Month: September 2014

New Challenge Coin Premium for AMSAT Fox Donations

by

AMSAT is excited to announce that a new premium collectable is now available for qualifying donations to the Fox satellite program. AMSAT has commissioned a unique challenge coin for donors who have contributed at the $100 level or higher. This challenge coin is shaped as an isometric view of a Fox-1 CubeSat, complete with details such as the stowed UHF antenna, solar cells, and camera lens viewport. Struck in 3mm thick brass, plated with antique silver, and finished in bright enamel, the coin is scaled to be approximately 1:4 scale, or 1 inch along each of the six sides. The reverse has the AMSAT Fox logo.

10665294_827617400594275_1401063514767949235_nThe coins are scheduled for delivery just prior to the 2014 AMSAT Space Symposium, and will be first distributed to donors attending the Symposium. Coins will also be made available to qualifying donors that have contributed since the Fox-1C announcement on July 18, 2014 upon request. Donations may be made via the AMSAT website, via the FundRazr crowdsourcing app at http://fnd.us/c/6pz92/sh/561Zd, or via the AMSAT office at (888) 322-6728.

The Fox program is designed to provide a platform for university experiments in space, as well as provide FM repeater capability for radio amateurs worldwide. Fox-1A and 1C are set to launch in 2015, and Fox-1B (also known as RadFXSat) is awaiting NASA ELANA launch assignment. Further information on the Fox project can be found at http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/?page_id=1113.

You may donate here via PayPal. Donations will be marked specifically for Fox-1C. Note that PayPal usually allows you to donate with a credit card, even if you do not have a PayPal account. However, PayPal requirements differ depending on your country. We have no control over this issue.

AMSAT 2014 Space Symposium’s Keynote Speaker will be Jan King, W3GEY

by
AMSAT Founding Member Jan King, W3GEY
AMSAT Founding Member Jan King, W3GEY

The AMSAT Space Symposium’s Keynote Speaker with be Jan King, W3GEY, founding member of AMSAT and former member of the Board of Directors & V.P. of Engineering. Jan’s keynote speech, entitled “Never, Never, Never Give Up!” will be presented during the Symposium banquet on Saturday October 11. As a teaser for his speech, Jan shared the following with our symposium team:

” So very much has changed in 45 years! For starters, our hobby of 1968 has become an industry. Launch vehicles can’t be had for the price of a NASA Administrator’s letter anymore. Launch costs are $100K per kilogram now.  ITAR? Not worth discussing. So, what do we do? Is it time to say, “We had a really good run at this” and let it go? We showed some people who cared and wanted to listen that you can do a lot with a little. Should we call it quits and give it up? There are those who ask me questions that start with, “Back in your day….?” It is particularly those people, I’d like to show…that we really

Jan King, W3GEY, prepares AMSAT-OSCAR 7 for a vibration test.
Jan King, W3GEY, prepares AMSAT-OSCAR 7 for a vibration test.

are made of the right stuff. We still have things we know that Government Experts and wide-eyed university graduate students don’t. Silicon Valley is now filled with satellite experts who aren’t. The average university graduating electrical engineer still can’t make a 2 meter pre-amp with a 1 dB noise figure, and wouldn’t know how to start. Unless, of course, they figured it out from the Internet. Ah yes, the Internet! Another small change since 1968. We’ll talk about it in October. Hope to see you in Baltimore. W3GEY.”

Results of 2014 AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Election Announced

by

As a result of the 2014 AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Election the following members were elected to serve for two years: Tom Clark, K3IO; JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM; and Lou McFadin, W5DID.  Jerry Buxton, N0JY will serve the remaining year of SK Tony Monteiro, AA2TX’s term.  The First Alternate is Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, and the Second Alternate is Frank Griffin, K4FEG. The results of the voting with 635 ballots cast are as follows:

Tom Clark, K3IO……………………….457
JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM…………….439
Lou McFadin, W5DID…………………421
Jerry Buxton, N0JY……………………268
Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA…………..261
Frank Griffin, K4FEG………………….232
Steve Coy, K8UD………………………178
Bryan Klofas, KF6ZEO………………..132

Submitted by
Martha Saragovitz
Manager

Fox-1A Flight Boards

by

Pictures of some of the Fox-1A flight unit/spare systems, fresh out of the conformal coating process.

Fox-1A IHU system fligh spare
Fox-1A IHU system used in the flight spare
Fox-1A PSU system used in the flight unit
Fox-1A PSU system used in the flight unit