ANS-261 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Sept. 18

September 18, 2022 by Mark Johns

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/

In this edition:

FCC Proposes ‘Five-Year Rule’ For Dead Satellite Disposal
40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting, Oct. 21 – 22
Final Call for Papers for 2022 AMSAT Space Symposium
2022 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Results
Everything Ready for the Launch of the New GENESIS – Updated
Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for Sept. 15
ARISS News
Upcoming Satellite Operations
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-261 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2022 Sept. 18

FCC Proposes ‘Five-Year Rule’ For Dead Satellite Disposal

The Federal Communications Commission wants to do something about space junk in low Earth orbit. On Sept. 8, the agency published a proposal that, if adopted, would put a deadline on how long non-geostationary satellites can stay in space.

As things stand, voluntary NASA guidelines published in the 1990s recommend that dead satellites should be deorbited within 25 years. The FCC wants to adopt a five-year rule that would require domestic satellite operators and companies that want access to the U.S. market to dispose of their non-functioning satellites as soon as they can. “We believe it is no longer sustainable to leave satellites in LEO [low Earth orbit] to deorbit over decades,” the FCC states in its proposal.

Satellites already in space would be exempt from the FCC’s guidelines. The Commission is also proposing there be a two-year grandfathering period that start on September 29th, the day it plans to vote on the regulation. That carveout would give organizations that previously obtained approval for a future satellite launch time to develop a disposal plan for their spacecraft. The FCC said it would also grant waivers case-by-case after NASA expressed concern that the five-year limit would impact its CubeSat missions.

The proposal comes as the number of satellites in low Earth orbit is expected to increase over the next few years dramatically. With contributions from companies like SpaceX, Amazon and OneWeb, as many as 18,000 new satellites could be floating above the planet by 2025. Those satellites will not only make it more challenging to observe the night sky, but the probability of a potential crash will increase too.

[ANS thanks Engadget for the above information]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

The 2022 AMSAT President’s Club coins have arrived!
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on
October 15, 1972, this year’s coin features
an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6.
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting, Oct. 21 – 22

The 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will take place in Bloomington, Minnesota on Oct. 21-22, 2022. Highlights of all scheduled events include:

– AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting, October 20-21
– 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, October 21-22
– Friday Night Social and Auction, October 21
– AMSAT Banquet and Reception, October 22
– AMSAT Ambassador Breakfast, October 23

A preliminary schedule is available on the AMSAT Member Portal, https://launch.amsat.org/, under the Events tab.

Crowne Plaza is located adjacent to the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and provides complimentary, scheduled shuttle to and from the airport. Nearby attractions include Mall of America with Nickelodeon Universe Theme park, Target Field, and the Minnesota Zoo.

You can make hotel reservations by calling the hotel directly at (952) 854-9000. The group code is ASG (Amateur Satellite Group). Hotel reservations can also be made online at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-219-Symposium-Rooms
But don’t wait to reserve your room! The offer for specially reduced room rates for Symposium attendees ends on September 28. Make your reservation today to make sure you have a room and at the best possible price.

Symposium tickets and banquet reservations may be purchased on the AMSAT Member Portal. Log into https://launch.amsat.org/ and clock on the Events tab.

We at AMSAT, are excited to be able to host an in-person Symposium this year. We hope that you can join us in celebrating Amateur Radio in Space.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

Final Call for Papers for 2022 AMSAT Space Symposium

This is the final call for papers for the 40th annual AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of October 21-22, 2022 at the Crowne Plaza Suites hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Proposals for symposium papers and presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy submitted by October 14 for inclusion in the symposium proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV at [email protected]

[ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV, Symposium Program Manager, for the above information]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows,
and 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/

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

2022 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Results

The 2022 AMSAT Board of Directors Election period ended on September 15, 2022.

As a result of the election, Mark Hammond, N8MH, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, and Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, have been duly elected to a two year term on the Board of Directors.
The results of the voting with 407 ballots cast are as follows:

Mark Hammond, N8MH 381
Bruce Paige, KK5DO 378
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM 378

The membership of the AMSAT Board of Directors for 2022-2023 is:

Joseph Armbruster, KJ4JIO
Robert Bankston, KE4AL
Jerry Buxton, N0JY
Mark Hammond, N8MH
Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO
Bruce Paige, KK5DO
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM

Thank you all for participating in this year’s election process.

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

Everything Ready for the Launch of the New GENESIS – Updated

Everything is ready at the Vanderberg air base in California (USA), for the takeoff of the second flight of the Firefly Alpha launcher that will put, among others, the GENESIS-G/ASTROLAND-1 and GENESIS-J/ASTROLAND-2 satellites into orbit of AMSAT-EA.

The scheduled time for takeoff is 07:00 UTC on Monday, September 19 (delayed from Sept. 11). The planned orbit is 300 km with an inclination of 137 degrees.

The frequencies coordinated with IARU are the following:

GENESIS-G/ASTROLAND-1

145.875 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps
436.888 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW, FSK 50 bps, FM voice beacon with AM2SAT callsign

GENESIS-J/ASTROLAND-2

145.925 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps
436.666 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW FSK 50 bps, SSTV Robot 36, FM voice beacon with AM3SAT callsign

Update – Launch scheduled for the 19th at 7:00 UTC.

More information on the Every Day Astronaut website: https://everydayastronaut.com/flta002-to-the-black-alpha/

The launch can be followed live at the following YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pics_iuBv9s

[ANS thanks AMSAT-EA 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 Sept. 15

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/

The NORAD Catalog ID for following satellite has been changed in this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution:

GREENCUBE is now identified as object NORAD Cat ID 53106 (Thanks to Nico Janssen, PA0DLO for this identification).

The NORAD Cat ID for MTCube 2 is not clear at this time.

[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, 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.

Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS, and the scheduled crewmember is Sergey Prokopyev. Contact is go for Monday 2022-09-26 08:20 UTC.

Aznakaevo School TBD, Aznakaevo, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS and the scheduled crewmember is Dmitry Petlin. Contact is go for Saturday 2022-10-01 13:50 UTC.

Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS, continues to be making general contacts on the cross-band repeater. He is using NA1SS. 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 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]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur
Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to
be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.

