ANS-183 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

July 2, 2023 by Mark Johns

In this edition:

* AMSAT Announces Candidates for 2023 Board of Directors Election
* Updated “For Beginners” Compilation Available on the AMSAT Website
* TX5S DXpedition to Clipperton Island to Include Satellite Operations
* 2023 AMSAT Field Day Preliminary Report
* Communication Problems on the Moon
* The Big Bang Theory Antenna Lives On
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution
* 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

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-183 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

To: All RADIO AMATEURS
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002

DATE 2023 July 2

AMSAT Announces Candidates for 2023 Board of Directors Election

The nomination period for the 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors Election ended on June 15th. The following candidates have been duly nominated:

Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO
Jerry Buxton, N0JY
Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
Barry Baines, WD4ASW
Frank Karnauskas, N1UW

As four seats on the Board of Directors are up for election this year, four of these candidates will be seated on the Board, along with one alternate when the voting period concludes on September 15th. The election will be held via AMSAT’s Wild Apricot membership system. Instructions for voting will be emailed to all members in good standing as of July 1st by July 15th. Biographies of the candidates will be available for review online and published in the next issue of The AMSAT Journal.

[ANS thanks Jeff Davis, KE9V, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information]

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The 2023 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its launch
on June 16, 1983, this year’s coin features
an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 10.
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/
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Updated “For Beginners” Compilation Now Available on the AMSAT Website

An updated freely downloadable compilation of “getting started” articles written by Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF, is now available on the AMSAT website. These articles originally appeared in The AMSAT Journal from 2019 to 2021.

Check out the compilation at https://www.amsat.org/introduction-to-working-amateur-satellites/

Unfortunately, because both satellites and URLs change over time, the currentness of information such as this can quickly be overcome by events. However, the tools and techniques outlined in Keith’s beginner series are still very much applicable to operating on current and future AMSAT satellites. For the latest information about satellites currently in orbit, please consult the AMSAT Communications Satellites page.

More detailed information can be found in AMSAT’s Getting Started with Amateur Satellites book which can be purchased on the AMSAT store.

[ANS thanks Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF, Past AMSAT President, and Joe Kornowski, KB6IGK, AMSAT Journal Editor-In-Chief, for the above information]

TX5S DXpedition to Clipperton Island to Include Satellite Operations

The TX5S DXpedition to Clipperton Island, scheduled for January 2024, has announced that it will include satellite operations. The satellite station manager, Andreas, N6NU, reports the following preparation
activities for the TX5S DXpedition to Clipperton Island:

Andreas has made his first QSO’s made on the IO-117 (GreenCube) Satellite. This satellite has passes that last over an hour and has a huge footprint since it is in an almost 6,000 KM orbit. He has an 11 Element 70CM antenna, RAS Mini AZ/EL rotator with Green Heron Controller, Icom IC-9100H, Rigblaster TI-5000 and Icom AG-35 mast mounted pre-amp. The 6ft mast uses a home brew base. The next step is to configure an Icom IC-9700 as backup. Then on to RS-44 and 6m and 23 cm EME. He appreciates the help and advice offered by several AMSAT members.

For more information on the TX5S DXpedition, visit https://clip.pdxg.net/

[ANS thanks the Perseverance DX Group for the above information]

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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/

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2023 AMSAT Field Day Preliminary Report

The 2023 AMSAT Field Day is over, and early data shows how the satellites were utilized.

It has been many years since there were more than one or two AMSAT Field Day submissions from outside North America. This year, immediately after of Field Day ended, there were two submissions from Japan.

The satellites worked well. The FM Tevel family of satellites and GreenCube seemed to be popular. SO-50, AO-91, and the International Space Station were also busy with their FM single channels. RS-44 was quite tame, with plenty of bandwidth for many to make contacts, whether they were sitting on a frequency and calling CQ or using the hunt-and-pounce method.

More data is on the way. For updates, visit the AMSAT website.

[ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Awards Manager, for the above information]

Communication Problems on the Moon

The chilly relationship between the U.S. and China on Earth could raise safety risks in space and the specter of competition on the Moon as both nations aim to send people to the lunar surface in the coming years.

China and the U.S. — the two most dominant players in space today — do not generally collaborate on space research and exploration, and they have limited communication in orbit and beyond. But both nations are separately sending missions to the Moon. NASA expects its astronauts will be back on the surface of the Moon as early as 2025, and China has plans for its taikonauts to land on the lunar surface by around 2030.

The Chinese military is refusing to use established communications channels that could help to prevent an unintended crisis on Earth. Recent close calls between U.S. and Chinese crafts at sea and in the air underscore the risk.

Lack of transparency into activities has framed the U.S-China relationship in space for decades, with some key exceptions, including coordinating orbiters at Mars and NASA collaborating with China during one of the nation’s robotic Moon missions.

The Chinese government has a fundamentally different way of engaging in the world that makes open communication difficult, Dean Cheng, a China analyst, tells Axios. The government is “not accustomed to thinking of alliance structures and cooperation,” he added.

NASA will likely miss its 2025 Artemis landing date, with technical and budgetary delays pushing the first crewed landing to later in the decade. China, however, “will put a human crew on the Moon by 2030,” Cheng said. “If that is their intent, then it will happen.”

Communication could be particularly important on the lunar surface because China and the U.S. are both planning to land missions in the same part of the Moon, at the lunar south pole. While those initial landing zones will likely be widely separated, future missions could lead to new questions about space traffic management, communications satellites and even the primary language used in those activities at the Moon.

[ANS thanks Axios Space for the above information]

The Big Bang Theory Antenna Lives On

An antenna that holds an important place in scientific history sits on a small parcel of land on Crawford Hill in Holmdel Township, New Jersey.

The antenna is known as the Holmdel Horn Antenna, and it was built in 1959 by Bell Labs (now Nokia Bell Labs) researchers. It was originally designed to bounce radio signals off of reflective satellite balloons for long-distance communication. It worked, and the Holmdel Horn Antenna was no longer needed.

Two Bell Labs astronomer employees, Arno A. Penzias and Robert W. Wilson, received permission in 1965 to use the antenna to search for radio transmissions in outer space. They pointed the antenna toward what was considered a quiet area, but what they discovered was anything but quiet. They discovered Cosmic Microwave Background radiation, which provided evidence for the Big Bang Theory.

