AMSAT News Service

ANS-214
August 2, 2026

In this edition:

• Expedition 74 Crew Returns to Earth After 241 Days in Space
• Voting Continues in 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election
• MARMOTSat Designated Canada-OSCAR 128 (CO-128)
• ARISS Selects 13 U.S. Organizations for Fall 2026–Spring 2027 Contacts
• New Tracking Programs Released
• HamSCI Meteor Scatter QSO Parties Target the Perseids
• IARU Region 1 Conference Papers Address Satellite Spectrum Issues
• Recent IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Activity
• New Satellite Distance Records Claimed on AO-7, AO-123, and SO-125
• Zero Retries Digital Conference 2026 Issues Call for Technical Papers
• Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for July 31, 2026
• ARISS News
• 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/

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Expedition 74 Crew Returns to Earth After 241 Days in Space

NASA astronaut Chris Williams, KJ5GEW, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev are safely back on Earth after 241 days in space. The trio landed in their Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft on the Kazakh steppe southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, July 26, wrapping up their service as members of Expeditions 73 and 74 aboard the International Space Station.

Soyuz MS-28 undocked from the station’s Rassvet module shortly after 0700 UTC and descended under parachute to a touchdown at approximately 1026 UTC, about three and a half hours later. Over the course of the mission, the crew orbited the Earth 3,856 times and traveled more than 102 million miles. The spacecraft launched and docked with the station on November 27, 2025 – Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The flight was the first for Williams and Mikaev and the second for Kud-Sverchkov, who has now logged more than 426 days in space.

Before departure, Kud-Sverchkov handed command of the station to NASA astronaut Jessica Meir in a change-of-command ceremony on Saturday, July 25, marking the transition from Expedition 74 to Expedition 75, which formally began at undocking. Seven crew members remain aboard the station.

Amateur radio was part of Williams’ final week in orbit. On Friday, July 24, just two days before returning home, he completed an ARISS telebridge contact with students at the Payload Operations Integration Center at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In keeping with standard safety protocol, the ARISS radios aboard the station were powered down on July 25 in support of the Soyuz undocking, with service scheduled to be restored on July 27.

Following post-landing medical checks, recovery teams transported the crew by helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan, where Williams boarded a NASA aircraft bound for the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

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

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LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!

AMSAT is offering a limited-time promotion for new and renewing members that includes a free digital copy of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites. The promotion is being offered as AMSAT begins the 2026 membership year.

Anyone who joins or renews their AMSAT membership during the promotional period will receive a download link for the latest edition of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites in their membership confirmation email. JOIN TODAY at https://launch.amsat.org/ (Remember! Students join for FREE!)

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The 2026 President’s Club Coin is Now Here! Help Support GOLF and FoxPlus.

Annual memberships start at only $120

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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IARU Region 1 Conference Papers Address Satellite Spectrum Issues

Papers for the IARU Region 1 General Conference, being held in Vienna, Austria, September 19-23, 2026, are now available online, and several are of direct interest to the amateur satellite community.

Among the papers in the VHF+ (C5) section is VI26_C5_11, “UHF Spectrum Situation,” submitted by the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), which addresses AST SpaceMobile’s use of amateur spectrum. In April, the FCC announced that AST SpaceMobile (AST & Science, LLC) will be using the amateur 430 MHz band for 248 satellites in its planned low-Earth-orbit constellation, which aims to provide global cellular broadband communications. Center frequencies are 430.5 MHz, 432.3 MHz, 434.1 MHz, 435.9 MHz, and 439.5 MHz, each with 50 kHz bandwidth.

Another satellite-related paper is VI26_C3_45, the report of the ARSPEX Working Group, a specialised body of IARU Region 1 for Amateur Radio Space EXploration.

The full set of IARU-R1 Conference papers may be found at https://conf.iaru-r1.org/documents/

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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Recent IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Activity

Every satellite intending to transmit in the amateur-satellite service bands is asked to obtain frequency coordination from the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) before launch. The IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel reviews each application, checks the proposed frequencies against band plans and other coordinated missions, and recommends frequencies intended to minimize mutual interference. The running status of applications – new and updated requests, completed coordinations, and declined requests – is maintained on the AMSAT-UK-hosted status pages at https://iaru.amsat-uk.org/index.php

July proved to be a busy month for new applications. A full review of the panel’s status pages at the end of the month shows activity on eight entries, all on the “formally requested” (in process) list: seven applications newly appearing during the month and one update to a pending request. No coordinations were completed during July – the most recent completion on the pages remains VemanaReddySat of India’s Vemana Institute of Technology, coordinated June 3 – and no requests were declined, with the declined list unchanged since early February.

• Slipper2Sat-2 – Antarikchya Pratisthan Nepal (applied June 16, posted July 2). A 1U CubeSat for disaster assessment whose primary payload is an array of four PNI RM3100 magnetometers intended to detect fluctuations in Earth’s magnetic field for earthquake-precursor research, with the measurements downlinked on amateur frequencies for operators, students, and researchers to receive, decode, and upload to a shared community dataset. The satellite also carries near-infrared and RGB cameras for Normalized Difference Water Index analysis of surface water – an onboard AI algorithm filters out cloud-obscured frames, and selected images will be broadcast in roughly 24-hour periods over the amateur downlink – along with an AX.25 digipeater and magnetorquer-based attitude control. The responsible operator is Sajan Duwal, 9N2SJ.
• Skylark – Western University Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, London, Ontario (applied July 1). A 3U CubeSat flying under the Canadian Space Agency’s CUBICS program, Skylark will collect space-based data on migratory songbirds, waterbirds, and shorebirds by communicating with MOTUS wildlife-tracking transmission units using student-developed amateur radio hardware, extending the MOTUS network while giving students hands-on experience in mission operations and CubeSat design. The spacecraft will carry an AX.25 telemetry beacon receivable by amateurs, and the team plans to collect request messages through a publicly accessible form and transmit them from the satellite at the end of ground station passes as time permits. The responsible operator is Jayshri Sabarinathan, VA3OSR.
• UNNE-1B (aka HADES-E2) – AMSAT-EA (applied February 2, updated July 14). The lone update to a pending application this month reflects another launch change: originally manifested on SpaceX’s Transporter-17, the 1.5P PocketQube is now planning a ride on Transporter-18 in October 2026, with the launch brokered by UARX. UNNE-1B uses the same hardware and software as the original UNNE-1, which still awaits an RFA launch from the UK, and is intended to replace the FM repeater service of SO-124 and SO-125, both expected to decay, since HADES-SA (SO-127) supports only digital transmissions. The satellite offers an SDR-based V/U FM and FSK repeater, opened by squelch level with no tone required, plus FSK digital modes at 50-1200 bps, telemetry up to 1600 bps, a CW beacon, and a CODEC2 digital voice message. AMSAT-EA has announced operating frequencies of 145.925 MHz up and 436.888 MHz down, matching UNNE-1. An educational payload from Universidad de Nebrija in Madrid will send one clue per week in the telemetry as part of a student-built guessing game for amateurs to solve.

