Month: June 2024

ANS-182 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

by

In this edition:

* Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha “Noise of Summer” Mission Rescheduled
* Curium One Satellite Set to Test SatNOGS-COMMS Transceiver
* SpaceX Falcon Heavy Successfully Launches GOES-U Satellite
* GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers July 2024 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 28, 2024
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* 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/

ANS-182 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

To: All RADIO AMATEURS
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002

DATE 2024 Jun 30

Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha “Noise of Summer” Mission Rescheduled

Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket, originally scheduled for launch on June 27th, has been rescheduled to 9:03 pm PDT on July 1st for its #FLTA005 mission titled “Noise of Summer.” This launch will occur from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, carrying NASA payloads and involving a dedicated launch team. For updates closer to the launch window, visit Firefly Aerospace’s official website at https://fireflyspace.com/news/.

A highlight of this launch is the ELaNa 43 mission, featuring the deployment of multiple CubeSats, including the University of Maine’s MESAT1. This satellite, equipped with a Linear Transponder Module (LTM) from AMSAT, will help conduct experiments designed by Maine schools, contributing to educational and research objectives supported by NASA.

MESAT1 being loaded into the satellite dispenser on the Firefly Aerospace rocket. [Credit: University of Maine]
The “Noise of Summer” mission will deploy a total of eight CubeSats using Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket. Alongside MESAT1, these CubeSats include CatSat from the University of Arizona, KUbeSat-1 from the University of Kansas, R5-S4 and R5-S2-2.0 from NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Serenity from Teachers in Space, SOC-i from the University of Washington, and TechEdSat-11 (TES-11) from NASA’s Ames Research Center. The livestreamed launch, in collaboration with NASASpaceflight, will provide viewers with insights into the intricate operations involved.

MESAT1, beyond its primary mission objectives, will study local temperatures and phytoplankton concentrations using onboard sensors and imaging equipment. It also features a linear transponder for amateur radio use, with telemetry accessible through AMSAT’s FoxTelem program, allowing enthusiasts to decode and analyze satellite data. Users can download the latest version of FoxTelem from the AMSAT website (https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/) to decode and forward telemetry results to AMSAT’s central server for further analysis by engineers and students.

Educational experiments aboard MESAT1, such as ALBEDO, IMAGER, and HAB, developed by Maine schools, aim to study light reflection, coastal water turbidity, and early detection of harmful algal blooms, respectively. These projects highlight the collaborative effort between educational institutions and space agencies to promote scientific learning and environmental awareness.

FoxTelem Version 1.12z3 has been updated for receiving MESAT1 telemetry. [Credit: AMSAT]
Managed under NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative and supported by the Maine Space Grant Consortium, MESAT1 represents a significant milestone as Maine’s first small satellite. It will enter a Sun-synchronous orbit, facilitating long-term data collection for climate and environmental studies.

AMSAT’s involvement in the mission underscores its role in advancing amateur radio satellite technology and promoting international cooperation in space science. Through initiatives like FoxTelem, AMSAT enables public engagement with satellite telemetry, thereby enhancing participation in space exploration and scientific discovery.

[ANS thanks Firefly Aerospace, University of Maine, and AMSAT for the above information]

Curium One Satellite Set to Test SatNOGS-COMMS Transceiver

The upcoming launch of the Ariane 6 rocket will carry the Curium One satellite, a 12-unit CubeSat developed collaboratively by Planetary Transportation Systems and the Libre Space Foundation. A primary focus of this mission is the in-orbit testing of the SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver, an open-source radio designed to enhance satellite communication capabilities. This mission aims to validate the performance of the SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver, a dual-band, software-configurable radio transceiver specifically created for Telemetry and Telecommand (TMTC).

The SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver is notable for its dual-band operation in the UHF and SHF bands. It can accommodate a turnstile antenna, which facilitates both transmitting and receiving radio signals. The transceiver’s software-configurable nature allows for in-flight adjustments to carrier and intermediate frequencies, bitrate, modulation options, and channel-filter bandwidth, making it highly versatile for various experimental and educational setups. This flexibility is expected to be a significant asset in the mission’s success.

The SatNOGS-COMMS board will be verified onboard Curium One CubeSat [Credit: Libre Space]
Curium One’s mission represents the first in-orbit demonstration of the SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver. This testing is crucial for verifying the transceiver’s performance in space and will provide valuable data for future missions. The success of this test will also validate the design and functionality of the SatNOGS-COMMS board, which is fully compatible with the extensive SatNOGS Network comprising over 200 ground stations worldwide. IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination is still pending for Curium One after a Libre Space Foundation application was submitted on June 23rd.

One of the standout features of the SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver is its open-source nature. By making the hardware and software publicly available, the Libre Space Foundation aims to foster a collaborative environment where amateur radio operators, students, and space enthusiasts can contribute to and benefit from the technology. This approach not only democratizes access to advanced space communication technology but also accelerates innovation and learning within the community. This mission could set a precedent for future open-source space technologies. The GitLab repository for the SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver can be found at https://gitlab.com/librespacefoundation/satnogs-comms.

Curium One CubeSat will fly on the first Ariane 6 rocket launch. [Credit: Planetary Transportation Systems]
The verification of SatNOGS-COMMS onboard Curium One will supply critical information for the Libre Space Foundation’s upcoming PHASMA mission and other future projects. For Planetary Transportation Systems, this mission marks the first in-orbit validation of their satellite design, which is a significant milestone for the company’s future endeavors in space technology development. This mission represents a crucial step in their strategic roadmap.

Curium One’s mission highlights the potential of open-source satellite technology. By promoting amateur radio and providing educational opportunities in space technology, this mission aims to make space more accessible and affordable for everyone. The data and insights from testing the SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver will support more inclusive and innovative uses of space, setting a new standard for collaborative space missions. This mission shows the impact of collaboration and open-source innovation in advancing space exploration and technology.

[ANS thanks the European Space Agency Libre Space Foundation for the above information]

The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!
Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus

Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/

SpaceX Falcon Heavy Successfully Launches GOES-U Satellite

On June 25, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket successfully lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A at 5:26 p.m. Eastern, carrying the GOES-U weather satellite, the final spacecraft in a series of geostationary weather satellites. This launch featured several notable firsts, overcoming previous weather forecasts that had predicted only a 30% chance of favorable conditions.

The GOES-U satellite, successfully deployed from the Falcon Heavy’s second stage four and a half hours after liftoff, after the stage completed a sequence of three burns to place the satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. Built by Lockheed Martin for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), GOES-U will be renamed GOES-19 upon reaching geostationary orbit. After on-orbit commissioning, it will be positioned at 75 degrees east in geostationary orbit, taking over from GOES-16 as the operational GOES-East satellite.

GOES-U carries a suite of earth and space science instruments similar to its predecessors but includes the new Compact Coronagraph (CCOR) instrument for solar observation. CCOR will monitor the solar corona for flares and coronal mass ejections, a crucial function for understanding space weather. This role was previously filled by the nearly 30-year-old Solar and Heliospheric Observatory spacecraft.

GOES-U lifts off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A on June 25th, 2024. [Credit: SpaceX]
The GOES-R series, which began with a launch in 2016, has significantly improved weather forecasting. Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service, stated at a pre-launch briefing, “The GOES-R series of satellites, it’s been a gamechanger for us.” The satellites have enabled new and improved forecasts, warnings, and services that help save lives and protect property.

Among the enhancements in the GOES-R series is a lightning mapper. Pam Sullivan, director of the GOES-R program at NOAA, highlighted its impact, saying it allows meteorologists to better understand storm severity and issue more accurate warnings. “The main thing I hear from forecasters is that they have more confidence in a forecast,” she noted.

NOAA is already planning the next generation of geostationary weather satellites, called GeoXO, set to begin launching in 2032. Contracts have been awarded to Lockheed Martin for satellite construction and BAE Systems for sounder and ocean color instruments. Steve Volz, assistant administrator of NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service, described GOES-U as “the bridge that connects today’s geostationary satellite technology with the technology of tomorrow.”

