to deploy multiple stations to collect telemetry over wide-spread areas. This announcement does not constitute an endorsement by ANS.)

This SDR addresses the needs of radio enthusiasts who want a plug-and-play solution for remote reception. In addition to providing this functionality, SDRPlay claims to have addressed typical internet bandwidth limitations with the creation of a novel “IQ Lite” mode, which delivers channels of IQ data more efficiently. The device also introduces the ability to control and store IQ recordings at the remote location. SDRPlay thinks the nRSP-ST will be ideal for anyone wanting a wideband remote receiver without needing computer skills and hours of set-up time and ongoing maintenance at the remote location.

The nRSP-ST key features include:

• A truly “plug and play” integrated, networked general coverage receiver that combines a receiver, a host computer and other functionality in one box. Apply power and connect to the internet (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) and the nRSP-ST is automatically accessible.
• The 14-bit ADC full featured wideband SDR receiver covers all frequencies from 1kHz through VLF, LF, MW, HF, VHF, UHF and L-band to 2GHz with no gaps.
• Remotely monitoring of up to 10MHz of spectrum at a time from a choice of 3 antennas.
• Multi-platform SDRconnectTM software that supports local operation or remote access on Windows, MacOS or Linux platforms.
• Supports multiple client connections with a simultaneous mixture of connection modes.
• All modes support visualization of up to 10MHz spectrum bandwidth.
• Two remote connection options: use a remote SDRconnect client or use the built-in web-server for remote access from any web browsing capable device, including Android/iOS tablets and phones.
• The ability to record IQ and audio files to a NAS (network attached storage) device if available on the LAN.
• Flash upgradable for future feature enhancements.
• The nRSP-ST with SDRconnectTM is configurable for whatever network bandwidth is available:

• In “Full IQ” mode, the nRSP-ST provides IQ data transfer of the visible spectrum bandwidth (e.g.for high-speed LAN or superfast internet connectivity).
• In “IQ Lite” mode, the nRSP-ST provides IQ data of channels up to 192kHz wide (e.g. for digital decoding by the client).
• In “Compact” mode the nRSP-ST provides compressed audio (ideal for slower internet connections).

SDRPlay is aiming to launch the nRSP-ST in the Fall of 2024 with a price of under $500 USD. More information is available at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-280-nRSP-ST

[ANS thanks rtl-sdr.com for the above information.]

VUCC Satellite Standing October 2024

VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for September 01, 2024 to October 01, 2024.

K8DP 1701 1737
WI7P 1078 1104
JK2XXK 1036 1086
JN2QCV 908 1016
EA2AA 982 1011
W8LR 859 887
JS1LQI 701 808
N8MR 731 755
KS1G 703 754
LY4AA 555 670
XE2YWH 118 595
W9FF 450 525
KO9A 472 524
VA3VGR 352 509
HP2VX 500 508
KA9CFD 283 500
N6PAZ 450 472
K4RGK 362 421
JE3HCZ 103 410
NJ2DX 365 404
K3HPA 300 350
SP7JS 207 253
RA0FF New 211
W2HRO New 192
DH0GSU 152 156
AE5AU 101 153
XE2YWH (DL82 – D 114 119
XE2YWH (DL82) 114 119
YC1RIK New 114
N5YIZ New 100
W4XP New 100

Congratulations to the new VUCC Satellite holders.
RA0FF is first VUCC Satellite holder from Asiatic Russia and QN16.
YC1RIK is first VUCC Satellite holder from OI33.

DXCC Satellite has still not been updated since May

[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ for the above information.]

Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!

25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space

https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for October 4, 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 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/.

The following satellite has been removed from this week’s AMSAT TLE distribution:

OreSat0 NORAD Cat ID 52017 Decayed from orbit on 29 September 2024.

MESAT1 has been redesignated as MO-122.

[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
School No. 2, Veliky Ustyug, Russia direct via TBD.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS.
The scheduled crewmember is Ivan Vagner.
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR.
Contact is go for Sunday, October 6, 2024 at 10:50 UTC.

Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tengku Ampuan Hajjah Afzan Pahang, Jerantut, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS.
The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB.
The ARISS mentor is Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ.
Contact is go for: Monday, October 7, 2024 at 11:58 UTC.

