[sarex] Delivery of Suitsat Hardware to NASA JSC

["Frank H. Bauer" <ka3hdo@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

All,

I am proud to announce that today the ARISS-US team has delivered their 
portion of the Suitsat hardware to the NASA Johnson Space Center.  NASA is 
in the process of shipping this hardware to Energia in Russia where it is 
expected to be certified and integrated with the Russian team's Suitsat 
equipment for eventual launch on the 19P Progress launch vehicle in the 
August/September 2005 timeframe.

The Suitsat amateur radio system, coupled with a school artwork DVD project 
that will be delivered later this month, is planned to be installed in an 
outdated Russian Orlon spacesuit in late September.  It will then be 
deployed from the ISS during an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA, or 
spacewalk).  The Suitsat amateur radio system will beam down special 
messages and an SSTV image from within the Orlon space suit as it floats in 
space.  Suitsat radio system will allow hams and students to track the suit 
and decode special international messages, space suit telemetry, and a 
pre-programmed Slow Scan TV image through its specially-built digital voice 
messaging system and amateur radio transmitter.  As built, Suitsat will be 
a transmit-only capability that will run on the space suit's battery 
power.

The idea for Suitsat was first conceived by the ARISS-Russia team, led by 
Sergey Samburov, RV3DR, and was extensively discussed at the joint AMSAT 
Symposium/ARISS International Partner meeting in October 2004.  The 
project, also called Radioskaf or Radio Sputnik in Russia, is being led by 
project manager A. P. Alexandrov and Deputy Project Manager A. Poleshuk 
from RSC Energia, located in Korolev (Moscow area) Russia.   On the US 
side, the hardware project development was led by Lou McFadin, W5DID.

Since October the Suitsat design concept matured and evolved due to the 
challenging development time constraints.  A joint NASA letter, allowing 
the ARISS team to proceed forward with the Suitsat project was signed on 
May 10, 2005.  In the four short weeks since that letter was signed, the US 
project team, has designed, built and tested a simple, yet fully featured 
system that we hope will inspire hams and students around the world.

On behalf of the ARISS International team, I want to congratulate the 
Suitsat hardware development team for their "Can Do" spirit and ability to 
deliver the Suitsat hardware on such a very challenging schedule.

Congratulations!!!!!

Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO
ARISS International Chairman
AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs 
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