In this edition:

* 2023 AMSAT Symposium Keynote Speakers Announced
* 41st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium Call for Papers
* Russian Soyuz MS-24 Launches Crew to International Space Station
* Imperial College Develops Miniature Rocket Thruster for CubeSats
* GOES-U Successfully Completes Environmental Testing for 2024 Launch
* Sentinel-1 Satellite Reveals Shifts from Morocco Earthquake
* Satellite Top 100 Rovers September 2023 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 21, 2023
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

ANS-267 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2024 September 24

2023 AMSAT Symposium Keynote Speakers Announced

Bob Twiggs, KE6QMD, considered to be the “father” of the CubeSat form factor, will be a keynote speaker at the 41st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting banquet.

Bob is a retired professor of Astronautics and Space Science at Morehead State University. He is responsible, along with Jordi Puig-Suari of California Polytechnic State University, for co-inventing the CubeSat reference design for miniaturized satellites which became an industry standard for design and deployment of the satellites.

Twiggs earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Idaho in 1961 and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in microwave devices from Stanford University in 1964.

From 1985 to 1994, Twiggs was the director of the Weber State University Center for Aerospace Technology. He served as a consulting professor in the Stanford University Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics from 1994 to 2008. At Stanford, he established the Space Systems Development Laboratory. Bob Twiggs became a professor at Morehead State University in 2009 in an effort to push the PocketQube standard leveraging the university’s large aperture (21m) space tracking system, and to help develop a space economy in the state of Kentucky.

In 2019, Twiggs designed and proposed another smaller, simpler satellite form factor called ThinSat which could enable high school students to design and build satellites.

Joining Bob in the presentation will be Nick Pugh, K5QXJ. A native of Lafayette, Louisiana, Nick is credited with establishing the first microwave loop in the Gulf of Mexico just two years after his graduation from University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette). His pioneering leadership with telecommunications technology in and around the Gulf of Mexico over the years has spurred regional economic development.

Nick is also a longtime community volunteer. He directed University of Louisiana Lafayette’s successful effort to become the first college team in Louisiana to build and launch satellites. He also advised the David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy’s high school student team, which placed a biological experiment on the International Space Station. Nick is also a member of the Acadiana Area Radio Association and the Lafayette Computer Club, and a founding member of Acadiana Open Channel.

Nick has served as chair of Habitat for Humanity Lafayette. He was a member of Leadership Lafayette Class XXVII and is a 1998 graduate of Harvard’s Owner/President Management program. He is also the founder of the Pugh Family Foundation, a philanthropic venture focused on helping to create a world-class public education system in the Acadiana region.

[ANS thanks AMSAT and Wikipedia for the above information.]

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Reserve Your Symposium Hotel Room Now!
Symposium Guaranteed Room Rates End Tuesday, September 26th
Make Your Reservations While our Special Group Rate is in Effect!
More Info At: https://tinyurl.com/AMSAT

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41st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium Call for Papers

Papers are now being accepted for the 41st annual AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of October 20-21, 2023 at the Sheraton DFW Airport in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.

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 12 for inclusion in the symposium proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV at n8fgv at amsat.org.

[ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV, AMSAT Symposium Proceedings Editor, for the above information]

Russian Soyuz MS-24 Launches Crew to International Space Station

Russian spacecraft Soyuz MS-24, carrying two Russian cosmonauts and a U.S. astronaut, successfully blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Friday, September 15th, with live TV footage capturing the launch. This mission marked the 85th launch of the Soyuz 2.1a in 2023 and the 6th launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the same year, contributing to the 149th orbital launch attempt of 2023.

The Soyuz MS-24 mission, also known as Expedition 70/71, had initially been scheduled for March 16, 2023. However, due to technical issues with the docked Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, the crewed mission was reassigned to Soyuz MS-24. The spacecraft, designated Soyuz MS-24, carried American astronaut Loral O’Hara along with Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub.

The mission launched under the auspices of the Russian space agency, ROSCOSMOS, utilizing the Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicle. The lift-off took place from Launch Complex 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The spacecraft’s destination was the International Space Station (ISS), situated in a low Earth orbit approximately 400 kilometers above Earth’s surface at a 51.66° inclination.

The crew of Soyuz MS-24, upon reaching the ISS, would join the existing station crew members, which included NASA astronauts Frank Rubio and Jasmin Moghbeli, KI5WSL, Russian cosmonauts Dmitry Petelin, Konstantin Borisov, Sergei Prokopyev, as well as Denmark’s Andreas Mogensen, KG5GCZ, and Japan’s Satoshi Furukawa, KE5DAW.