European School of Varese, Varese, Italy, direct via IQ2XH.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS.
The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB.
The ARISS mentor is Ferrario Gianpietro, IZ2GOJ.
Contact is go for: Friday, October 11, 2024 at 08:22 UTC.

Jaanimmarik Ilinniarvik School, Jaanimmarik Iliniavik, Kuujjuaq, QC, Canada, Telebridge via IK1SLD.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Nick Hague, KG5TMV.
The ARISS mentor is Steven McFarlane, VE3TBD.
Contact is go for: Friday, October 11, 2024 at 13:13 UTC.

Greenville Jr HS, Greenville, IL, direct via AD9OV.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The scheduled crewmember is Don Pettit, KD5MDT.
The ARISS mentor is Gordon Scannell, KD8COJ.
Contact is go for Friday, October 11, 2024 at 14:32 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 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

No operations 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, and Alex Ners, K6VHF, for the above information.]

AMSAT Ambassador Activities

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

October 18-20, 2024
Pacificon 2024, ARRL Pacific Division Conference
San Ramon, CA
WUØI

October 25-27, 2004
AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting
Double Tree Rocky Point Waterfront Hotel
Tampa Bay, FL

November 2-3, 2024
Stone Mountain Hamfest, ARRL State Convention
Stone Mountain, GA
https://stonemountainhamfest.com/
K4RGK

November 9, 2024
Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club
Marana Middle School
11285 West Grier Rd.
Marana, AZ 85653
https://www.tucsonhamradio.org/copy-of-hamfest-2022
N1UW

February 20-22, 2025
Yuma HAMCON
Yuma, AZ
N1UW

Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program for the above information.]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

• For those who missed the 2024 CubeSat Developers Workshop at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California last April, all recorded presentations are now available for viewing at https://www.youtube.com/@cubesat5793/streams. CPCL is Cal Poly’s CubeSat laboratory where the CubeSat standard originated, and where the CubeSat Design Specification is maintained and published. In addition to providing the CDS, CPCL hosts the annual CubeSat Developer’s Workshop in San Luis Obispo, and provides a central point for CubeSat community resources. [ANS thanks cubesat.org for the above information.]
  
• The 2025 SmallSat Conference is scheduled for August 11-13, 2025 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The theme for the conference is Reaching New Horizons – New orbit. Same mission. Innovation and growing demand are driving the increased use of small satellites across a diverse global ecosystem. Both government and commercial sectors are pursuing proliferated networked constellations for global monitoring and connectivity. National space agencies and academia use small satellites for exploration, science, and fundamental research. The conference organizers have put out the first call for papers and for exhibitors. Abstracts are due by February 4 at 11:59 PM MT. More information is available at https://smallsat.org. [ANS thanks SmallSat.org for the above information.]
  
• SpaceX is pausing Falcon 9 launches again after the upper stage on the Crew-9 launch experienced an ‘off-nominal deorbit burn’ that led to missing its expected landing zone in the ocean—Crew-9, along with its two empty seats for stranded astronauts Williams and Wilmore, successfully reached the ISS without issue. [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 [dot] org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org

In this edition:

• 42nd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting October 24-27
• QCWA Awards AMSAT Youth and Education Programs $2,500
• VUCC Satellite Standing August 2024
• AMSAT EA’s GENESIS-A Launched
• NASA Seeks Student Missions to Send to Space in 2026, Beyond
• Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for August 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 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-224 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 Aug 11

42nd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting October 24-27

Mark your calendar now for the 42nd Annual 2024 AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting, October 25-27, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.

The event will be held October 25-27, 2024 at the Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront. Special group rate of $169 plus taxes and fees is for a standard 2-queen room. Overnight car parking is an additional $20 per night.

Note: The block of rooms for the Symposium had not been released at the time of this publication. Watch for an announcement on how to make your hotel reservations later this week.

[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 help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/

QCWA Awards AMSAT Youth and Education Programs $2,500

Responding to a competitive Request for Proposal by the Quarter Century Wireless Association, Alan Johnston, KU2Y, AMSAT VP-Educational Relations and Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP-Development submitted a request for funds to support AMSAT’s youth and educational programs. The request was fully consistent with the QCWA’s Mission Statement which reads in part “to promote interest in Amateur Radio communications and the advancement of the electronic art” especially among boys and girls essential to keep Amateur Radio and AMSAT’s ranks filled for the future growth of the hobby.