Support AMSAT’s projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Upcoming Satellite Operations

KJ7DZ: CN74 roving trip booked. Sept 22 – 24. More info will be posted as time gets closer

N4DCW: Four of the next six weekends (starting week of 9/7) look to be full of SOTA summits! Alerts are posted, and depending on timing should include some @Sats_and_SOTA when possible. Look for me this weekend in EM85. Details at https://twitter.com/MWimages/status/1567502526781575169

San Andrés Island (EK92) on FM satellites front 9/15 to 9/26. Details at https://twitter.com/RadioOSG/status/1567193764405411842

W8LR: EM68 and EM69, will try gridline, but if not accessible, then EM68. Watch Twitter for details. 9/18/22 11:00z

LA7XK / JW7XK: Starting in the evening on Oct. 5 ending in the morning on Oct. 10. I will be QRV on RS-44 from Longyearbyen on Svalbard. Locator is JQ78tf.

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, 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.

AMSAT Ambassador Schedules:

Tom Zimmerman, W9TTY, will be exhibiting for AMSAT at the Chicago FM Club Radio Expo in Belvidere, Illinois on Saturday, September 25, 2022.

Clint Bradford, K6CLS: “How to Work the “Easy” Satellites” talks:

Part of the “job description” for volunteer AMSAT Ambassadors is to “spread the gospel” of working satellites to clubs and conventions.

In the next few weeks I have such Zoom presentations lined up for:
SOARA – South Orange County, CA
Boston ARC
Tristate Amateur Radio Society – Evansville,Indiana
Northern CA DX Club
San Gorgonio Pass ARC

Think a 90-minute lively, informative, and fun “How to Work the Easy Satellites” Zoom presentation would be appropriate for your convention or club? Always included are overviews of the ARRL, AMSAT, and ARISS. And pre-presentation questions are always welcome.

Send an email or call!

Clint Bradford K6LCS
AMSAT Ambassador
909-999-SATS
http://www.work-sat.com

Scheduled Events with AMSAT involvement:

Hamfests and Conventions

+ 41st ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC)
September 16–18, 2022
Hilton Charlotte Airport Hotel
Charlotte, North Carolina
https://tapr.org

+ CFMC’S Radio Expo: Northern Illinois’ Largest Hamfest
Sunday, September 25th
Boone County Fairgrounds
8791 IL-76
Belvidere, IL
Flyer at: https://bit.ly/3RFtr8O

+ 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention
October 7, 2022 – October 9, 2022
Event Center at Archer
3921 Archer Pkwy
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007
https://wyhamcon.org/site

+ 2022 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium
October 8–9, 2022
Kents Hill Park Conference Centre
Milton Keynes
https://rsgb.org/main/about-us/rsgb-convention/

+ 40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting
October 21–22, 2022
The Crowne Plaza Suites
3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN
https://launch.amsat.org/event-4922878

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ A very nice interface application connecting SatPC32 to N3FJP’s ACLog logging software has been created by Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR. This program acts as a “gateway” between SatPC32 and ACLog and sends the relevant live data (ie. SAT_NAME and PROP_MODE) from SatPC32 to ACLog. Thus, you do not need to fill any data about the satellite and mode manually into ACLog, and everything is entered correctly for using ACLog’s automatic LoTW upload feature. Full details and download at https://bit.ly/3BdrM3L (ANS thanks Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR, for the above information)

+ A small spacecraft designed to test out key components of NASA’s Artemis program to the Moon has run into trouble in space. The CAPSTONE probe is expected to act as a pathfinder for NASA’s Gateway — a small space station designed to orbit the Moon and act as a jumping-off point for crewed missions to the surface. CAPSTONE’s mission centered around testing a never-before-used orbit to learn more about its stability before sending the Gateway to it. Advanced Space, which operates CAPSTONE, said in a statement Monday that the spacecraft is in “safe mode” after an engine burn last week and appears to be in a “stable orbit.” Mission managers are hoping to perform a “detumble” that will allow the spacecraft to orient itself in space again, pointing its solar panels to the Sun and charging its batteries. [The AMSAT Board of Directors has made a commitment to support amateur radio’s inclusion on NASA’s Gateway, a small spaceship in orbit around the Moon with living quarters for astronauts, a lab for science and research, ports for visiting spacecraft, and more.] (ANS thanks Axios Space for the above information)

+ As anticipated, last Wednesday, Sept. 7, Apple announced that the new iPhone 14 will be able to send SOS messages and current location coordinates to Apple, Emergency Services, and Emergency Contacts via Globalstar satellites. Apple is dedicating $450M toward satellite infrastructure, covering 95% of the system’s cost, and will use up to 85%(!) of Globalstar’s network capacity. Due to limited bandwidth and the characteristics of cell phone antennas, users will need to point their phone at a satellite using a new UI and will select from a set of pre-written messages instead of sending free-form texts. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ Also related to satellites and cell phones, AST SpaceMobile’s Bluewalker-3 satellite launched on Saturday, Sept. 10. Bluewalker-3 is a test for an eventual 110-satellite constellation that would provide global cell phone coverage, “using 3GPP low-band cellular frequencies and Q/V-band frequencies” (it has an FCC experimental license). Concerns have been raised, however, about the satellite’s potentially- unprecedented brightness (> Venus), with a reflective and record-setting 64 m2 antenna. Even larger satellites are intended for the company’s final constellation! (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ The AMSAT-UK Colloquium Committee has issued its final call for speakers for the AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2022 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium will be held as part of the RSGB Convention on October 8-9 at the Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Timbold Drive, Milton Keynes, MK7 6BZ https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/ AMSAT-UK invite speakers, about amateur radio, space and associated activities, for this event. Submissions should be sent via e-mail: to dave at g4dpz.me.uk (ANS thanks David Johnson, G4DPZ, 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, K0JM
k0jm at amsat dot org

ANS-254 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Sept. 11

September 11, 2022 by Mark Johns

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/

In this edition:

Artemis 1 scrubbed again
40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting, October 21 – 22, 2022
AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium October 8-9, 2022
2022 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
Launch of GENESIS-G and GENESIS-J with Firefly on September 11
ARISS News
Upcoming Satellite Operations
Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for Sept. 8, 2022
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-254 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2022 September 11