Now, there is a historical marker at the site, but there has been some dispute as to who owns the antenna and surrounding land. In mid-June 2023, the Holmdel Township Committee voted unanimously to approve resolutions that will begin the process of acquiring two of the three parcels that make up the Crawford Hill property. The township committee is leaving the third parcel to be part of the redevelopment toward preserving Crawford Hill as a public park to celebrate the horn antenna’s place in scientific history.

Visit the https://bit.ly/3rbnKaR to learn more.

[ANS thanks The ARRL Letter for the above information]

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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
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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for 2023 30 June

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/

This week there are no additions or deletions to the weekly AMSAT-NA TLE distribution.

[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:
Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai, UAE, direct via A68MBR. The ISS callsign was OR4ISS, and the crewmember was Sultan Al Neyadi, KI5VTV. The ARISS mentor was ON6TI. Contact was successful: Thursday, 2023-06-22 08:38:52 UTC with 51 degrees maximum elevation. Congratulations to the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre students, Sultan Al Neyadi KI5VTV, and mentor ON6TI!

UPCOMING:
Due to summer school holidays, no contacts currently scheduled.

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

To include your satellite roving plans in the AMSAT News Service Weekly bulletins, send them to Ian, K5ZM at k5zm (at) comcast (dot) net at least a couple of weeks in advance. Upcoming satellite operations are updated weekly on the AMSAT Upcoming Satellite Operations page but may expire before the next AMSAT News Service bulletin is released. You can watch for the latest roving information to become available at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-info/upcoming-satellite-operations/

Mitch Ahrenstorff, AD0HJ, has a satellite rove planned over the July 4th weekend in the hopes of joining the exclusive Western Roving Coalition. Look for him to activate Montana grid squares DN57, DN67, DN77, DN87, DN97, DN56, DN66, DN76, DN86, DN96, DN55, DN65, AND DN64 between June 30th and July 3rd. Planned passes are available at http://hams.at OR on Twitter @GridMasterHeat

Jim DeLoach, WU0I, with XYL, KK6DZS, just started a 6-week road trip. Along the way, they hope to activate a number of rarer grid squares on the FM birds on the way to the Four-Corners area of the Southwest from the Michigan UP, through Western Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Idaho.

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.

+ Small Satellite Conference
August 5-10, 2023
Utah State University, Logan, UT
More information at: https://smallsat.org/

+ AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting
October 20-21, 2013
Dallas, Texas

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)!”

[ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+The 15th annual 13 Colonies Special Event will take place July 1 – July 7, 2023, and will include satellite operations, primarily on the linear transponder satellites. All 13 colonies are covered by satops this year making a clean sweep possible. See http://www.13colonies.us/ for more details. (ANS thanks Ant Lefebvre, NU1U, for the above information)

+ In a highly anticipated and globally coordinated announcement on Wednesday, June 28, teams of scientists worldwide reported the discovery of the “low pitch hum” of these cosmic waves flowing through the Milky Way. While astronomers don’t definitively know what’s causing the hum, the detected signal is “compelling evidence” and consistent with theoretical expectations of gravitational waves emerging from pairs of “the most massive black holes in the entire universe” weighing as much as billions of suns. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above information)

+ ESA announced the Zero Debris Charter at the Paris Air Show, by which they mean that they will figure out their plans for generating zero space debris (hopefully) by the end of the year, to be implemented by 2030. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ Gamma Ray Burst 221009A, a supernova with its energetic jet pointed directly at Earth, was first observed last October. While it was 2.4 billion light-years away, it still managed to disturb Earth’s ionosphere, produced 18 tera-electron-volt photons, and saturated spacecraft X-ray and gamma-ray sensors. This explosion is now referred to as the BOAT (Brightest of All Time) and is thought to be a once-in-a-10,000-year occurrence. It also illuminated dust clouds in our galaxy, allowing their distances and properties to be measured with unprecedented accuracy. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic launched its first commercial space flight Thursday, June 29, sending three Italian researchers, two company pilots and an astronaut trainer on a high-speed thrill ride to the edge of space aboard a winged rocketplane. (ANS thanks SpaceflightNow for the above information)

+ A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft left the International Space Station on Thursday, June 29, to return to Earth. The spacecraft is carrying more than 3,600 pounds of equipment, supplies and scientific experiments, some of which have been on the space station for nearly six years and which had their final in-orbit tests completed earlier this year. (ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information)

+ The European Space Agency’s Euclid spacecraft launched on July 1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Euclid features a telescope 1.2 meters across equipped with a camera operating at visible wavelengths and a near-infrared spectrometer and photometer. The two-ton spacecraft will operate at the Earth-sun L-2 point also used by the James Webb Space Telescope 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, generating the largest and most accurate 3-D map of the universe to date. Astronomers hope that Euclid’s observations will shed light on two of the biggest mysteries in cosmology: the nature of both dark energy and dark matter that, combined, comprise 95% of the universe. (ANS thanks SpaceNews 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

ANS-176 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for June 25th

July 2, 2023June 25, 2023 by Paul Stoetzer

In this edition:

* Two Awards Available from AMSAT-UK Regarding EO-88’s Impending Re-Entry
* URESAT-1 Deployed
* Harbin Institute of Technology Developing New Lunar Amateur Radio Satellite
* How Many Satellites Can We Safely Fit In Earth Orbit?
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 22, 2023
* 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

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-176 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

To: All RADIO AMATEURS
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002

DATE 2023 June 25

Two Awards Available from AMSAT-UK Regarding EO-88’s Impending Re-Entry

As you may be aware, Solar Cycle 25 has already shown that we cannot yet predict what the sun will be doing with any great accuracy.

Sunspots, X-class solar flares and CMEs (coronal mass ejections) are increasing in frequency and intensity on a daily basis.

The peak of Solar Cycle 25 was not expected until late 2024 or early 2025 but it may be coming earlier and have a higher intensity than was predicted.

One result of this increased activity is that the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of the earth becomes warmer and expands upwards. This means that spacecraft in low earth orbit experience more drag or resistance as a result of the increase in the number atoms they are having to displace as they travel around the globe. As a consequence, the spacecraft loose more kinetic energy and start to descend lower in orbital height, which, of course, makes the problem worse and a fiery end to the spacecraft is hastened.

The actual effect is also dependant on the drag coefficient of the particular spacecraft…simply how much mass (the more the better) to how much surface area (the less the better). So in CubeSat terms, a 1U CubeSat, fairly full of stuff with a mass near the maximum of 1.3kg, will probably be better off than a half empty 3U CubeSat with deployable solar panels and other drag inducing protuberances.

