AMSAT News

AMSAT News Service

ANS-200
July 19, 2026

In this edition:

* Voting Now Underway in 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election
* U.S. Space Force Satellite Catalog Reaches Six-Digit Numbers
* NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft Awakens from Record Hibernation
* Scientists Building Massive Deep Synoptic Array in Nevada Desert
* Updated VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standings for July 2026
* Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for July 17, 2026
* ARISS News
* 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/

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Voting Now Underway in 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election

The nomination period for the 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election concluded on June 15, 2026. The following candidates were nominated, and their official candidate statements are available on the AMSAT 2026 Board of Directors Election website.

• Rich Gopstein, KD2CQ
• Mark Hammond, N8MH
• Bruce Paige, KK5DO
• Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
• Douglas Tabor, N6UA

Three seats on the AMSAT Board of Directors are being filled in this year’s election. The three candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be elected to the Board. The candidates receiving the next highest vote totals will be named First Alternate and Second Alternate, respectively. Voting opened on July 15, 2026, and will conclude on September 15, 2026. Election results will be announced no later than September 30, 2026.

Current AMSAT members may review the official candidate statements and cast their ballots on the AMSAT 2026 Board of Directors Election website: https://launch.amsat.org/2026-BoD-Election

[ANS thanks Douglas Tabor, N6UA, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information]

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U.S. Space Force Satellite Catalog Reaches Six-Digit Numbers

The U.S. Space Force’s authoritative satellite catalog entered a new era on July 11, 2026, when newly assigned catalog numbers advanced from the five-digit sequence ending at 69,999 directly to six-digit catalog number 100,000. Space-Track announced the change and advised users to review its Alpha-5 information and frequently asked questions to ensure that Two-Line Element (TLE) and Three-Line Element (3LE) parsers, along with API queries, remain compatible with the expanded numbering system. The milestone marks the beginning of permanent six-digit catalog numbers for newly cataloged space objects.

The milestone was reached with the cataloging of Saramago, also known as Lusíada 3, one of four Portuguese communications satellites developed by LusoSpace. Named in honor of Nobel Prize-winning author José Saramago, the satellite is part of the Lusíada constellation, which uses Automatic Identification System (AIS) and VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) technology to improve maritime safety, vessel tracking, weather reporting, and ocean data services. The transition occurred one day earlier than CelesTrak had predicted.

Although the traditional TLE format has served the satellite community for decades, its fixed-field design was never intended to accommodate six-digit catalog numbers. Space-Track is maintaining compatibility through its Alpha-5 encoding system, while CelesTrak will distribute General Perturbations (GP) data for catalog numbers 100,000 and above using modern formats such as JSON, XML, CSV, and Key-Value Notation (KVN). These newer formats also eliminate the long-standing two-digit year limitation inherited from the legacy TLE format.

CelesTrak began supporting the modern GP formats in May 2020, giving software developers several years to prepare for the eventual transition. AMSAT likewise anticipated the change by introducing GP data distribution through its Orbital Elements service. Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, announced that AMSAT would provide orbital elements in JSON, XML, and KVN formats while continuing to publish traditional TLE bulletins indefinitely for satellites cataloged before the six-digit transition.

For most amateur satellite operators, the change will be largely transparent when tracking existing satellites. However, software that assumes all catalog numbers contain no more than five numeric digits may require updates before it can process newly cataloged spacecraft. Developers and operators of satellite tracking applications, automated ground stations, and custom scripts are encouraged to verify compatibility with Alpha-5 encoded TLEs or one of the newer GP data formats.

While the transition may appear to be a simple numbering change, it represents one of the most significant updates to satellite orbital data distribution in decades. As launch rates continue to increase and the number of tracked satellites and debris objects grows, six-digit catalog numbers and modern orbital data formats will ensure the U.S. Space Force’s authoritative satellite catalog continues to support both the amateur and professional space communities for years to come.

### For More Information

AMSAT General Perturbations data:
https://newark192.amsat.org/gpdata/current/

CelesTrak General Perturbations data formats:
https://celestrak.org/NORAD/documentation/gp-data-formats.php

Space-Track Alpha-5 information and frequently asked questions:
https://www.space-track.org/

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, Dr. T.S. Kelso of CelesTrak, and Space-Track for the above information]

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NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft Awakens from Record Hibernation

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has awakened from its longest hibernation period ever and resumed active operations as it continues its pioneering exploration of the Kuiper Belt beyond Pluto. Flight controllers confirmed on June 23 that the spacecraft had safely emerged from a 321-day hibernation that began on Aug. 7, 2025. Now approximately 5.9 billion miles (9.5 billion kilometers) from Earth, New Horizons remains healthy and is preparing to return stored science data collected during its dormant period. The spacecraft continues to operate far beyond Pluto as one of humanity’s most distant active planetary science missions.

The successful wake-up demonstrates the remarkable reliability of autonomous spacecraft operations across the vast distances of the outer solar system. Commands directing the spacecraft to awaken were uploaded nearly a year earlier before New Horizons entered hibernation. Because radio signals now require approximately 8 hours and 52 minutes to travel one way between Earth and the spacecraft, confirmation of the wake-up reached mission controllers through NASA’s Deep Space Network station near Madrid, Spain, nearly nine hours after it was transmitted. Such long communication delays require the spacecraft to perform routine operations independently while awaiting instructions from Earth.

Mission teams periodically place New Horizons into hibernation during extended cruise phases to conserve onboard resources and reduce operational demands while continuing valuable scientific observations. During hibernation, operators do not send routine commands or retrieve stored data, but the spacecraft continues collecting measurements using several science instruments. Throughout the 321-day hibernation period, New Horizons transmitted a weekly health-status beacon indicating that all systems were functioning normally. According to Mission Operations Manager Alice Bowman, every weekly status report received during the hibernation period was “green,” confirming the spacecraft remained in excellent health.