NOAA’s GOES-U satellite undergoing testing by Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado. [Credit: Lockheed Martin]
The launch was marked by the synchronized landings of the two Falcon Heavy side boosters at Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This mission was also the first time NOAA launched a GOES weather satellite on a SpaceX rocket. The three previous GOES-R satellites launched on Atlas 5 rockets from United Launch Alliance (ULA), but SpaceX was awarded the $152.5 million contract for the GOES-U launch in September 2021 after ULA withdrew due to a lack of available Atlas rockets.

The Falcon Heavy’s additional performance is a key advantage. Julianna Scheiman, director of NASA science missions at SpaceX, explained that the rocket’s capability allows for a significant delta V reduction, meaning the spacecraft requires less energy to reach its final orbit. This efficiency translates into fuel savings and extended operational life for GOES-U, which has a design specification of 15 years. “With the added capability Falcon Heavy is giving us, we expect to be at 20-plus years of fuel life,” said NOAA’s Sullivan.

The GOES-U launch marked the 10th overall for the Falcon Heavy and the second contracted by NASA, following the Psyche asteroid mission in October 2023. Another Falcon Heavy is set to launch NASA’s Europa Clipper mission this October, continuing SpaceX’s role in advancing space exploration and weather monitoring capabilities.

[ANS thanks Jeff Foust, SpaceNews, for the above information]

GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers July 2024 Rankings

The July 2024 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr in order to provide more accurate data.

Updated: 2024-06-28

1 ND9M 26 LU5ILA 51 EA4NF 76 FG8OJ
2 NJ7H 27 N5BO 52 AA5PK 77 DF2ET
3 JA9KRO 28 K8BL 53 JL3RNZ 78 HB9GWJ
4 N5UC 29 DL2GRC 54 SP5XSD 79 PT9BM
5 UT1FG 30 KE4AL 55 AD7DB 80 KI7UXT
6 OE3SEU 31 VE3HLS 56 F4DXV 81 KJ7NDY
7 DL6AP 32 KB5FHK 57 KE9AJ 82 YU0W
8 WI7P 33 KI7UNJ 58 KI7QEK 83 WA9JBQ
9 DP0POL 34 LA9XGA 59 PA3GAN 84 N4DCW
10 N6UA 35 F4BKV 60 XE1ET 85 KB2YSI
11 HA3FOK 36 JO2ASQ 61 N8RO 86 N0TEL
12 K5ZM 37 N7AGF 62 KM4LAO 87 VE3GOP
13 N9IP 38 XE3DX 63 VE1CWJ 88 JM1CAX
14 WY7AA 39 K7TAB 64 SM3NRY 89 CU2ZG
15 W5PFG 40 KE0PBR 65 N4UFO 90 K0FFY
16 AK8CW 41 KI0KB 66 VA3VGR 91 KG4AKV
17 AD0DX 42 KE0WPA 67 W1AW 92 N6UTC
18 F5VMJ 43 PR8KW 68 VA7LM 93 AF5CC
19 WD9EWK 44 VK5DG 69 PT2AP 94 VE6WK
20 AD0HJ 45 N6DNM 70 M1DDD 95 W8MTB
21 DJ8MS 46 EB1AO 71 DL4EA 96 VE7PTN
22 ON4AUC 47 AC0RA 72 LU4JVE 97 K6VHF
23 KX9X 48 JK2XXK 73 W8LR 98 DK9JC
24 ND0C 49 W7WGC 74 AA8CH 99 PT9ST
25 KG5CCI 50 N4AKV 75 VE1VOX 100 VO2AC

[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information]

Need new satellite antennas?
Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the AMSAT Store!When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 28, 2024

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.

[ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information]

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 Contacts

Complejo Educativo Nuestra Señora de Fátima N° 1139 and N° 8119, Pérez, Argentina, Telebridge via VK6MJ
The ISS callsign was NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember was Jeanette Epps KF5QNU
The ARISS mentor was VE6JBJ
Contact was successful Thu 2024-06-27 13:38:07 UTC

+ Upcoming Contacts

Moroccan School of Engineering Sciences, Casablanca, Morocco, telebridge via VK6MJ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Jeanette Epps KF5QNU
The ARISS mentor is IN3GHZ
Contact is go for: Mon 2024-07-01 12:02:01 UTC

St. Luke’s College, Buenos Aires, Argentina, direct via LU4AA
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Mike Barratt KD5MIJ
The ARISS mentor is VE6JBJ
Contact is go for: Wed 2024-07-03 14:42:53 UTC
Watch for Livestreaming via their Instagram accounts: The school: @stlukes.college / Radio Club Argentino: @rca_sociedad_nacional

The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down).

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

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]

Upcoming Satellite Operations

From Randy, ND0C: From 24 June thru 7 July, we will be on another family camping vacation, which means another satellite roving expedition! This time, thru WI to MI and back thru IL and IA. No super rare grids but several that may be needed by many. The grids and passes will depend on where/when we happen to be while on the road or camping. This will be all LEO sats: FM & SSB. As always, I will try for EU passes on RS-44 when possible. Looking forward to pushing past the 100 grids-roved milestone.

From Mike, N8MR: I will be in EN57, with roves to EN67 from Friday, June 28 thru Saturday, July 6. Using an Icom 9700, Arrow and Alaskan antennas. Listening for Europe on linear eastern passes. I can rove to EN56, only if needed. Posting passes to hams.at a day in advance. All QSOs to LoTW as N8MR.

VP5/AA5UK will be QRV from FL31 from 23rd June through 5th July. This operation will be holiday style but will cover HF/LEO/MEO. Head over to his VP5/AA5UK QRZ page for all the info you can shake a stick at.

A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location.

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, 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.

“Moon Day” at the Frontiers of Flight Museum – July 20th, 2024
Dallas Love Field Airport
8008 Herb Kelleher Way
Dallas, TX 75235
https://flightmuseum.com/events/

AMSAT and Amateur Radio satellites will be presented to the general public as part of this annual space themed STEAM event. Volunteers to help at the table space and to do contact demos are welcome. Contact tschuessler [at] amsat.org for more information.

Huntsville Hamfest – August 17th and 18th, 2024
Von Braun Center South Hall
700 Monroe Street SW
Huntsville, AL 35801
https://hamfest.org/

AMSAT Booth and Forum / N8DEU and W4FCL

Northeast HamXpostion – August 22nd thru 25th, 2024
Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center
181 Boston Post Road West
Marlborough, MA 01752
https://hamxposition.org/

Greater Louisville Hamfest – September 7th, 2024
Paroquet Springs Conference Centre
395 Paroquet Springs Drive
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
https://louisvillehamfest.wixsite.com/louisvillehamfest

AMSAT Forum and Information Table / W4FCL

North Star Radio Convention – October 5th, 2024
Hennepin Technical College (North Campus)
9000 Brooklyn Boulevard
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
https://conv2023.tcfmc.org/

AMSAT Forum and Information Table / KØJM and ADØHJ

Central Kentucky Hamfest – October 5th, 2024
Highlands Baptist Church
2032 Parallel Road
Lexington, KY 40502
https://www.facebook.com/w9khz/

AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table / AI4SR and W4FCL

2024 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting – October 25th thru 27th, 2024
Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront
3050 N Rocky Point Drive West
Tampa, FL 33607
https://www.amsat.org/

[ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information]

Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space

Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ The Ariane 6 rocket recently completed its final ‘wet dress rehearsal’ at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, marking a crucial milestone before its maiden launch. This rehearsal involved loading 180 tons of supercooled propellant into the rocket, cooling its components to cryogenic temperatures, and rolling back the mobile gantry. ESA’s Guy Pilchen highlighted that this rehearsal allowed teams to refine launch operations using the actual flight hardware and software. Following fueling, the rocket underwent final preparations for its upcoming launch, expected to confirm its date after data analysis. With payloads ranging from Earth observation to scientific experiments, Ariane 6 aims to secure Europe’s independent access to space and advance space exploration. (ANS thanks the European Space Agency for the above information)

