[sarex] ARISS NEWS

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ARISS Press Release
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO  ARISS-US Delegation


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ISS Amateur Radio Accommodations meeting held at the NASA Johnson Space
Center in Houston

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A series of extremely successful International Space Station (ISS) 
Amateur Radio accommodation meetings were held at the NASA Johnson Space 
Center in Houston from January 22-27.  These pivotal meetings were 
sponsored by NASA and by Energia, the Russian space company that is 
building portions of ISS.
 
The primary objectives of these meetings were to finalize the design
development of the "Initial Station" amateur radio hardware for ISS and 
to develop a more effective understanding and advocacy of the Amateur 
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program within NASA and 
Energia.

In addition to representatives from NASA and Energia, the ARISS "Initial
Station" hardware development teams from the US, Russia, Germany and 
Italy were invited to participate in the meetings.  The Initial Station 
design, solidified during the July 1998 ARISS meeting in Surrey, 
England, consists of 2 meter and 70 cm handheld radios, a packet radio 
system and power supplies, provided by the US team, a Digitalker, 
provided by the German team, antenna feedthroughs and power and space 
accommodations provided by the Russian team and the development of an 
antenna system which is led by the Italian delegation.  NASA will be 
providing a Space Shuttle launch to transport the Initial Station 
hardware to the ISS and has financially supported the flight 
qualification of the Initial Station Hardware. Some of
the testing required by NASA and Energia to flight qualify this hardware
includes the development of a safety analysis package, hardware 
performance testing, ISS interface testing, electromagnetic interference 
testing, and toxic chemical offgassing testing.  Both NASA and Energia 
are intimately involved in the external outfitting of the planned 
antennas systems through special astronaut spacewalks or EVAs.

The following ARISS team members from various IARU and AMSAT 
organizations were invited to attend and participate in these meetings:

Sergej Samburov, RV3DR, Representing Energia, AMSAT-Russia and 
ARISS-Russia
Ron Parise, WA4SIR, Representing the ARISS-US Hardware Delegation
Lou McFadin, W5DID, Representing the ARISS-US Hardware Delegation
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, Representing NASA, AMSAT-NA, and ARISS-US
Matt Bordelon, KC5BTL, Representing NASA and ARISS-US
Thomas Kieselbach, DL2MDE, Representing the ARISS-German Hardware 
Delegation
Alberto Zagni, I2KBD, Representing the ARISS-Italian Hardware Delegation
Fabrizio Bernardini, I0QIT, Representing the ARISS-Italian Hardware 
Delegation
Luca Bertagnolio, IK2OVV, Representing the ARISS-Italian Hardware 
Delegation

During the meeting, Sergej Samburov, RV3DR, the President of 
AMSAT-Russia in Moscow and the Chief of the Cosmonaut Amateur Radio 
Department at Energia, confirmed that 4 dual-use antenna feedthroughs 
have been installed on the Russian Service Module.  These dual-use 
feedthroughs are expected to support amateur radio operations and ISS 
proximity video capability during Russian and US spacewalks.   He also 
confirmed his strong desire to work with the ARISS international 
partners to develop a single, coordinated amateur radio station on ISS.

Key NASA official stated that they, too, need a single, international 
focal point to coordinate amateur radio development and operations on 
ISS if amateur radio on ISS is to have a future.  During the meeting, 
these NASA officials were extremely pleased with the high level of 
flight hardware expertise and on-orbit operations knowledge that the 
ARISS international partners are providing to NASA and Energia.  The 
ARISS international team was formed over two years ago to provide this 
single focal point to the space officials at NASA (US), Energia 
(Russia), NASDA (Japan) and ESA (Europe). 

Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, AMSAT-NA's Vice President for Human Spaceflight 
Programs, commented, "I was extremely impressed with the tremendous 
teamwork, camaraderie and cooperation that the ARISS International 
Partners exhibited during these pivotal meetings with NASA
and Energia.  Together we share a common vision to develop and operate a
multifaceted amateur radio station on ISS that will be a great 
recreational outlet for the on-orbit crews, an exciting DXpedition 
station for hams on the ground and an outstanding educational outreach 
tool for students."

In the near future, additional information from these meetings will be
provided including discussions on:

ARISS Initial Configuration & Delivery Schedule to ISS
Antenna System Design
Antenna Locations on Service Module and initial plans for ARISS EVAs
Meetings with NASA Senior Managers
Digitalker design
ARISS Frequencies
Future installation of an SSTV system
Express Pallet opportunities

The ARISS hardware team discussed and reaffirmed their long planned
commitment to solicit proposals from the amateur radio community to 
develop follow-on amateur radio hardware for ISS.  Proposals chosen to 
proceed forward would then be coordinated through a NASA/Energia 
employee-based radio working group that would negotiate power, volume 
and operations scenarios for the proposed equipment.  The ARISS 
international team is composed of representatives from the IARU and 
AMSAT societies in Russia, Italy, Germany, England, France, Canada, 
Japan and the US.  The Space Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) Working 
Group provides the US hardware and administrative representation to the 
ARISS international team.  Within the US, they coordinate the US 
hardware development, operations and educational outreach activities for 
the ARRL, AMSAT-NA and NASA.
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