With the spacecraft once again fully operational, engineers will first review spacecraft health and safety data before beginning the download of scientific observations collected during hibernation. The Alice ultraviolet spectrograph will soon begin new observations of hydrogen gas in the outer heliosphere, while the Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument, the Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation (PEPSSI), and the Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter continue monitoring the space environment in the distant reaches of the solar system. The mission team is also completing upgrades to ground-system software that will simplify long-term spacecraft operations.

Engineers have also updated the spacecraft’s onboard autonomy software to support operations even farther from the Sun. The improvements account for the gradual decline in electrical power produced by New Horizons’ radioisotope power system and the steadily increasing communications delay as the spacecraft travels deeper into interstellar space. These enhancements will allow the spacecraft to continue conducting scientific observations with minimal intervention from Earth while remaining responsive to changing mission conditions.

Launched in January 2006, New Horizons became the fastest spacecraft ever launched at the time and completed a gravity-assist flyby of Jupiter in 2007 before making humanity’s first close exploration of Pluto in July 2015. The spacecraft later performed the first flyby of a Kuiper Belt object, Arrokoth, on Jan. 1, 2019, and has continued studying the Kuiper Belt, the outer heliosphere, and the space environment beyond the planets. More than two decades after launch, New Horizons continues expanding our understanding of the outer solar system while demonstrating the remarkable capabilities of long-duration deep-space communications and autonomous spacecraft operations.

For more information on NASA’s New Horizons mission, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/new-horizons/

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]

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Add AMSAT’s Getting Started With Amateur Satellites to your order.

Available for $29.95 from HRO (free shipping on most orders over $100)
https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-019238

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Scientists Building Massive Deep Synoptic Array in Nevada Desert

A new radio telescope planned for Nevada could dramatically change how astronomers observe the radio universe. The Deep Synoptic Array (DSA), a project led by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), recently passed its final design review, clearing the way for construction of what researchers describe as the most sensitive radio telescope ever built.

When completed, the array will consist of 1,650 radio dishes spread across an area approximately 12 by 10 miles (20 by 16 kilometers). The telescope is designed to combine the sensitivity normally associated with giant single-dish observatories with the sharp imaging capabilities of large interferometer arrays. Science operations are expected to begin near the end of the decade.

Researchers say the DSA will survey the sky at a pace far beyond existing radio observatories. Current radio telescopes have collectively identified approximately 20 million radio sources, but project scientists estimate the DSA could detect a similar number during its first day of operation. Over the course of its initial survey, the telescope is expected to catalog nearly one billion radio-emitting objects.

Among the telescope’s most ambitious goals is the study of fast radio bursts, pulsars, black holes, and other transient phenomena. The system will continuously monitor large portions of the sky, allowing astronomers to rapidly locate brief events that might otherwise be missed. The telescope is also expected to support follow-up observations of gravitational-wave detections and could discover more than 20,000 previously unknown pulsars.

A key feature of the project is a real-time processing system that developers describe as a “radio camera.” Rather than recording massive quantities of raw data for later analysis, the system will create science-ready radio images as observations are collected. This approach dramatically reduces storage requirements while allowing observations to be shared quickly with researchers around the world.

The Deep Synoptic Array also incorporates several unusual engineering solutions aimed at reducing costs while maintaining performance. Among them is the use of specially modified aluminum cake pans manufactured by the bakeware company Fat Daddio’s as components within the antenna feed system. Combined with room-temperature receivers, GPU-based processing, and a high-speed fiber-optic network, the innovations demonstrate how modern radio astronomy increasingly relies on advances in both computing and manufacturing to explore the universe.

Read the full article at: https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/caltech-readies-to-build-worlds-most-sensitive-radio-telescope

[ANS thanks Whitney Clavin, Caltech, for the above information]

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Updated VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standings for July 2026

VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Changes for June 01, 2026 to July 01, 2026.

Callsign	Previous VUCC Grids	Updated VUCC Grids
DF2ET	1801	1902
DL2GRC	1650	1800
F4BKV	1300	1502
VU2LBW	1000	1111
UW7LL	754	1009
N0GVK	871	899
LU3FCA	684	734
A65BR	701	733
JI5USJ	526	551
SV8CKM	285	417
K5WO	350	365
N8HRZ	343	361
WA8ZID	230	233
KG5IPA	135	201
WB5TX	170	175
M0AQM	New	105
N4ERZ	New	101

Congratulations to MØAQM and N4ERZ on earning their VUCC Satellite Awards! MØAQM is the first VUCC Satellite award holder from Maidenhead grid IO83.

DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Changes for June 01, 2026 to July 01, 2026.

Callsign	Previous DXCC Entities	Updated DXCC Entities
OE9DGV	217	221
DL2GRC	201	203
SP8NR	177	194
I3BUI	180	189
G4GIR	176	185
HB9RYZ	173	175
EA2AA	172	174
F6AOJ	153	162
LA6OP	160	162
IK5CBE	154	160
DL4ZAB	139	159
LA7XK	119	132
K8DP	129	131
I4DOR	113	130
I4MKN	101	130
TF1A	117	119
K8LG	New	116
OH3DP	101	110
SV8CKM	100	109
HB9BIN	104	105
YL2KF	New	100

Congratulations to new DXCC Satellite award holders K8LG and YL2KF!

[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information]

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The 2026 Coins Are Here! Help Support GOLF-TEE and Fox-Plus.
Annual memberships start at only $120.

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Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for July 17, 2026

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.