+ China’s Chang’e 6 probe has returned to Earth on June 25, 2024, with the first-ever samples from the far side of the moon, landing in Inner Mongolia on Tuesday. The successful mission marks a global milestone, with the samples expected to include 2.5 million-year-old volcanic rock that could shed light on the geological differences between the moon’s near and far sides. The probe landed in the moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin, providing samples from various geological layers. This mission is part of China’s growing space rivalry with the U.S. and other nations, aiming to establish China as a technological power. The journey began on May 3 and lasted 53 days, involving drilling into the core and collecting surface rocks. China plans to share the samples with international scientists, hoping to answer fundamental questions about lunar geology and the solar system’s early days. (ANS thanks Huizhong Wu, Associated Press, for the above information)

+ NASA called off a planned spacewalk on June 24 due to a malfunction in astronaut Tracy Dyson’s spacesuit. Dyson and her crewmate Mike Barratt were preparing to exit the International Space Station to conduct maintenance when a water leak was detected in Dyson’s suit cooling unit. This unit is crucial for maintaining a comfortable temperature during spacewalks. The leak occurred just after the suits were switched to battery power, prompting NASA to abort the mission. Although Dyson reported feeling a bit warm and expressed concerns about potential water damage to electrical connectors, both astronauts were safe throughout the incident. This cancellation follows a similar recent setback on June 13, involving a spacesuit issue, and it raises questions about the potential impact on the return schedule of Boeing’s Starliner capsule. (ANS thanks Jackie Wattles, CNN, for the above information)

+ NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who flew Boeing’s Starliner capsule to the International Space Station (ISS), have had their return to Earth delayed multiple times due to issues with the spacecraft. Originally planned to stay for about a week, their mission has been extended indefinitely as NASA and Boeing investigate a slow helium leak and malfunctioning thrusters discovered after reaching orbit. The latest delay was announced last week, with no new return date set yet. Despite these issues, the astronauts are assisting with tasks and conducting tests on the ISS, where they are accommodated with sufficient supplies. NASA is taking a cautious approach, allowing data to drive decisions about managing the leaks and thruster performance. This mission aims to certify the Starliner for future routine flights, similar to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon service for NASA. (ANS thanks Denise Chow, NBC News, for the above information)

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
* Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.
* Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
* 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, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ
ad0hj [at] amsat.org

ANS-175 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

by

AMSAT News Service

ANS-175
June 23, 2024

In this edition:

  • ELaNa 43 Launch Carrying MESAT-1 Scheduled for June 27, 2024
  • AMSAT Board of Directors Nominees Announced
  • AMSAT Mail Alias Service to End August 1, 2024
  • Video of AMSAT Engineering Q&A Sessions Available
  • Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for June 21, 2024
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • 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/

Save the Date! Symposium 2024

Photo by Robert DuBois

Mark your calendar now for the 2024 AMSAT Symposium,

October 25-27, 2024 at the Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront in Tampa, Florida!

Watch for announcements concerning further details as plans are formulated.

ELaNa 43 Launch Carrying MESAT-1 Scheduled for June 27, 2024

The University of Maine’s MESAT-1 carrying a telemetry transmitter and linear transponder provided by AMSAT and experiments designed by schools in Maine will head into orbit as early as late this week as part of NASA’s ELaNa 43 launch.
The ELaNa 43 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites 43) mission includes eight CubeSats flying on Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket for its “Noise of Summer” launch from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The 30-minute launch window will open at 9 p.m. PDT Wednesday, June 26 (12 a.m. EDT Thursday, June 27).
Telemetry can be received using the same FoxTelem program that was used for most of AMSAT’s recent payloads. We urge readers to download the latest FoxTelem (V1.12z3) from https://www.amsat.org/tlm/leaderboard.php?id=0&db=FOXDB. This program will decode telemetry from MESAT-1 (as well as AO-91) and forward the results to AMSAT’s central server for use by AMSAT engineering as well as by Maine engineers and students.
MESAT-1 will study local temperatures across city and rural areas to determine phytoplankton concentration in bodies of water to help predict algal blooms and also contains a linear transponder for amateurs to use.  Watch ANS and other media for information about when the transponder will be activated.
For more information on this satellite, visit https://www.mainesat.org/mesat1/
MESAT-1 – Launch June 27, 2024
Uplink LSB 145.910 MHz through 145.940 MHz
Downlink USB 435.810 MHz through 435.840 MHz
AMSAT LTM-1 Transponder – 1200 bps FoxTelem BPSK beacon 435.800 MHz

[ANS thanks NASA and AMSAT Engineering for the above information]

AMSAT Board of Directors Nominees Announced

The nomination period for the 2024 AMSAT Board of Directors Election ended on June 15th. The following candidates have been duly nominated:

  • Mark Hammond, N8MH
  • Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
  • Bruce Paige, KK5DO
  • Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
  • Douglas Tabor, N6UA

As three seats on the Board of Directors are up for election this year, the three candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be declared elected to the seats. The two candidates receiving the next largest number of votes shall be declared First Alternate and Second Alternate, respectively. The voting process will be conducted via AMSAT’s Wild Apricot membership system and will commence on July 15th. Instructions for voting will be emailed to all members in good standing as of July 1st by July 15th. The voting period shall conclude on September 15th and results will be announced not later than September 30th.

Biographies of the candidates will be available for review online and published in the next edition of The AMSAT Journal.

[ANS thanks Jeff Davis, KE9V, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information]

AMSAT Mail Alias Service to End August 1, 2024

A long-standing member service, the AMSAT Mail Alias Service is scheduled to end on August 1, 2024. A mail alias on AMSAT.ORG permitted people to send an email to members without knowing their actual internet email address. They just needed to know their amateur radio callsign.

Unfortunately, the unchecked rise in domain name hacking and email account high-jacking has made it impossible to sustain this service at a cost-effective level. The number of [email protected] email accounts that had been hijacked and converted to zombie spam accounts over the years had led many internet service providers and gateway centers to ban all @amsat.org email addresses, including those business accounts of AMSAT officers and officials. The tireless efforts of AMSAT’s all volunteer IT staff has worked for years to repair much of the damage, but AMSAT still get complaints from members who are not getting their personal emails, ANS bulletins or AMSAT-BB posts because of persistent delivery problems.

It has come to the point where the AMSAT volunteer IT staff can no longer keep up with the maintenance requirements to keep the alias mail list clean and to work with email gateways to remove blocks. And, after considerable investigation into alternative paid email services, AMSAT leadership decided that the money required to keep an email alias system alive would be better spent on building and flying satellites for its members.

Persons using the Mail Alias Service should begin to migrate to different email accounts so they do not lose receipt of personal emails, AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins, AMSAT-BB posts, or official messages from AMSAT itself. Members are especially asked to make sure they are NOT using a [email protected] as their registered email address in the AMSAT membership portal. Members can easily change their registered member email address by logging into the portal and updating their profile.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]

Video of AMSAT Engineering Q&A Sessions Available

AMSAT Vice President – Engineering, Jerry Buxton, NØJY,  hosted Q&A “social gathering” live streams on YouTube and Twitch, as he mentioned in his Hamvention “They Cancelled All My Flights” video where he followed up and answered questions on developments with GOLF, Fox Plus, and other projects.

Archived videos of these sessions can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@n0jy/streams

Note: If you read this at the time of publication, the final session may be ongoing as it is scheduled to run from 00:01 UTC to 02:00 UTC on Sunday, June 23rd.

[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT Vice President – Engineering, for the above information]

The 2024 Coins Are Here Now!
Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today!

Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for June 21, 2024

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 Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. 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.

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]

Need new satellite antennas?
Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the AMSAT Store!

When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.

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.

