ANS

In this edition:

* AMSAT-UK to Provide FUNcube Lite Payload for Jovian-1 Satellite
* AMSAT-EA HADES-R and HADES-ICM planned for Q1 2025
* NASA Gears Up for Europa Clipper Mission to Jupiter’s Icy Moon
* Artificial Star Mission Aims to Help Unlock Secrets of the Universe
* GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers October 2024 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 27, 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 https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

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

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

ANS-273 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 Sep 29

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

Rooms can be reserved at https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/radioamateursatellite/
If you’re interested in presenting or submitting a paper, see the Call for Papers webpage

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AMSAT-UK to Provide FUNcube Lite Payload for Jovian-1 Satellite

AMSAT-UK has announced it will provide a FUNcube Lite payload for the Jovian-1 satellite, featuring a U/V FM voice transponder. Jovian-1, a 6U CubeSat, is being developed by Space South Central, a space cluster in the UK. The project is a collaboration between industry and academic institutions aimed at supporting the region’s space sector.

Jovian-1 is part of the JUPITER program, which stands for Joint Universities Programme for In-Orbit Training, Education, and Research. The program involves the universities of Surrey, Portsmouth, and Southampton and offers students direct experience in the space sector. JUPITER prepares participants for careers in space, with a focus on practical training in satellite design and operations.

The FUNcube Lite payload will collect telemetry data from the satellite’s subsystems, including radiation sensor readings and GPS information. The data will be transmitted to schools and colleges using the FUNcube data format. This will help track radiation levels across the satellite’s orbit and assess radiation effects on onboard electronics.

Students from Space South Central will design, build, test, and launch the Jovian-1 satellite. The satellite will use commercial S and X bands for its main communication, through a ground station at Surrey University. The FUNcube Lite payload will operate on UHF and VHF amateur radio frequencies. When not gathering telemetry, it can switch to a U/V mode FM voice transponder, enabling communication for radio amateurs.

The project emphasizes the role of regional space clusters in advancing the UK space industry. Space South Central represents over 170 space-related businesses in the region. The mission allows students to conduct satellite operations from the University of Surrey’s ground station, bridging academic study with hands-on experience.

More information about the Jovian-1 mission and the FUNcube Lite payload will be shared at the AMSAT-UK Colloquium on October 12-13, 2024. The event will provide detailed updates on the satellite’s development and its technical components, offering insights for anyone interested in amateur radio and satellite communications.

For more information:

• Space South Central: spacesouthcentral.com
• University of Surrey: surrey.ac.uk
• University of Portsmouth: port.ac.uk
• University of Southampton: southampton.ac.uk

[ANS thanks Dave Johnson, G4DPZ, Honorary Secretary, AMSAT-UK , for the above information]

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AMSAT-EA HADES-R and HADES-ICM planned for Q1 2025

AMSAT-EA has announced the upcoming launch of two new satellites, HADES-R and HADES-ICM, which will be made available to radio amateurs in early 2025. These satellites are set to replace the current HADES-D (SO-121) satellite in orbit. Unlike HADES-D, which transmits at a power level of 40mW, the new satellites will have variable transmission power, reaching up to theoretical 250mW when fully charged.

The HADES-R and HADES-ICM satellites, classified as 1.5p pocketQubes, will be launched by SpaceX on its Transporter-12 and Transporter-13 missions. The launches will utilize D-Orbit’s ION orbital transfer vehicle (OTV), with mission management provided by Alba Orbital, a Scottish company specializing in satellite launch solutions. As with previous AMSAT-EA projects, these satellites have been developed with the support of private companies and universities.

Both satellites will support a wide range of communications capabilities, including FM voice, FSK, FT-4, and FT-8 modes. They will also be equipped to handle AX.25/APRS communications at both 300 and 1200 bps. The uplink for the satellites will be in the VHF band, while the downlink will operate in the UHF band. Additionally, the satellites will transmit telemetry data, including status updates, voice messages, and CW messages. All communications will be managed through an SDR-based FM and FSK repeater, which will be available at all times, activated by squelch level without the need for a subtone.

In addition to their primary communications functions, both satellites will carry a scientific experiment from the Smart IR/Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) at the University of Manchester. This experiment will test a very low-power active radiator under space conditions. HADES-ICM has received sponsorship from IcMercury (Interstellar Communication Holdings), based in Florida, and will feature several challenge messages embedded within the FSK telemetry. While the HADES-R satellite has already been coordinated by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), HADES-ICM is still pending approval.

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

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NASA Gears Up for Europa Clipper Mission to Jupiter’s Icy Moon

NASA is set to launch the Europa Clipper mission, a groundbreaking effort to explore Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. Slated for liftoff as early as October 10, 2024, the spacecraft will be carried into space by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission aims to uncover the mysteries of Europa’s hidden ocean and assess whether the moon could host conditions favorable for life.

Europa Clipper’s journey will take six years to reach the Jupiter system. Once there, it will enter an orbit around Jupiter, performing dozens of flybys of Europa. The spacecraft’s suite of instruments will probe beneath the moon’s icy shell to study its subsurface ocean. By mapping the moon and investigating its potential habitability, NASA hopes to shed light on one of the most intriguing questions in planetary science: whether life could exist on other worlds.

The mission is significant because Europa is thought to possess all the ingredients necessary for life. Beneath its thick ice lies a vast, salty ocean, which may contain more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. The moon’s subsurface environment could offer the energy, liquid water, and organic compounds required to support life. Although Europa is smaller than Earth’s moon, its potential to harbor a habitable environment makes it a prime target for exploration.

To reach Jupiter, Europa Clipper will rely on two gravity assists. In 2025, it will pass within 1,000 kilometers of Mars to adjust its trajectory, followed by a close flyby of Earth in 2026. These maneuvers will boost the spacecraft’s speed and guide it toward the Jupiter system, where it is expected to arrive in 2030. Instead of orbiting Europa directly, the spacecraft will remain in orbit around Jupiter, occasionally dipping into the planet’s intense radiation field for close encounters with Europa.

Once in the Jupiter system, Europa Clipper will conduct over 40 flybys of Europa, approaching as close as 25 kilometers above its surface. The spacecraft’s instruments are designed to withstand the harsh radiation environment, with most being housed in a protective radiation vault. Each flyby will gather detailed data, providing new insights into the moon’s ice-covered ocean and the possibility of life beneath its surface.

The spacecraft’s science instruments include ice-penetrating radar to map Europa’s icy shell and magnetic sensors to confirm the presence of its ocean. High-resolution cameras and spectrometers will analyze the moon’s surface and search for water vapor plumes that may erupt from below. Although Europa Clipper is not officially a life-detection mission, it promises to transform our understanding of habitability beyond Earth.