General Perturbations Data Support

AMSAT is pleased to announce that modern forms of what are called General Perturbations data are being disseminated via modern formats including JSON, XML and KVN at https://newark192.amsat.org/gpdata/current/. The reason this change is being made is that we are running out of 5-digit catalog numbers and the TLE format is not viable for satellites launched after July of this year. See https://celestrak.org/NORAD/documentation/gp-data-formats.php for details.

These data are presently considered in beta test for the next two months while hosted on the test server newark192.amsat.org, and we are very open to community feedback at webmaster [at] amsat.org. Testers may experience outages and errors while we make improvements. We intend to put this into production on our main web server in July as we expect that satellites launched after this summer will require one of the new formats to accommodate longer object numbers. AMSAT will continue to publish TLE bulletins for satellites launched before July 2026 indefinitely.

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

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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.

Scheduled Contacts

+ Recently Completed

Pacific State University, Khabarovsk, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The crewmember was Pyotr Dubrov
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful: Fri 2026-07-17 09:15 UTC
Congratulations to the Pacific State University students, Pyotr, and ARISS mentor RV3DR!

+ Upcoming Contacts

Planetario de Orizaba, Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, telebridge via ON4ISS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Sophie Adenot KJ5LTN
The ARISS mentor is VE3TBD
Contact is go for: Thu 2026-07-23 17:07:12 UTC

POIC at Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, telebridge via ON4ISS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be TBD
The scheduled crewmember is Williams KJ5GEW
The ARISS mentor is KI5SDP
Contact is go for: Fri 2026-07-24 17:56:30 UTC

Many times, a school makes a last-minute decision to do a Livestream or runs into a last-minute glitch requiring a change of the URL, but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

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 remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the microphone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air—so keep listening, as you never know when activity might occur.

Kenwood D710GA in the Zvezda Service Module – Call sign RS0ISS. Please note we’re still in the process of troubleshooting and testing this radio. APRS is currently active on 437.825 MHz. Feel free to check out status reports at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_APRS/.

​HamTV in the Columbus Module (2395.00 MHz) is currently transmitting a test signal. The color bar test generator portion of the system is experiencing technical issues, and troubleshooting is underway. For more information, visit the ARISS Ham TV Live site at https://live.ariss.org/hamtv/.

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]

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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

44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting – October 8 thru 11, 2026
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
https://www.amsat.org/2026-amsat-symposium/

For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

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

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AMSAT News Service

ANS-193
July 12, 2026

In this edition:

• May/June 2026 issue of The AMSAT Journal is now available
• AMSAT-UK ahowcase at EMF2026 – July 16th to July 17th
• Space X launches Transporter-17 among concerns about the future  
• 14 million tracks and counting: How SATNOGS hit a new milestone and caught a spinning satellite 
• Securing the future – The orbit stabilization of Swift Observatory
• Changes to AMSAT TLE distribution for July 10 20206
• ARISS News
• 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/

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May/June 2026 issue of The AMSAT Journal is now available

The May/June 2026 issue of The AMSAT Journal is now available to members on AMSAT’s Member Portal.

The AMSAT Journal is a bi-monthly digital magazine for amateur radio in space enthusiasts, published by the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT). Each issue is your source for hardware and software projects, technical tips, STEM initiatives, operational activities, and news from around the world.

Inside the Current Issue

• Apogee View – Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
• Educational Relations Update – Alan Johnston, Ph.D., KU2Y
• CardSat: A Full Satellite Station Controller in Your Pocket – Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
• OrbitDeck: A Free, Cross-Platform Satellite Tracker – Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
• How Field Day Inspired My Parks on the Air Portable Satellite Station – Roger Weed, Ph.D., KV4I
• Hamvention 2026 Takeaways: A Record Crowd – and a Signal for AMSAT – Joe Kornowski, KB6IGK
• Hamvention 2026 Gallery

Not yet a member of AMSAT? Join now to access this issue, and the library of past issues of The AMSAT Journal, in addition to other member benefits.

[ANS thanks Joe Kornowski, KB6IGK, Editor-in-Chief, and The AMSAT Journal staff, for the above information.]

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AMSAT-UK Showcase at Electromagnetic Field 2026 – July 16-19

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!

AMSAT is offering a limited-time promotion for new and renewing members that includes a free digital copy of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites. The promotion is being offered as AMSAT begins the 2026 membership year.

Anyone who joins or renews their AMSAT membership during the promotional period will receive a download link for the latest edition of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites in their membership confirmation email. JOIN TODAY at https://launch.amsat.org/ (Remember! Students join for FREE!)

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The 2026 President’s Club Coin is Now Here! Help Support GOLF and FoxPlus.

Annual memberships start at only $120

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

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Securing the Future: Orbit Stabilization of Swift Observatory 

• The Objective: The Swift Observatory has operated since 2004, but after two decades, atmospheric drag has caused its orbit to decay significantly. Without intervention, there is a high probability that it would reenter the atmosphere in 2026. The mission aims to raise Swift’s orbit to approximately 600 km to preserve its unique capability for detecting gamma-ray bursts.
• The Spacecraft (LINK): LINK is a 425 kg spacecraft equipped with two 6-meter solar arrays and three xenon-fueled ion thrusters. It features autonomous navigation systems and three robotic arms specifically designed for non-cooperative capture.
• Innovative Methodology: This mission represents the first attempt to recover an “unprepared” spacecraft — one that was never designed with docking fixtures or grappling points. LINK will autonomously approach Swift, perform a visual inspection, and use its specialized robotic mechanism to secure a structural feature of the observatory without damaging its sensitive instrument.
• Current Status: LINK was launched on July 3, 2026, from Kwajalein Island aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus-XL rocket. Teams have successfully established communications with the spacecraft, which is currently undergoing several weeks of checkout procedures for its propulsion and navigation systems before beginning its rendezvous with Swift.