Five more applications were posted on July 27, all submitted within a two-day span:

• UTNH-SAJILO-SAT (SanoSat-3) – AMSAT Nepal (applied July 26). The follow-on to SanoSat-1 (Nepal-OSCAR 116) and SanoSat-2, SanoSat-3 keeps the same core mission while swapping the permanent magnet for a magnetorquer-based active detumbling system using the B-dot algorithm. Its primary mission is an amateur digipeater allowing operators to upload short messages for retransmission to all stations in the footprint, joined by a 5-megapixel camera downlinking images as SSDV packets via GFSK, a Morse code identification beacon, and a deployable solar panel demonstration using a custom hinge design. Telemetry and digipeater traffic will be openly available through the SatNOGS network. The responsible operator is Jiten Thapa, 9N1JT.
• HADES-L – AMSAT-EA (applied July 26). An experimental 10 x 5 x 5 cm PocketQube averaging just 175 mW of power generation, HADES-L pairs an unusual uplink with a familiar downlink: its communications transponder proposes an uplink at 28.472 MHz USB with 3 kHz bandwidth – the filing notes that a 29 MHz uplink is uncommon in amateur satellite work and is one of the mission’s main challenges – or alternatively 145 MHz, with a 436.665 MHz FM downlink and no access tone required. The transponder can carry a single FM voice channel or multiple simultaneous CW, FT4, or FT8 signals, with the first Wednesday of each month reserved for digital-mode experiments, and runs a duty cycle of four minutes on in every twelve. Additional experiments include a CODEC2 digital voice beacon, measurement of 30 MHz noise power in the upper ionosphere to validate the link budget, a radiation-measurement payload, evaluation of an electrically short receiving antenna, and validation of the energy-management scheme that makes it all work on so little power; telemetry runs at 800 bps and an uplink power of about 25 watts is recommended. HADES-L plans to launch with UARX from the United States in October 2026 into a 500 x 600 km, 97-degree orbit alongside UNNE-1B. The responsible operator is Jose Elias Diez, EB1AO.
• EagleSat A & B – Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME), India (applied July 26). A pair of 1U CubeSats in the first batch of India’s 75 Student Satellites Mission (75SSM), the EagleSats will validate a student-developed CubeSat bus, demonstrate LoRa-based store-and-forward inter-satellite links – on 437.160 MHz between the two spacecraft and on 437.140 MHz with other 75SSM CubeSats – and fly student-designed luminosity sensors and a GNSS receiver feeding the attitude control system. For amateurs, each spacecraft implements a real-time AX.25 digipeater with a 435.170 MHz uplink and 436.547 MHz downlink, plus command-activated Robot36 SSTV demonstrations sent as packetized data over the 9600 bps GFSK downlink, and a beacon on 436.645 MHz invites public reception, with frame format and decoding documentation to be published. Because both satellites share a single ground station at MCEME, only one is commanded into digipeater or SSTV mode at a time. The pair is planning a launch on a Vikram launch vehicle from Sriharikota during September 22-30, 2026, into a 450 km, 60-degree orbit. The responsible operator is Nasser Hussain Dubey, VU3DUB.
• HG3PQSAT – Budapest University of Technology and Economics (applied July 27). Set to become the seventh Hungarian amateur and educational satellite built by university students – following Masat-1, SMOG-P, ATL-1, SMOG-1, MRC-100, and NMHH-1 – HG3PQSAT is a 3P PocketQube (5 x 5 x 15 cm) whose entire development team holds amateur licenses. Its payload list is ambitious: attitude control using both electromagnets and switched-reluctance-motor flywheels, a color imaging camera, GMSK digital telemetry beacons at up to 12.5 kbps, and both FSK and LoRa half-duplex repeaters that receive a signal from the ground and retransmit it seconds later on the same frequency, in the style of classic packet radio. The LoRa repeater is designed so amateurs can work it with nothing more than an omnidirectional antenna – no rotator tracking and no Doppler correction – at no more than 100 mW ERP, while the FSK repeater needs only a handheld FM transceiver, a small Yagi, and a laptop sound card running the team’s public software. A crossband digital repeater with a 437 MHz uplink and 2400 MHz downlink and an S-band LoRa downlink round out the communications suite, with deployable solar panels keeping it all fed. Deployment through Alba Orbital is planned. The responsible operator is Levente Dudas, HA7WEN.
• Solar Flare and Ionosphere Explorer (SoFIE) – Saint Francis University, Pennsylvania (applied July 27). A 3U CubeSat with a citizen-science mission tailor-made for amateurs, SoFIE will investigate how solar flares affect the ionosphere by observing HF radio burst emissions from the Sun while simultaneously collecting ground-based transmissions with a broadband 3-30 MHz receiver. The team is collaborating with the University of Scranton’s HamSCI initiative to coordinate transionospheric experiments with amateurs across multiple HF bands, and all HF data collected during the mission will be made freely available to hams through a HamSCI interface. A secondary 9.303 MHz topside-sounding instrument flies under a separate FCC Part 5 experimental license, while the primary links propose a UHF downlink with 9k6 BPSK AX.25 telemetry and a 1 Mbps QPSK S-band downlink. The filing anticipates a NASA launch into a 500 km polar orbit. The responsible operator is Kevin Suresh, KD3DHW.

Developers planning a mission are reminded to request coordination as early in the design process as possible, while frequencies can still be adjusted in response to the panel’s recommendations. Application forms and contact information are available at https://www.iaru.org/reference/satellites/, and the coordination status list is at https://iaru.amsat-uk.org/index.php

[ANS thanks the IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel for the above information]

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New Satellite Distance Records Claimed on AO-7, AO-123, and SO-125

Three newly claimed marks have been added to the AMSAT Satellite Distance Records, headlined by a new Mode A record on AO-7 set just days before this bulletin went to press – proof that a 51-year-old satellite can still deliver record-book DX.

On Wednesday, July 29, at 20:02 UTC, KE9AJ, operating from EN50fn59 in Illinois, worked DJ8EW in JN58wh92 in Germany through AO-7’s Mode A transponder – a 2-meter uplink paired with a 10-meter downlink – at a distance of 7,495 km (4,657 miles). The contact edges the previous Mode A record of 7,454 km, set between VE6WQ and F4DXV on March 23, 2022, by 41 km. Launched on November 15, 1974, AMSAT-OSCAR 7 is the world’s oldest active satellite, and its Mode A transponder harks back to the earliest days of the OSCAR program. The new claim gives KE9AJ a share of both AO-7 transponder records – the current Mode B mark of 8,204.592 km was set between F4DXV and KE9AJ on August 10, 2020 – alongside standing records on AO-91, AO-27, and SO-124.