[ANS thanks Kate Howells, The Planetary Society, for the above information]

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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/

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Artificial Star Mission Aims to Help Unlock Secrets of the Universe

NASA is embarking on an ambitious mission that could reshape our understanding of the universe with the help of a small, human-made satellite. Researchers at George Mason University are leading a $19.5 million NASA-funded project to launch an “artificial star” into space. The goal of this satellite, once it reaches orbit, is to appear as a star to telescopes on Earth, allowing scientists to gather more precise data on stellar brightness. The mission could unlock critical insights into the age, size, and scale of stars, offering fresh clues about the expansion of the universe and even the potential for extraterrestrial life.

The so-called artificial star will be positioned in geostationary orbit, approximately 22,236 miles from Earth. While it won’t be visible to the naked eye, telescopes will be able to track the satellite as it moves at the same speed as Earth’s rotation, staying positioned over the U.S. Named in honor of the late astronomer Arlo Landolt, known for his work in stellar calibration, the satellite will spend its first year in space using advanced technology to monitor the brightness of millions of stars. This will allow astronomers to refine existing models for measuring stellar evolution and the universe’s expansion.

Equipped with a sophisticated array of lasers, the satellite will serve as a controlled reference point for researchers on Earth. It will enhance the accuracy of brightness measurements, providing data that cannot be gathered from ground-based telescopes alone. According to Peter Plavchan, the primary investigator of the Landolt NASA Space Mission at George Mason, this mission represents a breakthrough in how stars and even distant supernovae are studied. “Such measurements can only be achieved by a space-based orbiting artificial star,” Plavchan said.

The mission, part of NASA’s Pioneers program, marks a significant milestone for George Mason University. This is the university’s first time leading such a mission, with NASA providing oversight and key technical support. George Mason is collaborating with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and 10 other universities to develop the satellite, which will face significant engineering challenges in high orbit. “Our team will design, build, and integrate the payload,” said Peter Pachowicz, an engineering professor at George Mason. “It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity.”

One of the broader goals of the Landolt mission is to contribute to the search for habitable planets. By analyzing how stars influence planetary environments, the satellite could help scientists better understand where in the universe conditions might be suitable for life. Astronomers are particularly interested in so-called habitable or “Goldilocks” zones, where planets could have the right conditions—neither too hot nor too cold—to support liquid water, a key ingredient for life. Understanding how stars affect these zones is essential to identifying planets that may harbor life.

While the mission has the potential to revolutionize the field of astronomy, it also poses big challenges. Finding definitive evidence of life beyond Earth requires precise measurements of stellar properties, such as how much energy a star emits and how close a planet is to that star. “There are so many big questions in astronomy: How did we get here? Are there other planets like ours? Do aliens exist?” said Jamie Tayar, an astronomer at the University of Florida, a partner in the mission. With the launch of the artificial star planned for 2029, the team hopes to get one step closer to answering these profound questions.

[ANS thanks Eric Lagatta, USA Today, for the above information]

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GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers October 2024 Rankings

The October 2024 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr in order to provide more accurate data.

Updated: 2024-09-27

1	ND9M	26	KX9X	51	N6DNM	76	LU4JVE
2	NJ7H	27	ON4AUC	52	JK2XXK	77	AA8CH
3	JA9KRO	28	KG5CCI	53	EB1AO	78	VE1VOX
4	UT1FG	29	N5BO	54	SM3NRY	79	FG8OJ
5	N5UC	30	K8BL	55	EA4NF	80	PT9BM
6	DL6AP	31	KE4AL	56	JL3RNZ	81	KJ7NDY
7	OE3SEU	32	KB5FHK	57	XE1ET	82	KI7UXT
8	WI7P	33	VE3HLS	58	AA5PK	83	YU0W
9	DP0POL	34	KI0KB	59	DF2ET	84	KB2YSI
10	K5ZM	35	KI7UNJ	60	KI7QEK	85	N6UTC
11	N6UA	36	LA9XGA	61	SP5XSD	86	WA9JBQ
12	HA3FOK	37	F4BKV	62	F4DXV	87	N4DCW
13	WY7AA	38	PA3GAN	63	AD7DB	88	JM1CAX
14	N9IP	39	JO2ASQ	64	VE1CWJ	89	VE3GOP
15	W5PFG	40	N7AGF	65	KE9AJ	90	N0TEL
16	AK8CW	41	BA1PK	66	N8RO	91	KG4AKV
17	DL2GRC	42	VK5DG	67	VA7LM	92	K6VHF
18	AD0DX	43	XE3DX	68	KM4LAO	93	K0FFY
19	F5VMJ	44	KE0WPA	69	W1AW	94	CU2ZG
20	N4AKV	45	PR8KW	70	W8LR	95	VE7PTN
21	WD9EWK	46	K7TAB	71	N4UFO	96	AF5CC
22	ND0C	47	KE0PBR	72	DL4EA	97	VE6WK
23	AD0HJ	48	VA3VGR	73	HB9GWJ	98	W8MTB
24	LU5ILA	49	AC0RA	74	PT2AP	99	DK9JC
25	DJ8MS	50	W7WGC	75	M1DDD	100	BG7QIW

[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap 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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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 27, 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/.

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

[ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information]

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ARISS NEWS

Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.

+ Recently Completed Contacts

Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via RKØJ
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember was Ivan Vagner
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact was successful for: Tue 2024-09-24 09:24 UTC

Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember was Aleksey Ovchinin
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is successful for: Fri 2024-09-27 13:20 UTC

Khazar University, Dunya School, Baku, Azerbaijan, direct via 4K6EH
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Sunita Williams KD5PLB
The ARISS mentor is IN3GHZ
Contact was successful for: Sat 2024-09-28 09:13:29 UTC

+ Upcoming Contacts

СОНКО АНО “Clean and Simple” and the Cultural and Leisure Center “Flying Saucer”, Shchyolkovo, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Alexander Gorbunov
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for Fri 2024-10-04 10:50 UTC

Girlguiding Surrey West County, Shepperton, UK, direct via GB4GGB
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams KD5PLB
The ARISS mentor is MØXTD
Contact is go for: Sat 2024-10-05 13:06:22 UTC
Watch for Livestream at https://live.ariss.org/

Centre de Formation de la Base Aérienne de Payerne, Payerne, Switzerland, direct via HB9SPACE
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Mike Barratt KD5MIJ
The ARISS mentor is IN3GHZ
Contact is go for: Sat 2024-10-05 14:44:48 UTC

213 RCSCC Qu’Appelle (Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corp), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, telebridge via K6DUE
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Jeanette Epps KF5QNU
The ARISS mentor is VE6JBJ
Contact is go for: 2024-10-05 16:06:05 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). APRS is currently online, but may be impacted for an experiment in the Service Module after September 27th.