The Soyuz MS-24 crew was composed of Commander Oleg Kononenko, Flight Engineer 1 Nikolai Chub from ROSCOSMOS, and Flight Engineer 2 Loral O’Hara from NASA. Commander Oleg Kononenko, RN3DX, had previously completed four spaceflights and accumulated 916 days in space, exceeding the previous record of 878 days held by Gennady Padalka.

Nikolai Chub, on the other hand, was embarking on his first journey to space as Flight Engineer 1, having been selected as a Roscosmos cosmonaut in 2012. Loral O’Hara, KI5TOM, Flight Engineer 2, was an astronaut candidate with NASA’s 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class, making Soyuz MS-24 her maiden spaceflight.

Soyuz, introduced in 1966, has long served as the multi-use medium-lift launch vehicle for the Soviet/Russian space program. Its versatile capabilities encompass launching civilian and military satellites, cargo, and crewed missions to the ISS. The Soyuz-2 rocket stands approximately 46.3 meters tall, with a diameter of 2.95 meters, and a total lift-off mass of about 312,000 kilograms. Its payload capacity to low-Earth orbit ranges from 6,600 to 7,400 kilograms.

The Soyuz MS spacecraft, in this case, Soyuz MS-24, is the latest iteration of Russia’s renowned three-person spacecraft. Although its external appearance has remained relatively consistent since its first flight in the 1960s, internal systems and capabilities have been modernized over time.

The spacecraft consists of three sections: the orbital module, the descent module, and the service module. The orbital module is where the crew primarily resides while in orbit and docks with the ISS. The descent module is the section that returns to Earth intact, carrying the crew during launch and reentry. The service module houses the main engine for orbital maneuvers, thrusters for docking, and life support systems.

The Soyuz MS-24 mission docked with the ISS approximately three hours and 15 minutes after liftoff, adding to the station’s international crew and enabling further scientific research in the unique environment of space.

[ANS thanks Mariia Kiseleva, writing for Everyday Astronaut for the above information]

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The 2023 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its launch
on June 16, 1983, this year’s coin features
an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 10.

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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Imperial College Develops Miniature Rocket Thruster for CubeSats

Researchers at Imperial College have designed a miniature rocket thruster so small that it can only be fabricated using techniques originally intended for creating silicon microchips. Named the “Iridium Catalysed Electrolysis CubeSat Thruster” or ICE-Cube Thruster, this innovation holds the promise of revolutionizing the propulsion systems for small satellites, particularly CubeSats, by offering a compact, efficient, and eco-friendly solution.

Satellites weighing under 10 kilograms, constituting approximately 90% of today’s satellite launches, present a unique set of challenges when it comes to developing components for them. Among the most critical challenges is designing rocket thrusters tailored to the limitations of CubeSats. These thrusters must not only be diminutive in size but also uncomplicated, unpressurized, low-power, and devoid of toxic materials.

Funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), the ICE-Cube Thruster meets these stringent criteria, with its primary attribute being its diminutive size. The entire thruster chip, comparable in length to a human fingernail, features a combustion chamber and nozzle measuring a mere 1 millimeter. It demands a mere 20 watts of electric current to operate. A test campaign achieved 1.25 millinewtons of thrust at a specific impulse of 185 seconds. To provide a sense of scale, this thrust output is roughly half a billion times less powerful than the engines used on the Space Shuttle.

However, the true innovation of the ICE-Cube Thruster lies in its propellant choice, ordinary water. Water, known for its non-explosive and non-flammable properties, is utilized as the propellant of choice. An onboard electric current induces electrolysis within the thruster, breaking down the water into hydrogen and oxygen. These gases are then fed into the combustion chamber, where they ignite, producing the necessary thrust to maneuver the CubeSat.

This utilization of water as propellant not only aligns with sustainability goals but also reduces overall payload requirements. The absence of the need for pressurization in storing the propellant streamlines storage and handling systems, making them lighter and more straightforward. However, the challenge lay in fabricating the combustion chamber and nozzle for the thruster, a task that required adopting a technique akin to microelectronics. The researchers utilized Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) techniques, typically used for machining silicon wafers for processors to sub-micrometer tolerances.