The other two records share a path, and a distance. Operating the Croatian club station 9A1CAL from JN86dm82ud, 9A6WW twice worked A46UNX in Oman, in LL83gg, for contacts spanning 4,419 km (2,746 miles) – first through AO-123 on August 15, 2025, at 18:19 UTC, and again through SO-125 on October 31, 2025, at 20:08 UTC.

The AO-123 contact raises that satellite’s record by more than 1,800 km over the previous mark of 2,610 km, set between KK7OVF and WD5GRW in November 2024. ASRTU-OSCAR 123 (ASRTU-1), a joint student project of the Harbin Institute of Technology and Amur State University, was launched on a Soyuz vehicle from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome on November 4, 2024, and carries a V/U FM repeater, a UHF SSDV digital image transmitter, and a 10.5 GHz QPSK image downlink.

The SO-125 contact, meanwhile, is the first documented distance record for that satellite – and one that can no longer be beaten. HADES-ICM, a 1.5P PocketQube from AMSAT-EA measuring just 5 x 5 x 8 cm and weighing 400 grams, was launched on SpaceX’s Transporter-13 mission in March 2025 and provided an SDR-based FM voice and FSK digital repeater – 145.875 MHz up, 436.666 MHz down, no tone required, with up to 0.25 watts of downlink power – along with a low-power active graphene radiator experiment from University of Manchester spin-out SmartIR. The satellite re-entered the atmosphere on May 23, 2026, so the Croatia-to-Oman contact, a remarkable haul for a 400-gram QRP satellite, will stand permanently as SO-125’s distance record.

The full list of records may be found at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/. Operators who complete a contact exceeding a listed mark, or a notable distance on a satellite or transponder not yet documented, are invited to email details to n8hm at arrl.net. Note that only real-time contacts are considered for distance records; QSOs completed across multiple orbits using store-and-forward techniques are not eligible. Distances are calculated using the calculator at k7fry.com/grid for consistency, and separate records may be claimed for each transponder or band combination a satellite supports, such as Mode A and Mode B on AO-7.

[ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive Vice President, 9A6WW, and KE9AJ for the above information]

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Zero Retries Digital Conference 2026 Issues Call for Technical Papers

Technical papers are being sought for the Proceedings of the second annual Zero Retries Digital Conference (ZRDC) 2026, to be held Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Roundhouse Conference Center in San Ramon, California. The conference coincides with the first day of Pacificon 2026.

Hosted by the Zero Retries newsletter, ZRDC seeks short (typically 5 to 10 pages, with a 12-page limit) but in-depth explanations of a project, experiment, or new technique. A typical paper describes the problem to be solved, how the solution was built and tested, and what was learned, often including diagrams, data, and code. Topic areas include digital satellite communication, software defined radio, digital voice and data systems, mesh and peer-to-peer wireless networking, APRS, LoRa in amateur radio, HF digital modes, AX.25 and other protocols, and more.

Authors do not need to present at the conference to have their papers included in the Proceedings, and authors retain all rights to their work. In addition to the ZRDC archives, papers will be preserved in the Digital Library of Amateur Radio & Communications (DLARC), a project of the Internet Archive.

The submission deadline is Monday, September 28, 2026, at 23:59 UTC. Papers must be submitted in PDF format via email to zrdcpapers [at] zeroretries.net. Complete details are available at https://www.zeroretries.org/p/conference

[ANS thanks Zero Retries and Amateur Radio Daily for the above information]

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Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for July 31, 2026

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/.

There are no changes to this week’s TLE distribution.

General Perturbations Data Support

AMSAT is pleased to announce that modern forms of what are called General Perturbations data are being disseminated via modern formats including JSON, XML and KVN at https://newark192.amsat.org/gpdata/current/. The reason this change is being made is that we are running out of 5-digit catalog numbers and the TLE format is not viable for satellites launched after July of this year. See https://celestrak.org/NORAD/documentation/gp-data-formats.php for details.

These data are presently considered in beta test for the next two months while hosted on the test server newark192.amsat.org, and we are very open to community feedback at webmaster at amsat.org. Testers may experience outages and errors while we make improvements. We intend to put this into production on our main web server in July as we expect that satellites launched after this summer will require one of the new formats to accommodate longer object numbers. AMSAT will continue to publish TLE bulletins for satellites launched before July 2026 indefinitely.

[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.

Scheduled Contacts

Geneva Christian College, Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia telebridge via IK1SLD

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Sophie Adenot KJ5LTN
The ARISS mentor is VK4KHZ  

Contact is go for: Mon 2026-08-03 10:00:37 UTC 55 deg

Kenya Space Agency (KSA), Nairobi, Kenya, telebridge via ON4ISS

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS 
The scheduled crewmember is Sophie Adenot KJ5LTN
The ARISS mentor is IZ2GOJ  

Contact is go for: Wed 2026-08-05 11:38:38 UTC 89 deg

Schedule of radio power downs and power ups 

COL=Columbus module  SM=Service Module

Wed 2026-08-05 11:50 UTC – COL radio power down

Wed 2026-08-05 11:55 UTC – SM radio power down

Thu 2026-08-06 – USOS EVA

Fri 2026-08-07 13:45 UTC – COL radio power up

N/A – SM radio power up

Many times, a school makes a last-minute decision to do a Livestream or runs into a last-minute glitch requiring a change of the URL, but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

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

The crossband repeater remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the microphone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air—so keep listening, as you never know when activity might occur.

​Kenwood D710GA in the Zvezda Service Module – Call sign RSØISS. Please note we’re still in the process of troubleshooting and testing this radio. APRS is currently active on 437.825 MHz. Feel free to check out status reports at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_APRS/.

Ham TV is currently transmitting a test signal at 2395.00 MHz.

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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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.

August 14-16, 2026
Northeast HamXposition (HamX) & New England Division ARRL Convention
Best Western Royal Plaza & Trade Center
181 Boston Post Road W
Marlborough, MA 01752
W1EME, WD4ASW, WB1FJ
https://hamxposition.org

October 8-11, 2026
44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
Details to follow

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

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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).
• Students are eligible for FREE membership up to age 25.
• Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm [at] amsat.org

ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002. AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

AMSAT News Service

ANS-207
July 26, 2026

In this edition:

* HamGPT Launches Personal AI Copilot for Amateur Radio
* Young Ham of the Year Recognition for Satellite Operator
* FireSat Constellation Launches First Operational Satellites to Transform Wildfire Tracking
* Amateur Radio and UmKA-1 (RS-40S) Satellite Celebrates “Day of the Moon”
* HAMQ: The All-in-One iPhone Powerhouse for Satellite and Portable Ops
* Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for July 26, 2026
* ARISS News
* 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/

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HamGPT Launches Personal AI Copilot for Amateur Radio

Amateur radio operators have a new digital tool in their toolkit with the launch of HamGPT, a specialized AI chatbot designed specifically to assist hams with technical questions, propagation, and station data.