In response to its proposal, the QCWA generously awarded $2,500 to AMSAT on June 4, 2024 for its youth and educational programs.

Building on Dr. Alan Johnston, KU2Y’s ground breaking CubeSat Simulator, the QCWA contribution will help bring actual “CubeSatSims” to more classrooms, enhance instructional materials and to help build a network of online simulators to bring the benefits of this exciting resource directly to youth, their families and to educational resources of all types.

A portion of this generous gift will also be used to further the curriculum of AMSAT’s “KidzSat” program, designed to spark youth’s interest in space communications with its theme, “Satellites in Space for a Better Life Here on Earth.” For older youth the “BuzzSat” program uses Amateur Radio as the laboratory for hands-on experiences with telemetry, control and communications.

In recognition of the QCWA’s contribution to AMSAT programs, the QCWA was inducted into the AMSAT 2024 President’s Club at the Platinum level. Upon receiving news of the award, Karnauskas remarked, “Thanks to the vision of generous benefactors such as the QCWA, AMSAT is better equipped to help bring more youth into the exciting world of satellite communications and the benefits it can bring to mankind – Satellites in Space for a Better Life on Earth!”

[ANS thanks AMSAT 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/

VUCC Satellite Standing August 2024

VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for
May 13, 2024 to August 01, 2024.

DF2ET 1402 1500
N0JE 1206 1225
WI7P 1050 1078
JK2XXK 903 1036
EA2AA 931 954
FG8OJ 888 921
KK4YEL 768 799
N8MR 706 731
JS1LQI 617 701
N3CAL 637 653
N7ZO 600 650
LA6OP 600 632
IK7FMQ 550 626
AC9DX 525 625
EA3TA 503 607
N5EKO 550 581
LY4AA 505 555
AD2DD 403 517
KF2T 399 505
AL7ID 425 502
N6PAZ 400 450
AG4W 314 423
KF0QS 301 400
W9FF 284 400
K6VHF 350 376
KB3IAI 254 358
DJ7NT 234 348
AG1A 200 301
N8HRZ 102 298
KB9DAK 255 278
N4QWF 136 255
KH6WI/W9 (EN54) New 250
KB4DSL 127 226
K0JQZ New 205
K5WO New 200
WD9EWK (DM31) 195 200
KD8RTT 101 150
BI8FFH New 132
G4BWP New 123
ER1KW New 111
XE1RCU New 108
BG6HXD New 103
KK7OVF New 103
N6NU New 103
W4BB New 100

Congratulations to the new VUCC holders.
ER1KW is first VUCC Satellite holder from Moldova and KN46
KH6WI/W9 (EN54) is first VUCC Satellite holder from EN54
BI8FFH is first VUCC Satellite holder from PM06
G4BWP is first VUCC Satellite holder from JO02
BG6HXD is first VUCC Satellite holder from OM83
W4BB is first VUCC Satellite holder from FM04

[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information.]

AMSAT EA’s GENESIS-A Launched

AMSAT EA’s GENESIS-A module, attached to the upper stage of the Ariane-6 launcher, was put into orbit with the inaugural launch of the said rocket on July 9, 2024 from French Guiana. The module was programmed to transmit FT-8, which is, as far as the project managers know, the first time that this modulation has been used from space, as well as SSTV. Although its reception seemed impossible, a station located in Delft, the Netherlands, confirmed the reception and decoding of FT-8, as well as the reception of SSTV in orbits 3 and 4 that the stage carried out over Europe.

The station, belonging to the Von Storch Engineering company, has provided the IQ files of the recordings for analysis by AMSAT-EA.

Although the stage was expected to fall into the sea, this did not happen and the GENESIS-A module remains in orbit with the stage.

ESA was asked about the availability of power in the launcher stage and about the possibility of restarting the module, but the battery pack that powered YPSAT and the GENESIS-A module was completely depleted, so there is no real possibility of restarting it.

[ANS thanks Felix Paez, EA4GQS, AMSAT EA for the above information.]

NASA Seeks Student Missions to Send to Space in 2026, Beyond

NASA announced a new round of opportunities for CubeSat, developers to build spacecrafts that will fly on upcoming launches through the agency’s CSLI (CubeSat Launch Initiative). CubeSats are a class of small spacecraft called nanosatellites.