Artemis 1 Scrubbed Again

After Aug 29th’s scrub (due to a liquid hydrogen umbilical leak and faulty engine thermal sensor), a second attempt on Saturday was scrubbed as well, this time because of an even worse hydrogen leak on the core stage. A launch this month is now looking unlikely. NASA engineers will first replace the leaky quick disconnect seal while at the pad so that they can test the fix with cryogenic liquids only available there. However, after that, they may still have to roll SLS back to the VAB—the Eastern Range requires that the flight termination system batteries be reset and recertified before the next launch attempt (although a waiver might be possible). The next available launch period runs from September 19 – October 4 with the following (and probably more likely) window being October 17 – 31. We’re hoping the onboard smallsats’ batteries can survive the wait. Ed. Note: Including the OMOTENASHI communications and impactor experiment. NASA is now targeting September 23 or 27 according to Jim Free, NASA Associate Administrator Exploration Systems Development)

[ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information]

40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting, October 21 – 22, 2022

The 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will take place in Bloomington, Minnesota on Oct. 21-22, 2022. Highlights of all scheduled events include:

A preliminary schedule is available on the AMSAT Member Portal, launch.amsat.org, under the Events tab.

Symposium tickets and banquet reservations may be purchased on the AMSAT Member Portal. Log into https://launch.amsat.org/ and clock on the Events tab.

We at AMSAT, are excited to be able to host an in-person Symposium this year. We hope that you can join us in celebrating Amateur Radio in Space.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium October 8-9

AMSAT-UK is very happy to announce the 2022 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium will be held as part of the RSGB Convention on October 8-9 at the Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Timbold Drive, Milton Keynes, MK7 6BZ.

The weekend event attracts an international audience that ranges from those involved in building and operating amateur radio satellites to beginners who wish to find out more about this fascinating branch of the hobby.

Booking for the RSGB Convention is at https://rsgb.org/main/about-us/rsgb-convention/

Booking for the AMSAT-UK dinner on the Saturday evening at the nearby Marriott Delta Hotel is here: https://bit.ly/3x3nQBm

Details of the event can be found at https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/

[ANS thanks Trevor Essex, M5AKA of AMSAT-UK for the above information]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

2022 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference

The annual ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC) is scheduled for September 16-18, 2022, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

View the DCC schedule here (https://tapr.org/preliminary-2022-dcc-schedule/)

The deadline for technical papers passed September 1, 2022. Papers will be published exactly as submitted and authors will retain all rights.

[ANS thanks TAPR.org for the above information.]

Launch of GENESIS-G and GENESIS-J with Firefly on September 11

From Felix Paez, EA4GQS, AMSAT-EA Team: This is to confirm that the launch of our new GENESIS-G and GENESIS-J satellites with Firefly will take place, if all goes well, on September 11, with the launch window starting at 3 PM Pacific Time (22h GMT), from Vanderberg. The expected orbit altitude is 300 km with an inclination of 137 degrees.

As many of you know, this will be the second attempt of Firefly to reach orbit after the first attempt made in September 2021 and which had to be aborted after two minutes of flight, causing our previous GENESIS-N and GENESIS-L to be lost, among others.

These new GENESIS have a more powerful on-board computer than their predecessors and updated software that allows FM voice repeater functionality, AFSK/FSK non-regenerative repeater up to 2400 bps, FSK regenerative repeater up to 50 bps, CW, digitized voice pre-recorded FM and FSK telemetry at 50 bps. The correct retransmission of AX25 / APRS frames over FM up to 2400 bps has been verified in the laboratory.

A small drawback we still have is the antenna deployment mechanism, that is the first version that was made and requires a plenty charged battery. The satellites have been stored for several months, so it is a weak point. Hopefully it will work.

These satellites also have the names of ASTROLAND-1 and ASTROLAND-2 to say thanks to the sponsorship of the project by the Astroland Planetary Agency. We also thank the private companies and Universities that helped in the project.

As on the previous occasion, two experimental propellants are flown, although this time they are from the Madrid company IENAI Space and, unlike the previous GENESIS mission, they use a liquid ionic fuel. Only the one from GENESIS-J is functional. The one from GENESIS-G carries the electronics but without the fuel.

The frequencies coordinated with IARU are the following:

GENESIS-G/ASTROLAND-1
145.875 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps
436.888 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW, FSK 50 bps, FM voice beacon with AM2SAT callsign

GENESIS-J/ASTROLAND-2
145.925 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps
436.666 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW FSK 50 bps, SSTV Robot 36, FM voice beacon with AM3SAT callsign

We encourage all of you to try to receive their first transmissions once the first keplerians are available.

This flight will be streamed by Everyday Astronaut: https://everydayastronaut.com/

More information on the Firefly website: https://firefly.com/alpha-flight-2-to-the-black/.

Ed. Note: Currently launch is scheduled for 15:00 PST, September 11/ 00:00 UTC, September 12 .

[ANS thanks Felix EA4GQS – AMSAT EA team for the above information.]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

ARISS NEWS

No School Contacts currently scheduled.

Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS continues to be making general contacts on the cross-band repeater. He is using NA1SS. 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 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]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur
Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to
be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.

Support AMSAT’s projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Upcoming Satellite Operations

N8AJM:From September 12 to 16 I hope to be in EM85. I will be working FM only with no set schedule. I may also activate a few grids on the way down from EN72. I will try to post all passes on hams.at

KJ7DZ: CN74 roving trip booked. Sept 22 – 24. More info will be posted as time gets closer

9Y60, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO (Special Event). Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society (TTARS) will be active as 9Y60TT to celebrate Trinidad and Tobago’s 60th anniversary of independence (August 31st, 1962) between August 26th and September 2nd. Activity will be on the HF/VHF bands using CW, SSB, Slow Scan TV (SSTV), Digital Modes (FT8/ FT4, JS8, JT65, 2m EME (Moonbounce), Satellite, APRS via ISS, Digital Voice (DMR, C4FM, D-Star), EchoLink….and more. QSL via LoTW, ClubLog and QRZ.com. For more details and info on how to obtain a certificate, see:https://9y60tt.info (received from JoAnne Maenpaa by email)

Op Note: AO-7 is in constant sunlight for the next several months and the onboard 24 hour timer is switching the satellite between Mode A (145 MHz uplink / 29 MHz downlink) and Mode B (432 MHz uplink / 145 MHz downlink) at approximately 2116Z daily.