All TLEs (Two Line Elements) include a parameter called drag, it is usually a very small number preceeded by four or more zeros! Although this parameter is calculated by the system, it is not usually precise or even stable, so cannot be used to accurately predict deorbit dates when looking forward many weeks/months. It can give us a guide though! Alarm bells should ring when we only see two leading zeros.

How does this effect our activities? Well for the FUNcube family, there are presently three active members!

FUNcube-1, AO-73 was launched almost ten years ago in November 2013 into an elliptical polar orbit of approx 682×595 km. Presently those numbers are around 640×570 km so probably not too much to worry about. The drag number from the TLEs is, at the time of writing, 0.000074, a good number.

The same applies to JY1SAT, JO-97. This was launched in December 2018 into a 573×590 km polar orbit. Presently those numbers are around 557×573 km and the current drag is listed as 0.000076.

Unfortunately, however, the same cannot by said for Nayif-1, EO-88. This spacecraft was launched in February 2017 into a 496×507 km polar orbit. Currently the orbit parameters show a height of around 320 km with the drag at 0.00319. It is now well below the ISS and much lower than at launch.

As mentioned, largely due to the random nature of the our star’s flux output on a day to day basis, it is not possible at this stage to accurately predict the likely deorbit date but it seems that it will certainly be before the end of this year. As the spacecraft continues to perform 100% nominally this is a great shame. Presently it is switching autonomously from high power telemetry when in daylight and with lower power telemetry and the transponder active when in darkness. The solar panels, battery and power system also continue to be reporting nominal numbers, essentially unchanged since the day of launch.

It will therefore be a really sad moment when re-entry occurs but in the meantime everyone is encouraged to use the spacecraft whilst it remains available.

To mark the event of EO-88/Nayif’s demise, AMSAT-UK is offering two awards. These will be individual framed certificates.

Firstly, to the station who submits the last telemetry to the FUNcube Data Warehouse and also to who “guesses” or calculates the re-entry time and date most accurately. Submissions for this award must be made to [email protected] before midnight (UTC) on July 4th 2023. So time is short to get your entries in. Good luck!

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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The 2023 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its launch
on June 16, 1983, this year’s coin features
an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 10.
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/
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URESAT-1 Deployed

The URESAT-1 satellite, also known as HADES-B according to its ITU designation, successfully launched into space as part of the SpaceX Transporter-8 mission from Vandenberg AFB on Monday, June 12. The satellite is a joint effort between AMSAT-EA, URE (the Spanish equivalent of ARRL), private companies, and universities.

The URESAT-1 satellite, contained within the D-Orbit ION Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV), was not deployed directly from the Falcon-9 rocket. Instead, approximately one hour and twenty minutes after launch, the Falcon-9 released the OTV. URESAT-1 was deployed from the OTV at approximately 12:10 UTC on June 22, 2023. As of this writing, signals have not yet been received from the satellite.

One of the primary objectives of URESAT-1 is to serve as an FM voice and FSK data repeater. Equipped with a Slow Scan Television (SSTV) camera, the satellite will transmit live images as well as stored images at regular intervals. It also features a chess game, enabling players on Earth to engage in a game against the satellite. Periodically, the satellite will transmit updates on the state of the game, including the chess board, the last movement made, and whether the next move belongs to the players or the satellite.

The specified frequencies for communication with URESAT-1 are as follows: for uplink transmissions, 145.975 MHz or 145.925 MHz (auxiliary frequency) using FM voice without subtone, FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200/2400 bps. For downlink transmissions, the frequency is set at 436.888 MHz, and modes include FM voice, CW, FSK 50 bps telemetry, SSTV Robot 36, and a voice beacon with the callsign AO4URE.

To provide further information regarding URESAT-1’s transmissions, the AMSAT-EA organization has made available a comprehensive document that can be accessed at the following link: https://www.amsat-ea.org/app/download/13366685/AMSAT+EA+-+URESAT-1+Transmissions+description.pdf

For those interested in decoding the telemetry, a Linux x86/ARM decoder is available for download at the following link: https://www.amsat-ea.org/app/download/13395017/URESAT-1_telemetry_decoder_Linux_X86_ARM_v1.0.zip

A sample file containing the audio of a telemetry file can be found here: https://www.amsat-ea.org/app/download/13398144/URESAT-1_sample_FSK_telemetry-chessboard_packet.wav

If URESAT-1 operates as intended, the project team plans to release a Linux program that will allow players to send their chess moves to the satellite, further enhancing the interactive experience.

[ANS thanks Félix Páez, EA4GQS, AMSAT-EA President for the above information]

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Need new satellite antennas? Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack
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/

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Harbin Institute of Technology Developing New Lunar Amateur Radio Satellite

Lunar OSCAR II is a lunar amateur radio payload developing by a team consists of students in Harbin Institute of Technology and international amateur radio enthusiasts. Its baseline functions include telemetry, digital image downlink from an infrared camera, and digipeater with JT4G uplink/downlink. It will also provide chances for uploading and testing new waveforms and algorithms for radio communications and measurements in very long distance.

Amateur radio orbit determination experiments, for example Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), are also possible with these links.

Harbin Institute of Technology has previously successfully developed the first lunar amateur radio satellite, Longjiang-2 / DSLWP-B. (LO-94) As a subsequent mission, Lunar OSCAR II will continue offering various resources for communications relay and amateur radio research, and promoting the cooperation of amateur radio communities.

The Lunar OSCAR II payload will be on board a lunar microsatellite with a volume of about 300x200x100 mm3 and a mass of about 14 kg and will utilize downlinks on UHF for telemetry and images using 250/500 baud GMSK with turbo codes and Digipeater using 4.375 baud $FSK with convolutional coding (JT4G). More information is available at https://by2hit.github.io/.

The satellite is planned for a launch from Wenchang in 2024.

A downlink on 437.750 MHz has been coordinated.

[ANS thanks the IARU and Harbin Institute of Technology for the above information]

How Many Satellites Can We Safely Fit In Earth Orbit?

Just 10 years ago, a mere thousand or so operational satellites may have orbited our planet, but there will be tens or even hundreds of thousands a decade from now. Experts have been sounding alarm bells for years that Earth orbit is getting a bit too crowded. So how many satellites can we actually launch to space before it gets to be too much?

Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist and astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics warns the first signs that things are getting a little too tense are, in fact, already present. “It’s going to be like an interstate highway, at rush hour in a snowstorm with everyone driving much too fast,” he told Space.com when asked what the situation in orbit will be like if existing plans for satellite megaconstellations such as SpaceX’s Starlink, OneWeb and Amazon Kuiper come to fruition. “Except that there are multiple interstate highways crossing each other with no stoplights.”