The successful testing of the ICE-Cube Thruster was conducted through an ESA General Support Technology Programme De-Risk activity, validating its feasibility in a controlled laboratory environment. The data acquired during this testing phase will serve as a vital guide in the development of a flight-representative “Engineering Model” of the propulsion system, including the electrolyser. This development is slated to be led by URA Thrusters in collaboration with Imperial College.

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

GOES-U Successfully Completes Environmental Testing for 2024 Launch

NOAA’s upcoming satellite, GOES-U, the final addition to the GOES-R Series of advanced geostationary satellites, has completed a rigorous battery of tests to ensure its readiness for the challenges of launch and its mission in space. The year-long testing process concluded with GOES-U proving its resilience to the harsh conditions of space, situated 22,236 miles above Earth.

The testing regimen, which commenced in November 2022, involved subjecting GOES-U to extreme temperatures ranging from a scorching 188 degrees Fahrenheit (87 degrees Celsius) to a bone-chilling minus 67 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 55 degrees Celsius). This thermal vacuum testing aimed to simulate the harsh temperature fluctuations during both launch and its mission in the space environment.

Following this, in February 2023, the satellite underwent vibration testing to ensure its structural integrity during the stresses of launch. It then faced the intense sounds of 138.4 decibels during acoustic testing, replicating the noise levels experienced during launch.

March 2023 witnessed the successful completion of shock testing, confirming GOES-U’s ability to withstand the separation from the launch vehicle and the deployment of its solar panels. Subsequently, in August 2023, electromagnetic interference and compatibility (EMI/EMC) testing ensured that the satellite’s operations would remain unaffected by various forms of electromagnetic radiation.

Notably, GOES-U’s large five-panel solar array, initially folded during launch, was verified to deploy correctly upon reaching geostationary orbit. These solar panels will serve as the primary source of power, converting sunlight into electricity to operate the satellite’s instruments, computers, data processors, sensors, and telecommunications equipment.

The exhaustive testing program was conducted at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Littleton, Colorado, where GOES-U was built. Simultaneously, as the satellite was being prepared for the rigors of launch and space, the GOES-U mission operations team engaged in critical rehearsals to test launch procedures and communication systems between the satellite and ground facilities.

These rehearsals encompassed a wide range of scenarios, including normal operations and contingency procedures in case of unexpected events. The team also conducted tests for compatibility with the Compact Coronagraph-1 (CCOR-1) instrument, which will monitor the sun’s corona as part of NOAA’s Space Weather Follow-On mission.

GOES-U remains on schedule for its planned April 2024 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, utilizing a Falcon Heavy launch vehicle. Following its successful journey to geostationary orbit, it will be renamed GOES-19 and undergo a series of on-orbit instrument and systems checkouts, followed by the validation of its data products.

The GOES-R Series is hailed as the Western Hemisphere’s most advanced weather and environmental monitoring system. Comprising four satellites, the program includes GOES-R (GOES-16), GOES-S (GOES-17), GOES-T (GOES-18), and GOES-U. These satellites play a pivotal role in providing crucial data for weather forecasts, environmental hazard detection, and monitoring solar activity and space weather.

The GOES-R Series is set to operate into the 2030s. In parallel, NOAA and NASA are collaboratively working on the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) mission, ushering in the next generation of geostationary satellites to address future environmental challenges for U.S. weather, ocean, and climate operations. This collaborative effort between NOAA and NASA continues to advance environmental monitoring and scientific research from space.

[ANS thanks NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for the above information]

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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/

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Sentinel-1 Satellite Reveals Shifts from Morocco Earthquake

In the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Morocco on September 8th, satellite data is proving to be a vital asset for emergency response teams. The International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters,’ which offers rapid support during major crises, quickly deployed Earth observation assets to assist rescue efforts.

Additionally, radar measurements from Europe’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite mission are being utilized to assess ground shifts caused by the earthquake. This information not only aids in planning reconstruction efforts but also advances scientific research.

The powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Atlas Mountains, about 75 kilometers from Marrakesh, Morocco in an area rarely affected by such seismic events.

Tragically, the earthquake resulted in significant loss of life, building collapses, and infrastructure damage. The impact was felt as far as the country’s northern coast.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, along with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, invoked the International Charter Space & Major Disasters. This initiative allows for the swift provision of satellite imagery to define the extent of the disaster, enhancing rescue operations.

Satellites play a crucial role in rapid damage assessment and disaster management. Recognizing this, the European Space Agency (ESA) and France’s CNES space agency established the International Charter Space and Major Disasters in 1999 to foster international collaboration in disaster response.