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]

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Upcoming Satellite Operations

None currently listed.

A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location.

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]

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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.

AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says,

Just completed presenting my satellite show to the Sandton Amateur Radio Club in South Africa – via Zoom. And what a marvelous group they are! Keith ZS6HI was my contact. Great questions throughout from the Zoom audience. From Keith: “Thank you very much Clint and Karen. Wonderful presentation. You did a lot of research and preparation to put a South African spin on the presentation and spent effort on learning about the SARL, Sandton Club and South African Amateur Radio community beforehand.” “SARL” is South Africa’s “ARRL.” And there is an active AMSAT Chapter there, too!

That was Presentation Number 175 … more are scheduled! Think a lively, informative, and fun presentation on working the “easy” satellites with minimal equipment would be appropriate for your club or convention?

Clint Bradford K6LCS
AMSAT Ambassador
ARRL Affiliated Club Coordinator, benefactor
work-sat.com
909-999-SATS (909-999-7287)

North Star Radio Convention – October 5th, 2024
Hennepin Technical College (North Campus)
9000 Brooklyn Boulevard
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
https://conv2023.tcfmc.org/

AMSAT Forum and Information Table / KØJM and ADØHJ

Central Kentucky Hamfest – October 5th, 2024
Highlands Baptist Church
2032 Parallel Road
Lexington, KY 40502
https://www.facebook.com/w9khz/

AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table / AI4SR and W4FCL

Radio Society of Tucson – October 5th, 2024
Calvary Tucson Church
8711 East Speedway Boulevard
Tucson AZ 85710
https://k7rst.club/2024/07/tucson-autumn-ham-fest-2024/

N1UW

Pacificon 2024, ARRL Pacific Division Conference – October 18th thru 20th, 2024
San Ramon Marriott
2600 Bishop Drive
San Ramon, CA  94583
https://www.pacificon.org/

WU0I

2024 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting – October 25th thru 27th, 2024
Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront
3050 N Rocky Point Drive West
Tampa, FL 33607
https://www.amsat.org/

Stone Mountain Hamfest, ARRL State Convention – November 2nd and 3rd, 2024
Gwinnett County Fairgrounds
2405 Sugarloaf Parkway
Lawrenceville, GA 30042
https://stonemountainhamfest.com/

K4RGK

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

N1UW

Yuma HAMCON – February 20th thru 22nd, 2025
Yuma, AZ

N1UW

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

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Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get an 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

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+  Congratulations are in order for Jerry Oliver, KJ4EU for his impressive accomplishments in earning GridMaster Award #70! This esteemed recognition, initiated by Star Comm Group in 2014 and backed by Damon Runion, WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, has now been entrusted to AMSAT for the benefit of the entire amateur satellite community. The GridMaster Award celebrates radio amateurs worldwide who achieve two-way communication via amateur satellite with operators in all 488 Maidenhead grids across the contiguous United States of America. For more details on this distinguished award, visit the AMSAT website at https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/. Jerry, your achievement is truly commendable—well done! (ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information)

+ Congratulations to Nina Riethmueller, DL2GRC, for her outstanding achievements in providing satellite contacts! Nina has roved an impressive 102 grid squares, earning her the AMSAT VUCC/r Award #18. The Reverse VUCC or VUCC/r Award, originally introduced by the Central States VHF Society and now carried on by AMSAT, recognizes the dedication of satellite rovers like Nina. For more information about this prestigious award, you can visit the AMSAT website at https://www.amsat.org/reverse-vucc-or-vucc-r-award. Keep on roving, Nina, and continue to inspire others in the AMSAT community with your remarkable achievements! (ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information)

+ NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft, which has been in space since 1977, recently experienced issues with its thrusters due to clogged fuel tubes caused by aging. The thrusters, which are essential for keeping the spacecraft pointed toward Earth, use liquid hydrazine that releases in puffs to adjust its orientation. Engineers discovered that one set of thrusters had become clogged with silicon dioxide from the spacecraft’s fuel tank, necessitating a switch to a different set. However, due to power and temperature constraints, turning on the replacement thrusters required careful planning. The team successfully activated non-essential heaters to warm up the thrusters, making the switch on August 27, 2024. This complex operation ensures Voyager 1 can continue its mission, providing valuable data from interstellar space despite its advanced age and limited power. (ANS thanks NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the above information)

+ The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) recently reached a milestone, processing its 1,000th satellite frequency coordination request. This achievement underscores the IARU’s essential role in managing radio frequencies for amateur satellites, ensuring optimal performance and minimal interference with terrestrial services. Since the late 1990s, the IARU’s Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel has collaborated with satellite developers and regulators to facilitate successful amateur communication and educational satellite missions. The rise of CubeSats and the drop in launch costs have increased the demand for careful spectrum management. The dedication of IARU volunteers and the global amateur radio community has made this possible, ensuring continued opportunities for education, communication, and scientific research. As Earth’s orbit becomes more crowded, the IARU’s work in frequency coordination will remain critical for future missions. (ANS thanks IARU for the above information)

+ NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, successfully returned to Earth on September 23, after landing in Kazakhstan aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft. Dyson spent 184 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Expeditions 70 and 71, completing 2,944 orbits and covering 78 million miles. Chub and Kononenko, who spent 374 days in space, returned after an extensive mission spanning 5,984 orbits and 158.6 million miles. Notably, Kononenko set a record with over 1,111 cumulative days in space across five missions. The crew undocked from the ISS’s Prichal module before their parachute-assisted landing southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. Following their recovery, Dyson returned to Houston, while Kononenko and Chub headed to Star City, Russia, for post-mission procedures. (ANS thanks SciTechDaily for the above information)

+ SpaceX is preparing for a historic test flight of its Starship megarocket, aiming to catch its Super Heavy booster using the “chopstick” arms of the launch tower. This innovative recovery method, practiced at the Starbase site in South Texas, could dramatically reduce refurbishment times compared to traditional landing methods. The company recently showcased these preparations, lifting the booster to its expected catch height. Starship’s fifth test flight, slated for late November 2024, follows previous launches where performance has steadily improved. Despite SpaceX’s readiness, regulatory delays from the FAA have pushed the launch timeline. SpaceX has expressed frustration with the regulatory process, citing concerns about the pace of environmental impact reviews and modifications assessments. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above information)

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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, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ
mahrenstorff [at] amsat.org

In this edition:

• Registration Continues for the 42nd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting
• AMSAT 2024 Space Symposium Call for Papers – A Reminder
• One Week Remaining to Vote in AMSAT Board of Directors Election
• AMSAT 2024 President’s Club Membership Raises over $36,000 To-Date
• FUNcube Data Warehouse Back Online
• AMSAT-DL ERMINAZ Mission Postponed to 2025
• Updated Software Available for NOAA Polar and Russian Meteor Weather Satellites
• VUCC Satellite Standing September 2024
• Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for September 6, 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-252 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 SEP 08

Registration Continues for the 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

The complete schedule and registration information can be found at https://launch.amsat.org/event-5833792.