McDowell’s British colleague Hugh Lewis is another frequently heard voice of caution. In a post published on Twitter on Jan. 13, Lewis stated that “the overall number of conjunctions predicted for 2022 was 134% higher than the number for 2020 and 58% higher than 2021, exceeding 4 million.” That doesn’t mean that on 4 million occasions objects in space came close to a collision — just that managing traffic in space is getting much more complicated than it has ever been in the past.

Take SpaceX’s Starlink as an example. According to information submitted to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in December last year, SpaceX’s autonomous collision-avoidance system performed 26,037 orbital avoidance maneuvers with its Starlink satellites in the two-year period between Dec. 1, 2020 and Nov. 30, 2022. That means each Starlink satellite of the nearly 4,000 that have been launched to date performed, on average, 12 avoidance maneuvers during that time.

But the size of SpaceX’s current constellation is less than 10% of what the company plans to deploy. Within the next 10 years, the number of Starlink satellites in orbit may rise to 42,000. Add to that the up to 4,000 satellites that OneWeb wants to launch, another 3,200 of Amazon’s Kuiper craft and 13,000 satellites of China’s envisioned Guowang system, and it becomes obvious that things are set to get much more heated.

According to the FCC document, SpaceX claims that each of its satellites has a sufficient amount of fuel on board to perform 350 collision-avoidance maneuvers over its expected five-year lifetime. But that number could be reached remarkably soon, according to Lewis’ calculations. In short, less than five years from now, Starlink satellites may be running out of fuel in a shorter period of time than their designed lifetime because of the sheer number of avoidance maneuvers they will have to perform.

[ANS thanks Tereza Pultarova, writing for Space.com, for the above information]

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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 22, 2023

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 weekly AMSAT-NA TLE
distribution.

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]

ARISS News

Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:

No contacts currently scheduled

The crossband repeater continues to be active. 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.

Comments on making general contacts

I have been seeing a lot of traffic on Facebook and I suspect on other social media sites with people asking why they are not hearing the crew make general contacts. First off the crew is very busy on the ISS and they simply may not have the time to just pick up the microphone and talk. Also, one needs to be aware of their normal daily schedule. I have listed below the constraints that we at ARISS have to follow in order to schedule the school contacts. Hopefully this will help you better schedule your opportunities.

Typical daily schedule

Wakeup to Workday start= 1.5 hours
Workday start to Workday end=12 hours
Workday end to Sleep= 2 hours
Sleep to wakeup= 8.5 hours

The crew’s usual waking period is 0730 – 1930 UTC. The most common times to find a crew member making casual periods are about one hour after waking and before sleeping, when they have personal time. They’re usually free most of the weekend, as well.

SSTV events are not that often. So please check out https://www.ariss.org/ for the latest information or watch for the ARISS announcements.

And don’t forget that the packet system is active.

As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.

ARISS Radio Status

Columbus Module radios:
IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS – Configured. Default mode is for cross band repeater (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down).
* Powering off for Russian EVA targeting July 26. OFF July 25 about TBD. ON July 27 about TBD.
* Capable of supporting USOS scheduled voice contacts, packet and voice repeater ops.

Service Module radios:
IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS – Configured. Default mode is fo packet operations (145.825 MHz up & down)
* Powering off for Russian EVA targeting July 26. OFF July 25 about TBD. ON July 27 about TBD.
* Capable of supporting ROS scheduled voice contacts, packet, SSTV and voice repeater ops.

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

Adrian (AA5UK) is heading back to the Cayman Islands. He will be operating as ZF2AE/ZF8 from Little Cayman June 25 to June 29th (EK99wp). He plans to rent a car June 28th/29th and will try to make it to FK09 grid at the other end to the island, time permitting. He will operate from Grand Cayman as ZF2AE June 30th to July 3rd (EK99ki) with focus on cross Atlantic contacts via AO7, RS44, FO-29 and IO-117. He will be relocating to Seven Mile Beach to operate from July 4th – July 7th in EK99hi and will try to mix it up on the passes with focus on Western passes.

The gear will be FT-1634 with Alaskan Arrow antenna. For IO-117, he will be using an IC-7000. Operation will be holiday style. Please follow him on Twitter @ZF2AE and @AA5UK and watch for the latest announcements. He also plans to periodically operate HF with focus on RTTY, FT8/FT4 and other digital modes. QSL information on QRZ.com. LOTW preferred.

[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 Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting
October 20-21, 2023
Dallas, Texas

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. An email message received after a recent presentation:

“I really enjoyed Clint’s presentation last night. The fact that he had taken the time to research and know something about his audience and welcomed interaction made it very informative and enjoyable. This was a refreshing change from many canned YouTube presentations I’ve tried to watch, which were poorly done, fuzzy video or muddy audio, or a badly prepared presenter stumbling his way through, with any valuable info lost along the way. Thanks for hooking this one up.”

[ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, and AMSAT for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ For rocket geeks, an interesting video shows the dynamics of SpaceX’s new stage separation technique, which will be tested on Starship, separating the booster and upper stage without pusher pistons (like Falcon) or explosives (like many traditional rockets). The video may be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yesni8HUEA4 (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ Although their identities have been widely circulated previously, the European Space Agency (ESA), on June 20, formally announced the personnel who will make up SpaceX Crew-7. They are NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, KI5WSL, commander; ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, KG5GCZ, from Denmark, who will serve as pilot; as well as JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, KE5DAW, from Japan, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov, from Russia, who will both serve as mission specialists. This crew will launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida later this summer on a SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, and will remain aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for approximately six months. (ANS thanks ESA for the above information)

+ Spei Satelles is a 3U CubeSat created by the students and teachers of the Polytechnic of Turin. During its stay in orbit, Spei Satelles will transmit a radio signal that can be received by amateurs. The signal contains messages of hope from the magisterium of Pope Francis. Spei Satelles (the Latin words for Satellite of Hope) operates in a sun-synchronous low Earth orbit at about 525 km of altitude from the Earth’s surface. At a frequency of 437.5MHz (Editor’s note – this satellite is not coordinated by the IARU and AMSAT encourages radio amateurs to decline to offer telemetry collection or other technical support to groups that launch satellites that are not IARU coordinated and do not offer amateur communications opportunities) it transmits GMSK at 9600 bit/s AX.25. Spei Satelles also contains a nanobook, a 2x2x0.2 mm silicon slab on which the images, speeches, and readings by Pope Francis on March 27, 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, were imprinted by nanotechnologies. The satellite hitched a ride aboard Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket launching from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on June 10, after being blessed by Pope Francis on March 29 at his General Audience in St. Peter’s Square. (ANS thanks Religion News Service and Polytechnic of Turin for the above information)

+ Congratulations to Olivier Tymkiw, HB9GWJ, on receiving AMSAT Rover Award # 077! To earn the AMSAT Rover Award, participants must accumulate a combined total of 25 points through various achievements in portable satellite operations outside their home grid square. The AMSAT Rover Award was established to recognize and honor the accomplishments of satellite operators who engage in rover operations. Rover operations involve the activation of grid squares outside one’s home grid, utilizing various satellite transponders and modes to establish communication links. A breakdown of the points system along with a list of past AMSAT Rover Award recipients can be found at https://www.amsat.org/amsat-rover-award/. Keep on roving, Olivier, and continue to inspire others in the AMSAT community!