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Buying from DX Engineering?
Add AMSAT’s Getting Started With Amateur Satellites to your order.Available for $30 from DX Engineering (free shipping on most orders over $99)
https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/amt-satellites

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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:

The International Aerospace School named after the USSR test cosmonaut U.N. Sultanov, Ufa, Russia, direct via UD9W
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The crewmember was Andrey Fedyaev
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact was for Fri 2026-07-10 19:29 UTC

Due to summer school vacations, no upcoming contacts currently scheduled.

As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.
Radio will be powered down in support of Soyuz docking:
Power down: July 14 at 14:00 UTC
Power up: July 15 at 12:35 UTC

The crossband repeater remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the microphone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air—so keep listening, as you never know when activity might occur.

Kenwood D710GA in the Zvezda Service Module – Call sign RSØISS. Please note that ARISS is still in the process of troubleshooting and testing this radio. APRS is currently active on 437.825 MHz. Feel free to check out status reports at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_APRS/. 

​HamTV in the Columbus Module (2395.00 MHz) is currently transmitting a test signal. The color bar test generator portion of the system is experiencing technical issues, and troubleshooting is underway. For more information, visit the ARISS Ham TV Live site at https://live.ariss.org/hamtv/.

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.]

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

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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 18, 2026
Moon Day
Frontiers of Flight Museum
6911 Lemmon Avenue
Dallas, TX 75209
https://flightmuseum.com/events/moonday/
N5HYP

October 8-11, 2026
44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
Details to follow

Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

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

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Satellite Shorts from All Over

+ AMSAT SA 2026 Space Symposium will be held Saturday, 1 August 2026. The event is conducted online from 10:00 – 14:00 SAST (08:00 – 12:00 UTC) to enable wide attendance without incurring large travel costs. The theme is “The new Amateur Radio World in Space,” exploring practical hands-on aspects of space activities and emerging technologies. Presentations will include outcomes of proposals for new geostationary amateur satellites, including innovative ground-based systems to link LEO and GEO satellite.  Registration is free for members of IARU member societies, while non-members pay a small fee. Visit the AMSAT-SA website for registration details. (ANS thanks AMSAT-SA, for the above information.)

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

• Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
• Students are eligible for FREE membership up to age 25.
• 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,
Vidya Gopalakrishnan, K4VGK

ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002. AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

AMSAT News Service

ANS-186
July 5, 2026

In this edition:

• AMSAT President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Featured on Ham Radio Workbench Podcast
• MarmotSat: Student-Built Canadian CubeSat Brings Open-Source Amateur Experiments to VHF and 10 Meters
• OSCARLOCATOR Web Generator Turns Live Elements Into Printable Tracking Sheets
• Recent IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Activity
• Amateur Radio Payloads Aboard SpaceX Transporter-17
• AMSAT at Moon Day, Dallas – Saturday, July 18, 2026
• Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for June 5, 2026
• ARISS News
• 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/

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AMSAT President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Featured on Ham Radio Workbench Podcast

AMSAT President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, is the featured guest on episode 266 of the Ham Radio Workbench podcast, released June 30, 2026, and available at https://www.hamradioworkbench.com/podcast. 

In a wide-ranging discussion, Glasbrenner talks with the Workbench crew about AMSAT and amateur radio in space, drawing on the operating and institutional perspective he brings as AMSAT President. The episode’s show notes point listeners toward a number of accessible on-ramps to satellite work, including the WA5VJB “Cheap Yagis” wooden-boom antenna design, Elk log-periodic antennas for satellite use, and AMSAT itself at https://www.amsat.org. The hosts also note that Glasbrenner is interested in hearing from potential payload providers, and that listeners inspired to get more involved can inquire about becoming an AMSAT Ambassador.

Recent AMSAT presentations have offered a preview of the themes Glasbrenner tends to cover. In appearances over the past several months he has described AMSAT as a volunteer, educational organization dating to 1969, highlighted the continued operation of AO-7 more than five decades after launch, and outlined the GOLF-TEE mission — a 3U CubeSat carrying a 30 kHz linear transponder, a 10 GHz high-speed experimental downlink, and improved three-axis attitude control. Listeners looking for an approachable introduction to where AMSAT is headed will find the Workbench episode a good place to start.

Give it a listen at https://www.hamradioworkbench.com/podcast.

[ANS thanks the Ham Radio Workbench podcast and Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT President, for the above information]

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LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!

AMSAT is offering a limited-time promotion for new and renewing members that includes a free digital copy of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites. The promotion is being offered as AMSAT begins the 2026 membership year.

Anyone who joins or renews their AMSAT membership during the promotional period will receive a download link for the latest edition of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites in their membership confirmation email. JOIN TODAY at https://launch.amsat.org/ (Remember! Students join for FREE!)

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The 2026 President’s Club Coin is Now Here! Help Support GOLF and FoxPlus.

Annual memberships start at only $120

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

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Recent IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Activity

Every amateur satellite that expects to transmit in the amateur-satellite service bands is asked to obtain a frequency coordination from the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) before launch. The IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel reviews each request, checks the proposed frequencies against existing band plans and other coordinated missions, and — where the mission fits the definition of the amateur-satellite service and names a licensed amateur as the responsible operator — recommends frequencies intended to minimize mutual interference. The running status of applications is maintained on the AMSAT-UK-hosted status pages at https://iaru.amsat-uk.org/index.php, and it is worth a periodic look for operators who like to know what may be arriving on the bands.