Built on a powerful GPT engine, HamGPT distinguishes itself from mainstream artificial intelligence platforms by integrating directly with key amateur radio data sources, including the FCC database and live propagation tracking reports.

Ham Radio Copilot [Credit: https://app.hamq.net/en/]

To get started, users must register using their valid amateur radio callsign and location. The platform currently offers a free tier featuring a limited number of daily queries.

Key Features and Capabilities

• Targeted Assistance: HamGPT can field common operational questions, such as identifying which amateur band currently offers the best propagation to a specific DX destination, or surfacing nearby repeater coordinates and band plans.

• Data Integration: Unlike standard AI assistants that rely solely on generalized web data, HamGPT is tailored to parse structured amateur radio frameworks, providing context-aware answers tailored to licensing and regional regulations.

• Future Developments: Developers behind the project are exploring advanced utility features, such as processing ADIF (Amateur Data Interchange Format) log files to streamline award tracking, DXCC qualifications, and contest log scoring.

While tools like HamGPT showcase how modern artificial intelligence is bleeding into technical hobbies, the platform serves as an interactive copilot rather than a replacement for hands-on operating experience. Early users note that while it provides quick access to localized repeater and database queries, operators should still cross-reference complex technical designs with authoritative texts and Elmer advice.

For more information or to test out the platform, visit:   https://hamgpt.co/.

[ANS thanks Daily Ham Weekly, for the above information.]

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Young Ham of the Year Recognition for Satellite Operator

The 2026 winner of the Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award (YHOTY) is Carsten Glasbrenner, KQ4SJM, of Brooksville, Florida. Carsten, age 14, who holds a General Class license earned in May 2024, took his Technician test at the age of 11. He is the son of Drew and Merete Glasbrenner. Carsten gives his dad, KO4MA, credit for planting the seeds that sprouted into an early interest in amateur radio – specifically, satellites. [Drew Glasbrenner is currently the president of AMSAT.]

Award committee chairman, Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, reported that Carsten was almost speechless when he learned in a recent phone call he had been selected as this year’s YHOTY award. Carsten says he was also pretty nervous making his first satellite contact just a month after earning his General and called on dad for some help.

“I hadn’t learned completely how to point and polarize the antenna yet. So I was more talking and he was helping me out through what I was going to say since FM satellites are rather quick so it’s kind of hard to understand when you’re first doing them. So he was helping me out with the call signs, what to say, what to copy and what grid square I was. I didn’t know what grid square we were in yet.”

Since that first contact, Carsten has well over 100 satellite contacts in the log and has activated a number of rare grid squares. He begins high school this fall and says his interest in kit-building, especially soldering components, might set him on the path to electrical engineering.

Carsten Glasbrenner, KQ4SJM, prepares to make a satellite contact on a SOTA/POTA/grid square rove in Colorado last week. (Credit, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA).

Carsten says his interest in sharing his new-found hobby with other young people led to invitations to speak at Hamcation and the Dayton Hamvention and earned him a position as AMSAT’s youngest Ambassador. This past March, Carsten’s proposal to get more young hams working satellites became a reality. It’s called “Students On the Air” days and they’re held the first and third Tuesdays of each month.

Carsten will be presented with the YHOTY award at the Huntsville Hamfest on Saturday, August 22 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

A previous YHOTY award winner, from 2024, is one of four top achievers receiving scholarships from the Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) to support their continued studies. The Ethel Smith K2LMB Memorial Scholarship is being awarded to Grace Papay, K8LG, who is being recognized for the second year in a row with this scholarship. The third-generation ham is a top contester in addition to being a satellite enthusiast. She was the first recipient younger than 21 to receive the AMSAT Grid Master Award. The Michigan resident is studying electrical engineering at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio. Other recipients of YLRL scholarships this year are Katie Campbell, KE8LQR, Sabrina Mol, WS8EMT, and Kanushi Desai, KE8RNA.

The Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award program is cosponsored by Amateur Radio Newsline™, along with Yaesu USA, CQ Publishing, Heil Sound Ltd. and RadioWavz. The award was created in 1986 by ARNewsline™ founder Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF.

[ANS thanks Amateur Radio Newsline for the above information.]

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LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!

AMSAT is offering a limited-time promotion for new and renewing members that includes a free digital copy of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites. The promotion is being offered as AMSAT begins the 2026 membership year.

Anyone who joins or renews their AMSAT membership during the promotional period will receive a download link for the latest edition of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites in their membership confirmation email. JOIN TODAY at https://launch.amsat.org/ (Remember! Students join for FREE!)

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FireSat Constellation Launches First Operational Satellites to Transform Wildfire Tracking

As critical wildfire conditions continue to impact North America, the Google-supported FireSat initiative has marked a major milestone. As previously noted in ANS-186,  the first three operational satellites, Firesat-1, -2, and -3, dedicated to the constellation have successfully achieved orbit. The satellites were launched aboard a SpaceX Transporter-17 rideshare mission on July 7, 2026.

The microsatellites were developed by spacecraft manufacturer Muon Space and are managed by the nonprofit Earth Fire Alliance (EFA), signifying a transition from prototype validation to active, global deployment.

“Protoflight” Mission

This latest deployment follows successful testing of the program’s technology in orbit.

The FireSat prototype, ProtoFlight, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a SpaceX Transporter-13 mission in March 2025. The primary objective of this pilot mission was to test and validate the constellation’s novel system design and its end-to-end data product workflow. According to program reports, the prototype successfully detected wildfires of various types and sizes across five continents, proving the concept prior to this larger deployment.

Satellite Design and Payload Specifications

FireSat is a purpose-built satellite constellation to focus on wildfire detection and monitoring using high resolution infrared data. [Credit: Google Research]

Designed specifically to address the historical gap where emergency responders relied on weather or Earth-imaging satellites built for other purposes, FireSat features a purpose-built architecture tailored for high-cadence wildfire observation.

• Multispectral IR Radiometer: Each satellite carries an advanced six-channel multispectral infrared payload spanning across five distinct bands, optimized around mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (TIR) thermal window channels.

• Swath and Resolution: The instrument utilizes a cross-track scanning method featuring an expansive 1,500-kilometer (930 miles) observation swath and an average ground sample distance resolution of 80 meters (260 feet).

• Small-Fire Sensitivity: By leveraging high thermal sensitivity, the satellite can detect heat sources occupying only a fraction of an image pixel, allowing the constellation to identify early-stage ignitions and hot spots as small as 5 by 5 meters (16-by-16 feet or roughly 270 square feet).