+ Virgin Galactic will launch its first commercial spaceflight on June 27th. https://www.space.com/virgin-galactic-first-commercial-spaceflight-june-2023 (ANS thanks space.com)

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

ANS-169 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

June 18, 2023 by Mark Johns

In this edition:

* Spain’s URESAT-1 Collaborative Satellite Launches on SpaceX Transporter-8
* SpaceX’s Transporter-8 Mission Launches a Diverse Array of Smallsat Missions
* European Space Agency and S5Lab Announce LEDSAT Digipeater Challenge
* ARISS-USA Seeks Experienced Educator for Director of Education Role
* Satellite LEO Top 100 Rovers June 2023 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for 16 June 2023
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

ANS-169 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

To: All RADIO AMATEURS
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002

DATE 2023 June 18

Spain’s URESAT-1 Collaborative Satellite Launches on SpaceX Transporter-8

The URESAT-1 satellite, contained within the D-Orbit ION Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV), was not deployed directly from the Falcon-9 rocket. Instead, approximately one hour and twenty minutes after launch, the Falcon-9 released the OTV, which will orbit the Earth for several days before deploying URESAT-1, along with other satellites.

A sample file containing the audio of a telemetry file can be found here: https://www.amsat-ea.org/app/download/13398144/URESAT-1_sample_FSK_telemetry-chessboard_packet.wav

If URESAT-1 operates as intended, the project team plans to release a Linux program that will allow players to send their chess moves to the satellite, further enhancing the interactive experience.

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

SpaceX’s Transporter-8 Mission Launches a Diverse Array of Smallsat Missions

SpaceX’s Transporter-8 mission successfully lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California during its afternoon launch window on Monday, June 12. Part of SpaceX’s small satellite (smallsat) rideshare program, Transporter-8 carries dozens of small to pico-sized satellites and orbital test vehicles. This launch marks the 38th Falcon 9 rocket launch of 2023, showcasing the rocket’s significance as the major workhorse in the space industry.

As a rideshare launch, Transporter-8 doesn’t have a primary mission but aims to lower costs for small spacecraft operators. The launch manifest for Transporter-8 includes an eclectic variety of missions. Among them is URESAT-1, a 1.5 P Pocketqube spacecraft from the Spanish Amateur Radio Union (URE) and AMSAT-EA, equipped with an amateur radio payload that will attempt to play chess against opponents on Earth.

Transporter-8’s diverse manifest demonstrates the wide range of missions being pursued, from space manufacturing technology demonstration by Varda Space Industries to two cryptocurrency technology satellites (CRYPTO3 and MOXY-1) and a communications satellite for the Vatican (SpeiSat). This blend of missions highlights the growing importance and potential of small satellite deployments.

With its rideshare model, SpaceX is enabling more affordable access to space for small spacecraft operators. By sharing the launch vehicle with multiple payloads, the costs are distributed among different customers, allowing them to realize their space ambitions at a fraction of the cost of a dedicated launch.

The success of Transporter-8 adds to SpaceX’s impressive track record, and if the company maintains its launch pace while incorporating successful Falcon Heavy rocket launches, it could be on track to achieve Elon Musk’s ambitious target of 100 rocket launches by the end of 2023. SpaceX’s dedication to advancing space exploration and commercial satellite deployments is evident in its consistent launch operations and commitment to driving innovation in the industry.

[ANS thanks Jon Kelvey, writing for SpaceRef, for the above information]

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The 2023 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!

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European Space Agency and S5Lab Announce LEDSAT Digipeater Challenge

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Fly Your Satellite! program in collaboration with S5Lab is offering a unique opportunity for radio amateurs around the world. The challenge is to establish communication through the LEDSAT CubeSat digipeater, providing a chance to win a special prize: a QSL card issued by the ESA Education Office and the LEDSAT team. Running from June 26 to July 30, this challenge allows radio enthusiasts to engage with space technology and showcase their communication skills.

LEDSAT, developed by students from Sapienza University in Rome’s S5Lab research team with support from AMSAT Italia, is an educational 1U CubeSat that participated in the second edition of the Fly Your Satellite! program. Its primary objective is to demonstrate a LED-based payload for ground-based optical tracking. The successful launch of LEDSAT on Vega flight VV19 on August 17, 2021, marked a significant milestone for the project. To celebrate the launch, a competition was launched, encouraging participants from around the world to record the first signs of life from the spacecraft.

To participate in the challenge, radio amateurs are invited to send a message to the ESA Education Office ESTEC Ground Station, with the callsign PI9ESA. The digipeater will be activated during specific time windows, with operators stationed at the ground station to receive incoming messages. Upon successful reception of a message, the sender’s callsign and contact details will be documented on a personalized QSL card, acknowledging their accomplishment.

The LEDSAT digipeater can store and retransmit digital messages sent to the satellite, acting as a transponder for long-distance communication. Messages can be retransmitted immediately or with an optional delay of up to two days.

LEDSAT follows a Sun-Synchronous orbit, resulting in two communication windows each day – around midday and midnight – where contact can be established. Participants can predict passes precisely above the ESTEC ground station or their area of residence by using their favorite pass prediction software or obtaining the latest Two-Line Elements for LEDSAT from https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/gp.php?CATNR=49069.

Due to LEDSAT’s monitoring and housekeeping requirements and the potential high demand from operators, the digipeater activation time slots will follow a pattern of one day ON and one day OFF, with the switch-on/off always occurring at 00:00 UTC. This schedule will begin on Monday, June 26th at 00:00 UTC, and conclude on Sunday, July 30th at 24:00 UTC.