Over roughly the past month the panel’s public status list has continued to turn over, with the two most recently updated entries both coming from long-running university programs in Europe.

The most recent update, dated June 23, 2026, is UPMSat-3, developed by the Instituto Universitario de Microgravedad “Ignacio Da Riva” (IDR) of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). UPMSat-3 continues a program that reaches back to UPMSat-1 in 1995 and UPMSat-2 in 2020. The new spacecraft is a roughly 22-kilogram microsatellite — smaller than its predecessors but a substantial step up in capability — whose primary science mission is imaging of the cosmic microwave background, alongside a suite of low-cost in-orbit technology demonstrations for Spanish companies and research centers and continued work on attitude determination and control algorithms. UPMSat-3 has been selected to fly on the Isar Aerospace Spectrum launcher from Andøya, Norway, and the program continues to build hands-on engineering experience for students in UPM’s Master’s Degree in Space Systems (MUSE).

The panel’s prior update, dated June 4, 2026, is FramSat-1.5, a 3U CubeSat from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the student organization Orbit NTNU. FramSat is a scaled evolution of Orbit NTNU’s earlier SelfieSat, and the FramSat effort is closely tied to the ambition of launching “the first satellite from Norwegian soil” from the new spaceport at Andøya. FramSat carries a UHF amateur downlink — SatNOGS lists a 435.141 MHz 9k6 FSK (AX.25/G3RUH) transmitter marked IARU coordinated — supporting telemetry and an experimental sun-sensor payload built by students.

Both missions are representative of the bulk of IARU coordination traffic: student- and university-led educational spacecraft, most in low Earth orbit, that give the next generation of engineers direct experience with spacecraft communications while adding new signals for the amateur community to hunt. Developers planning a mission are reminded that coordination should be requested as early in the design process as possible, while frequencies can still be changed in response to the panel’s recommendations.

Application forms and contact information are available at https://www.iaru.org/reference/satellites/, and the coordination status list is at https://iaru.amsat-uk.org/index.php.

[ANS thanks the IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel for the above information]

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Amateur Radio Payloads Aboard SpaceX Transporter-17

SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, July 7, 2026, for the launch of its Transporter-17 dedicated rideshare mission, with a 95-minute window opening at 07:10 UTC (12:10 a.m. PDT) from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. A backup opportunity is available on July 8 at the same time. The Falcon 9 will carry a large collection of small satellites — deployment provider Exolaunch alone has manifested 49 spacecraft on the flight — into a sun-synchronous orbit, and among them are several carrying amateur radio payloads. As with all Transporter missions, deployments will be spaced out over a period of time after launch rather than occurring all at once, and it may be days or weeks before individual satellites are commissioned and heard.

As of this writing the full manifest is still being cataloged by the amateur community, and operators coordinating reception through the Libre Space Foundation’s SatNOGS network are working to add the new spacecraft and their transmitters to the SatNOGS database. Amateurs are encouraged to help by submitting satellite and transmitter suggestions. The confirmed amateur payloads with IARU-coordinated frequencies are summarized below; more may be identified as the manifest firms up.

MarmotSat

MarmotSat, the 3U CubeSat built by students at the University of Victoria Centre for Aerospace Research, is the headline amateur payload on the flight and is the subject of a separate feature in this issue. It carries the debut of the open-source Modular CubeSat Radio and supports four amateur experiments: a VHF digipeater and CW telemetry beacon on 145.875 MHz, a CW telemetry beacon and a DVB-S2 digital video beacon on 29.410 MHz, and a linear-frequency-modulation ionospheric-sounding downlink on 10 meters for amateur citizen scientists. Its IARU-coordinated downlinks are 29.410 MHz, 145.875 MHz, and 436.125 MHz (TT&C). The team hopes MarmotSat will become Canada’s first official OSCAR-designated satellite. See the full article elsewhere in this bulletin for details and for how to take part in commissioning.

Maveric

Maveric is a 3U CubeSat from the University of Southern California’s Space Engineering Research Center, with Anthony Planinac, K6FCF, as the responsible operator. The satellite carries two identical commercially available multispectral imagers, each of which will photograph an LCD screen positioned in front of the camera with the Earth and sky as a backdrop. The mission’s goals are a mix of science and technology development, including magnetic-field measurements and the testing of new algorithms for real-time onboard processing of optical imagery.

For amateurs, Maveric uses a 9,600 bps UHF downlink employing GMSK modulation with Golay framing. The IARU has coordinated a downlink on 437.575 MHz. The satellite is bound for an approximately 590 km polar orbit. Reception reports and telemetry decodes from the amateur community are, as always, valuable to the mission team during commissioning.

Other payloads of note

Also aboard Transporter-17 is LabSat IoT, a 34-cm CubeSat developed by the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Palermo in Argentina, together with COPITEC and FUNDETEC. LabSat IoT is a technology-demonstration platform for satellite Internet-of-Things and cellular (NTN) connectivity to remote areas, using in-flight-reconfigurable software-defined radios. Its experiments operate in IoT and mobile-satellite bands rather than the amateur-satellite service, so while it is a noteworthy student-built spacecraft on the same flight, it is not an amateur radio mission and does not carry an IARU-coordinated amateur payload.

The mission also includes numerous commercial and government smallsats — among them Firesat-1, -2, and -3, and a wide range of Earth-observation and technology-demonstration spacecraft from more than twenty countries — that do not use amateur frequencies.

Operators wishing to receive the amateur payloads should watch for orbital elements to be published after deployment and match them to each spacecraft using the beacon signals. Frequency and status details for coordinated satellites can be confirmed on the IARU coordination status pages at https://iaru.amsat-uk.org, and reception can be coordinated through the SatNOGS network. ANS will report on successful deployments and the opening of the new satellites’ amateur payloads as information becomes available.