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager and AMSAT for the above information]

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 8, 2022

The following satellite has decayed from orbit and has been removed from this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution:
CUAVA-1 NORAD Cat ID 49275 (decayed form orbit on 09/02/2022 per Space-Track).

[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, 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.

AMSAT Ambassador Schedules:

Tom Zimmerman, W9TTY, will be exhibiting for AMSAT at the Chicago FM Club Radio Expo in Belvidere, Illinois on Saturday, September 25, 2022.

Clint Bradford, K6CLS: “How to Work the “Easy” Satellites” talks:

Part of the “job description” for volunteer AMSAT Ambassadors is to “spread the gospel” of working satellites to clubs and conventions.

Send an email or call!

Clint Bradford K6LCS
AMSAT Ambassador
909-999-SATS
http://www.work-sat.com

Scheduled Events with AMSAT involvement:

Hamfests and Conventions

+ 41st ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC)
September 16–18, 2022
Hilton Charlotte Airport Hotel
Charlotte, North Carolina
https://tapr.org

+ CFMC’S Radio Expo: Northern Illinois’ Largest Hamfest
Sunday, September 25th
Boone County Fairgrounds
8791 IL-76
Belvidere, IL
Flyer at: https://bit.ly/3RFtr8O

+ 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention
October 7, 2022 – October 9, 2022
Event Center at Archer
3921 Archer Pkwy
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007
https://wyhamcon.org/site.

+ 2022 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium
October 8–9, 2022
Kents Hill Park Conference Centre
Milton Keynes
https://rsgb.org/main/about-us/rsgb-convention/

+ 40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting
October 21–22, 2022
The Crowne Plaza Suites
3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN
https://launch.amsat.org/event-4922878

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events Page Manager, and Frank Karnauskas, AMSAT Vice President – Development for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ With the successful launch of Eutelsat Konnect VHTS on Sept. 7, there are just three Ariane 5 rockets remaining in Arianespace’s inventory. The Ariane 5, in service since 1996, is being retired in favor of the next-generation Ariane 6 rocket, a launcher European officials say will be cheaper to operate and more competitive in the global launch market. The Ariane 5 was once dominant in commercial launch business, but lower-cost launch services from SpaceX’s partially reusable Falcon 9 rocket have eroded Arianespace’s position. The Ariane 6 is an expendable design, like the Ariane 5. But Arianespace has secured contracts to launch European government missions and satellites for Amazon’s Kuiper broadband network on the Ariane 6, now scheduled to debut next year. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)

+ Chinese taikonauts Chen Dong and Liu Yang conducted an EVA outside of the Tiangong Space Station on Sept. 1, while Cai Xuzhe stayed on the station. They left the station at 10:26 UTC, and the EVA took until 16:33 UTC to be completed. This was the first time the airlock of the recently launched Wentian Module was used to initiate an EVA, as well as the first time the five-meter-long remote control arm of the Wentian module was used. Part of the EVA was to install heat control pumps on the Wentian module, a wide-field panoramic camera, and a variety of other tasks. Part of the EVA was also to verify the function of the recently installed Wentian Airlock and test procedures for an emergency abort of an EVA. (ANS thanks Spaceflight.com for the above information)

+ An incredible aurora has been filmed from the International Space Station (ISS) as it orbited hundreds of miles above the Earth. NASA posted the captivating footage to Twitter (https://bit.ly/3QJrFmp) on Sunday after a geomagnetic storm hit our planet. On September 4, a stream of solar wind struck the Earth, sparking a geomagnetic storm of the G2 class, according to the National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). This storm produced an aurora in some regions, including parts of the United States. (ANS thanks Newsweek.com for the above information)

+ NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft recently got its first look at Didymos, the double-asteroid system that includes its target, Dimorphos. On Sept. 26, DART will intentionally crash into Dimorphos, the asteroid moonlet of Didymos. While the asteroid poses no threat to Earth, this is the world’s first test of the kinetic impact technique, using a spacecraft to deflect an asteroid for planetary defense. (ANS thanks SpaceDaily.com for the above information)

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ
kd4iz at arrl dot org

ANS-247 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Sep 4

September 4, 2022 by Paul Stoetzer

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS–247

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/

In this edition:

40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, October 21-22
AMSAT-EA Collaborates With the ROM-2 Mission
VUCC Satellite Standings September 2022
Tracking Tools for Artemis I
New Guide for Tracking and Decoding NOAA Weather Satellites
ARISS News
Upcoming Satellite Operations
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS–247 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2022 Sep 04

40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, October 21-22

The 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will take place in Bloomington, Minnesota on Oct. 21-22, 2022. Highlights of all scheduled events include:

A preliminary schedule is available on the AMSAT Member Portal, launch.amsat.org, under the Events tab.

Symposium tickets and banquet reservations may be purchased on the AMSAT Member Portal. Log into https://launch.amsat.org/ and clock on the Events tab.

We at AMSAT, are excited to be able to host an in-person Symposium this year. We hope that you can join us in celebrating Amateur Radio in Space.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
The 2022 AMSAT President’s Club coins have arrived!
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on
October 15, 1972, this year’s coin features
an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6.
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

AMSAT-EA Collaborates With the ROM-2 Mission

AMSAT-EA supports the ROM-2 mission of the Romanian association ROMSpace, which consists of a PocketQube 1P (a cube with a side of 5 cm) designed by students from the International Computing High School in Bucharest aged between 15 and 18 years, in what will be the first Romanian mission of this type. This satellite, which has received engineering support from AMSAT Nepal and ORION Space, will be assembled at the AMSAT-EA facilities in Madrid, a city where it will also be qualified for space, with the assistance of engineers from AMSAT EA and AMSAT Nepal.