Complejo Educativo Nuestra Señora de Fátima N° 1139 and N° 8119, Pérez, Argentina, Telebridge via VK6MJ

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Jeanette Epps KF5QNU
The ARISS mentor is VE6JBJ
Contact is go for: Thu 2024-06-27 13:38:07 UTC 56 deg

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 continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down),  If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

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]

Upcoming Satellite Operations

Quick Hits:

From Randy, ND0C:

From 24 June thru 7 July, we will be on another family camping vacation, which means another satellite roving expedition! This time, thru WI to MI and back thru IL and IA. No super rare grids but several that may be needed by many. The grids and passes will depend on where/when we happen to be while on the road or camping. This will be all LEO sats: FM & SSB. As always, I will try for EU passes on RS-44 when possible. Looking forward to pushing past the 100 grids-roved milestone. More info to come.

********************************************************************

JA2QJI/8 will be QRV on GreenCube/IO-117 from QN05 on 25th June. See hams.at for any additional details.

********************************************************************

From Mike, N8MR:

I will be in EN57, with roves to EN67 from Friday, June 28 thru Saturday, July 6. Using an Icom 9700, Arrow and Alaskan antennas. Listening for Europe on linear eastern passes. I can rove to EN56, only if needed. Posting passes to hams.at a day in advance. All QSOs to LoTW as N8MR.

********************************************************************

HB0/DK9JC should be QRV from JN47 on GreenCube/IO-117 on 26th June. See  hams.at for any updates.

Major Roves:

VP5/AA5UK will be QRV from FL31 from 23rd June through 5th July. This operation will be holiday style but will cover HF/LEO/MEO. Head over to his VP5/AA5UK QRZ page for all the info you can shake a stick at.

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, and Alex Ners, K6VHF, for the above information]

 Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space

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

“Moon Day” Frontiers of Flight Museum

July 20, 2024
Love Field in Dallas, Texas
AMSAT volunteers needed! Contact tschuessler(at) amsat.org for more information.

Huntsville Hamfest
August 17-18, 2024

Huntsville, AL
AMSAT Booth and Forum
N8DEU and W4FCL

Northeast HamXpostion
August 22-25, 2024

Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center
181 Boston Post Road W
Marlborough, MA 01752

Greater Louisville Hamfest
September 7, 2024

Shepherdsville, KY
AMSAT Forum and Information Table
W4FCL

Central Kentucky Hamfest
October 5, 2024

Lexington, KY
AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table
AI4SR and W4FCL

North Star Radio Convention
October 5, 2024

Hennepin Technical College (North Campus)
Brooklyn Park, Minn.
AMSAT Forum and Information Table
KØJM and ADØHJ

2024 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting
October 25-27, 2024

Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront
3050 N Rocky Point Dr W
Tampa, FL 33607

[ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, and AMSAT for the above information]

Satellite Shorts from All Over

+ If you participated in AMSAT Field Day, remember to submit your summary sheet and any photos or comments by July 23, 2024. Submission details can be found at https://www.amsat.org/field-day/

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

  • Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
  • Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.
  • Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
  • 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

ANS-168 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

by

In this edition:

* Starliner Brings Another Ham to ISS
* Q&A Session with AMSAT Engineering
* Voyager 1 is Back To Life, But For How Long?
* AMSAT Mail Alias Service to End August 1, 2024
* The 2024 AMSAT Field Day Rules
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 14
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* 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 http://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/

ANS-168 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

DATE 2024 June 16

Starliner Brings Another Ham to ISS

Working around multiple helium leaks and thruster problems, the crew of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft wrapped up a challenging rendezvous and a delayed-but-successful docking with the International Space Station Thursday in a major milestone for the new ship’s first piloted test flight.

With commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, monitoring the Starliner’s automated approach, the Starliner’s docking mechanism engaged its counterpart on the front of the station’s forward Harmony module at 17:34 UTC on June 8 as the two spacecraft were sailing 260 miles above the Indian Ocean.

After extensive checks to verify an airtight seal, hatches were opened and Wilmore and Williams floated into the lab complex to an enthusiastic welcome from the seven Expedition 71 crew members: cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, RN3DX, Nicolai Chub and Alexander Grebenkin, RZ3DSE, along with NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ, Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, and Tracy Dyson.

Wilmore and Williams plan to spend about a week aboard the outpost before returning to Earth aboard the Starliner. While they’re there, the station crew will install a replacement urine processor pump module that was loaded aboard the Starliner at the last minute to fix the lab’s water recycling system and allow normal use of the toilet in the U.S. segment of the station.

Running years behind schedule after multiple problems that cost Boeing some $1.4 billion to correct, the Starliner was launched Wednesday with a known helium leak in the system used to pressurize the spacecraft’s propulsion system. Launch had been delayed a month, in part because of work to confirm the ship could safely be launched with the leak as is.

After reaching orbit, two more helium leaks developed that prompted flight controllers to close valves leading to the affected plumbing, or manifolds, while they analyzed leak rates and potential work arounds. Closing the manifolds took down five of 28 reaction control system jets in the ship’s service module and three of 20 more powerful “OMAC” thrusters.

Docking had to be delayed because five RCS jets were “deselected” by the capsule’s flight software when telemetry showed they were not performing exactly as expected. It was unclear if there would be sufficient maneuverability for the docking to proceed.

Throughout the process, Wilmore flew the Starliner manually, holding position about 650 feet from the space station. When ground teams concluded the spacecraft had enough thruster redundancy to proceed, the Starliner’s automated control system took over and flew the ship in for a problem-free docking.

As if the team hadn’t had enough problems to deal with, a fourth and a fifth helium leaks were detected after docking. In any case, per standard procedure, flight controllers closed all the Starliner’s helium manifolds after the linkup to prevent any residual leakage while attached to the station.

Despite the leaks, NASA officials said more than enough helium remains on board to ensure a safe return to Earth at the end of a normal-duration or even extended mission.

On June 14, NASA and Boeing teams pushed back the target undocking and landing date for the Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station by four days. They shifted from June 18 to now no earlier than June 22.

The reason for the extended stay is in part due to a need to gather more information about the Starliner capsule with the benefit of having an astronaut crew assigned to study aspects of the spacecraft with additional detail.

The helium leaks are all located in the Starliner’s drum-shaped service module, which is discarded to burn up in the atmosphere before the crew capsule re-enters for landing. Thus, there is no possibility of post-flight analysis of the problems.

[ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information]

The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!
Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus

Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/

Q&A Session with AMSAT Engineering

AMSAT Vice President – Engineering, Jerry Buxton, NØJY, will host Q&A “social gathering” live streams on YouTube and Twitch, as he mentioned in his Hamvention “They Cancelled All My Flights” video. This is an opportunity to follow up with Jerry on developments with GOLF, FoxPlus, and other projects. Come by and chat a question or comment for discussion on your choice of the platforms:

  • Friday June 21 at 19:00 – 21:00 UTC (generally for UK-EU-etc. time zones)
  • Saturday June 22 at 00:01 – 02:00 UTC (Friday evening-night in the Americas)
  • Saturday June 22 at 19:00 – 21:00 UTC (anybody free that afternoon)
  • Sunday June 23 at 00:01 – 02:00 UTC (Saturday evening-night in the Americas)

[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, NØJY, AMSAT VPE, for the above information.]

Voyager 1 is Back To Life, But For How Long?

NASA engineers have succeeded in breathing new life into Voyager 1, the spacecraft launched in 1977 and once again communicating after it went silent seven months ago. But now comes another challenge: Keeping Voyager 1 scientifically useful for as long as possible as it probes a realm where no spacecraft has gone before.

Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, are treasured at NASA not only because they have sent home astonishing images of the outer planets, but also because in their dotage, they are still doing science that can’t be readily duplicated.

They are now in interstellar space, far beyond the orbits of Neptune and Pluto. Voyager 1 is more than 15 billion miles from Earth and Voyager 2 nearly 13 billion miles. Both have passed the heliopause, where the “solar wind” of particles streaming from the sun terminates.

“They’re going someplace where we have nothing, we have no information,” NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said. “We don’t know anything about the interstellar medium. Is it a highly charged environment? Are there a lot of dust particles out there?”