• Through-Smoke Performance: The onboard sensors are engineered to pierce through thick layers of smoke and cloud cover while maintaining a false-positive detection rate of less than 5%.

Core Data Products

FireSat’s infrared imagery shows the Nipigon 6 fire in Ontario, Canada, on June 15, 2025, identifying active fire regions at the top, both active flames and burn scars in the middle, and old burn scars at the bottom. [Credit: Muon Space and Earth Fire Alliance]

FireSat generates a robust suite of specialized data products to feed directly into operational firefighting workflows and scientific research:

• Hotspot Identification: Near real-time detection of new or growing ignitions to catch fires early.

• Fire Perimeter: Continuously updated boundaries of the outer edge of a fire to coordinate safe resource allocation.

• Fire Progression: Critical situational awareness tracking spread rate, speed, and direction for evacuation planning.

• Fire Radiative Power: Quantification of released energy to help researchers assess ecosystem impacts and estimate carbon emissions.

Following initial on-orbit testing and calibration, the operational satellites will deliver data at least twice daily to firefighting agencies, modelers, and scientists in EFA’s Early Adopter Program.

The initiative is backed by foundational support from California’s CAL FIRE,  tech contributions from Google.org and Google Research, and a  commitment from the Bezos Earth Fund.

For more information:

Firesat: https://earthfirealliance.org/about-firesat/ and https://sites.research.google/gr/wildfires/firesat/

Earth Fire Alliance: https://earthfirealliance.org/

Article: https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/07/google-backed-satellites-for-wildfire-detection-launch-as-smoke-chokes-us-canada/

[ANS thanks Ars Technica,  Earth Fire Alliance, and Google Research for the above information.]

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Amateur Radio and UmKA-1 (RS-40S) Satellite Celebrate “Day of the Moon”

Amateur radio operators worldwide are participating in a special slow-scan television (SSTV) event celebrating the “Day of the Moon.” The event features transmissions from the Russian UmKA-1 (RS-40S) satellite.

The UmKA-1 satellite was developed by the Center for Scientific Creativity team at Podolsk School № 29 as part of the School Space Telescope project. The spacecraft was built using the OrbiCraft-Pro platform developed by Sputnix. Its payload features the high-powered Leptonar-20955K telescope and a PlayerOne Saturn-C SQR astronomical digital camera.

 

 

UmKA-1 satellite created by the team of the Center for Scientific Creativity, Podolsk School № 29 [Credit: Spaceπ]

The special transmission started on July 20, 2026 and is expected to continue till  July 26, 2026.

During this period, UmKA-1 is active on a downlink frequency of 437.625 MHz FM.

Those listening can expect a mix of special audio clips as well as SSTV images, which will alternate day-to-day. The SSTV images will transmit in Robot 36 mode.

The expected schedule follows:

• July 20: SSTV and Audio

• July 21: Text

• July 22: Text

• July 23: SSTV and Audio

• July 24: Text

• July 25: SSTV and Audio

• July 26: Short-term technical broadcast

Telemetry of the UmKA-1 (RS-40S) satellite:

Network of amateur radio satellite stations “Efir” – https://r4uab.ru/satdb/umka-1/
Network “Sonics” – https://sonik.space/satellites/SDUV-9624-5611-1090-5908/

You can follow the broadcast and updates in the @AmateurSat group.

While the satellite’s primary mission is Earth observation and educational outreach, this special event provides a fantastic opportunity for amateurs to capture unique imagery and audio from space.

Radio amateurs have already begun sharing recordings of the decoded SSTV audio and images. You can find examples on various amateur satellite tracking forums and social media groups.

Operators are encouraged to share their successful receptions.

[ANS thanks Daily Ham Weekly and R4UAB for the above information.]

---

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Add AMSAT’s Getting Started With Amateur Satellites to your order.

Available for $29.95 from HRO (free shipping on most orders over $100)
https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-019238

---

HAMQ: The All-in-One iPhone Powerhouse for Satellite and Portable Ops

Amateur radio operators interested in satellite communications, slow-scan television (SSTV), and portable operations have a new tool available. HAMQ, a comprehensive application developed by Mao, BG5AXS, has officially launched for the iPhone.

---

The 2026 Coins Are Here! Help Support GOLF-TEE and Fox-Plus.
Annual memberships start at only $120.

---

Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for July 24, 2026

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.

General Perturbations Data Support

AMSAT is pleased to announce that modern forms of what are called General Perturbations data are being disseminated via modern formats including JSON, XML and KVN at https://newark192.amsat.org/gpdata/current/. The reason this change is being made is that we are running out of 5-digit catalog numbers and the TLE format is not viable for satellites launched after July of this year. See https://celestrak.org/NORAD/documentation/gp-data-formats.php for details.

These data are presently considered in beta test for the next two months while hosted on the test server newark192.amsat.org, and we are very open to community feedback at webmaster [at] amsat.org. Testers may experience outages and errors while we make improvements. We intend to put this into production on our main web server in July as we expect that satellites launched after this summer will require one of the new formats to accommodate longer object numbers. AMSAT will continue to publish TLE bulletins for satellites launched before July 2026 indefinitely.

[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.

Scheduled Contacts

+ Recently Completed

Planetario de Orizaba, Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, telebridge via ON4ISS
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS
The scheduled crew member was Sophie Adenot, KJ5LTN
The ARISS mentor was VE3TBD
Contact was successful: Thu 2026-07-23 17:07:12 UTC

POIC at Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, telebridge via ON4ISS
The ISS callsign was  TBD
The scheduled crewmember was Williams, KJ5GEW
The ARISS mentor was KI5SDP
Contact was successful: Fri 2026-07-24 17:56:30 UTC

+ Upcoming

YOTA Camp 2026 IARU-R1 OEVSV, Wagrain, Salzburg, Austria, telebridge via VK4ISS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Sophie Adenot, KJ5LTN
The ARISS mentor is IN3GHZ
Contact is go for: Wed 2026-07-29 12:59:44 UTC 48 deg

“Kosmos” Space Station, Elabuga District, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Anna Kikina
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for Thu 2026-07-30 11:35 UTC

Many times, a school makes a last-minute decision to do a Livestream or runs into a last-minute glitch requiring a change of the URL, but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

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

The crossband repeater remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the microphone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air—so keep listening, as you never know when activity might occur. Radio will be powered down in support of Soyuz undocking and onboard maintenance:
Power down: July 25 at 21:50 UTC
Power up: July 27 at 15:50 UTC

Kenwood D710GA in the Zvezda Service Module – Call sign RS0ISS. Please note we’re still in the process of troubleshooting and testing this radio. APRS is currently active on 437.825 MHz. Feel free to check out status reports at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_APRS/. Radio will be powered down in support of Soyuz undocking:
Power down: July 25 at 21:55 UTC
Power up: N/A

​HamTV in the Columbus Module (2395.00 MHz) is currently transmitting a test signal. The color bar test generator portion of the system is experiencing technical issues, and troubleshooting is underway.  For more information, visit the ARISS Ham TV Live site at https://live.ariss.org/hamtv/. Ham TV will be powered down in support of payload operations and onboard maintenance:
Power down: July 22 at 14:40 UTC
Power up: July 27 at 15:45 UTC

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operating 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.]