In alignment with this collaboration, the Copernicus Emergency Mapping Service was activated to share satellite data in response to the Moroccan earthquake. High-resolution images from France’s Pléiades satellites were used to create detailed damage maps, aiding rescue teams in their operations.

These maps assist in identifying safe routes and bridges, ensuring the safety of responders. Philippe Bally, ESA representative of the International Charter, emphasized the urgency of delivering satellite data promptly to support relief efforts.

While the response to Morocco’s disaster continues, scientists are using measurements from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission to assess ground changes using a technique called ‘interferometry.’ This helps to understand the earthquake’s impact and potential future hazards.

The Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission’s radar capabilities allow scientists to observe and analyze the precise effects of earthquakes on the land surface. This information is crucial for post-disaster restoration efforts.

As Morocco works toward recovery, international space agencies and initiatives like the International Charter, alongside satellite missions such as Sentinel-1, are playing a crucial role in easing the burden on emergency responders and advancing our understanding of seismic events. These efforts contribute significantly to global disaster mitigation.

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

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Hungary Lil’ Buckaroo?
Make Your Reservation for the Symposium Banquet Today!

It’s a Belt Bustin’ Texas Style Barbecue with
Smoked BBQ Sliced Brisket and Roasted BBQ Chicken
BBQ Baked Beans, Southern Style Potato Salad, Roasted Corn
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Satellite Top 100 Rovers September 2023 Rankings

The September 2023 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr in order to provide more accurate data.

Updated: 2023-09-08

[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information]

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Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff
from our Zazzle store!
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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 21, 2023

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. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/

This week there are no additions or deletions to the AMSAT TLE distribution.

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

ARISS NEWS

Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.

+ Upcoming Contacts

Colegio Educación del Talento, Yerba Buena, Tucumán, Argentina, direct via LU5KHF
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Andreas Mogensen KG5GCZ or Jasmin Moghbeli KI5WSL
The ARISS mentor is VE6JBJ
Contact is for: Mon 2023-09-25 15:08:45 UTC

Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Oleg Kononenko
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is for: Thu 2023-09-28 08:45 UTC

ARISS planned radio outage next week. In support of the Soyuz undocking planned for Wed. 9/27 the Voice Repeater & Digipeater will be off for the event.
Current Schedule:
Radios off: Tue. Sep. 26 about 12:20 UTC | 8:20 AM ET
Radios on: Thu. Sep. 28 about 07:45 UTC | 3:45 AM ET

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

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

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

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]

Upcoming Satellite Operations

K5Z will be active on IO-117 from DL88 on September 25-27. See the updated pass schedule at https://www.qrz.com/db/KI0KB/P.

Doug, VA7LM will be active on IO-117 for the final time this year from CO44 on 24th September at 0102z.

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

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]

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.

+ ARRL Minnesota State Convention
October 14, 2023
Hennepin Technical College
9000 Brooklyn Blvd.
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
http://mnconvention.org

+ 2023 AMSAT-UK Colloquium & RSGB Convention
October 14-15, 2023
Kents Hill Park Conference Centre
Milton Keynes MK7 6BZ, United Kingdom

+ 41st AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting
October 20-21, 2023
Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel
4440 W John Carpenter Fwy, Irving, TX 75063

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Virgin Galactic successfully completed its third commercial suborbital spaceflight, known as “Galactic 03,” on September 8, carrying three private astronauts. The VSS Unity spaceplane, attached to the VMS Eve mothership, took off from Spaceport America in New Mexico and reached an altitude of 88.6 kilometers before landing back at the spaceport. Unlike previous flights, the company kept the identities of the private astronauts secret until after the landing, revealing them as Ken Baxter, Timothy Nash, and Adrian Reynard. Virgin Galactic did not provide a webcast of the mission but updated the public via social media. The company plans to continue its monthly cadence of missions with “Galactic 04” in early October. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.]

+ The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced an end of critical phases for two of its recently launched space missions. The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) has concluded its critical operation phase, demonstrating the normal functionality of its equipment through telemetry data. SLIM will now transition to an Earth orbit phase, where it will further test its onboard systems before embarking on its lunar journey. Simultaneously, the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) also completed its critical phase, with normal operations in power generation, communication, and attitude control. XRISM is now entering a commissioning period to verify its onboard equipment’s functions. These missions, launched on September 6, 2023, mark Japan’s ambitious foray into lunar exploration with SLIM and its deep space investigations with XRISM, advancing our understanding of both the Moon and the universe. [ANS thanks the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency for the above information.]