Ed Stone, who guided the mission from 1972 until 2022, died on June 9. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images)

Even as the Voyagers continue their journeys, engineers and scientists at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. are mourning the loss of Ed Stone, the scientist who guided the mission from 1972 until his retirement in 2022. Stone, a former director of JPL, died June 9 at the age of 88.

Voyager 1 has four scientific instruments still operational in this extended phase of its mission, but it suddenly ceased sending intelligible data on Nov. 14. A “tiger team” of engineers at JPL spent the ensuing months identifying the problem — a malfunctioning computer chip — and restoring communication.

What no one can change, though, is the mortality of a spacecraft with a limited power supply. Voyager 1 is running on fumes, or, more precisely, on the dwindling power from the radioactive decay of plutonium. The Voyagers use a radioisotope thermoelectric generator. But an RTG doesn’t last forever. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 will eventually go silent as they continue to cruise the galaxy.

“At some point, we’ll have to start turning off the science instruments one by one,” project scientist Linda Spilker said. “Once we’re out of power, then we can no longer keep the spacecraft pointed at the Earth. And so [the Voyagers] will then continue on as what I like to think of as our silent ambassadors.”

In a sense, this is all a bonus because the primary mission for the two Voyagers was the exploration of the outer planets. Both visited Jupiter and Saturn, and Voyager 2 went on to Uranus and Neptune in what was known as the “Grand Tour” of the outer solar system, enabled by a rare orbital arrangement of the planets. The Voyagers delivered spectacular close-up images of the outer planets, and the mission ranks among NASA’s greatest achievements.

The gravitational slingshot from the planetary encounters sent Voyager 1 out of the elliptical plane of the solar system and did the same to Voyager 2 in a different direction.

About four years ago, Voyager 1 encountered something unexpected — a phenomenon scientists have dubbed a pressure front. Jamie Rankin, deputy project scientist, said the instruments on the spacecraft picked up a sudden change in the magnetic field of the interstellar environment, as well as a sudden increase in the density of particles.

What exactly caused this change remains unknown. But NASA scientists are eager to get all the data flowing normally again to see whether the pressure front is still detectable.

[ANS thanks The New York Times for the above information]

Need new satellite antennas?
Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.
When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/

AMSAT Mail Alias Service to End August 1, 2024

A long-standing member service, the AMSAT Mail Alias Service is scheduled to end on August 1, 2024. A mail alias on AMSAT.ORG permitted people to send an email to members without knowing their actual internet email address. They just needed to know their amateur radio callsign.

Unfortunately, the unchecked rise in domain name hacking and email account high-jacking has made it impossible to sustain this service at a cost-effective level. The number of [email protected] email accounts that had been hijacked and converted to zombie spam accounts over the years had led many internet service providers and gateway centers to ban all @amsat.org email addresses, including those business accounts of AMSAT officers and officials. The tireless efforts of AMSAT’s all volunteer IT staff has worked for years to repair much of the damage, but AMSAT still get complaints from members who are not getting their personal emails, ANS bulletins or AMSAT-BB posts because of persistent delivery problems.

It has come to the point where the AMSAT volunteer IT staff can no longer keep up with the maintenance requirements to keep the alias mail list clean and to work with email gateways to remove blocks. And, after considerable investigation into alternative paid email services, AMSAT leadership decided that the money required to keep an email alias system alive would be better spent on building and flying satellites for its members.

Persons using the Mail Alias Service should begin to migrate to different email accounts so they do not lose receipt of personal emails, AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins, AMSAT-BB posts, or official messages from AMSAT itself. Members are especially asked to make sure they are NOT using a [email protected] as their registered email address in the AMSAT membership portal. Members can easily change their registered member email address by logging into the portal and updating their profile.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

The 2024 AMSAT Field Day Rules

The AMSAT Field Day 2024 event is open to all Amateur Radio operators. Amateurs are to use the exchange as specified in ARRL rules for Field Day. The AMSAT competition is to encourage the use of all amateur satellites, both analog and digital. Note that no points will be credited for any contacts beyond the ONE allowed via each single-channel FM satellite. Operators are encouraged not to make any extra contacts via theses satellites (Ex: SO-50). CW contacts and digital contacts are worth three points as outlined below.

Analog Transponders

ARRL rules apply, except:

Each phone, CW, and digital segment ON EACH SATELLITE TRANSPONDER is considered to be a separate band.
CW and digital (FT-4, RTTY, PSK-31, etc.) contacts count THREE points each.
Stations may only count one (1) completed QSO on any single channel FM satellite. If a satellite has multiple modes such as V/u and L/s modes both turned on, one contact each is allowed. If the both ISS stations are operational, one QSO on each mode (1 phone and 1 digital), Contacts with the ISS crew will count for one contact if they are active. Greencube (1 digital).
The use of more than one transmitter at the same time on a single satellite transponder is prohibited.

Digital Transponders

Satellite digipeat QSO’s and APRS short-message contacts are worth three points each, but must be complete verified two-way exchanges. The one contact per FM satellite is not applied to digital transponders.

The use of terrestrial gateway stations or internet gateways (i.e. EchoLink, IRLP, etc.) to uplink/downlink is not allowed.

For ‘Store and Forward’ hamsats, each satellite is considered a separate band. Do not post “CQ” messages. Simply upload ONE greeting message to each satellite and download as many greeting messages as possible from each satellite. The subject of the uploaded file should be posted as Field Day Greetings, addressed to ALL. The purpose of this portion of the competition is to demonstrate digital satellite communications to other Field Day participants and observers. Do not reply to the Field Day Greetings addressed to ALL.

The following uploads and downloads count as three-point digital contacts.

(a) Upload of a satellite Field Day Greetings file (one per satellite).

(b) Download of Satellite Field Day Greetings files posted by other stations. Downloads of non-Field Day files or messages not addressed to ALL are not to be counted for the event. Save DIR listings and message files for later “proof of contact.”

You may make contacts with GreenCube, IO-117, and each one will count as 3 points as do other digital contacts.

Please note AMSAT uploaded messages do not count for QSO points under the ARRL rules.

Sample Satellite Field Day Greetings File:

KK5DO FD EL29 class 2A 20 participants

Note that the message stated the call, operating class, where they were located (the grid square) and how many operators were in attendance.

Operating Class

Stations operating portable and using emergency power (as per ARRL Field Day rules) are in a separate operating class from those at home connected to commercial power. On the report form simply check off Emergency or Commercial for the Power Source and be sure to specify your ARRL operating class (2A, 1C, etc.).

AND FINALLY…

The Satellite Summary Sheet should be used for submission of the AMSAT Field Day competition and be received by KK5DO (e-mail) by 11:59 P.M. CDT, Monday, July 23, 2024. This year, we are using the same due date as the ARRL. The only method for submitting your log is via e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected]. I have not had a mail-in entry in a very long time.

Add photographs or other interesting information that can be used in an article for the Journal.

You will receive an e-mail back (within one or two days) from me when I receive your e-mail submission. If you do not receive a confirmation message, then I have not received your submission. Try sending it again or send it to my other e-mail address.

Certificates will be awarded for the first-place emergency power/portable station at the AMSAT General Meeting and Space Symposium in the fall of 2024. Certificates will also be awarded to the second and third place portable/emergency operation in addition to the first-place home station running on emergency power. A station submitting high, award-winning scores will be requested to send in dupe sheets for analog contacts and message listings for digital downloads.

You may have multiple rig difficulties, antenna failures, computer glitches, generator disasters, tropical storms, and there may even be satellite problems, but the goal is to test your ability to operate in an emergency situation. Try different gear. Demonstrate satellite operations to hams that don’t even know the HAMSATS exist. Test your equipment. Avoid making more than ONE contact via the FM-only voice HAMSATS or the ISS, and enjoy the event!

[ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, AMSAT Board Member 2016-2024 for the above information.]

Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?


Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 14

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/.

No changes reported this week.

[ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information]

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.