[ANS thanks SpaceX, Exolaunch, the IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel, the University of Victoria, the University of Southern California, and the Libre Space Foundation for the above information]

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AMSAT at Moon Day, Dallas – Saturday, July 18, 2026

AMSAT Ambassador Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, writes:

“Hello AMSATters in and around the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

“We are coming up quickly toward the annual STEM event held by the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field called ‘Moon Day.’ This year it will be Saturday, July 18th. Hours are from 10 AM to 4 PM. Always held around the time of the Apollo 11 moon landing, it is a fun public event showcasing astronomy, space science and technology, suitable for young and old alike. Last year it drew almost 1500 visitors. See https://flightmuseum.com/events/moonday/ for more information.

“I have been representing AMSAT and amateur radio satellites at Moon Day for many years now. We have an exhibit table right next to the Dallas Amateur Radio Club where we show off the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator, the Fox CubeSat engineering model, talk about orbits and footprints and this year, hope to have materials to hand out for kids from the AMSAT youth initiative, BuzzSat. Of course we feature the ISS as a great example of amateur radio in space. The CubeSat Simulator gives the ability to have a ‘Get your picture taken by a satellite’ photobooth experience. We also try to offer several voice satellite passes out in the parking lot to show off amateur radio space communications.

“Besides all the regular exhibits, attendees can attend various seminars and hear talks by astronauts.

“The museum has wonderful exhibits, including the Apollo 7 command module. This year there is a new exhibit on the Hindenburg which looks very interesting.”

[ANS thanks Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, AMSAT Ambassador, for the above information]

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Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for July 3, 2026

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/.

There are no changes to this week’s TLE distribution.

General Perturbations Data Support

AMSAT is pleased to announce that modern forms of what are called General Perturbations data are being disseminated via modern formats including JSON, XML and KVN at https://newark192.amsat.org/gpdata/current/. The reason this change is being made is that we are running out of 5-digit catalog numbers and the TLE format is not viable for satellites launched after July of this year. See https://celestrak.org/NORAD/documentation/gp-data-formats.php for details.

These data are presently considered in beta test for the next two months while hosted on the test server newark192.amsat.org, and we are very open to community feedback at webmaster at amsat.org. Testers may experience outages and errors while we make improvements. We intend to put this into production on our main web server in July as we expect that satellites launched after this summer will require one of the new formats to accommodate longer object numbers. AMSAT will continue to publish TLE bulletins for satellites launched before July 2026 indefinitely.

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

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Buying from DX Engineering?
Add AMSAT’s Getting Started With Amateur Satellites to your order.Available for $30 from DX Engineering (free shipping on most orders over $99)
https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/amt-satellites

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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.

No contacts currently scheduled

Many times, a school makes a last-minute decision to do a Livestream or runs into a last-minute glitch requiring a change of the URL, but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

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 remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the microphone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air—so keep listening, as you never know when activity might occur.

​Kenwood D710GA in the Zvezda Service Module – Call sign RSØISS. Please note we’re still in the process of troubleshooting and testing this radio. APRS is currently active on 437.825 MHz. Feel free to check out status reports at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_APRS/.

Ham TV is currently transmitting a test signal at 2395.00 MHz.

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]

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

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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 18, 2026
Moon Day
Frontiers of Flight Museum
6911 Lemmon Avenue
Dallas, TX 75209
https://flightmuseum.com/events/moonday/
N5HYP

October 8-11, 2026
44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
Details to follow

Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

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

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Satellite Shorts from All Over

+ AMSAT Field Day 2026 ran June 27–28 alongside the ARRL event. Operators enjoyed access to more than 10 transponders/repeaters. FM voice limited to one QSO per bird (including ISS); linear birds (AO-7, RS-44, etc.) supported multiple contacts. The ISS repeater was noted as one of the busiest “stations” during Field Day. Many operators reported successful satellite QSOs. Logs due to KK5DO by July 28. See https://www.amsat.org/field-day/ for submission details (ANS thanks AMSAT for the information)

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

• Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
• Students are eligible for FREE membership up to age 25.
• 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. AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

AMSAT News Service

ANS-179
June 28, 2026

In this edition:

* Classic OSCARLOCATOR Returns as Browser-Based Tracking Simulator
* Katalyst Launches Spacecraft to Rescue NASA’s Swift Observatory
* Rocket Lab Launches Spacecraft for Space Force Orbital Exercise
* Researchers Propose StormWall System to Reduce Solar Storm Impacts
* Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for June 26, 2026
* ARISS News
* 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/

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Classic OSCARLOCATOR Returns as Browser-Based Tracking Simulator

A new browser-based recreation of the classic OSCARLOCATOR satellite tracking aid is now online and free for all amateurs to use at: https://oscarlocator.n8hm.radio/

The OSCARLOCATOR Web Simulator is the work of AMSAT Executive Vice President Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, and is modeled on his OrbitDeck desktop application. It runs entirely in a web browser on desktop and mobile devices, with no login, installation, or plug-ins required.

For amateurs who came to satellite operating after the era of paper tracking devices, the original OSCARLOCATOR was a circular, azimuthal-equidistant map of one hemisphere paired with a rotating clear overlay. By aligning the overlay to a satellite’s equator crossing, an operator could determine where the spacecraft would appear in the sky and when it would be in range — all without a computer. N8HM’s web version preserves that look and method while adding the convenience of live, on-demand computation.

The simulator renders the familiar polar azimuthal-equidistant map as well as a QTH-centered version, automatically choosing the North or South polar sheet for the operator’s location. It draws the satellite’s ground track with 10-minute time marks, plots a range circle over the operator’s station, and shows the spacecraft’s instantaneous footprint. A live readout reports the sub-satellite point, azimuth and elevation from the station, slant range, and whether the satellite is above the horizon.