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.

Hotel Reservations
The rate for a standard room with two Queen beds is $169.00 plus state and local taxes of 14.5%. Rooms may be available for check-in on Wednesday, October 23 and check out Sunday, October 27. Note: If you are planning on driving to the Symposium or renting a car, parking charges are $20 per night for overnight parking.

Rooms can be reserved at https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/radioamateursatellite/. Reservations may also be made by phone at 813-888-8800. Reference AMSAT to receive the group rate.

AMSAT is excited to be able to host its 42nd annual Symposium this year. They hope that you can join us in celebrating Amateur Radio in Space.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

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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/

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AMSAT 2024 Space Symposium Call for Papers – A Reminder

This is a reminder for the first call for papers for the 42nd annual AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of October 25-27, 2024 at the Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront in Tampa, Florida.

Proposals for symposium papers and presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy submitted by October 18 for inclusion in the symposium proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV at n8fgv [at] usa [dot]net.

[ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV, AMSAT Symposium Proceedings Editor for the above information]

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One Week Remaining to Vote in AMSAT Board of Directors Election – LAST CALL

Voting for this year’s Board of Directors election ends on September 15, 2014. If you are an AMSAT member and have not already voted, you are encouraged to exercise your voting right and participate in this election.

If you have lost your ballot, no worry, you can still vote! Simply log into the membership portal at https://launch.amsat.org/Sys/Login then click on the “2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION” tab and vote. Candidate statements are included with your ballot. Duly nominated candidates, listed in alphabetical order are:

Mark Hammond, N8MH
Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
Bruce Paige, KK5DO
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
Douglas Tabor, N6UA

As three seats on the Board of Directors are up for election this year, the three candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be declared elected to the seats. The two candidates receiving the next largest number of votes shall be declared First Alternate and Second Alternate, respectively. The voting period is now open and shall conclude on September 15, 2024. Results will be announced no later than September 30, 2024.

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

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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/

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AMSAT 2024 President’s Club Membership Raise over $36,000 To-Date

AMSAT would like to recognize those members whose generous gifts to the AMSAT 2024 President’s Club help move its educational and engineering programs to fulfillment. President’s Club members have contributed over $36,000 to-date during the 2024 year. Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP-Development comments, “It’s really gratifying to see AMSAT membership continue to support AMSAT projects during what some people consider to be ‘quiet years’ – those years following the retirement of some of our most popular satellites and the year or so before our next family of satellites are flight ready.

“In fact, things are far from quiet. AMSAT engineering teams for both Fox-Plus and the Golf-Tee are moving quickly so the wait for a new family of birds won’t be all that long. The ASCENT engineering team is also charging ahead with new payloads for packet and SSTV operation. And, to keep AMSAT in the game as satellite licensing becomes more strict, work on propulsion systems for CubeSat-class vehicles is benefitting from the experience of a fresh team of experienced aerospace engineers. A lot is happening behind the scenes.”

AMSAT is pleased to recognize the following President’s Club members who have contributed to date:

Titanium ($4,800+)
Barry Baines, WD4ASW
Alan Biddle, WA4SCA
Williamm Brown, K9LF

Platinum ($2,400+)
Ray Crafton, KN2K
Quarter Century Wireless Association

Gold ($1,200+)
Anonymous
Burns Fisher, WB1FJ
Mark Hammond, N8MH
John Kludt, K7SYS
Glenn Miller, AA5PK

Silver ($600+)
Donald Coker, KM6TRZ
Richard Dittmer, KB7SAT
Warren Fugate, W3WE
Mark Johns, K0JM
Joseph, Lynch,N6CL
Bruce Paige, KK5DO
Peter Prendergast, W2PP
Jason Schwarz, N4JJS

Bronze ($300+)
Keith Baker, KB1SF
Edward Krome, K9EK
Donald Pettigrew, K9ECT
Dave Taylor, W8AAS

Core ($120+)
Oscar Alonzo, N6PAZ
David Batzle, N2VDY
Robert Beatty, WB4SON
Alan Boggs, K7IIV
James Gallagher III, KB3SQS
George Gallis, AL7BX
David Hartrum, WA3YDZ
Steven Husey, KB1UOJ
Doug Papay, K8DP
William Pesci, N4WLP
Martin Shinko, KB3AEV
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
Owen Trott, KF5BLK
Stefan Wagener, VE4SW
Wayne Wagner, AG1A

Persons interested in joining this elite group of donors can join either through the AMSAT Store at https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-presidents-club-donations/ or by making a donation via the membership portal. Anyone with questions or comments on joining the President’s Club or donating in general are asked to contact Frank at f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org.

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

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FUNcube Data Warehouse Back Online

Dave Johnson, G4DPZ, reports, “The FUNcube Data Warehouse is now successfully ingesting packets from the FUNcube Dashboards. We are now successfully storing real time, whole orbit data and fitter messages in the warehouse after the move to the new Virtual Machine. The warehouse was shut down on the August 31 and the first packet in the new warehouse was on September 3, during which time we have collected 5382 packets.

“Our thanks to all those that left their dashboards connected during the outage and our thanks to the following for their assistance in bringing the warehouse back to life:

HB9MFL
KC0BMF
VK5HI
WA7FWF
G4BIP
TUDelft
VK5GU
Goonhilly_Earth_Station
F1GRR
VA3ROM
DF7SC
K4OZS
N8MH
DL9DAK
PA3WEG
N1MIW
JJ1WTK

“If you collected any bin files during the past 5 days they can be uploaded too. If you are still experiencing errors. Please back up the session to a bin file, stop and start the dashboard and load the bin file. Then restart again if the upload works.

“We will continue to work on the UI over the next two days and it is likely that we will restore the ability to download WOD.”

Dave also remarks, “FC1 is now nearly 11 years old and is operating in low power telemetry mode with the transponder, in order to manage the battery capacity.

“We still encourage ground stations to attempt reception of the telemetry. If you have lost your registration details for your ground station please email [email protected] Please watch http://data.funcube.org.uk for updates and the new user interface.”

[ANS thanks Dave Johnson, G4DPZ, on behalf of the FUNcube Team for the above information.]

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AMSAT-DL ERMINAZ Mission Postponed to 2025

On Monday evening, August 19, 2024, just a few weeks before the planned launch date of the ERMINAZ payload, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) conducted a “hot fire” test of the first rocket stage at its launch site at SaxaVord Spaceport on the Shetland Islands, during which all 9 engines were ignited. Unfortunately, this resulted in a serious anomaly that led to the complete loss of the first rocket stage. The repair work, fault analysis, qualification and delivery of a new first rocket stage will take some time, so that RFA now officially expects a launch in 2025.