The mission of the satellite is to take pictures with a 2 MP camera and send them to radio amateurs who wish to transmit them on their ground stations through the SSDV protocol, tuning to the 436.235 MHz frequency.

Maintenance data is transmitted via CW and SSDV packets are transmitted using GFSK.

Once in orbit, the satellite will become the responsibility of AMSAT-EA, the organization that has registered the satellite internationally and will monitor it during its life in space.

[ANS thanks AMSAT-EA for the above information.]

VUCC Satellite Standings September 2022

Callsign	01-Aug	01-Sep
K8YSE	2100	2164
WA4NVM	1579	1609
K8DP	1316	1322
N8RO	1131	1139
AA8CH	819	835
WD9EWK(DM43)	696	706
W8LR	594	619
KF6JOQ	553	606
KN2K	558	600
KE8RJU	568	577
EA2AA	546	566
KQ4DO	508	533
KC1MMC	470	532
KI7QEK		500
N8MR	288	320
F6GLJ	220	312
VE7PTN	203	294
N5EKO	234	281
A65BR	226	260
JH0BBE	200	206
JK2XXK	156	200
DL8GAM	152	186
VE2NGO	150	175
PA7RA	New	156
GI4SJQ	New	110
N8URE(EN61)	New	102
K8WU	New	100
KO9A	New	100
W6AER	New	100

Congratulations to the new VUCC holders!

PA7RA is first Satellite VUCC holder from Netherlands and 1st from JO21

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

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Tracking Tools for Artemis I

Looking for a way to track OMOTENASHI’s 70CM beacons on its way to the moon? Two hams turn us on to a pair of tracking tools.

Brian Wilkins, KO4AQF, brings our attention to AROW:

During Artemis I, Orion will travel to 40,000 miles beyond the Moon in the first integrated flight test with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Using AROW, almost anyone with internet access can pinpoint where Orion is and track its distance from the Earth, distance from the Moon, mission duration, and more. AROW is available on NASA’s website and on the @NASA_Orion Twitter account.

AROW visualizes data collected by sensors on Orion and sent to the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston during its flight. It will provide periodic real-time data beginning about one minute after liftoff through separation of the SLS rocket’s Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage approximately two hours into flight. Once Orion is flying on its own, AROW will provide constant real-time information.

On the web, users can follow AROW to see where Orion is in relation to the Earth and the Moon and follow Orion’s path during the mission. Users can view key mission milestones, and characteristics on the Moon, including information about landing sites from the Apollo program. Also available for download will be trajectory data from the flight, called an ephemeris.

AROW also will provide a set of Orion’s state vectors — data that describes precisely where Orion is located in space and how it moves — for inclusion in these tweets once Orion is flying on its own. These vectors can be used for data lovers, artists, and creatives to make their own tracking app, data visualization, or anything else they envision. For more information read https://www.nasa.gov/feature/track-nasa-s-artemis-i-mission-in-real-time/.

AMSAT member Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, adds a second online tool, Horizons:

The JPL Horizons on-line solar system data and ephemeris computation service provides access to key solar system data and flexible production of highly accurate ephemerides for solar system objects (1,227,063 asteroids, 3,819 comets, 211 planetary satellites {includes satellites of Earth and dwarf planet Pluto}, 8 planets, the Sun, L1, L2, select spacecraft, and system barycenters). Horizons is provided by the Solar System Dynamics Group of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Joe says to use “OMOTENASHI” as the Target Body. You will find the online app at https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons

[ANS thanks Brian Wilkins, KO4AQF, Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, NASA and JPL for the above information.]

New Guide for Tracking and Decoding NOAA Weather Satellites

Samual Yanz, N7FNV, has created a detailed 39 page guide about tracking and decoding NOAA low earth polar orbit weather satellites. These satellites are a great way to interest young people in satellite communications. They transmit a powerful signal so that they are easily received an inexpensive radio, a simple antenna and free software. Currently there are three operational polar orbiting NOAA weather satellites that transmit image data in the APT format at 137 MHz. When one of these satellites pass overhead, it is possible to use an RTL-SDR with appropriate antenna and software to automatically receive the satellite weather images they transmit.

The purpose of this guide is to completely install software and configure them to automatically receive incoming NOAA signals and process them into images. While there are many variations of hardware that can be used for this application, Yanz focuses on a simple setup to get anyone on the air. Samual’s guide focuses on the software and shows how to setup Virtual Audio Cable for piping audio between programs, SDR# for receiving the signal, Orbitron for tracking the satellite and WXtoIMG for decoding the image.

Download the PDF guide at https://tinyurl.com/ANS–247-NOAA-Satellites-Guide.

[ANS thanks RTL-SDR.com for the above information.]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

ARISS News

Colegio Tarbut, Olivos, Buenos Aires, Argentina, direct via LU4AA.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz.
The scheduled crewmember is Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS.
Contact is go for: Monday September 5, 2022 at 14:47:39 UTC.

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

EM85; September 12-16, 2022
N8AJM will be working FM only with no set schedule. He may also activate a few grids on the way down from EN72. He will try to post all passes on hams.at

CN74; September 22-24, 2022
KJ7DZ has a roving trip booked. More info will be posted as time gets closer

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, 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.

+ 41st ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC)
September 16–18, 2022
Hilton Charlotte Airport Hotel
Charlotte, North Carolina
https://tapr.org

+ Chicago FM Club Radio Expo
September 25, 2022
Boone County Fairgrounds
8791 IL-76, Belvidere, IL 61008
Tom Zimmerman, W9TTY, will host an AMSAT exhibit.

+ 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention
October 7-9, 2022
Event Center at Archer
3921 Archer Pkwy
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007
https://wyhamcon.org/site

+ 2022 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium
October 8–9, 2022
Kents Hill Park Conference Centre
Milton Keynes
https://rsgb.org/main/about-us/rsgb-convention/

+ 40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting
October 21–22, 2022
The Crowne Plaza Suites
3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN
More information to follow.

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information.]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ The NEXUS (FO-99) operation schedule for September, 2022 is available at https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=1974. Y.Ohtani, JH4DHX/3, of the NEXUS operations team reports that the operation of DigiTalker will be closed. Please enjoy NEXUS / FO-99 ! FO-29 remains in full sunlight and should continue to be available for use this month. [AMSAT thanks JAMSAT for the above information.]