The initiative provides space access to U.S. educational institutions, certain non-profit organizations, and informal educational institutions such as museums and science centers, as well as NASA centers focused on workforce development, including the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in southern California. It also encourages participation by minority serving institutions.

“Working with CubeSats is a way to get students interested in launching a career in the space industry,” said Jeanie Hall, CSLI program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “NASA reviews applications for CubeSat missions every year and selects projects with an educational component that also can benefit the agency in better understanding education, science, exploration, and technology.”

Applicants must submit proposals by 5 p.m. EST, Nov. 15. NASA expects to make selections by March 14, 2025, for flight opportunities in 2026-2029, although selection does not guarantee a launch opportunity. Applicants are responsible for funding the development of the small satellites.

Selected CubeSats get assigned a launch and deployment directly from a rocket or to low Earth orbit from the International Space Station. Once accepted, NASA mission managers act as advisors to the CubeSat team, ensuring technical, safety, and regulatory requirements are satisfied before launch. Those selected will strengthen their skills in hardware design and development and build knowledge in operating the CubeSats.

Eight CubeSat missions recently shared a ride to space on Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket that launched on July 3 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. One mission is CatSat, built by students at the University of Arizona, which is testing a deployable antenna attached to a Mylar balloon. Another is KUbeSat-1, built by the University of Kansas, is testing a new method of measuring the cosmic rays that hit the Earth. This launch also was notable for two CSLI ‘first’ milestones. The KUbeSat-1 and another called MESAT-1 were the first CSLI missions from the states of Kansas and Maine respectively.

Four CubeSats also went to the space station as cargo in a SpaceX Dragon capsule on March 21 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida as part of the agency’s SpaceX 30th commercial resupply mission. Once aboard the space station, astronauts deployed the small missions into various orbits to demonstrate and mature technologies meant to improve solar power generation, detect gamma ray bursts, determine crop water usage, and measure root-zone soil and snowpack moisture levels.

CubeSats are a class of spacecraft sized in multiples of a standardized unit called a “U.” A 1-Unit (1U) CubeSat is about 10 x 10 x 11 cm in size (3.9 x 3.9 x 4.5 inches). They are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and can be stacked together to form a slightly larger, more capable spacecraft. A 3U CubeSat is three times the size of a 1U, a 6U is six times the size.

NASA has selected CubeSat missions from 45 states, Washington, and Puerto Rico, and launched about 160 CubeSats since inception.

The CubeSat Launch Initiative is managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program based at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. To learn more information about CSLI, visit: https://go.nasa.gov/CubeSat_initiative

[ANS thanks JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM, and NASA for the above information.]

Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?

Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space

https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for August 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. 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/.

The following satellites have been removed from this week’s AMSAT TLE distribution:

YUSAT 1 NORAD Cat ID 47439 Decayed from orbit on or about 3 August 2024
TEVEL-1 NORAD Cat ID 51013 Decayed from orbit on or about 3 August 2024
TEVEL-3 NORAD Cat ID 50988 Decayed from orbit on or about 3 August 2024
TEVEL-8 NORAD Cat ID 50989 Decayed from orbit on or about 3 August 2024
TEVEL-7 NORAD Cat ID 51062 Decayed from orbit on or about 3 August 2024
TEVEL-4 NORAD Cat ID 51063 Decayed from orbit on or about 3 August 2024
TEVEL-2 NORAD Cat ID 51069 Decayed from orbit on or about 3 August 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

A.G. Nikolaev Secondary School, Shorshel, Chuvashia, Russia direct via TBD.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RS0ISS.
The scheduled crewmember is Nikolay Chub.
The ARISS mentor is A.R.C. ENERGIA,RV3DR.
Contact is go for Sunday, August 11, 2024 at 08:20 UTC.

Blackwater State High School, Blackwater, QLD, Australia, telebridge via ON4ISS.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS.
The scheduled crewmember is Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR.
The ARISS mentor is Shane Lynd, VK4KHZ.
Contact is go for: Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 09:43:18 UTC.

Pacific Science Center, Seattle, WA, direct via W7AW.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The scheduled crewmember is Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU.
The ARISS mentor is Ryan Krenzischek, W4NTR.
Contact is go: Friday, August 16, 2024 at 18:14:35 UTC.