The Erminaz mission is a joint effort between AMSAT-DL, AMSAT-EA and the Libre Space Foundation, with each organization flying its own satellites and jointly using the PicoBus deployer developed by Libre Space in the ERMINAZ mission.

Examples of the payloads include UNNE-1 and MARIA-G 1.5P PocketQubes from AMSAT-EA in Spain. They are both based on the HADES-D (SO-121) hardware currently in orbit and provide a repeater service for voice and data communications in FM and FSK modes. They were developed and built by AMSAT-EA in collaboration with private sector companies and with the participation of universities and educational centers. Both satellites will provide licensed radio amateurs around the world with the ability to conduct FM and FSK QSOs, including FT modes such as FT-4 and FT-8 or AX.25/APRS. The satellites will also transmit telemetry with their status, voice messages and CW. Both satellites have the amateur radio special call sign AM1HAD.

For detailed information on this ambitious and collaborative mission including the capabilities of all the various satellites included in this project, go to https://amsat-dl.org/en/erminaz-mission-postponed-to-2025/.

[ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.]

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Updated Software Available for NOAA Polar and Russian Meteor Weather Satellites

Tracking and downloading images from NOAA Polar and Russian Meteor weather satellites are an excellent way to introduce young persons to the world of amateur satellites and radio communications. True, they are not amateur radio satellites. But, they are loud and always on. Using a SDR dongle costing less than $50, a laptop computer that every kid already owns and free software, youth can get their first taste of tracking a satellite across the sky using a smart phone app, recording a downlink and printing out pictures of their own weather in real time. From there it is a simple jump to listening to voice communications and printing APRS packet conversations from the ISS – another easy-to-hear and predictable source of signals from space.

Historically, WXtoIMG has been the software of choice for the popular hobby of decoding NOAA APT weather satellite images with RTL-SDR and other SDRs. However, the software has unfortunately been abandoned by its authors for several years, and can now only be found on third-party websites which increases the possibility of downloading a virus.

Jacopo Cassinis, IU1QPT, author of SatDump, and Robin Slovacek, OK2AWO, for sharing their thoughts about switching to SatDump which now has full feature parity with WXtoIMG and additional features, too. SatDump is available on Windows, MacOS, Linux, and even on Android. Read their comments at https://www.rtl-sdr.com/.

An up-to-date guide for receiving APT pictures with SatDump can be found at https://www.a-centauri.com/articoli/noaa-poes-satellites-reception.

Also available to watch on the rtl-sdr website is a short video on setting up a simple v-dipole for NOAA weather satellite reception with the SDR-Dongle. (The video uses the out-of-date WXtoIMG software but the overall procedure for setting up the station is usable.) If you need to get more ideas on weather satellite picture reception, just go to YouTube and search “NOAA weather satellite reception” and be prepared to watch several hours worth of useful videos.

Copying NOAA weather satellites is easy to do and a fun way to introduce youngsters to space communications. It could be the first step to getting that Technician ticket!

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

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VUCC Satellite Standing September 2024

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

CALL	Aug	Sept
WC7V	1575	1611
DL5GAC	1413	1576
DL2GRC	1426	1501
N8RO	1461	1490
N9EAT	1029	1127
K9UO	1001	1030
EA2AA	954	982
KQ4DO	906	952
JL1SAM	804	905
JG6CDH	734	777
HB9AOF	725	743
KC4CJ	650	702
N3CAL	653	686
IK7FMQ	626	651
SA0UNX	New	617
N5EKO	581	599
KH6WI	400	530
N9ZTS	400	501
PA7RA	409	495
N8URE (FM19)	430	450
W9FF	400	450
JI5USJ	355	425
W3VHF	250	406
JO4JKL	188	401
N8HRZ	298	337
W0PR	276	327
N4QWF	255	325
AA0K	200	253
DF5SF	New	217
9A2GA	New	202
NK0S	167	169
XE2/CO6LAR	New	129
NC0Q	New	108
AE5AU	New	101
4A2MAX	New	100

Congratulations to the new VUCC Satellite holders.
NC0Q is first VUCC Satellite holder from EN11
9A2GA is first VUCC Satellite holder from JN75

DXCC Satellite has still not been updated since May

[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, 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

https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

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Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for September 6, 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:

RoseyCubesat 1 NORAD Cat ID 56212 Decayed from orbit on or about 01 September 2024

• The following satellite has been added to this week’s AMSAT TLE distribution:

SR-0 DemoSAT NORAD Cat ID 60455 IARU coordinated downlink 437.400 MHZ 9k6 FSK AX25 , 4FSK SSDV and 38k4 LoRa
CosmoGirlSat NORAD Cat ID60953 IARU coordinated downlink 437.120 MHz and 145 825 MHz
Sakura NORAD Cat ID 60954 IARU coordinated downlink 145.825 MHz and 437.375 MHz
Binar 2 NORAD Cat ID 60956 IARU coordinated downlink 437.700 MHz
Binar 3 NORAD Cat ID 60957 IARU coordinated downlink 437.850 MHz
Binar 4 NORAD Cat ID 60952 IARU coordinated downlink 437.925 MHz

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

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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 de Aplicacao Fernando Rodrigues da Silveira (CAp-UERJ) and The State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, direct via PY1AX.
  The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
  The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB.
  The ARISS mentor is Steven McFarlane, VE3TBD.
  Contact is go for Friday, September 13, 2024 at 17:25:47 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.]

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Upcoming Satellite Operations

No operations are currently listed.

A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location.

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, and Alex Ners, K6VHF, for the above information.]