While the challenge is supported by operators on a voluntary basis, efforts will be made to cover as many LEDSAT passes as possible, especially those occurring around local midday on weekdays. A detailed schedule of pass coverage will be published, so participants are advised to regularly check for updates.

The LEDSAT digipeater uplink frequency is 435.310 MHz, the downlink frequency is 435.190 MHz, and the modulation type is GMSK using a CSP + Golay + ASM (AX100 Mode 5) protocol at 1200 baud. The LEDSAT team has prepared a software package and a user manual for connecting to the digipeater, available for download on the LEDSAT website at https://www.s5lab.space/index.php/ledsat-digipeater/.

It is important to note that transmitting to the satellite is prohibited for those who are not licensed radio amateurs. However, non-licensed individuals can still participate in the challenge by listening to the messages transmitted by the ESTEC ground station. If they provide evidence of successful reception, including the date and time, they may also receive a customized QSL card.

Participants are encouraged to mark their calendars, prepare their messages, and not miss the chance to connect and communicate with the LEDSAT spacecraft to receive their QSL card. Let’s come together and make this event a memorable celebration of our shared passion for space exploration and amateur radio communication.

For any inquiries regarding LEDSAT or the digipeater challenge, please email [email protected].

[ANS thanks the European Space Agency along with S5Lab for the above information]

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ARISS-USA Seeks Experienced Educator for Director of Education Role

ARISS-USA, a 501(c)(3) educational and scientific non-profit organization, is seeking an experienced educator to serve as their Director of Education. The position is part-time and remote, with a one-year probationary period. ARISS provides and operates Amateur Radio systems on the International Space Station (ISS) and elsewhere to inspire, educate, and engage youth and communities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) and to support ISS backup communications.

Responsibilities of the Director of Education include developing strategies to maintain and expand the educational outcomes of the ARISS experience, leading the Education Engagement Volunteer Team (EEVT), recruiting and guiding ARISS Education Ambassadors (AEA), coordinating the selection of host organizations for astronaut radio contacts, promoting diversity and inclusion in STEAM engagement, creating educational lesson plans and kits, ensuring alignment with National Science Standards, collecting and analyzing metrics and survey data, networking with stakeholders and space agencies, and coordinating with ARISS educators in other countries.

The desired candidate should have demonstrated leadership in education, at least three years of teaching experience, a degree in education or a related field, proficiency in virtual technologies, enthusiasm for STEAM education and amateur radio, and U.S. citizenship. Knowledge and experience in amateur radio, coordination with international colleagues, working with partners and sponsors, and interfacing with space agencies are preferred.

The position is remote within the USA, and the anticipated salary for 20 hours per week ranges from $23,000 to $34,500 per year, depending on experience. Flexibility in working hours is allowed as long as deliverables and engagement requirements are met. Interested candidates should submit their resume, CV, and a cover letter to [email protected] by July 15, 2023.

[ANS thanks David Jordan, AA4KN for the above information]

Satellite LEO Top 100 Rovers June 2023 Rankings

The June 2023 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite operations, as determined by @GridmasterMasterMap 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 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: 2023-06-07

1	NSUC	26	N6DNM	51	AD7DB	76	WN9Q
2	ND9M	27	DJ8MS	52	KD8RTT	77	DK9JC
3	NJ7H	28	KE4AL	53	N4UFO	78	VE6WK
4	JA9KRO	29	K8BL	54	N4DCW	79	N6UTC
5	N6UA	30	KE0PBR	55	PT2AP	80	VA3VGR
6	HA3FOK	31	XE3DX	56	KJ7NDY	81	AB5SS
7	AD0HJ	32	LA9XGA	57	AF5CC	82	PT9BM
8	K5ZM	33	EA4NF	58	N0TEL	83	WI4T
9	WYZAA	34	JO2ASQ	59	VO2AC	84	DL4EA
10	AK8CW	35	VE1CWJ	60	KI7UXT	85	N3CRT
11	AD0DX	36	W7WGC	61	KI7QEK	86	N7EGY
12	DL6AP	37	F4DXV	62	AM1SAT	87	LU3EQ
13	N5BO	38	WI7P	63	W8LR	88	JK2XXK
14	N0IP	39	JL3RNZ	64	PR8KW	89	KF7R
15	WD9EWK	40	KE0WPA	65	WA9JBQ	90	PT2AZ
16	W5PFG	41	EB1AO	66	PT9ST	91	KF6JOQ
17	ND0C	42	AA5PK	67	KB2YSI	92	YU0W
18	KX9X	43	AA8CH	68	AC0RA	93	VO1FUA
19	KB5FHK	44	KE9AJ	69	XE1ET	94	W8MTB
20	VE5HLS	45	VA7LM	70	LU4JVE	95	LU5UFM
21	LU5ILA	46	K7TAB	71	K0FFY	96	JR8QFG
22	N7AGF	47	VE1VOX	72	KG4AKV	97	VE7PTN
23	KI7UNJ	48	M1DDD	73	KC7JPC	98	FG8OJ
24	ON4AUC	49	VE3GOP	74	CU2ZG	99	HB9WDF
25	KG5CCI	50	KM4LAO	75	K4DCA	100	K0JM

[ANS thanks @GridmasterMasterMap for the above information]

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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for 16 June 2023

The following satellite has decayed from orbit and has been removed from this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution:

MiTEE 1 NORAD Cat ID 47314 (decayed form orbit on 12 June 2023 per Space-Track).

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information.]

ARISS NEWS

+ Upcoming Contacts

Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai, UAE, direct via A68MBR
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Sultan Al Neyadi KI5VTV
The ARISS mentor is ON6TI
Contact is go for: Tue 2023-06-20 10:16:10 UTC

SPACE (Space Port Area Conference for Educators), Kennedy Space Center, FL, telebridge via VK4KHZ (***)
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Sultan Al Neyadi KI5VTV
The ARISS mentor is AJ9N and AA4KN
Contact is go for: Wed 2023-06-21 14:52:25 UTC

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

[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 2023 Field Day
June 24, 1800 UTC – June 25, 2100 UTC, 2023
More information at: https://www.amsat.org/field-day/.

+ Small Satellite Conference
August 5-10, 2023
Utah State University, Logan, UT
More information at: https://smallsat.org/.

+ AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting
October 20-21, 2013
Dallas, Texas
More information to follow.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Congratulations to Ian Parsons, K5ZM, for providing satellite contacts from an impressive 104 grid squares and earning AMSAT VUCC/r Award # 12! The Reverse VUCC or VUCC/r Award, originally introduced by the Central States VHF Society and now carried on by AMSAT, acknowledges the efforts of satellite rovers like Ian. More information about this award can be found on the AMSAT website at https://www.amsat.org/reverse-vucc-or-vucc-r-award. Keep on roving, Ian, and continue to inspire others in the AMSAT community!

+ Congratulations to Terry, AJ4A, for being awarded GridMaster Award # 57! This prestigious award, introduced by Star Comm Group in 2014 and sponsored by Damon Runion, WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, is now entrusted to AMSAT for the benefit of the entire AMSAT community. The GridMaster Award recognizes amateurs worldwide who establish two-way communication via amateur satellite with all 488 Maidenhead grids in the contiguous United States of America. More information about this award can be found on the AMSAT website at https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/. Well done on this remarkable achievement Terry!

+ E2QRP special event station will operate on QO-100 and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites that pass over Thailand during IARU QRP Day. The Radio Amateur Society of Thailand (RAST) operators will be on the air from grid OK04nk on June 16 , 2023 at 12.00 UTC until June 18, 2023 at 5.00 UTC. QSL via Thailand HS Bureau or direct from RAST, G.P.O. Box 2008 Bangkok Thailand. (ANS thanks Tanan Rangseeprom, HS1JAN, for the above information)

+ The Small Satellite Conference provides an extensive series of talks, speed sessions, and posters that focus on successfully carrying out a small satellite mission. From early wildfire detection using CubeSat images to UHF ground stations for controlling satellites, topics vary wildly. The conference takes place August 5-10, 2023 at Utah State University, Logan, Utah. (ANS thanks Amateur Radio Daily for the above information)

+ Have your name etched onto a microchip mounted on NASA’s Europa Clipper expedition to explore Jupiter’s icy moon: https://europa.nasa.gov/message-in-a-bottle/sign-on/ (ANS thanks The Orbital Index and NASA for the above information)

+ United Launch Alliance (ULA) briefly test-fired the first-stage engines on its new Vulcan Centaur rocket on Wednesday evening (June 7), completing a crucial milestone for the booster’s first flight. Vulcan Centaur is designed to replace ULA’s current fleet of Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy launch vehicles. The first stage can be supplemented with strap-on solid rocket boosters for heavier payloads. ULA is gearing up for the first Vulcan Centaur launch, which is likely to occur in July. The rocket’s primary payload will be Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine lunar lander, which will carry payloads for NASA and private companies under the space agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Vulcan Centaur will also carry the KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2 demonstration satellites for Amazon. The spacecraft will demonstrate technology for the company’s 3,236-satellite broadband constellation. (ANS thanks the Parabolic Arc for the above information)

+ Capturing footage of the International Space Station (ISS) hurtling through space at approximately 17,500 mph (28,000 km/h) is no mean feat, yet French astrophotographer Thierry Legault has pulled it off yet again. In his latest stunning footage, captured on June 9, Legault imaged the ISS whizzing past three sunspot groups. The entire solar transit lasted just 0.75 seconds. In addition, Legault captured these shots while two NASA astronauts, Stephen Bowen, KI5BKB, and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, KB3HTZ, were carrying out a spacewalk to install a new solar array outside the station. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above information)

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

Contact info [at] 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

ANS-162 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

June 11, 2023 by Mark Johns

In this edition:

* June 15 is Deadline for 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Nominations
* IARU Coordinates Sapling Magnifica Satellite
* eBay Sellers Donate to AMSAT
* AMSAT Thanks First Quarter 2023 President’s Club Members
* An RTL-SDR Telemetry Decoder for the Soon-to-be-Launched MRC-100 CubeSat
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 9, 2023
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

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-162 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

To: All RADIO AMATEURS
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002

DATE 2023 Jun 11

June 15 is Deadline for 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Nominations

AMSAT solicits nominations for the 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors election, to be held in the third quarter of the year. The seats of the following four incumbent Directors expire in 2023 and will be filled by this year’s election:

– Jerry Buxton, N0JY
– Joseph Armbruster, KJ4JIO
– Robert Bankston, KE4AL
– Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO

Further, up to two Alternate Directors may be elected for one-year terms. A valid nomination for Director must be written and requires either one Member Society or five current individual members in good standing to nominate an AMSAT member. Written nominations, with the nominee’s name, call sign, and contact information, as well as the nominators’ names, call signs, and contact information, should be sent to the AMSAT Secretary:

Jeff Davis, KE9V
PO Box 11
Yorktown, IN 47396

AMSAT bylaws require that the nomination be written and in the form specified by the Secretary who has elected to accept written nomination materials via mail or in electronic form, including email or electronic image of a paper document. Fax transmissions cannot be accepted.

Email nominations may be sent to jdavis [at] amsat [dot] org.

No matter what means are used, petitions MUST be received by the Secretary no later than June 15, 2023. The Secretary will verify the qualifications of candidates and nominating members or Member Societies as petitions are received, and will notify candidates whether their nominations are in order by the end of June.

[ANS thanks Jeff Davis, KE9V, AMSAT Secretary for the above information.]

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The 2023 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!

IARU Coordinates Sapling Magnifica Satellite

The Sapling Magnifica, developed by the Stanford Student Space Initiative, is a technology demonstration mission aimed to prove several key technologies necessary for SSI’s satellites to host scientific payloads in the future. These include a magnetorquer-based ADCS, a higher quality camera than on previous Sapling missions, and reaction wheels. The satellite will be either a 1U or a 2U spacecraft. Sapling Magnifica is an Amateur Radio mission that is entirely initiated and developed by undergraduate students, most of whom already have or are studying for their Amateur Radio license.

Amateurs will be able to participate by sending commands to the satellite and receiving images in response. Research will be conducted on image downloading comparing three different modulation techniques: FSK, LoRa, and FLRC. Amateurs will be able to receive images and, if all goes well, take an image on command.

Downlinks have been coordinated on 437.400 MHz and 2427.00 MHz. Planning a launch into a SSO 525km orbit in Q2 or Q3 2023. More info from https://github.com/stanford-ssi.

[ANS thanks the IARU for the above information.]

eBay Sellers Donate to AMSAT

Are you an eBay seller? One item, ten items, or a full-time business you can donate a percentage of your winning bid to AMSAT.

To do so, do not list your item with the basic listing tool, select advanced tools. eBay will give you a warning message that it is for large volume sellers, however this is where the eBay for Charity tool is found.