Postponed until fall 2024.:
Instituto de Aplicação Fernando Rodrigues da Silveira (CAp-UERJ) and The State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, direct via PY1AX
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU. The ARISS mentor is VE3TBD.
Contact is postponed until fall 2024.

The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down). The HamTV and SSTV systems are currently stowed.

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

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]

Upcoming Satellite Operations

KØJM will attempt to put the EN47/EN48 gridline on the air on Wednesday, June 19. Watch hams.at for details.

A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location.

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, 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.

July 20, 2024
“Moon Day” Frontiers of Flight Museum
Love Field in Dallas, Texas
AMSAT volunteers needed! Contact tschuessler(at) amsat.org for more information.

August 17-18, 2024
Huntsville Hamfest
Huntsville, AL
AMSAT Booth and Forum
N8DEU and W4FCL

September 7, 2024
Greater Louisville Hamfest
Shepherdsville, KY
AMSAT Forum and Information Table
W4FCL

October 5, 2024
Central Kentucky Hamfest
Lexington, KY
AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table
AI4SR and W4FCL

October 5, 2024
North Star Radio Convention
Hennepin Technical College (North Campus)
Brooklyn Park, Minn.
AMSAT Forum and Information Table
KØJM and ADØHJ

[ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ The U.S. spacewalk 90 planned for Thursday, June 13 at the International Space Station did not proceed as scheduled due to a spacesuit discomfort issue. NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson and Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, completed taking off their spacesuits about an hour before the crew was anticipated to exit the Quest airlock. With consideration to NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test and other spaceflight operations, the next spacewalk will be Monday, June 24, followed by another on Tuesday, July 2, as was previously planned. The June 24 spacewalk will focus on radio frequency group hardware removal, while the content of the July 2 spacewalk is under evaluation and will be shared as available. The crew members on the station are healthy, and spacesuits are functioning as expected. [As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. ANS thanks NASA for the above information.]

+ AMSAT-DL is organizing a symposium, flea market and general meeting in the radome of the Bochum Observatory, Germany on September 20-22, 2024. The radome will once again be dedicated to satellite and space research. AMSAT Deutschland e.V. and the Bochum Observatory are taking the positive experience of the anniversary conference in 2023 as an opportunity to inform AMSAT members and other space enthusiasts about current and future prospects for national and international space projects with a varied program. As the Radom is also the location of ESA’s education office in Germany (esero Germany), a goal is to make the symposium even more attractive in future and at the same time focus even more on current European space travel. [ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.]

+ SpaceX’s enormous rocket took off again from South Texas on June 6, this time with the sole goal of bringing both the booster and ship softly back to Earth in (roughly) single pieces. An on-time launch of the world’s most powerful rocket delivered excitement from start to finish. Despite an engine out on launch and landing (with 33 engines total, Superheavy doesn’t care), the first stage was able to complete a nominal ascent, hot-staging, temporary hot-staging ring jettison, boost back, and landing burn—all with enough precision that previously deployed buoy cams were able to capture its soft splashdown. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.]

+ Russian cosmonaut and ISS commander Oleg Konenko became the first person to reach 1,000 cumulative days in space as of June 4. The milestone comes amid his fifth flight to space and during his third stint as the commander of the ISS. His most recent trip to the orbiting laboratory began with a launch aboard the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on Sept. 15, 2023, alongside cosmonaut Nikolai Chub and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, KI5TOM. He’s scheduled to return with Chub and NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson in September 2024. [ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information.]

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
* Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.
* Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
* 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, Mark Johns, KØJM
k0jm [at] amsat.org

ANS-161 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

by

In this edition:

  • AMSAT Mail Alias Service to End August 1, 2024
  • 2024 AMSAT Field Day Announcement
  • GOLF Program Updates from Hamvention Forum
  • AMSAT Ambassador Program Growing
  • Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for June 7, 2024
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • 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 http://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 [dot] 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/

ANS-161 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

To: All RADIO AMATEURS
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002

DATE 2024 JUN 09

AMSAT Mail Alias Service to End August 1, 2024

A long standing member service, the AMSAT Mail Alias Service is scheduled to end on August 1, 2024. A mail alias on AMSAT.ORG permitted people to send an email to members without knowing their actual internet email address. They just needed to know their amateur radio callsign.

Unfortunately, the unchecked rise in domain name hacking and email account high-jacking has made it impossible to sustain this service at a cost-effective level. The number of [email protected] email accounts that had been hijacked and converted to zombie spam account over the years had led many internet service providers and gateway centers to ban all @amsat.org email addresses, including those business accounts of AMSAT officers and officials. The tireless efforts of AMSAT’s all volunteer IT staff has worked for years to repair much of the damage, but AMSAT still get complaints from members who are not getting their personal emails, ANS bulletins or AMSAT-BB posts because of persistent delivery problems.

It has come to the point where the AMSAT volunteer IT staff can no longer keep up with the maintenance requirements to keep the alias mail list clean and to work with email gateways to remove blocks. And, after considerable investigation into alternative paid email services, AMSAT leadership decided that the money required to keep an email alias system alive would be better spent on building and flying satellites for its members.

Persons using the Mail Alias Service should begin to migrate to different email accounts so they do not lose receipt of personal emails, AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins, AMSAT-BB posts, or official messages from AMSAT itself. Members are especially asked to make sure they are NOT using a [email protected] as their registered email address in the AMSAT membership portal. Members can easily change their registered member email address by logging into the portal and updating their profile.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

The 2024 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!
Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus

Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/

2024 AMSAT Field Day Announcement

It’s that time of year again; summer and Field Day! Each year the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) sponsors Field Day as a “picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, FUN!” The event takes place during a 23-hour period on the fourth weekend of June. For 2024 the event takes place during a 27-hour period from 1800 UTC on Saturday June 22, 2024 through 2100 UTC on Sunday June 23, 2024. Those who set up prior to 1800 UTC on June 24 can operate only 24 hours. The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) promotes its own version of Field Day for operation via the amateur satellites, held concurrently with the ARRL event.

This year should be as easy as last year since we have more than 10 transponders and repeaters available. Users should check the AMSAT status page at http://www.amsat.org/status/ and the pages at https://www.amsat.org/two-way-satellites/ for what is available in the weeks leading up to field day. To reduce the amount of time to research each satellite, see the current FM satellite table at https://www.amsat.org/fm-satellite-frequency-summary/ and the current linear satellite table at https://www.amsat.org/linear-satellite-frequency-summary/

If you are considering ONLY the FM voice satellites, there are ISS, SO-50, AO-91, PO-101 and possibly LilacSat. It might be easier this year to make that one FM contact for the ARRL bonus points with so many FM birds. The congestion on FM LEO satellites is always so intense that we must continue to limit their use to one-QSO-per-FM-satellite. This includes the International Space Station. You will be allowed one QSO if the ISS is operating Voice.

It was suggested during past field days that a control station be allowed to coordinate contacts on the FM satellites. There is nothing in the rules that would prohibit this. This is nothing more than a single station working multiple QSO’s. If a station were to act as a control station and give QSO’s to every other field day station, the control station would still only be allowed to turn in one QSO per FM satellite while the other station would be able to submit one QSO.

The format for the message exchange on the ISS or other digital packet satellite is an unproto packet to the other station (3-way exchange required) with all the same information as normally exchanged for ARRL Field Day, e.g.:
W6NWG de KK5DO 2A STX
KK5DO de W6NWG QSL 5A SDG
W6NWG de KK5DO QSL

If you have worked the satellites on Field Day in recent years, you may have noticed a lot of good contacts can be made on some of the less-populated, low-earth-orbit satellites like RS-44, AO-7, or the TEVEL family. During Field Day the transponders come alive like 20 meters on a contest weekend. The good news is that the transponders on these satellites will support multiple simultaneous contacts. The bad news is that you can’t use FM, just low duty-cycle modes like SSB and CW.