Operators can drive the display live in real time, pin an equator crossing to a chosen longitude and step forward minute by minute, or jump directly to the next visible pass over their location. A QTH-centered view places the operator’s station at the center of the map with azimuth bearings and great-circle distance rings — the same geometry used by a physical OSCARLOCATOR card.

A “Next Passes” panel lists the next ten visible passes over the operator’s QTH, with acquisition-of-signal, peak, and loss-of-signal times, pass duration, and maximum elevation and bearing. A single click seeds any listed pass onto the map. A separate reference-orbit table gives equator-crossing times and longitudes suitable for setting a physical OSCARLOCATOR.

The satellite picker is fed from current AMSAT GP (General Perturbations) orbital element data, with a bundled offline snapshot so the tool remains usable if live data cannot be retrieved. The station can be set by Maidenhead grid square, by latitude and longitude, or automatically through the browser’s geolocation. During live tracking the display follows the satellite across the equator, switching between the North and South polar sheets as appropriate.

Position calculations use a from-scratch SGP4/SDP4 propagator validated against the published Vallado reference vectors, with correct deep-space handling so that high-altitude and geosynchronous satellites such as QO-100 are displayed at their true sub-satellite points.

The OSCARLOCATOR Web Simulator is free to use and available online at https://oscarlocator.n8hm.radio. Amateurs new to satellite work may find its visual, hands-on approach a useful way to build intuition for how amateur satellites move and when they can be worked from a given location.

[ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive Vice President, for the above information]

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Katalyst Launches Spacecraft to Rescue NASA’s Swift Observatory

Katalyst Space Technologies is preparing to launch its LINK servicing spacecraft aboard Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket no earlier than June 30. The mission will attempt to rendezvous with NASA’s Swift Observatory and raise its orbit, potentially extending the life of the 22-year-old space telescope. The launch is expected to mark one of the first operational attempts to capture and service an unprepared satellite already in orbit.

Swift was launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts, among the most energetic events in the universe. Although the observatory remains scientifically productive, it was built without propulsion capable of maintaining its orbit. Atmospheric drag has gradually reduced Swift’s altitude over the past two decades, and increased solar activity accelerated that decay. NASA determined the spacecraft was at risk of descending too low for safe servicing operations later this year.

To preserve the observatory, NASA selected Katalyst Space Technologies in 2025 to develop a rapid-response rescue mission. The company designed and built the LINK servicing spacecraft in less than one year, an unusually short schedule for a mission of its complexity. LINK carries electric propulsion and a robotic capture system designed to attach itself to satellites that were never intended to be serviced in orbit.

Following launch, LINK will enter orbit and begin initial spacecraft checkout and commissioning activities. In the coming weeks, the spacecraft is expected to perform a series of orbital maneuvers to match Swift’s orbit before attempting a close approach. Once in position, three robotic arms will be used to capture the observatory and establish a secure mechanical connection.

The mission is expected to mark the final flight of Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL launch vehicle. First flown in 1990, Pegasus pioneered commercial air-launched access to space and completed dozens of missions during its 36-year career. The launch will utilize the last Pegasus XL rocket remaining in inventory and will be conducted from the L-1011 carrier aircraft Stargazer, believed to be the last operational Lockheed TriStar aircraft still flying.

If successful, the Swift rescue mission could establish a new model for extending the lives of aging spacecraft. Beyond preserving a valuable scientific observatory, the mission will demonstrate technologies that may one day allow commercial operators and government agencies to service satellites rather than replacing them. The mission is being closely watched as a potential milestone in the growing field of commercial on-orbit satellite servicing.

Read the full article at: https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/06/a-bold-satellite-rescue-mission-came-together-in-record-time-but-will-it-work/

[ANS thanks Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, for the above information]

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Buying from DX Engineering?
Add AMSAT’s Getting Started With Amateur Satellites to your order.Available for $30 from DX Engineering (free shipping on most orders over $99)
https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/amt-satellites

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Rocket Lab Launches Spacecraft for Space Force Orbital Exercise

Rocket Lab successfully launched a spacecraft for the U.S. Space Force’s Victus Haze mission on June 19, lifting off aboard an Electron rocket from the company’s Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The spacecraft, known as Victus Haze Puma, was placed into a sun-synchronous orbit and will participate in a military demonstration designed to test rapid response capabilities and on-orbit spacecraft operations.

Victus Haze is the fourth mission conducted under the Space Force’s Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program. The initiative seeks to demonstrate how commercial launch providers and spacecraft manufacturers can rapidly deploy satellites when needed. Unlike earlier demonstrations that focused primarily on launch readiness, Victus Haze expands the concept by evaluating spacecraft operations after reaching orbit.

Following launch, the Puma spacecraft entered a commissioning phase before beginning rendezvous and proximity operations with another spacecraft already in orbit. The mission will pair Rocket Lab’s vehicle with True Anomaly’s Jackal-004 spacecraft, which launched in May aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare mission. During the exercise, the spacecraft will perform a variety of maneuvers intended to demonstrate space domain awareness and the ability to characterize nearby objects in orbit.

The mission also showcased the responsiveness of Rocket Lab’s launch system. After receiving a formal launch order from the Space Force, the company launched the Electron rocket within 16 hours and 42 minutes, surpassing the program’s 24-hour launch requirement. Rocket Lab reported that mission planners calculated a final trajectory to a previously undisclosed orbit, updated flight software, and coordinated ground station support within only a few hours of receiving the order.