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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 5, 2024
North Star Radio Convention
Hennepin Technical College (North Campus)
Brooklyn Park, MN.
https://conv2023.tcfmc.org/
AMSAT Forum and Information Table
KØJM and ADØHJ

October 5, 2024
Central Kentucky Hamfest
Highlands Baptist Church
2032 Parallel Road
Lexington, KY 40502
https://www.facebook.com/w9khz/
AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table
AI4SR and W4FCL

October 5, 2024
Radio Society of Tucson
Calvary Tucson Church
7811 E. Speedway
Tucson, AZ
https://k7rst.club/2024/07/tucson-autumn-ham-fest-2024/
N1UW

October 18-20, 2024
Pacificon 2024, ARRL Pacific Division Conference
San Ramon, CA
WUØI
https://www.pacificon.org/

October 25-27, 2004
AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting
Double Tree Rocky Point Waterfront Hotel
Tampa Bay, FL
https://www.amsat.org/2024-symposium/

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

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Satellite Shorts From All Over

• Yaesu has announced the upcoming FTX-1F HF/6/144/440 portable transceiver, presumably a replacement for the FT-816/817 series of transceivers that were very popular among satellite operators. The transceiver is said to have two independent SDR receivers that provide simultaneous dual-band operation, whether in the same or in different bands. (Editor’s note: This does not necessarily mean that the transceiver will operate in full duplex mode.) It will provide 6W of power output with the included 5670mAh Lithium-ion battery pack or up to 10W with external power. Average CW/SSB operating time in the VHF/UHF bands is quoted as up to 8 hours. SSB, CW, AM, FM and C4FM operation is available. USB ports support CAT operation, audio input/output and TX control. The FTX-1F has not been formally been released for sale in the United States but should be available early 2025. [ANS thanks Yaesu for the above information.]
• JAXA officially ended the mission of SLIM, the country’s first Moon lander, last week. Originally only expected to operate for a single lunar day and then feared to be doomed after it landed in the incorrect orientation after losing an engine bell, the mission managed to survive 3 lunar nights and complete all pre-mission success criteria. SLIM is the first lunar lander to successfully perform a “pinpoint” landing, arriving within 10 meters of its selected landing site. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.]
• The average age of a GPS satellite is now 13 years, with half of them exceeding their designed lifespan. The USA-132 satellite broke the record for the oldest GPS satellite in history, having completed 27+ years in operation. While the record is an indicator of the reliability and robust engineering of the GPS satellite, it also means that the service still relies on hardware built in the 1990s. 31 GPS satellites are in operation today, down from 36 in 2016. The GPS system was primarily designed for military purposes but was opened up to wide-scale civilian use in 1983. Since then, GPS has grown into one of the most widely used services in the world, with billions of people using GPS on a daily basis today. The overall GPS network still works well. But the aging satellites, coupled with the delays in the launch schedule for new satellites, threaten its competitive edge as international rivals bring into service their own GNSS systems and private companies develop alternatives. (ANS thanks PayloadSpace.com for the above information. Fact-filled full article available at: https://payloadspace.com/rise-and-stall-of-gps-the-average-age-of-gps-satellites-hits-13-years/.

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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:

* Seven Cubesats Deploy From ISS
* AMSAT Mail Alias Service to End — FINAL NOTICE!
* Japanese Company Takes First Step Toward Removing Space Junk
* Halibut Electronics Releases New EggNOGS Kit for Satellite Antennas
* UNNE-1 and MARIA-G Launch Delayed Until 2025
* Paul D. Graveline, K1YUB, Silent Key
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution
* 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.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-245 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation

DATE 2024 Sept 01

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

Rooms can be reserved at https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/radioamateursatellite/
If you’re interested in presenting or submitting a paper, see the Call for Papers webpage

 

Seven Cubesats Deploy From ISS

Seven CubeSats deployed from Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” on Thursday, August 29.

According to the IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination, six of these satellites, CosmoGirl-Sat, SaganSat0, SAKURA, Binar2, Binar3 and Binar4, operate on the amateur bands. Three of them carry APRS digipeaters operating on the world-wide APRS frequency of 145.825 MHz.

Image by Cosmo Girls Amateur Radio Club

CosmoGirl-Sat 145.825MHz, 437.120MHz
APRS VHF, callsign JS1YOI
CW, 4k8 GMSK UHF
A 1U cubesat built by Cosmo Girls Amateur Radio Club, a group of Japanese women established under the theme of “Getting closer to the universe.” The satellite also carries a high-resolution camera for earth imaging, as well as a short message UHF store-and-forward system.

SaganSat0 145.825MHz, 437.050MH
APRS VHF
GMSK 4k8, CW UHF
A 1U cubesat built by students at various high schools in the Saga Prefecture of Japan. The satellite also carries an infrared camera and gamma ray detector.

SAKURA 145.825MHz, 437.375MHz
APRS VHF
GMSK 4k8 UHF
A 1U cubesat built by the Chiba Institute of Technology, a university in Narashino, Japan. The satellite also carries experiments designed to monitor sunspots and solar flares, as well as to assess environmental damage on earth.

Binar-2 437.700MHz, Binar-3 437.850MHz, Binar-4 437.925MHz
CW, OQPSK 100/38.4kbps, GFSK 19.2/9.6/1.2kbps
Three cubesats built by Curtin University in Australia designed to test radiation shielding materials and modeling of re-entry data from LEO.

Info from
7 CubeSats were deployed from “Kibo” on Thursday, August 29, 2024.
https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/biz-lab/news/detail/004129.html

[ANS thanks Masa Arai, JN1GKZ, for the above information.]

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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/

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AMSAT Mail Alias Service to End — FINAL NOTICE!

A long-standing member service, the AMSAT Mail Alias Service was scheduled to end on August 31, 2024, but a day or two of grace period has been added.

Members should understand that the email alias service, the news and bulletin board subscription lists and the membership portal are three separate systems.

Persons using the Mail Alias Service should immediately migrate to a different email account so they do not lose receipt of personal emails. Notify your friends and business accounts of the change.

Persons wishing to continue to receive AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins and AMSAT-BB posts or official messages from AMSAT itself should update their subscription addresses at https://mailman.amsat.org/

Members are especially asked to make sure they are NOT using a [email protected] as their registered email address in the AMSAT membership portal. Members can easily change their registered member email address by logging into the portal and updating their profile at https://mailman.amsat.org/.

A mail alias on AMSAT.ORG permitted people to send an email to members without knowing their actual internet email address. They just needed to know their amateur radio callsign.

Unfortunately, the unchecked rise in domain name hacking and email account high-jacking has made it impossible to sustain this service at a cost-effective level. The number of [email protected] email accounts that had been hijacked and converted to zombie spam accounts over the years had led many internet service providers and gateway centers to ban all @amsat.org email addresses, including those business accounts of AMSAT officers and officials. The tireless efforts of AMSAT’s all volunteer IT staff has worked for years to repair much of the damage, but AMSAT still get complaints from members who are not getting their personal emails, ANS bulletins or AMSAT-BB posts because of persistent delivery problems.

It has come to the point where the AMSAT volunteer IT staff can no longer keep up with the maintenance requirements to keep the alias mail list clean and to work with email gateways to remove blocks. And, after considerable investigation into alternative paid email services, AMSAT leadership decided that the money required to keep an email alias system alive would be better spent on building and flying satellites for its members.

[ANS thanks the AMSAT IT Team for the above information]

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Japanese Company Takes First Step Toward Removing Space Junk

There are more than 2,000 mostly intact dead rockets circling the Earth, but until this year, no one ever launched a satellite to go see what one looked like after many years of tumbling around the planet.