THE 2024 AMSAT FIELD DAY RULES

The AMSAT Field Day 2024 event is open to all Amateur Radio operators. Amateurs are to use the exchange as specified in ARRL rules for Field Day. The AMSAT competition is to encourage the use of all amateur satellites, both analog and digital. Note that no points will be credited for any contacts beyond the ONE allowed via each single-channel FM satellite. Operators are encouraged not to make any extra contacts via theses satellites (Ex: SO-50). CW contacts and digital contacts are worth three points as outlined below.

  1. Analog Transponders

ARRL rules apply, except:

  • Each phone, CW, and digital segment ON EACH SATELLITE TRANSPONDER is considered to be a separate band.
  • CW and digital (FT-4, RTTY, PSK-31, etc.) contacts count THREE points each.
  • Stations may only count one (1) completed QSO on any single channel FM satellite. If a satellite has multiple modes such as V/u and L/s modes both turned on, one contact each is allowed. If the both ISS stations are operational, one QSO on each mode (1 phone and 1 digital), Contacts with the ISS crew will count for one contact if they are active. Greencube (1 digital).
  • The use of more than one transmitter at the same time on a single satellite transponder is prohibited.
  1. Digital Transponders

Satellite digipeat QSO’s and APRS short-message contacts are worth three points each, but must be complete verified two-way exchanges. The one contact per FM satellite is not applied to digital transponders.

The use of terrestrial gateway stations or internet gateways (i.e. EchoLink, IRLP, etc.) to uplink/downlink is not allowed.

For ‘Store and Forward’ hamsats, each satellite is considered a separate band. Do not post “CQ” messages. Simply upload ONE greeting message to each satellite and download as many greeting messages as possible from each satellite. The subject of the uploaded file should be posted as Field Day Greetings, addressed to ALL. The purpose of this portion of the competition is to demonstrate digital satellite communications to other Field Day participants and observers. Do not reply to the Field Day Greetings addressed to ALL.

The following uploads and downloads count as three-point digital contacts.

(a) Upload of a satellite Field Day Greetings file (one per satellite).

(b) Download of Satellite Field Day Greetings files posted by other stations. Downloads of non-Field Day files or messages not addressed to ALL are not to be counted for the event. Save DIR listings and message files for later “proof of contact.”

You may make contacts with GreenCube, IO-117, and each one will count as 3 points as do other digital contacts.

Please note AMSAT uploaded messages do not count for QSO points under the ARRL rules.

Sample Satellite Field Day Greetings File:

KK5DO FD EL29 class 2A 20 participants

Note that the message stated the call, operating class, where they were located (the grid square) and how many operators were in attendance.

  1. Operating Class

Stations operating portable and using emergency power (as per ARRL Field Day rules) are in a separate operating class from those at home connected to commercial power. On the report form simply check off Emergency or Commercial for the Power Source and be sure to specify your ARRL operating class (2A, 1C, etc.).

AND FINALLY…

The Satellite Summary Sheet should be used for submission of the AMSAT Field Day competition and be received by KK5DO (e-mail) by 11:59 P.M. CDT, Monday, July 23, 2024. This year, we are using the same due date as the ARRL. The only method for submitting your log is via e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected]. I have not had a mail-in entry in a very long time.

Add photographs or other interesting information that can be used in an article for the Journal.

You will receive an e-mail back (within one or two days) from me when I receive your e-mail submission. If you do not receive a confirmation message, then I have not received your submission. Try sending it again or send it to my other e-mail address.

Certificates will be awarded for the first-place emergency power/portable station at the AMSAT General Meeting and Space Symposium in the fall of 2024. Certificates will also be awarded to the second and third place portable/emergency operation in addition to the first-place home station running on emergency power. A station submitting high, award-winning scores will be requested to send in dupe sheets for analog contacts and message listings for digital downloads.

You may have multiple rig difficulties, antenna failures, computer glitches, generator disasters, tropical storms, and there may even be satellite problems, but the goal is to test your ability to operate in an emergency situation. Try different gear. Demonstrate satellite operations to hams that don’t even know the HAMSATS exist. Test your equipment. Avoid making more than ONE contact via the FM-only voice HAMSATS or the ISS, and enjoy the event!

[ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, AMSAT Board Member 2016-2024 for the above information.]

GOLF Program Updates from Hamvention Forum

For those who missed the AMSAT Forum at the 2024 Hamvention, here is an excerpt from the engineering update presented by Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT VP-Engineering about the exciting GOLF program.

Some main events happening with the GOLF program. Golf is the acronym for Greater Orbit Larger Footprint. The program is a series of satellites for flight testing and qualifications. We will be looking at testing various devices and systems that we will need as we move to HEO. Each one carries an amateur radio payload that will continue once the main testing mission is complete.

We are looking to increase orbital heights but that is getting more difficult due to the orbital debris rules. Something that we have to harness before we get out of LEO is the ability to make accurate maneuvers and collision avoidance because there is a lot of traffic up there now and hopefully, we will be able to get beyond that and ultimately our perigee is still about 2,000 kilometers that exempt us from the orbital debris rules. But the fact that we can maneuver give us the opportunity not only for deorbiting when we need to but to raise or lower our orbit to a degree so we can have a longer mission.

Speaking of longer missions, survivability is a big thing especially as we get into the Van Allen radiation belt and such. As you get further away from LEO, there is a lot more radiation bombarding you so the idea of radiation tolerance for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts or in some cases when we do a HEO or a GTO we may want to use some radiation hardened parts so we get the best life out of it. So, what we’re looking at is the lowest cost versus performance. It’s a trade balance so we can keep as many satellites in space as we can successfully and return to HEO.

In order to do this, we’re going to master some satellite operations necessary for higher orbit. This doesn’t include engineering. It includes operations who will be controlling the satellites. They will need a good understanding of what the satellites will do and have good instructions to know how to control them.

Some of the main things we need for going higher are:

Power generation. We’re going to need more gain on your power amplifiers, for example to help overcome the link budget. SDR’s can get busy and require a bit of power. There are other systems that we will want to keep running as well as experiments. Power is a premium thing that we need, that is getting power generated by the sun.

Attitude detection and control systems. ADCS something that is vital to control the satellite to point for the best sun or to maneuver. We have to be pointed very precisely if we are going to fire any thrusters. And, we need to point our microwave antennas back toward earth.

Radiation tolerance is essential to survival. In the older satellites there weren’t so many chips, the IC’s if you will, so the analog parts, the carbon resistors and such were much hardier in the radiation belt.

Microwaves – We’re going to be moving into the microwaves. 10 GHz is the ultimate downlink band. There’s a lot of bandwidth up there with 10 GHz, X-Band for downlink and 5 GHz, the C-Band for uplink.

We are also adding 2.4 GHz, S-Band uplink because that is shared with Europe and QO-100.

Thrust and propulsion will be the icing on the cake.

We have to master all of this to be responsible spacefarers.

GOLF-TEE Mission
We have Golf-Tee which stands for Technology Exploration Environment. Key features of it are:

It has deployable solar panels that we are developing inhouse. These address the need for more power.

We have secured CubeSpace ADCS, that we will use for the Attitude Detection and Control System. We were working earlier with a startup that would have given us the opportunity to fly cheaper and be part of the development but that did not come to fruition. We looked at a long list of possible ADCS systems and decided that CubeSpace would be suitable for our GOLF-TEE, GOLF-ONE and possible beyond.

We have the RT-IHU, Radiation Tolerant Internal Housekeeping Unit, which was developed as an ASCENT project using COTS, commercial-off-the-shelf, parts intended to reduce the number of upsets that cause the IHU to “latch-up” and have to re-boot. We’re going to compare that to the IHU we had on the legacy LTM, linear transponder module, used in the FOX satellites to see if, with the South Atlantic anomaly problem, if we are doing any better with resets on each of those IHU systems.

For the 10 GHz X-Band we’re going to have an experimental microwave high speed data downlink which is tricky at LEO, but as we get higher at HEO there is a lot of data we will want to download, not to mention that from experiments. It also gives us an opportunity to possibly use it as a transponder where we would pick off the downlink from the V/U transponder and send it down on 10 GHz as an entryway for people to try working with the microwave bands.