Victus Haze builds on lessons learned from the Victus Nox mission conducted in 2023. That earlier demonstration proved that commercial providers could rapidly launch a satellite following a short-notice tasking. Victus Haze extends the concept by demonstrating that responsive space operations can continue after launch, including the ability to maneuver spacecraft, inspect nearby objects, and gather information about activities occurring in orbit.

Space Force officials view these capabilities as increasingly important as Earth orbit becomes more crowded and strategically significant. Future military and civil missions may require the rapid deployment of spacecraft to replace damaged satellites, investigate unusual activity, or provide additional sensing capabilities. Through partnerships with commercial companies such as Rocket Lab and True Anomaly, the Victus Haze mission aims to demonstrate that these capabilities can be delivered on operational timelines measured in hours and days rather than months.

Read the full article at: https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-launches-satellite-for-u-s-space-force-victus-haze-responsive-space-exercise/

[ANS thanks Sandra Erwin, SpaceNews, for the above information]

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Researchers Propose StormWall System to Reduce Solar Storm Impacts

Scientists have proposed a new concept called StormWall that could one day help protect satellites, communications systems, and power infrastructure from severe solar storms. The idea, described in a recent paper published in the journal Space Weather, would use a fleet of spacecraft to temporarily strengthen Earth’s natural magnetic defenses when dangerous space weather is approaching.

Earth is normally protected by its magnetosphere, a magnetic field that deflects much of the charged particle radiation emitted by the Sun. During powerful solar eruptions, however, interactions between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetic field can allow large amounts of energy to enter near-Earth space. These events can disrupt satellite operations, radio communications, navigation systems, and electric power grids.

The proposed StormWall system would deploy six spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit. Each spacecraft would carry stores of material such as barium, lithium, sodium, or calcium. When a major solar storm is detected, the spacecraft would release the material into space, where sunlight would ionize it and create an artificial cloud of plasma.

Researchers believe this plasma cloud could increase the mass density along the sunward boundary of the magnetosphere. Computer simulations suggest that the added material would reduce the efficiency of magnetic reconnection, the process that allows solar storm energy to penetrate Earth’s magnetic shield. By slowing this process, StormWall could lessen the severity of geomagnetic storms reaching Earth.

To evaluate the concept, the research team simulated the effects of the May 2024 “Mother’s Day” geomagnetic storm. Their results indicated that StormWall would not eliminate the storm entirely but could reduce key measures of storm intensity by more than 50 percent. The researchers also concluded that the amount of material required and the launch capabilities needed for the system are within the reach of current technology.

The concept remains a theoretical proposal and no StormWall mission has been approved or funded. Nevertheless, the study represents an unusual approach to space weather mitigation, shifting the focus from forecasting solar storms to actively reducing their impact. As satellite constellations and other orbital infrastructure continue to expand, researchers suggest that large-scale protective systems may become increasingly attractive in the future.

Read the full article at: https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/scientists-propose-spraying-chemicals-into-earths-magnetic-field-to-protect-us-from-powerful-solar-storms

[ANS thanks Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, for the above information]

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The 2026 Coins Are Here! Help Support GOLF-TEE and Fox-Plus.
Annual memberships start at only $120.

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Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for June 26, 2026

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.

General Perturbations Data Support

AMSAT is pleased to announce that modern forms of what are called General Perturbations data are being disseminated via modern formats including JSON, XML and KVN at https://newark192.amsat.org/gpdata/current/. The reason this change is being made is that we are running out of 5-digit catalog numbers and the TLE format is not viable for satellites launched after July of this year. See https://celestrak.org/NORAD/documentation/gp-data-formats.php for details.

These data are presently considered in beta test for the next two months while hosted on the test server newark192.amsat.org, and we are very open to community feedback at [email protected]. Testers may experience outages and errors while we make improvements. We intend to put this into production on our main web server in July as we expect that satellites launched after this summer will require one of the new formats to accommodate longer object numbers. AMSAT will continue to publish TLE bulletins for satellites launched before July 2026 indefinitely.

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

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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.

Scheduled Contacts

+ Recently Completed

National STEM Festival, Washington, DC, telebridge via VK6MJ
The ISS callsign was NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember was Chris Williams, KJ5GEW
The ARISS mentor was W4NTR/ KM4YHZ
Contact was successful: Thu 2026-06-25 13:31:42 UTC
Congratulations to the National STEM Festival students, Chris, mentor W4NTR/KM4YHZ, and ground station VK6MJ!

+ Upcoming Contacts

None currently scheduled

Many times, a school makes a last-minute decision to do a Livestream or runs into a last-minute glitch requiring a change of the URL, but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

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 remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the microphone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air—so keep listening, as you never know when activity might occur. In support of an upcoming EVA: Power Down June 29 15:15 UTC | Power Up July 1 10:15 UTC

Kenwood D710GA in the Zvezda Service Module – Call sign RS0ISS. Please note we’re still in the process of troubleshooting and testing this radio. APRS is currently active on 437.825 MHz. Feel free to check out status reports at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_APRS/. In support of an upcoming EVA: Power Down June 29 15:20 UTC | Power Up July 1 10:20 UTC

​HamTV in the Columbus Module (2395.00 MHz) is currently transmitting a test signal. The color bar test generator portion of the system is experiencing technical issues, and troubleshooting is underway. For more information, visit the ARISS Ham TV Live site at https://live.ariss.org/hamtv/.

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]

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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 – July 11, 2026
Frontiers of Flight Museum
6911 Lemmon Avenue
Dallas, TX 75209
https://flightmuseum.com/events/moonday/
N5HYP

44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting – October 8 thru 11, 2026
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
https://www.amsat.org/2026-amsat-symposium/

For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

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

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