Tuskegee Airmen Inc. National Convention, Arlington Virginia, telebridge via K6DUE.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The scheduled crewmember is Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU.
The ARISS mentor is Frank Bauer, KA3HDO.
Contact is go for: Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 17:34:57 UTC.

Completed Contacts

International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly 2024, Cape Town, South Africa, telebridge via VK6MJ.
The ISS callsign was NA1SS.
The crewmember was Sunita Williams, KD5PLB.
The ARISS mentor was Frank Bauer, KA3HDO.
Contact was successful on Friday, August 9 2024.

Children’s camp “Shtormovoy” of the All-Russian Children’s Center “Orlyonok”, Orlyonok, Russia, direct via RO6C.
The ISS callsign was RS0ISS.
The crewmember was Nikolay Chub.
The ARISS mentor was A.R.C. ENERGIA, RV3DR.
Contact was successful: Saturday, August 3, 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 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

Philippe, EA4NF will be QRV (as KE4NF) from EL94 13-17 Aug, then EL95 25-27 Aug. Looks like this will be FM LEO only. Log as KE4NF

Jonathan @N4AKV has posted an ambitious August roving schedule on his qrz.com page. Tentative plans for a major satellite and 6m road trip through Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon this summer. Satellite passes listed on https://hams.at for the next week include grid squares FN43, FN53, and GN16.

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, and Alex Ners, K6VHF, 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.

August 17-18, 2024
Huntsville Hamfest
Huntsville, AL
AMSAT Booth and Forum
N8DEU and W4FCL

August 22-25, 2024
Northeast HamXpostion
Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center
181 Boston Post Road W
Marlborough, MA 01752
W1EME and WD4ASW

September 7, 2024
Greater Louisville Hamfest
Shepherdsville, KY
AMSAT Forum and Information Table
W4FCL

October 5, 2024
North Star Radio Convention
Hennepin Technical College (North Campus)
Brooklyn Park, Minn.
AMSAT Forum and Information Table
KØJM and ADØHJ

October 18-20, 2024
Pacificon 2024, ARRL Pacific Division Conference
San Ramon, CA
WU0I

October 25-27, 2004
AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting
Double Tree Rocky Point Waterfront Hotel
Tampa Bay, FL

November 2-3, 2024
Stone Mountain Hamfest, ARRL State Convention
Stone Mountain, GA
K4RGK

[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, K4FCL, Director, AMSAT Ambassador Program for the above information.]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

Zeke Wheeler, KJ7NLL’s Desktop Satellite Tracker won First Place in Engineering and Best of Fair at the 2024 Oregon State Science Fair (Northwest Science Expo), Middle School level. Zeke presented “An Affordable Portable Orbital Desktop Satellite Tracker” at the 2024 Crowd Supply Teardown Conference. Watch Zeke’s presentation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzeoxti90Wo. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

A Chinese Long March 6A rocket broke apart in low-Earth orbit and formed a debris field with hundreds of pieces, confirmed by U.S. Space Command. “USSPACECOM has observed no immediate threats and continues to conduct routine conjunction assessments to support the safety and sustainability of the space domain,” a U.S. Space Command spokesperson said. NASA public affairs officer Rob Margetta said there was no immediate threat to the International Space Station. Satellite monitoring company LeoLabs estimated there were at least 700 fragments created by the rocket’s break-up. While there’s no immediate danger, it’s possible that the fragments could eventually descend to where the space station and SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are located. Slingshot Aerospace said debris from the rocket poses “a significant hazard to LEO [low-Earth orbit] constellations below 800 km altitude.” More information at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-224-Debris. [ANS thanks spacedaily.com for the above information.]

AMSAT-UK is pleased to announce that the 2024 Colloquium will take place alongside the RSGB Convention at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Milton Keynes, MK7 6BZ on the weekend of October 13-14 2024. As in previous years, the AMSAT-UK Colloquium will run as a separate stream within the RSGB Convention and will include presentations on a variety of satellite and space related topics. The Annual General Meeting of AMSAT-UK will take place during the colloquium. More information at https://amsat-uk.org/2024/07/25/amsat-uk-space-colloquium-2024/. [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK 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 [dot] org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org