For the GOLF-Tee mission, we are looking at a 500-550 km LEO orbit, accessible through a CSLI/ELaNa launch. Its purpose is to test and qualify new technologies. It will carry the Vanderbilt/ISDE Low Energy Proton Experiment that we have flown before. This will help provide a comparison of what the environment is like with the IHU, RT-IHU and L-IHU units.

We should have a good radio footprint at 550 km. It’s orbital debris regulation “friendly” because it will decay rather rapidly with the current sunspot cycle. We’ll see how that goes because when we go will make a difference.

GOLF-1 Mission
The goals for GOLF-1 are the same as GOLF-TEE that are, hopefully, developed quite well. In the meantime, though, if there are things with the construction or during the on-orbit phases, then hopefully we will have time to make adjustments to improve on things. That’s always the way you want to go with a series of similar satellites.

This will be a typical mission versus the technology mission that GOLF-TEE is. We will carry STEM, educational based experiments. We have a high school in the San Diego area that wants to fly a camera for earth weather views. We’ll fly the Vanderbilt/ISDE Student Radiation Experiment again because there are a lot of students who like to put those together and write papers.

We’ll expand the microwave/SDR experimentation. We’ll open up the Five and Dime – that’s the 5 GHz uplink to 10 GHz downlink. Of course, at LEO it is tricky at best. Nonetheless, it will be there for experimentation with GOLF-1.

The S-Band/X-Band transponder – 2.4 GHz uplink and 10 GHz downlink (a la QO-100) – will be available.

And, we have a L-Band 1.2 GHz uplink possibility. We aren’t certain what that will be used for, perhaps commands. It’s not a worldwide band so depending on resources, we’ll probably concentrate primarily on the other bands.

Again, we’ll have a standard V/U transponder operation. However, it will be the SDR, not the LTM so it gives us the opportunity to make the transponder a variety of things such as an FM repeater or a linear transponder.

Readiness Dates
The target Readiness Date for GOLF-TEE is December 1, 2025. The Readiness Date indicates to NASA that we are ready to hand it over for integration. Integration is the activity when the satellite is put into the dispenser that then goes to the rocket. NASA holds off basically until our CDR, or Comprehensive Design Review, which will be March 2025 and looking at that readiness date in order to judge when to find a good launch for us.

The integration is typically 45 days prior to launch therefore we would not see a launch until early 2026. But it could happen that fast as they have been pretty good at lining up some launches.

For GOLF-1 the Readiness Date would be a year later, December 27, 2026. Again, we want to look at everything we can learn from GOLF-Tee and put it into GOLF-1 and make it better.

GOLF-2 and Beyond
From GOLF-2 and beyond the push for opportunities, and I say it is a good push, opportunities for higher than LEO are going to require specialized systems. We know that and is why GOLF-2 will be testing more of these systems.

The deorbit devices are just coming to commercial availability in CubeSats which is very good. They were not available until just recently. We saw at the CDW, CubeSat Developers Workshop quite a few companies with some items coming out that are helpful to us. We have a team looking at thrusters and propulsion in the ASCENT group, ASCENT meaning Advanced Satellite Communications and Exploration of New Technology.

These things can be mastered, I like to use that word, developed and mastered in LEO. We’ll be careful about what we fly so it will be a successful mission as we go for those higher and more expensive orbits.

[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT VP-Engineering for the above information.]

Need new satellite antennas?
Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.

When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.

https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/

AMSAT Ambassador Program Growing

A long standing service of AMSAT has been its Ambassador program designed to bring the excitement and passion to amateur radio operators through local hamfest, conventions and club meetings. One time referred to as Field Reps and at other times Local Area Coordinators, the tradition lives on, now in its recently revitalized format. Current Ambassadors have the opportunity to show off new apparel options, name badges and booth signage and display materials.

Bo Lowry, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program has been tracking down previous members of the team while recruiting new members. As of this writing, the team has grown to 21 members since Hamvention 2024. Current team members include:

Mitch Ahrenstorff, AD0HJ, Jackson, MN
Barry Baines, WD4ASW, Keller, TX
Keith Baker, KB1SF, Port Huron, MI
Clint Bradford, K6LCS, Jurupa Valley, CA
Chris Brown, NY9X, Gurnee, IL
Alex Cotner, KJ6YPG, Sanger, CA
Tim Cunningham, N8DEU, Huntsville, AL
Bob Davidheiser, W5RBD, La Feria, TX
Jim DeLoach, WU0I, Sunnyvale, CA
Phillip Jenkins, N4HF, Fairaview, NC
Mark Johns, K0JM, Minneapolis, MN
Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, Tucson, AZ
Pat Kilroy, N8PK, Sykesville, MD
Frank Kostelac, N7ZEV, Las Vegas, NV
Bo Lowry, W4FCL, Louisville, KY
Chad Phillips, KG0MW, Platte, SD
Bill Rafus, KD4FRB, Weston, FL
Don Rhodes, KB2YSI, Hamilton, NY
Jim Schings, AI4SR, Lexington, KY
Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, Irving, TX
Daryl Young, K4RGK, Roswell, GA

Also, check the Upcoming Events section later in this bulletin for upcoming events that will be attended by Ambassadors.

If you are a veteran member of the team and would like to get active again, or if you would like to inquire about joining the AMSAT Ambassadors for the first time, you are encouraged to contact Bo at blowrey [at] amsat [dot]org. Or, visit https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/ for more information.

[ANS thanks Bo Lowry, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program for the above information.]

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

25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space

https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for June 7, 2024

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/.

The following satellite has been removed from this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution:

BeeSat 9 NORAD Cat ID 44412 Decayed from orbit on or about 04 June 2024

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information.]

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.

ARISS News
  • Completed Contacts
    Agrupamento de Escolas Dr. Serafim Leite, Sao Joao da Madeira, Portugal, direct via CS2ASL
    The ISS callsign was OR4ISS.
    The crewmember was Matthew Dominick, KC0TOR.
    The ARISS mentor was Marcelo Teruel, IK0USO
    Contact was successful on Thursday, June 6, 2024.

The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down).

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

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.]

Upcoming Satellite Operations

No operations listed.

A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location.

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, and Alex Ners, K6VHF, for the above information.]

Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

  • July 20, 2024
    “Moon Day” Frontiers of Flight Museum
    Love Field in Dallas, Texas
    AMSAT volunteers needed! Contact tschuessler(at) amsat [dot] org for more information.
  • August 17-18, 2024
    Huntsville Hamfest
    Huntsville, AL
    AMSAT Booth and Forum
    N8DEU and W4FCL
  • September 7, 2024
    Greater Louisville Hamfest
    Shepherdsville, KY
    AMSAT Forum and Information Table
    W4FCL
  • October 5, 2024
    Central Kentucky Hamfest
    Lexington, KY
    AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table
    AI4SR and W4FCL

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)!”

[ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information.]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

  • Warsaw University of Technology students plan to launch third satellite in 2025. The launch was originally scheduled for this year, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the Students Space Association of the university’s Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering successfully put the first Polish satellite, PW-Sat, into orbit in 2012. This feat was followed in 2018 by the launch of PW-Sat2. More information at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-161-Warsaw. [ANS thanks tvpworld.com for the above information.]
  • Working around multiple helium leaks and thruster problems, the crew of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft wrapped up a challenging rendezvous and a delayed-but-successful docking with the International Space Station Thursday in a major milestone for the new ship’s first piloted test flight. More information at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-161-Starliner. [ANS thanks spaceflightnow.com for the above information.]
  • Virgin Galactic announced the completion of its second spaceflight of 2024 and 12th mission to date, carrying one researcher and three private astronauts. The ‘Galactic 07’ flight marks the Company’s seventh research mission with Virgin Galactic’s spaceship again serving as a suborbital lab for space-based scientific research. More information at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-161-Virgin. [ANS thanks Virgin Galactic for the above information.]

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

  • Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
  • Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.
  • Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
  • Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org