In February, a Japanese company named Astroscale sent a small satellite into low-Earth orbit on top of a Rocket Lab launcher. A couple of months later, Astroscale’s ADRAS-J (Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan) spacecraft completed its pursuit of a Japanese rocket stuck in orbit for more than 15 years.

ADRAS-J photographed the upper stage of an H-IIA rocket from a range of several hundred meters and then backed away. This was the first publicly released image of space debris captured from another spacecraft using rendezvous and proximity operations.

Astroscale’s ADRAS-J spacecraft captured these views of the H-IIA rocket upper stage on July 15. [Credit: Astroscale]

Since then, Astroscale has pulled off more complex maneuvers around the H-IIA upper stage, which hasn’t been controlled since it deployed a Japanese climate research satellite in January 2009. Astroscale attempted to complete a 360-degree fly-around of the H-IIA rocket last month, but the spacecraft triggered an autonomous abort one-third through the maneuver after detecting an attitude anomaly.

ADRAS-J is the first mission to approach a piece of space debris, which comes with more challenges. The H-IIA upper stage lacks laser reflectors and targeting aids that would help an approaching spacecraft navigate its way closer.

A few years ago, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) cinched a public-private partnership with Astroscale to demonstrate technologies the private sector could use to remove large pieces of space debris littering low-Earth orbit. The same robotic technologies could also apply to satellite servicing or refueling missions.

With more financial assistance from JAXA, Astroscale is developing a follow-on mission called ADRAS-J2 to dock with the same H-IIA rocket visited by the ongoing mission, then steer it on a trajectory to reenter the atmosphere. Astroscale hopes a successful demonstration of this capability on the ADRAS-J2 mission will lead to more contracts from commercial or government operators to remote large pieces of space junk from orbit.

An H-IIA upper stage similar to the one visited by Astroscale’s demo mission broke apart in 2019, creating more than 70 new debris fragments in low-Earth orbit. A predicted close flyby by one of the pieces from the H-IIA upper stage prompted the International Space Station to fire its engines to move out of its path in 2020.

[ANS thanks Ars Technica for the above information. Read the full article at https://bit.ly/4cFO0vW.]

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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/

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Halibut Electronics Releases New EggNOGS Kit for Satellite Antennas

Halibut Electronics has announced the release of its latest product, the EggNOGS kit, designed to facilitate the construction of Egg Beater antennas. This kit is aimed at amateur radio enthusiasts and satellite operators who wish to enhance their communication capabilities, particularly with the SatNOGS network. Priced at $79.00, EggNOGS is available for purchase through Halibut Electronics’ website at https://electronics.halibut.com/product/eggnogs/.

The EggNOGS kit is engineered to address the complexity of building Egg Beater antennas, which are known for their use in satellite communications. The kit includes a range of specialized components that are not typically available at local hardware stores. These components feature a band-specific phasing board that creates a 90-degree phase shift, a critical element in the construction of effective quadrature-fed antennas.

The parts kit. [Credit: Halibut Electronics]

Currently, the EggNOGS kit supports several frequency bands: 137.5MHz, 145.9MHz, 388.0MHz, 401.0MHz, and 436.5MHz. However, due to high demand, the kits for the 137.5MHz and 145.9MHz bands are temporarily out of stock and are expected to be back in inventory by August 28th. Customers can place back orders for these bands in the interim.

The EggNOGS kit is designed to be versatile, compatible with various types of quadrature-fed antennas beyond just Egg Beaters. It can be used with turnstiles, helicals, and other balanced VHF/UHF antennas. Additionally, it works with any radio system, including low-power transmitters, making it a flexible option for a range of communication needs.

Antenna closeup [Credit: Halibut Electronics]

The kit includes essential parts such as circuit boards for signal routing and phasing, a common mode current choke, and stainless steel mounting hardware. Builders will need to source additional materials, such as a section of PVC pipe and materials for the aerial loops and ground plane, from local hardware stores. The default feed point connector is SMA, but there is an option to upgrade to BNC or Type-F connectors.

The EggNOGS kit is capable of handling moderate transmit power, with the upper limit still being determined but expected to range between 15W and 50W. The kit is confirmed to handle up to 10W without issues. Halibut Electronics invites feedback from users who may need phasing boards for additional frequencies not currently offered, with the possibility of expanding the product line based on customer demand.

[ANS thanks Halibut Electronics, for the above information]

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UNNE-1 and MARIA-G Launch Delayed Until 2025

Due to the significant damage to the RFA’s One launcher stage during the static firing test at SaxaVord’s spaceport in the Shetland Islands, Scotland (UK) on August 19th, AMSAT-EA’s UNNE-1 and MARIA-G satellites launch will be delayed.

They were originally planned for launch on September 30th, and now it is not expected before 2025. Video of the BBC’s coverage of the incident is available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgEn6-8ekJQ

UNNE-1 and MARIA-G are both based on the currently orbiting HADES-D (SO-121) hardware, providing a repeater service for voice and data communications in FM and FSK-derived modes. They have been designed and built by AMSAT-EA together with private sector companies and with the collaboration of Universities and educational centres.

Both satellites will offer licensed radio amateurs around the world the opportunity to make FM and FSK QSOs, including FT modes, such as FT-4 and FT-8, or AX.25/APRS. The satellites will also transmit telemetry with their status, voice messages and CW.

UNNE-1 includes an Arduino-based board with software from Nebrija University of Madrid. The students have developed a small decoding game with a space story as a background. The satellite sends a clue each week in its FSK telemetry so that radio amateurs can solve the challenge. This game will be detailed on the AMSAT EA website and on the Nebrija University one.

MARIA-G also includes two CW reception games/challenges implemented by students from the María Guerrero high school in Collado Villalba, also from the region of Madrid.

One of the games consists of receiving the coordinates of a significant place on Earth (for example a city, a monument…) and the other about receiving a code that will correspond to a question about Science. Both games will have a dedicated web page.

MARIA-G also includes a small experiment, developed by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft research center in Germany. It consists of a proof of concept for the transmission of a TS-UNB waveform from a low Earth orbit. Therefore, it will transmit a TS-UNB message according to the ETSI-TS-103-357 standard. It is intended solely as a research and development project with no commercial intention.

The ITU modulation classification would be 100K W2DWW but the bandwidth will be reduced. The operation of this experiment will be carried out by AMSAT-EA.

The UNNE-1 and MARIA-G satellites are part of the Erminaz mission, a joint effort of AMSAT-DL, AMSAT-EA and LibreSpace Foundation, each organization flying its own satellites and using LibreSpace’s PicoBus deployer.

The mission management with the German Space Agency (DLR) and the launcher (RFA), as well as with the UK authorities, has been carried out jointly, with AMSAT DL leading it.