---

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,

“Think a 75-minute presentation on “working the easy satellites” would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint [at] gmail [dot] com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!”

Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences.

Scheduled Events

44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting
October 8-11, 2026
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218

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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AMSAT News Service

ANS-200
July 19, 2026

In this edition:

* Voting Now Underway in 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election
* U.S. Space Force Satellite Catalog Reaches Six-Digit Numbers
* NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft Awakens from Record Hibernation
* Scientists Building Massive Deep Synoptic Array in Nevada Desert
* Updated VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standings for July 2026
* Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for July 17, 2026
* ARISS News
* 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/

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Voting Now Underway in 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election

The nomination period for the 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election concluded on June 15, 2026. The following candidates were nominated, and their official candidate statements are available on the AMSAT 2026 Board of Directors Election website.

• Rich Gopstein, KD2CQ
• Mark Hammond, N8MH
• Bruce Paige, KK5DO
• Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
• Douglas Tabor, N6UA

Three seats on the AMSAT Board of Directors are being filled in this year’s election. The three candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be elected to the Board. The candidates receiving the next highest vote totals will be named First Alternate and Second Alternate, respectively. Voting opened on July 15, 2026, and will conclude on September 15, 2026. Election results will be announced no later than September 30, 2026.

Current AMSAT members may review the official candidate statements and cast their ballots on the AMSAT 2026 Board of Directors Election website: https://launch.amsat.org/2026-BoD-Election

[ANS thanks Douglas Tabor, N6UA, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information]

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U.S. Space Force Satellite Catalog Reaches Six-Digit Numbers

The U.S. Space Force’s authoritative satellite catalog entered a new era on July 11, 2026, when newly assigned catalog numbers advanced from the five-digit sequence ending at 69,999 directly to six-digit catalog number 100,000. Space-Track announced the change and advised users to review its Alpha-5 information and frequently asked questions to ensure that Two-Line Element (TLE) and Three-Line Element (3LE) parsers, along with API queries, remain compatible with the expanded numbering system. The milestone marks the beginning of permanent six-digit catalog numbers for newly cataloged space objects.

The milestone was reached with the cataloging of Saramago, also known as Lusíada 3, one of four Portuguese communications satellites developed by LusoSpace. Named in honor of Nobel Prize-winning author José Saramago, the satellite is part of the Lusíada constellation, which uses Automatic Identification System (AIS) and VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) technology to improve maritime safety, vessel tracking, weather reporting, and ocean data services. The transition occurred one day earlier than CelesTrak had predicted.

Although the traditional TLE format has served the satellite community for decades, its fixed-field design was never intended to accommodate six-digit catalog numbers. Space-Track is maintaining compatibility through its Alpha-5 encoding system, while CelesTrak will distribute General Perturbations (GP) data for catalog numbers 100,000 and above using modern formats such as JSON, XML, CSV, and Key-Value Notation (KVN). These newer formats also eliminate the long-standing two-digit year limitation inherited from the legacy TLE format.

CelesTrak began supporting the modern GP formats in May 2020, giving software developers several years to prepare for the eventual transition. AMSAT likewise anticipated the change by introducing GP data distribution through its Orbital Elements service. Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, announced that AMSAT would provide orbital elements in JSON, XML, and KVN formats while continuing to publish traditional TLE bulletins indefinitely for satellites cataloged before the six-digit transition.

For most amateur satellite operators, the change will be largely transparent when tracking existing satellites. However, software that assumes all catalog numbers contain no more than five numeric digits may require updates before it can process newly cataloged spacecraft. Developers and operators of satellite tracking applications, automated ground stations, and custom scripts are encouraged to verify compatibility with Alpha-5 encoded TLEs or one of the newer GP data formats.

While the transition may appear to be a simple numbering change, it represents one of the most significant updates to satellite orbital data distribution in decades. As launch rates continue to increase and the number of tracked satellites and debris objects grows, six-digit catalog numbers and modern orbital data formats will ensure the U.S. Space Force’s authoritative satellite catalog continues to support both the amateur and professional space communities for years to come.

### For More Information

AMSAT General Perturbations data:
https://newark192.amsat.org/gpdata/current/

CelesTrak General Perturbations data formats:
https://celestrak.org/NORAD/documentation/gp-data-formats.php

Space-Track Alpha-5 information and frequently asked questions:
https://www.space-track.org/

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, Dr. T.S. Kelso of CelesTrak, and Space-Track for the above information]

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NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft Awakens from Record Hibernation

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has awakened from its longest hibernation period ever and resumed active operations as it continues its pioneering exploration of the Kuiper Belt beyond Pluto. Flight controllers confirmed on June 23 that the spacecraft had safely emerged from a 321-day hibernation that began on Aug. 7, 2025. Now approximately 5.9 billion miles (9.5 billion kilometers) from Earth, New Horizons remains healthy and is preparing to return stored science data collected during its dormant period. The spacecraft continues to operate far beyond Pluto as one of humanity’s most distant active planetary science missions.

The successful wake-up demonstrates the remarkable reliability of autonomous spacecraft operations across the vast distances of the outer solar system. Commands directing the spacecraft to awaken were uploaded nearly a year earlier before New Horizons entered hibernation. Because radio signals now require approximately 8 hours and 52 minutes to travel one way between Earth and the spacecraft, confirmation of the wake-up reached mission controllers through NASA’s Deep Space Network station near Madrid, Spain, nearly nine hours after it was transmitted. Such long communication delays require the spacecraft to perform routine operations independently while awaiting instructions from Earth.

Mission teams periodically place New Horizons into hibernation during extended cruise phases to conserve onboard resources and reduce operational demands while continuing valuable scientific observations. During hibernation, operators do not send routine commands or retrieve stored data, but the spacecraft continues collecting measurements using several science instruments. Throughout the 321-day hibernation period, New Horizons transmitted a weekly health-status beacon indicating that all systems were functioning normally. According to Mission Operations Manager Alice Bowman, every weekly status report received during the hibernation period was “green,” confirming the spacecraft remained in excellent health.