+ Space is hard, even for the pros: Intelsat said the Galaxy 15 broadcast satellite that stopped responding to commands earlier this month shut down its payload Aug. 31, reducing the risk of interfering with signals from other spacecraft. However, Galaxy 15 continues to drift out of its geostationary orbit slot at 133 degrees West, and “will soon begin transiting through orbital locations licensed for other satellites,” an Intelsat spokesperson said. “With the payload muted, the focus of this coordination ensures ‘fly-by’ procedures are coordinated so that the spacecraft avoid a physical collision. This is a normal part of spacecraft operations that is regularly executed and poses minimal risk.” Intelsat said it has successfully moved all customers from Galaxy 15 to its Galaxy 23 satellite. SpaceX is slated to launch Galaxy 33, Galaxy 15’s replacement, “on or about Oct. 8, 2022,” the spokesperson added. [ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information.]

+ But sometimes, things just work: Engineers with NASA have repaired an issue with the space agency’s Voyager 1 spacecraft, but have yet to identify the cause of the problem, officials confirmed on August 27. The probe had been sending garbled data about its status, including information about its health and activities to mission controllers, despite otherwise operating normally. Launched in 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes are both still active, exploring deep space. Both are still communicating with NASA, despite being launched 45 years ago. The spacecraft are two of only five space probes from Earth that have left the solar system. Voyager 1 is currently 14.5 billion miles from Earth. [ANS thanks SpaceDaily for the above information.]

+ NASA and Axiom Space said Wednesday, August 28 that they plan to launch a second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station in 2023. The spaceflight, coordinated by the U.S. space agency and the private Houston-based infrastructure developer, will be designated as Axiom Mission 2, or Ax-2 and will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the second quarter of 2023. Private Axiom astronauts will travel to the ISS and spend 10 days aboard the space station and participate in in-orbit activities in coordination with ISS crew and flight controllers on the ground. The first Axiom mission, in April 2022, featured extensive amateur radio activity. No word yet about hams aboard Ax-2. [ANS thanks SpaceDaily for the above information.]

+ The AMSAT-DL (Germany) Symposium will be held prior to the General Membership Meeting on Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 10 am to 1 pm. The general meeting will follow at 2 p.m., after a short lunch break during which refreshments will be provided. The events will take place at the Radome of the Bochum Observatory, Association headquarters of AMSAT Germany, Obernbaakstraße 6, 44797 Bochum, Germany. [ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.]

+ The AMSAT-SA (South Africa) Space Symposium 2022 will be held virtually on 10 September 2022 from 09:00 to 16:30 SAST (07:00 – 14:30 UTC). The theme will be, “Space, the next frontier for expansion of amateur radio.” The event will be virtual on the BlueJeans platform. The programme includes a session for beginners and the people returning to satellite operation. Other papers include “OSCAR100 – the easy way”, “A 70cm – 10GHz transponder”, “Satellite Server: Browser Based Satellite Tracking Software”, “The new AMSAT-NA Fox plus program”, a review of AfriCUBE with a demonstration of the prototype flying on BACAR in early October plus many other interesting topics. Full programme at https://bit.ly/3efNdJJ The event is free but a donation of R40 (about $2.50 U.S.) towards the AfriCUBE fund would be appreciated. [ANS thanks AMSAT-SA for the above information.]

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor,

Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
n1uw at amsat dot org

ANS-240 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Aug. 28

August 28, 2022 by Mark Johns

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/

In this edition:

OMOTENASHI Project Shoots for the Moon This Week
SLS Launch Party on Discord!Launch of GENESIS-G and GENESIS-J with Firefly on September 11
Limited-Time Opportunity – DX on AO27!
40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, Oct. 21-22
So, You Want To Build A CubeSat?
Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 25
ARISS News
Upcoming Satellite Operations
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-240 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2022 Aug 28

OMOTENASHI Project Shoots for the Moon This Week

OMOTENASHI, a project of the JAXA Ham Radio Club, is a CubeSat which will be launched by NASA SLS rocket, scheduled for August 29. It plans to land on the surface of the moon, and to transmit a beacon in the amateur 70cm band.

OMOTENASHI is one of the EM-1 CubeSat missions which will be launched by the NASA/SLS rocket (EM-1) together with the main mission of ORION experimental module on Monday. JAXA Ham Radio Club is going to utilize the flight demonstration opportunity of the OMOTENASHI mission to conduct the following amateur radio missions:

(i) To conduct technological research with respect to receiving ultra-weak UHF signal from a space probe toward the moon
(ii) To conduct an outreach activity providing amateur radio operators all over the world with an opportunity to try to receive signals from moon region.

OMOTENASHI is a 6U-CubeSat with external dimensions of 239 x 366 x 113mm and an approximate mass of 14 kg.

OMOTENASHI consists of three modules: orbiting module, retro motor module, and surface probe. During the moon transfer orbit, these modules are integrated. When OMOTENASHI arrives at the moon, the surface probe will be separated and conduct semi-hard landing.

OMOTENASHI is actively controlled by ultra-small attitude control system including star tracker, sun sensor, IMU, reaction wheel, and cold gas jet thruster. During the moon transfer orbit, OMOTENASHI may be spin-stabilized due to the strict resources. For further details, please see: https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/home/omotenashi/JHRCweb/jhrc.html

There will be UHF CM/PSK/PM/PSK31 beacons, with 1 watt RF, on both the orbiting module and the surface probe. CisLunar explorer, MIT KitCube and Lunar IceCube are expected to share the same launch.

Orbiting Module DOWNLINK

Frequency
437.31 MHz
Antenna
SRR antenna
Polarization
Linear
Modulation
beacon, PSK31
Sync Word
C1 (ASCII code)
Power
30dBm

Surface Probe DOWNLINK

Frequency
437.41 MHz
Antenna
invert-F antennax4
Polarization
LHCP(, RHCP)
Modulation
FM, PSK31, PCM-PSK/PM
Sync Word
C1 (ASCII code)
Power
30dBm

Amateurs can constantly access the newest TLE from https://bit.ly/3wyopTr This file will be overwritten when we have calculated the next TLE during operation.