+ ESTCube-2 is set to launch aboard Vega C flight VV23 in the coming weeks, marking Europe’s final launch of 2023. This 3U CubeSat is a joint project between the Estonian Student Satellite Foundation and UT Tartu Observatory. It will test Coulomb drag propulsion, specifically E-sails, by using a positively charged wire to deflect solar wind protons and generate thrust. Additionally, it will experiment with a plasma brake to accelerate satellite deorbiting. ESTCube-2 will also conduct tests in low Earth orbit (LEO) on an electron emitter to prepare for future deep space missions. The mission includes Earth observation (EO) payloads and materials testing for LEO’s atomic oxygen environment. The team is planning a lunar mission for actual E-sailing. The Vega C launch will carry a Thai EO satellite, a Taiwanese weather satellite, and various smallsats for diverse missions such as water monitoring, tech demonstrations, IoT, and more. [ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information.]

+ NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is gearing up for a historic moment on September 24, 2023, when it will return valuable samples from asteroid Bennu to Earth, with the landing scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT (1400Z) in Utah. Launched in 2016, the mission faced unexpected challenges as Bennu’s surface differed from predictions, requiring reprogramming for a successful sample collection in 2020. Inside the descent capsule is a trove of precious asteroid material. As the spacecraft enters Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, it will deploy parachutes to ensure a controlled landing. This event marks the culmination of OSIRIS-REx’s 7-year mission, promising crucial insights into the solar system’s history and composition. [ANS thanks Space.com for the above information.]

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ
ad0hj [at] amsat.org

In this edition:

* Astronaut Hams Complete ISS Crew Transition
* AMSAT SA Space Symposium to be Held Online
* All South African Grids Roved on Satellite
* VUCC Satellite Standings — September 2023
* Japan Scrubs Launch of X-Ray Telescope and Moon Lander
* India’s Luner Lander Sparks Interest in the Moon
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

ANS-246 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2023 Sep 03

Astronaut Hams Complete ISS Crew Transition

The eleven orbital residents aboard the International Space Station (ISS) spent this week gearing up for a crew split as the four newest members continue to settle into their daily routines in weightlessness and four other Expedition 69 crew members prepare for their ride home to Earth.

Two crews are in the process of swapping places as NASA astronauts Woody Hoburg, KB3HTZ, and Stephen Bowen, KI5BKB, along with UAE (United Arab Emirates) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi, KI5VTV, and Roscosmos Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev, spent most of their time handing over responsibilities, including training new crew members on station procedures and the use of station exercise equipment.

Sunday, August 27 saw the arrival of NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, KI5WSL, Danish ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, KG5GCZ, JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, KE5DAW, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov to the station as the SpaceX Dragon Endurance Spacecraft docked to the Harmony module. The international quartet is quickly adjusting to orbital tasks and spent some of Thursday on the firsts of many science and maintenance activities they’ll perform in microgravity during their six-month stay.

The four Crew-6 members — Hoburg, Bowen, Alneyadi and Fedyaev — are nearing the end of their six-month research mission and spent the afternoon prepping and packing SpaceX’s Dragon Endeavour spacecraft for departure no earlier than Sept. 2. This will bring the space station’s population down to seven before further crew swaps take place in September.

[As always, amateur radio operations on the ISS are suspended during docking and undocking maneuvers, as well as during spacewalks (EVAs). Amateurs on earth should expect interruptions of the ARISS FM repeater and ARISS digipeater this weekend.]

Astronaught Frank Rubio, and cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dimitri Petelin will soon reach a year in space after arriving to the station on Sept. 21, 2022, and are gearing up for their trek home in late September. The three long-time station residents continued to help with crew handover activities on Thursday and completed some station maintenance tasks of their own.

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]

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The 2023 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now!

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its launch
on June 16, 1983, this year’s coin features
an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 10.
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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AMSAT SA Space Symposium to be Held Online

AMSAT South Africa has announced that the 2023 AMSAT SA Space Symposium will be held on Saturday, 23 September 2023.

It will be a virtual event opening participation to people anywhere in the world. The event will be hosted on the Bluejeans platform from 09:00 – 15:00 SAST (07:00 – 13:00 UTC). Those registered will receive an email with logon details.

The aim of the AMSAT SA Space symposium is to take amateur radio into space, encourage more amateur satellite operation, development, and research.