With the spacecraft once again fully operational, engineers will first review spacecraft health and safety data before beginning the download of scientific observations collected during hibernation. The Alice ultraviolet spectrograph will soon begin new observations of hydrogen gas in the outer heliosphere, while the Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument, the Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation (PEPSSI), and the Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter continue monitoring the space environment in the distant reaches of the solar system. The mission team is also completing upgrades to ground-system software that will simplify long-term spacecraft operations.

Engineers have also updated the spacecraft’s onboard autonomy software to support operations even farther from the Sun. The improvements account for the gradual decline in electrical power produced by New Horizons’ radioisotope power system and the steadily increasing communications delay as the spacecraft travels deeper into interstellar space. These enhancements will allow the spacecraft to continue conducting scientific observations with minimal intervention from Earth while remaining responsive to changing mission conditions.

Launched in January 2006, New Horizons became the fastest spacecraft ever launched at the time and completed a gravity-assist flyby of Jupiter in 2007 before making humanity’s first close exploration of Pluto in July 2015. The spacecraft later performed the first flyby of a Kuiper Belt object, Arrokoth, on Jan. 1, 2019, and has continued studying the Kuiper Belt, the outer heliosphere, and the space environment beyond the planets. More than two decades after launch, New Horizons continues expanding our understanding of the outer solar system while demonstrating the remarkable capabilities of long-duration deep-space communications and autonomous spacecraft operations.

For more information on NASA’s New Horizons mission, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/new-horizons/

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]

---

Buying from Ham Radio Outlet?
Add AMSAT’s Getting Started With Amateur Satellites to your order.

Available for $29.95 from HRO (free shipping on most orders over $100)
https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-019238

---

Scientists Building Massive Deep Synoptic Array in Nevada Desert

A new radio telescope planned for Nevada could dramatically change how astronomers observe the radio universe. The Deep Synoptic Array (DSA), a project led by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), recently passed its final design review, clearing the way for construction of what researchers describe as the most sensitive radio telescope ever built.

When completed, the array will consist of 1,650 radio dishes spread across an area approximately 12 by 10 miles (20 by 16 kilometers). The telescope is designed to combine the sensitivity normally associated with giant single-dish observatories with the sharp imaging capabilities of large interferometer arrays. Science operations are expected to begin near the end of the decade.

Researchers say the DSA will survey the sky at a pace far beyond existing radio observatories. Current radio telescopes have collectively identified approximately 20 million radio sources, but project scientists estimate the DSA could detect a similar number during its first day of operation. Over the course of its initial survey, the telescope is expected to catalog nearly one billion radio-emitting objects.

Among the telescope’s most ambitious goals is the study of fast radio bursts, pulsars, black holes, and other transient phenomena. The system will continuously monitor large portions of the sky, allowing astronomers to rapidly locate brief events that might otherwise be missed. The telescope is also expected to support follow-up observations of gravitational-wave detections and could discover more than 20,000 previously unknown pulsars.

A key feature of the project is a real-time processing system that developers describe as a “radio camera.” Rather than recording massive quantities of raw data for later analysis, the system will create science-ready radio images as observations are collected. This approach dramatically reduces storage requirements while allowing observations to be shared quickly with researchers around the world.

The Deep Synoptic Array also incorporates several unusual engineering solutions aimed at reducing costs while maintaining performance. Among them is the use of specially modified aluminum cake pans manufactured by the bakeware company Fat Daddio’s as components within the antenna feed system. Combined with room-temperature receivers, GPU-based processing, and a high-speed fiber-optic network, the innovations demonstrate how modern radio astronomy increasingly relies on advances in both computing and manufacturing to explore the universe.

Read the full article at: https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/caltech-readies-to-build-worlds-most-sensitive-radio-telescope

[ANS thanks Whitney Clavin, Caltech, for the above information]

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Updated VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standings for July 2026

VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Changes for June 01, 2026 to July 01, 2026.

Callsign	Previous VUCC Grids	Updated VUCC Grids
DF2ET	1801	1902
DL2GRC	1650	1800
F4BKV	1300	1502
VU2LBW	1000	1111
UW7LL	754	1009
N0GVK	871	899
LU3FCA	684	734
A65BR	701	733
JI5USJ	526	551
SV8CKM	285	417
K5WO	350	365
N8HRZ	343	361
WA8ZID	230	233
KG5IPA	135	201
WB5TX	170	175
M0AQM	New	105
N4ERZ	New	101

Congratulations to MØAQM and N4ERZ on earning their VUCC Satellite Awards! MØAQM is the first VUCC Satellite award holder from Maidenhead grid IO83.

DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Changes for June 01, 2026 to July 01, 2026.

Callsign	Previous DXCC Entities	Updated DXCC Entities
OE9DGV	217	221
DL2GRC	201	203
SP8NR	177	194
I3BUI	180	189
G4GIR	176	185
HB9RYZ	173	175
EA2AA	172	174
F6AOJ	153	162
LA6OP	160	162
IK5CBE	154	160
DL4ZAB	139	159
LA7XK	119	132
K8DP	129	131
I4DOR	113	130
I4MKN	101	130
TF1A	117	119
K8LG	New	116
OH3DP	101	110
SV8CKM	100	109
HB9BIN	104	105
YL2KF	New	100

Congratulations to new DXCC Satellite award holders K8LG and YL2KF!

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

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The 2026 Coins Are Here! Help Support GOLF-TEE and Fox-Plus.
Annual memberships start at only $120.

---

Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for July 17, 2026

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.

General Perturbations Data Support

AMSAT is pleased to announce that modern forms of what are called General Perturbations data are being disseminated via modern formats including JSON, XML and KVN at https://newark192.amsat.org/gpdata/current/. The reason this change is being made is that we are running out of 5-digit catalog numbers and the TLE format is not viable for satellites launched after July of this year. See https://celestrak.org/NORAD/documentation/gp-data-formats.php for details.

These data are presently considered in beta test for the next two months while hosted on the test server newark192.amsat.org, and we are very open to community feedback at webmaster [at] amsat.org. Testers may experience outages and errors while we make improvements. We intend to put this into production on our main web server in July as we expect that satellites launched after this summer will require one of the new formats to accommodate longer object numbers. AMSAT will continue to publish TLE bulletins for satellites launched before July 2026 indefinitely.

[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.

Scheduled Contacts

+ Recently Completed

Pacific State University, Khabarovsk, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The crewmember was Pyotr Dubrov
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful: Fri 2026-07-17 09:15 UTC
Congratulations to the Pacific State University students, Pyotr, and ARISS mentor RV3DR!

+ Upcoming Contacts

Planetario de Orizaba, Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, telebridge via ON4ISS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Sophie Adenot KJ5LTN
The ARISS mentor is VE3TBD
Contact is go for: Thu 2026-07-23 17:07:12 UTC

POIC at Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, telebridge via ON4ISS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be TBD
The scheduled crewmember is Williams KJ5GEW
The ARISS mentor is KI5SDP
Contact is go for: Fri 2026-07-24 17:56:30 UTC

Many times, a school makes a last-minute decision to do a Livestream or runs into a last-minute glitch requiring a change of the URL, but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

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

The crossband repeater remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the microphone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air—so keep listening, as you never know when activity might occur.