You can “select another nonprofit you love” and search for either AMSAT or Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. Choose the percentage amount of the sale you would like to donate to AMSAT, and boom! When your item sells and the winning bidder pays, eBay will deduct the percentage from your take and forward it to AMSAT.

Please consider giving a piece of the pie to a new satellite and choose AMSAT for your eBay Charity.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

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AMSAT Thanks First Quarter 2023 President’s Club Members

AMSAT wishes to thank those amateurs who have contributed to the 2023 AMSAT President’s Club during the first quarter of this year. Their generous donations are essential in helping to Keep Amateur Radio is Space.

TITANIUM LEVEL
Barry Baines, WD4ASW
Alan Biddle, WA4SCA
William Brown, K9LF

PLATINUM LEVEL
Doug Tabor, N6UA

GOLD LEVEL MEMBERS
Burns Fisher, WB1FJ
Mark Hammond, N8MH
John Kludt, K7SYS
Glenn Miller, AA5PK

SILVER LEVEL
Warren Fugate, W3WE
Joseph Lynch, N6CL
Bruce Paige, KK5DO
Jason Schwarz, N4JJS

BRONZE LEVEL
Bruce Perens, K6BP
Dave Taylor, W8AAS
David Vine, WA1EAW

CORE LEVEL
George Carr, WA5KBH
Jim Clary, ND9M
Richard Dittmer, KB7SAT
David Hartrum, WA3YDZ
Martin Shinko, KB3AEV
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
Stefan Wagener, VE4NSA
Jeremy Wyatt, KA2PFD
David York, N8SGZ

2022 Correction
SILVER LEVEL
Jason John Schwarz, N4JJS

President Club members for 2023 receive a limited edition commemorative coin featuring AMSAT OSCAR 10, commemorating the 40th anniversary of its launch; full-color certificate, and cork beverage coasters with the AMSAT logo. To join the 2023 AMSAT President’s Club, go to https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/.

[ANS thanks Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP-Development, for the above information.]

An RTL-SDR Telemetry Decoder for the Soon-to-be-Launched MRC-100 CubeSat

The MRC-100 Hungarian CubeSat is scheduled to launch on a Falcon 9 on June 12 from Vandenburg Space Fore Base. The MRC-100 is the successor to the SMOG-1 CubeSat which was launched in March 2021. The satellite is named to honoring the 100th year anniversary of the HA5MRC Ham Radio Club at the Budapest University of Technology.

To help with decoding the Telemetry on the CubeSat, an RTL-SDR based telemetry receiver was created and an installation script for Raspberry Pi’s and Linux PC’s which installs OpenWebRX along with the satellite receiver software.

The satellite should be receivable with a simple satellite antenna, such as a handheld Yagi, Turnstile, Dipole or quadrifilar-helix antenna. It will be transmitting telemetry at 436.720 MHz. If you have a dish and tracking equipment for it, there is also a high speed downlink at 2267.5 MHz. Like the original SMOG-1, the satellite carries a sensor that is designed to measure human caused electromagnetic pollution. It also carries a camera and an AIS receiver for tracking marine vessels. More information is available at https://www.rtl-sdr.com/.

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

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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for 9 June 2023

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 decayed from orbit and has been removed from this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution:

VZLUSAT 1 NORAD Cat ID 42790 (decayed form orbit on 06 June 2023 per Space-Track).

The following satellites have been added to this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution:

SNIPE 4 NORAD Cat ID 56744 (uncoordinated frequency: 437.8000 MHz).
SNIPE 2 NORAD Cat ID 56745 (uncoordinated frequency: 435.9999 MHz).

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information.]

ARISS NEWS

+ Successful Contacts
About Gagarin From Space, Participants Of The Children’s Creative Competition For The Day Of Cosmonautics, Orel, Russia, direct via RA3ED.
The ISS callsign was RSØISS.
The crewmember was Andrey Fediaev.
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR.
Contact was successful Sunday, June 4, 2023.

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

IN90; June 9-11, 2023
Philippe, EA4NF will be activating the rare grid IN90 in Spain on June 9-11, 2023 on FM and linear LEO satellites. Further details on Twitter @EA4NF_SAT.LoTW confirmations will be issued with the call EA4NF/P

[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 2023 Field Day
June 24, 1800 UTC – June 25, 2100 UTC, 2023
More information at: https://www.amsat.org/field-day/.

+ Small Satellite Conference
August 5-10, 2023
Utah State University, Logan, UT
More information at: https://smallsat.org/.

+ AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting
October 20-21, 2013
Dallas, Texas
More information to follow.

+ 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.

[ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, and AMSAT for the above information.]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Alan Johnston, KU2Y, AMSAT VP-Educational Relations, was interviewed by Eric Guth, 4Z1UG / WA6IGR, on QSO Today Amateur Radio Podcast. Alan tells how he reaches out to educate the general public about the world amateur satellites, and satellite technology using CubeSatSim, for live classroom simulations of satellite communications. Alan also explains how he turns to high-altitude balloon launches as a practical, hands-on approach to bringing amateur payloads closer to space, thereby affording opportunities for tangible experience and simulation. Listen to Alan’s interview at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-162-KU2Y. [ANS thanks Alan Johnston, KU2Y, AMSAT VP-Educational Relations, for the above information.]

+ Over on his latest video, Matt, from the TechMinds YouTube channel shows us how to receive and decode the packets from the GreenCube digipeater. In his demonstration Matt uses an SDRPlay RSPdx as the receiver, SDR++ as the receiver software, SoundModem as the packet decoder, GreenCube Terminal for displaying the messages, and GPredict for tracking the satellite and compensating for the Doppler effect. He also notes that while a directional antenna on a motorized tracker is recommended, he was able to still receive packets with his omnidirectional terrestrial antennas without much issue. Watch the video at https://youtu.be/Rr87Ci96SRY. [ANS thanks rtl-sdr.com for the above information.]

+ NASA is worried that SpaceX’s giant new Starship vehicle won’t be ready to carry astronauts to the surface of the moon in late 2025, as currently planned. In 2021, the agency selected Starship — the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built — to be the first crewed lunar lander for its Artemis program of moon exploration. Starship will put astronauts down near the ice-rich lunar south pole on the Artemis 3 mission, in humanity’s first return to the moon since the Apollo program ended in 1972. Artemis 3 is currently targeted to lift off in December 2025, but it’s unlikely Starship will be able to meet that timeline, NASA officials said. More information at https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-problems-delay-artemis-3-2026. [ANS thanks space.com for the above information.]

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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