[ANS thanks JAXA Ham Radio Club for the above information]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

SLS Launch Party on Discord!

AMSAT is hosting an event in Discord, https://discord.gg/Duca8jY5?event=1012703802727608330. It will be in the #watch-party channel for the STS launch carrying Orion to the Moon, along with OMOTENASHI (see above) and a number of other small satellites.

AMSAT plans to start streaming NASA’s YouTube video coverage starting at about 0300Z on Monday, August 29. If that doesn’t work out, people can always watch it on their own, and just join the channel to chat about the mission. Voice chat, web cams, and text will all be available for people to use.

The AMSAT Discord server is available for the amateur satellite community. Discord is a text, voice, and video client that has become very popular in recent years. Discord will provide the amateur satellite community with an additional option to communicate amongst each other, in real-time.

Discord provides several neat features, including the following:

Ability to create channels, to organize different conversation topics
Hosting of events, that can include voice and or video chat
For satellite launch parties!
Use of bots to automate useful actions
Try typing /tle AO-92
More commands are in development!
Notification of Twitter posts of interest
Currently only following @AMSAT Twitter account

A special section of the server is reserved for AMSAT members. If you are a current member, please send a message in the #request-roles channel once you join the server, indicating whether you are a member or life member. Once the member role is granted, you will be able to post in the “Members Only” category. If you are not yet an AMSAT member, join today at https://launch.amsat.org/.

The link below can be used to join the server. See you in Discord!

https://discord.gg/xbTXcPJHyt

[ANS thanks Matthew Alberti, KM4EXS, AMSAT IT Team for the above information]

Launch of GENESIS-G and GENESIS-J with Firefly on September 11

AMSAT-EA confirms that the launch of our new GENESIS-G and GENESIS-J satellites with Firefly will take place, if all goes well, on September 11, with the launch window starting at 3 PM Pacific Time (22h GMT), from Vanderberg. The expected orbit altitude is 300 km with an inclination of 137 degrees.

The frequencies coordinated with IARU are the following:

GENESIS-G/ASTROLAND-1
145.875 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps
436.888 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW, FSK 50 bps, FM voice beacon with AM2SAT callsign

GENESIS-J/ASTROLAND-2
145.925 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps
436.666 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW FSK 50 bps, SSTV Robot 36, FM voice beacon with AM3SAT callsign

We encourage all to try to receive their first transmissions once the first keplerians are available.

This flight will be streamed by Everyday Astronaut: https://everydayastronaut.com/

More information on the Firefly website: https://firefly.com/alpha-flight-2-to-the-black/

[ANS thanks Felix Paez, EA4GQS of the AMSAT EA Team for the above information]

Limited-Time Opportunity – DX on AO27!

“On” times for AO-27 continue to shift along the direction of the orbit. The 5 min “on time” for ascending passes at mid-latitudes is now on DESCENDING passes. Based on current SATNOGS observations, from when the satellite is at about 75 degN to about 65 deg N. The descending node telemetry and repeater operation is probably only available to stations further and further south (a few lucky far-S America and maybe VK and ZL stations may soon be able work Antarctica if anyone is on!).

Northern Europe and the UK are now well in the footprint, NE Canadian provinces and some New England stations may be able to work Europe, and KL7 may be able to work northern Japan in a few weeks! These opportunities won’t last – the “on” time will continue to shift, and once the onboard clock is reset, the satellite will be back on a “normal” schedule.

If you hear or work AO-27, the command stations would appreciate knowing precise times for when the transmitter came on or turned off, and the reporting station’s 6-character grid square or lat/lon. If you are in the far South and hear the 20 seconds of telemetry, try to capture KISS frames (NOT ASCII) and send the captured data file (or a good audio file we can try to decode). If scheduling SATNOGs observations (provides an excellent measure of on and off times), try to schedule descending passes during the “on” times and don’t bother with ascending passes for now.

[ANS thanks Stephan Greene, KS1G, on behalf of the AO-27 command team for the above information]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, Oct. 21-22

The 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will take place in Bloomington, Minn. on Oct. 21-22, 2022. Highlights of all scheduled events include:

A preliminary schedule is available on the AMSAT Member Portal, launch.amsat.org, under the Events tab.

Crowne Plaza is located adjacent to the Minneapolis / St. Paul International Airport and provides complimentary, scheduled shuttle to and from the airport. Nearby attractions include Mall of America with Nickelodeon Universe Theme park, Target Field, and the Minnesota Zoo.

Symposium tickets and banquet reservations may be purchased on the AMSAT Member Portal. Log into https://launch.amsat.org/ and clock on the Events tab.

We at AMSAT, are excited to be able to host an in-person Symposium this year. We hope that you can join us in celebrating Amateur Radio in Space.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

So, You Want To Build A CubeSat?

Everybody’s sure it’s easy! Just follow these simple steps:
+ First, select an appropriate CubeSat form factor based on payload size, power requirements, and deployment mechanism.
+ Consider power budget (especially for when the spacecraft is “in eclipse” on the dark side of the Earth), acceleration and vibration tolerance (the sound of launch alone can damage the spacecraft), and thermal management (your satellite is effectively sitting in a rather large vacuum thermos).
+ Use Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) parts with existing flight heritage wherever possible—see satsearch and CubeSatShop.
+ Pick solar panels, batteries, and an Electrical Power System (EPS) to manage them.
+ Include one or more antennas and radios to talk to a ground station or ground station network (or broadcast up to GlobalStar or Iridium instead).
+ If you need to maintain orientation, include an Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS) which will use some combination of Earth, Sun, and star trackers, gyroscopes, GPS receivers, and magnetometers to sense orientation, and rotate the spacecraft using magnetorquers and reaction wheels. Some CubeSats also now use miniature thrusters for attitude control, desaturation, and orbit maintenance.
+ Deployable components, such as antennas and solar panels, are usually stored under tension and released with electromagnets or redundant burn wires.
+ Next, select an On-Board Computer (OBC) for Command & Data Handling (C&DH) and the flight software that will run on it, such as the open-source cFS and F´ frameworks from NASA.
+ Prior to assembly, perform “flatsat” testing with everything wired on a bench. This is also when you should verify communications with the spacecraft via its radios.
+ Once assembled, put the CubeSat through vibration and thermal vacuum testing to ensure that it will survive the stresses of launch and the space environment.
+ Finally, obtain the required certifications for earth observation, radio licenses, and an approved deorbit plan. NASA has a helpful guide for first-time CubeSat developers with instructions and templates, and also a state-of-the-art technology report.
(This overview is incomplete—please do not base your spacecraft design on an email newsletter.)

[ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 25

Armadillo NORAD Cat ID 44352 (decayed form orbit on 8/23/2022 per Space-Track).

Those using TLEs provided by Celestrak should be aware of recent changes to the URLs for these files. All Celestrak websites are now at celestrak.org — celestrak.com will no longer work.

There was a problem with the format of the nasa.all version of the TLEs last week. The nasabare.txt file was unaffected by this problem, and the issue appears to have been resolved in this week’s file.

[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]

ARISS NEWS

Recently completed: Hospital School Program in partnership with Seacrest Studios at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tenn., direct via N4FR. The ISS callsign was NA1SS, and the crewmember was Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS. Contact was successful on Wednesday, 2022-08-24 17:42:54 UTC with 27 degrees elevation. Congratulations to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt students and Kjell!

Current ARISS operations include voice repeater transmissions with the JVC Kenwood D710GA in the Columbus module and APRS packet operation from an identical radio in the Service Module (Zvezda). Packet operations are on 145.825 MHz.

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]

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur
Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to
be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.

Support AMSAT’s projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Upcoming Satellite Operations

AA6MU: CN81 August 9-31, Linears and FM.

W7WGC: Starting an Oregon Rove today (8/21/22) 10-14 days. Dates and approx dates. Will post details on Twitter for each later.
Aug 21: CN 93 & 94
Aug 22: DN03 & DN02 Aug 23 – 28-ish DN14, 13, 12
Return to the West (TBD): DN04, DN15 DN05 CN95 CN85 & CN86 CN75 CN74 & CN84

N8AJM: From September 12 to 16 I hope to be in EM85. I will be working FM only with no set schedule. I may also activate a few grids on the way down from EN72. I will try to post all passes on hams.at

KJ7DZ: CN74 roving trip booked. Sept 22 – 24. More info will be posted as time gets closer

KI7QEK: I’m taking a family vacation in British Columbia and Alberta from August 27-September 3, and planning to bring FM and linear gear. “Holiday style” so no promises on passes, but I will be passing through these grids: DN09, DO00, DO01, DO11, DO20 & DO21

9Y60, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO (Special Event): Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society (TTARS) will be active as 9Y60TT to celebrate Trinidad and Tobago’s 60th anniversary of independence (August 31st, 1962) between August 26th and September 2nd. Activity will be on the HF/VHF bands using CW, SSB, Slow Scan TV (SSTV), Digital Modes (FT8/ FT4, JS8, JT65, 2m EME (Moonbounce), Satellite, APRS via ISS, Digital Voice (DMR, C4FM, D-Star), EchoLink….and more. QSL via LoTW, ClubLog and QRZ.com. For more details and info on how to obtain a certificate, see: 9y60tt [dot] info (received from JoAnne Maenpaa by email)

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, 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.

2022 HamXposition, and ARRL New England and Hudson Division Convention (hamxposition.org)
Saturday and Sunday August 27 and 28, Marlborough, MA (Flea Market and some classes and workshops on Friday)
AMSAT will have a booth with info, demos, and items for sale.
Burns Fisher, WB1FJ will be presenting “What’s New At AMSAT”

41st ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC)
September 16–18, 2022
Hilton Charlotte Airport Hotel
Charlotte, North Carolina
https://tapr.org

2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention
Friday, October 7th, 2022 to Sunday, October 9th, 2022
Event Center at Archer
3921 Archer Pkwy
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007
https://wyhamcon.org/site

2022 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium
October 8–9, 2022
Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Milton Keynes
https://rsgb.org/main/about-us/rsgb-convention/

40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting
October 21–22, 2022
The Crowne Plaza Suites, 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN
https://launch.amsat.org/event-4922878

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Congratulations to John Langille, VE1CWJ, in FN85 and Philippe Chateau, EA4NF, in IN80 on a new distance record on XW-2A of 4,751 km – an astounding distance given XW-2A’s apogee is now just 405 km! All current satellite distance records may be viewed at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/ (ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive VP, for the above information)

+ An amazing video that shows how the Starlink antenna works is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs2QcycggWU (ANS thanks Mike Hoblinski, N6IMF, for the above information)

+ A SpaceX Dragon supply freighter undocked from the International Space Station on August 19, heading for splashdown off the coast of Florida Saturday with about two tons of cargo, experiments, and a leaky spacesuit. The unpiloted cargo carrier will bring home a spacesuit worn by European astronaut Matthias Maurer in March, when the station crew noticed water leaking in Maurer’s helmet after he returned to the lab’s pressurized airlock. NASA has suspended use of U.S. spacesuits for non-emergency spacewalks until the suit is returned to Earth for inspection and analysis. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)

+ Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev’s spacewalk was cut short by a suit battery issue on August 17. With NASA’s suits grounded at the moment, the ISS is running out of EVA options. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ As World Radio Conference 2023 (WRC23) gets closer so the preparatory activities for all the agenda items are increasing in intensity. The most pressing for the amateur community is the 23cm band radio navigation satellite service (RNSS) coexistence agenda item 9.1b. The IARU engagement is continuing with the studies in the regulatory institutions as well as amongst the amateur community. As detailed proposals are starting to emerge so the amateur community needs to be ready to defend its interests in this band. See https://www.iaru-r1.org/ for more information. (ANS thanks Barry Lewis, G4SJH, for the above information)

+ MANY THANKS to Steve Kenwolf, WH6BSZ, for creating the new logo for the AMSAT News Service! We appreciate Steve’s work and creativity in updating our look on the web and social media versions of ANS. (ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM, AMSAT News Service Senior Editor, for the above information.

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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, K0JM
k0jm at amsat dot org