Kenwood D710GA in the Zvezda Service Module – Call sign RS0ISS. Please note we’re still in the process of troubleshooting and testing this radio. APRS is currently active on 437.825 MHz. Feel free to check out status reports at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_APRS/.

​HamTV in the Columbus Module (2395.00 MHz) is currently transmitting a test signal. The color bar test generator portion of the system is experiencing technical issues, and troubleshooting is underway. For more information, visit the ARISS Ham TV Live site at https://live.ariss.org/hamtv/.

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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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,

“Think a 75-minute presentation on “working the easy satellites” would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint [at] gmail [dot] com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!”

Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences.

Scheduled Events

44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting – October 8 thru 11, 2026
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
https://www.amsat.org/2026-amsat-symposium/

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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AMSAT News Service

ANS-193
July 12, 2026

In this edition:

• May/June 2026 issue of The AMSAT Journal is now available
• AMSAT-UK ahowcase at EMF2026 – July 16th to July 17th
• Space X launches Transporter-17 among concerns about the future  
• 14 million tracks and counting: How SATNOGS hit a new milestone and caught a spinning satellite 
• Securing the future – The orbit stabilization of Swift Observatory
• Changes to AMSAT TLE distribution for July 10 20206
• ARISS News
• 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/

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May/June 2026 issue of The AMSAT Journal is now available

The May/June 2026 issue of The AMSAT Journal is now available to members on AMSAT’s Member Portal.

The AMSAT Journal is a bi-monthly digital magazine for amateur radio in space enthusiasts, published by the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT). Each issue is your source for hardware and software projects, technical tips, STEM initiatives, operational activities, and news from around the world.

Inside the Current Issue

• Apogee View – Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
• Educational Relations Update – Alan Johnston, Ph.D., KU2Y
• CardSat: A Full Satellite Station Controller in Your Pocket – Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
• OrbitDeck: A Free, Cross-Platform Satellite Tracker – Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
• How Field Day Inspired My Parks on the Air Portable Satellite Station – Roger Weed, Ph.D., KV4I
• Hamvention 2026 Takeaways: A Record Crowd – and a Signal for AMSAT – Joe Kornowski, KB6IGK
• Hamvention 2026 Gallery

Not yet a member of AMSAT? Join now to access this issue, and the library of past issues of The AMSAT Journal, in addition to other member benefits.

[ANS thanks Joe Kornowski, KB6IGK, Editor-in-Chief, and The AMSAT Journal staff, for the above information.]

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AMSAT-UK Showcase at Electromagnetic Field 2026 – July 16-19

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!

AMSAT is offering a limited-time promotion for new and renewing members that includes a free digital copy of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites. The promotion is being offered as AMSAT begins the 2026 membership year.

Anyone who joins or renews their AMSAT membership during the promotional period will receive a download link for the latest edition of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites in their membership confirmation email. JOIN TODAY at https://launch.amsat.org/ (Remember! Students join for FREE!)

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The 2026 President’s Club Coin is Now Here! Help Support GOLF and FoxPlus.

Annual memberships start at only $120

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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Securing the Future: Orbit Stabilization of Swift Observatory 

• The Objective: The Swift Observatory has operated since 2004, but after two decades, atmospheric drag has caused its orbit to decay significantly. Without intervention, there is a high probability that it would reenter the atmosphere in 2026. The mission aims to raise Swift’s orbit to approximately 600 km to preserve its unique capability for detecting gamma-ray bursts.
• The Spacecraft (LINK): LINK is a 425 kg spacecraft equipped with two 6-meter solar arrays and three xenon-fueled ion thrusters. It features autonomous navigation systems and three robotic arms specifically designed for non-cooperative capture.
• Innovative Methodology: This mission represents the first attempt to recover an “unprepared” spacecraft — one that was never designed with docking fixtures or grappling points. LINK will autonomously approach Swift, perform a visual inspection, and use its specialized robotic mechanism to secure a structural feature of the observatory without damaging its sensitive instrument.
• Current Status: LINK was launched on July 3, 2026, from Kwajalein Island aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus-XL rocket. Teams have successfully established communications with the spacecraft, which is currently undergoing several weeks of checkout procedures for its propulsion and navigation systems before beginning its rendezvous with Swift.

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Buying from DX Engineering?
Add AMSAT’s Getting Started With Amateur Satellites to your order.Available for $30 from DX Engineering (free shipping on most orders over $99)
https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/amt-satellites

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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:

The International Aerospace School named after the USSR test cosmonaut U.N. Sultanov, Ufa, Russia, direct via UD9W
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The crewmember was Andrey Fedyaev
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact was for Fri 2026-07-10 19:29 UTC

Due to summer school vacations, no upcoming contacts currently scheduled.

As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.
Radio will be powered down in support of Soyuz docking:
Power down: July 14 at 14:00 UTC
Power up: July 15 at 12:35 UTC

The crossband repeater remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the microphone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air—so keep listening, as you never know when activity might occur.

Kenwood D710GA in the Zvezda Service Module – Call sign RSØISS. Please note that ARISS is still in the process of troubleshooting and testing this radio. APRS is currently active on 437.825 MHz. Feel free to check out status reports at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_APRS/. 

​HamTV in the Columbus Module (2395.00 MHz) is currently transmitting a test signal. The color bar test generator portion of the system is experiencing technical issues, and troubleshooting is underway. For more information, visit the ARISS Ham TV Live site at https://live.ariss.org/hamtv/.

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

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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.

July 18, 2026
Moon Day
Frontiers of Flight Museum
6911 Lemmon Avenue
Dallas, TX 75209
https://flightmuseum.com/events/moonday/
N5HYP

October 8-11, 2026
44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
Details to follow

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

+ AMSAT SA 2026 Space Symposium will be held Saturday, 1 August 2026. The event is conducted online from 10:00 – 14:00 SAST (08:00 – 12:00 UTC) to enable wide attendance without incurring large travel costs. The theme is “The new Amateur Radio World in Space,” exploring practical hands-on aspects of space activities and emerging technologies. Presentations will include outcomes of proposals for new geostationary amateur satellites, including innovative ground-based systems to link LEO and GEO satellite.  Registration is free for members of IARU member societies, while non-members pay a small fee. Visit the AMSAT-SA website for registration details. (ANS thanks AMSAT-SA, 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).
• Students are eligible for FREE membership up to age 25.
• 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,
Vidya Gopalakrishnan, K4VGK

ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002. AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.