The Latest News from AMSAT, as of 13 July, 2008 - 1308 UTC
The ANS news archives can be searched by keyword or browsed by date to locate past articles. |
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| AMSAT will now render NASA Breaking News and other news feeds as they become available. Suggestions for other XML/RSS news feeds can be submitted to the web team using the contact form. |
| NASA Breaking News |
NASA Announces Competitive Grant ProgramsThe grants will focus on improving science and engineering education. 07/17/08 |
Ultimate 'Ask the Experts' Experience for Corpus Christi StudentsStudents from the STARBASE Atlantis Naval Air Station education program in Corpus Christi, Texas, will participate in a live in-flight education downlink with the International Space Station on Wednesday, July 23, from 9:15 a.m. to 9:35 a.m. CDT. 07/17/08 |
Ultimate 'Ask the Experts' Experience for Corpus Christi StudentsStudents from the STARBASE Atlantis Naval Air Station education program in Corpus Christi, Texas, will participate in a live in-flight education downlink with the International Space Station on Wednesday, July 23, from 9:15 a.m. to 9:35 a.m. CDT. 07/17/08 |
NASA Names Strain New Goddard Space Flight Center DirectorNASA Administrator Michael Griffin on Thursday announced that Rob Strain will be the next center director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. 07/16/08 |
NASA Assigns Crew for Equipment Delivery Mission to Space StationNASA has assigned the crew for space shuttle mission STS-128. The flight will carry science and storage racks to the International Space Station. 07/15/08 |
NASA Spacecraft Shows Diverse, Wet Environments on Ancient MarsTwo studies based on data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have revealed that the Red Planet once hosted vast lakes, flowing rivers and a variety of other wet environments that had the potential to support life. 07/15/08 |
Small Businesses to Fly New Technologies on Zero-Gravity FlightsNASA's Innovative Partnerships Program has selected seven Small Business Innovation Research program, or SBIR, companies to participate in reduced-gravity test flights in early September. 07/16/08 |
NASA Teleconference to Announce Northern Lights FindingsNASA will hold a media teleconference on Thursday, July 24, at 1 p.m. EDT, to announce the first results from a fleet of five satellites that have discovered what powers sudden brightening and rapid movements of the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis. 07/16/08 |
Heads of Agency International Space Station Joint StatementThe heads of the International Space Station agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the United States met at European Space Agency Headquarters in Paris on July 17, 2008. 07/13/08 |
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| AO-51 Operations Update
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Gould, WA4SXM, AO-51 command station noted this week that the transmitter power on AO-51 has been down due to the length of eclipse that peaked about 2 weeks ago. AO-51 eclipse periods will continue to get shorter until September when we will see a no eclipse period for about 8 months.
Gould has been testing the charge/discharge rate. If any of the transmitters are off or have changed he reminds users to monitor the status message on the digital downlink.
At present AO-51 is operating TXA at 430 mW (digital downlink) and TXB at 470 mW (analog downlink). During the peak of the eclipse periods both transmitters were operating in the 340 mW range.
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| KiwiSAT Progress Report
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Progress report - June 2008
by Fred Kennedy ZL1BYP - KiwiSAT Project Leader
Just before the Christmas period a very successful funding appeal was launched on the by AMSAT-ZL President - Terry (ZL3QL) and I note with pleasure that the build fund swelled to 30% of the $10k target in a very short time. This is a brilliant response that boosts not only the financial resource but also the morale of the team! Believe me, building a bird is "mega" hard work (ask those that have done it before) and support from the eventual benefactors is very well received. The feeling that it's all worth while is restored - at least for a while!
In addition to the actual cash donations we also have a number individuals offering to sponsor a specific item - as did we (AMSAT-ZL) in the pre launch build-up for Phase 3D. Doing that provides a "personal input" to the project and we're looking into suitable identifiable sub-units.
In the last Status Report mention was made of the Solar Cell problems faced by the team. VERY recent events have, however, meant that this is no longer an impediment to progress!
A very thorough update of each of the satellite's subsystems is available at the AMSAT-ZL website
http://www.kiwisat.org.nz/status.html
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| Satellite Shorts From All Over
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- Reminder! Sunday is/was your last chance to e-mail your satellite operating logs from Field Day to Bruce, KK5DO. You may send them to kk5do@amsat.org or kk5do@arrl.net. The AMSAT Field Day rules can be found at: http://www.amsatnet.com/2008fd.pdf or http://www.amsatnet.com/2008fd.doc. Your entry is due by 11:59 P.M. CDT, Monday, July 14, 2008.
- Peter, DB2OS uploaded full-length videos about the integration and launch of OSCAR-10 OSCAR-13 at: http://en.sevenload.com/search/amsat/videos. There is also a video from the SDX demonstration from HamRadio 2008 in Friedrichshafen.
- Robert, W6RQR is looking for other satellite operators in New Mexico to help with a Satellite Forum at the Albuquerque Hamfest August 15 & 16. Contact Robert via rlasso (at)zianet.com if you can help.
- AMSAT-UK will be holding their 23rd International Space Colloquium at the University of Surrey, Guildford, England from Friday 25th until Sunday 27th July. See: http://www.uk.amsat.org/Colloquium/ for the latest information.
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| ARISS Status - 07 July 2008
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Upcoming School Contacts
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled with the Department of Astronomy & Space Sciences (DASS) at the Kuwait Science Club in Safat, Kuwait on Monday, July 14 at 17:05 UTC. Telebridge station WH6PN in Hawaii will assist with the contact. DASS aims to spread scientific awareness in the fields of astronomy and space sciences by actively engaging the public in exploring the cosmos. This educational activity will educate young people about space stations, satellites and ham radio. A national competition will be announced through the Ministry of Education for all schools in Kuwait. The competition will encourage students to do research in space science. Four students will be selected from 3 levels (elementary, middle, high school) to ask questions of the astronaut. Extensive media coverage is expected from at least 3 television stations, several newspapers, magazines and radio stations.
Simulated Contacts Successful
Two simulated Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contacts were held on Thursday, July 3. The training sessions were terrestrial-based amateur radio contacts using ARISS-equivalent equipment. Frank De Winne, ON1DWN, participated in the first contact with ESC (Euro Space Camp) in Belgium. The second contact took place between the Ottawa South United Soccer Club in Canada and astronaut Bob Thirsk, W5/VA3CSA. There was IRLP coverage of both contacts.
Successful ARISS Contact with Texan Scouts
On Friday, July 4, Round Rock Texas Scout Pack #304 and Blackland Prairie Elementary School in Round Rock, Texas participated in a successful Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact. Ten Scouts asked nearly twenty questions of Greg Chamitoff, KD5PKZ, before an audience of 100. Two broadcast television stations and one local cable news outlet reported on the event. To view the Fox video, see:
http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=6915557&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1
News 8 Austin also ran an article: http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=213480
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