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

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Paul D. Graveline, K1YUB, Silent Key

With heavy hearts, AMSAT and The AMSAT Journal mourn the passing of Journal assistant editor, Paul D. Graveline, K1YUB, on August 19, 2024.

Paul served as an assistant editor for the past seven years, starting with the July/August 2017 issue. In addition to his editing and authoring contributions to the Journal, Paul also served as an active member of the CubeSatSim Educational Materials Team for AMSAT’s Educational Relations program.

Here is how Paul described his ham radio exploits:

“Like many future hams in the 1960s, I became interested in radio by listening to shortwave stations on my grandfather’s old huge Philco radio.

“In 1960, I got a Hallicrafters S120 short wave receiver for Christmas, and I was hooked. A year later, K1DEN got me interested in ham radio. I was issued KN1YUB as a novice, and in 1963, I upgraded to General and K1YUB, which I still use today. Most of my ham operating has been using CW.

“By 1973, I passed my Advanced and Extra which required 20 wpm skills.

“In the 1980s, I worked and taught Novice and General license courses at Tufts Radio in Medford, MA. My time at Tufts included numerous ham conventions from Denver to Clearwater.

“Along with K1TW, I helped reestablish the shortwave focused Boston Area DXers which met on the third Friday of every month. Nearly 35 years later, we still do!

“More recently, I have been spending time in activities to support ham radio.

“For a number of years, I’ve been an Assistant Editor for The AMSAT Journal as well as being engaged, along with KU2Y, KD2XS , KK6NOW and WD6DRI, on an AMSAT project developing the CubeSat Simulator as a learning tool.

“I began following the space weather bulletins from Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW, better known as “The Space Weather Woman,” a few years back and now am a member of her steering committee, as well as being the Coordinator for her new Super Community project with the objective of sharing space weather knowledge across stakeholder communities like Aurora Chasers and Ham Radio operators. I did a cover story of Dr. Skov in The AMSAT Journal.”

Paul’s good humor, dedication, enthusiasm and many contributions to AMSAT and the larger amateur radio community will be greatly missed.

[ANS thanks Joe Kornowski, KB6IGK, AMSAT Journal Editor-in-Chief, 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

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/.

No changes have been announced for this week.

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

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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.

Would your group like to have an ARISS contact? Here are some upcoming deadlines for be aware of:
For U.S. contacts, proposals are due by 6-Sept. Contacts would be in the first half of 2025.
For Europe, Africa, and the Middle East applications are due by 27-October for second half of 2025.
See https://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html for details.

COMPLETED:
Fasta Villa Eucaristica School, Cordoba City, Argentina, direct via LU1HKO
The ISS callsign was presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The crewmember was Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU. The ARISS mentor was VE3TBD.
Contact was successful: Fri 2024-08-30 15:29:39 UTC 42 degrees maximum elevation.
Congratulations to the Fasta Villa Eucaristica School students, Jeanette, mentor VE3TBD, and ground station LU1HKO!
Livestream URL was provided to ARISS https://youtube.com/live/2oQkA6vqdu4?feature=share

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).

The HamTV system (2395 MHz down), and the SSTV system (145.800 MHz down) are both currently STOWED and not in operation.

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]

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Upcoming Satellite Operations

Tom, KB5FHK, will be heading home to Mississippi on Labor Day weekend. His main focus is EM41. He already posted a couple of passes on hams.at.

Mitch, AD0HJ, will be heading up to Fargo/Grand Forks over Labor Day weekend “for some more gridline fun.” Look for him to activate EN06 EN07 EN08 EN16 EN17 EN18 on RS-44. Pass schedule is available on hams.at.

Zach, K8ZRY, will be doing a POTA activation on the EN83/EN84 gridline over the Labor Day holiday. Pass schedule is available on hams.at.

A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location.

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]

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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.

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.
https://conv2023.tcfmc.org/
AMSAT Forum and Information Table
KØJM and ADØHJ

October 5th, 2024
Central Kentucky Hamfest –
Highlands Baptist Church
2032 Parallel Road
Lexington, KY 40502
https://www.facebook.com/w9khz/
AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table
AI4SR and W4FCL

October 5, 2024
Radio Society of Tucson
Calvary Tucson Church
7811 E. Speedway
Tucson, AZ
https://k7rst.club/2024/07/tucson-autumn-ham-fest-2024/
N1UW

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
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

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

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Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ The FUNcube Data Warehouse will be going off line on Saturday, August 31, as it transitions to a new server. The service may be down for about three days as the team has to migrate the large amount of data collected over 11 years and ensure that the service is running correctly. The dashboards will catch up if they are left connected, once the service comes on line. The team will probably turn on the collection service before the UI so that there is not to much data loss. (ANS thanks Dave Johnson, G4DPZ, of the FUNcube Team for the above information.)

+ NASA will return Boeing’s Starliner to Earth without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, KD5PLB, aboard the spacecraft, the agency announced last week. The uncrewed return allows NASA and Boeing to continue gathering testing data on Starliner during its upcoming flight home, while also not accepting more risk than necessary for its crew. Wilmore and Williams, who flew to the International Space Station in June aboard NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, have been busy supporting station research, maintenance, and Starliner system testing and data analysis, among other activities. They will continue their work formally as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew through February 2025, and will fly home aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. Starliner is expected to depart from the space station and make a safe, controlled autonomous re-entry and landing in early September. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information.)

+ NASA astronaut Nick Hague, KG5TMV, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will launch no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 24, on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, KJ5CMN, and Stephanie Wilson, KD5DZE, previously announced as crewmates, are eligible for reassignment on a future mission. The updated crew complement follows NASA’s decision to return the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test uncrewed and launch Crew-9 with two unoccupied seats. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, KD5PLB, who launched aboard the Starliner spacecraft in June, will fly home with Hague and Gorbunov in February 2025. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information.)

+ The U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO), and its administrator Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), have created SuperKnova, an online educational platform that provides inclusive, equitable access to radio technology learning and training. Thanks to a generous grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), learners can now enroll in two self-paced courses to learn the fundamentals of radio communications. The Technician Amateur Radio License and EMS Course introduces learners to the electromagnetic spectrum using amateur (ham) radio as a vehicle. (ANS thanks the National Radio Astronomy Observatory for the above information.)

+ Alick Gardiner, 2E0HDV, has undertaken a “retro radio” project to utilize the APRS packet digipeater aboard the International Space Station with equipment dating back to the 1980s! Alick documents how he resurrected a Commodore 64 computer and a 30+ year old AEA PK-232 “Pakratt” TNC in his blog at http://www.alickgardiner.com/c64-packet-radio/ (ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and Alick Gardiner, 2E0HDV, for the above information.)

 

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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
mjohns [at] amsat.org