Registration is required and will be free but a donation to the AMSAT SA managed SARL Next Generation Beacon fund would be appreciated. Registration opened 24 August at bit.ly/45SynOJ

Call for papers

Proposals for papers are invited. Send a summary of the proposed paper in MS word to [email protected]. The closing date for paper proposals is 4 September 2023. The final programme will be published on on 6 September 2023.

[ANS thanks AMSAT SA for the above information]

All South African Grids Roved on Satellite

Tom Ambrose, ZS1TA, has done one of those difficult roves that took several years to complete. He has worked All South African Grids which has never been done before on any band or mode let alone satellite.

Although there is no award, he has roved from 83 different ZS grids. Tom roved from the mountains to the sea and coast to coast. He used various antennas in including small Yagi’s and dual band verticals. The satellites PRIMARILY used were AO-91 and AO-92, with occasional contacts on SO-50, using FM to encourage new satellite operators.

FO-29 and AO-07 also featured in the mix. There are not that many satellite operators in ZS however, when he started
operating many old and new hams got on to make a contact and follow him on his trips.

Now comes the more difficult part. In order to receive VUCC/r, Tom has to go to another country to do some roves. Tom is
looking at going through Namibia for that.

Congratulations to Tom for this feat and looking forward to processing his VUCC/r which will be a first for a ZS station.

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

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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/

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VUCC Satellite Standings — September 2023

VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for August 01, 2023 to September 01, 2023.
————————————————————

Congratulations to the new VUCC holders.
ON4CCN is first VUCC Satellite holder from Belgium
ZS1TA is first VUCC Satellite holder from JF95
DJ7NT is first VUCC Satellite holder from JO30
JF3MKC is first VUCC Satellite holder from PM74
ZS4TX is first VUCC Satellite holder from KG30

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

Japan Scrubs Launch of X-Ray Telescope and Moon Lander

JAXA, the Japanese space agency, is attempting to launch two very different space missions from one rocket: a new X-ray telescope that will look at some of the hottest spots in our universe, and a small experimental robotic moon lander. But the missions have had difficulty getting off the ground.

The telescope is called X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission, or XRISM for short (pronounced like the word “chrism”). The lunar mission is called Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM. XRISM and SLIM were expected to launch from an H-IIA rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center on Monday, August 28 at 00:26 UTC.

But less than 30 minutes before the scheduled launch, JAXA announced that the launch had been canceled for the day “due to inclement weather.” While JAXA had moments before said the weather appeared “calm,” winds at higher altitudes above the launch site were too severe for a safe launch according to a social media post by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which built and operates the rocket that is being used for the flight.

Poor weather had also led to an earlier postponement of the flight on Saturday. The Japanese space agency has not yet announced when the next launch attempt would occur. But it has a reserved launch period through Sept. 15.

XRISM is a telescope about the size of a bus. JAXA is collaborating with NASA on the mission, with additional participation from the European Space Agency. XRISM will study cosmic X-rays, which unlike other wavelengths of light can only be detected from above Earth’s atmosphere, which shields us from the harmful radiation.

SLIM is a compact robotic moon lander that weighs more than 1,500 pounds at launch. The lander’s mission is not primarily scientific. Rather, it is to demonstrate a pinpoint navigation system, aiming to set down within about the length of a football field of a targeted landing site. Developing better landing technology would enable future spacecraft to land closer to rugged terrain that is of scientific interest.

The space telescope will be placed in an orbit approximately 350 miles above Earth. Once there, researchers will spend the next few months turning the instruments on and running tests of their performance. Science operations will begin in January, and initial results from this data are expected in about a year.

SLIM is headed toward the Shioli crater on the moon’s near side. The spacecraft will be taking a long, roundabout journey of at least four months that requires less propellant. SLIM will take several months to reach lunar orbit, then spend a month circling the moon before attempting to set down on the surface.

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

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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

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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for Sept. 1

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. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/

This week there are no additions or deletions to the AMSAT TLE distribution.

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

India’s Lunar Lander Sparks Interest in the Moon

Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover are safely on the Moon and their scientific work has begun. On August 23, the Vikram lander completed a successful autonomous descent and landing to touch down near the Moon’s south pole, only about 350 meters away from its target. On August 26, the Pragyan successfully rolled onto the lunar surface and navigated its first small crater.

With this success, India became the fourth nation (after the U.S., Soviet Russia, and China) to soft-land on the Moon. Not only is this mission a success for India, but is humanity’s closest landing to the lunar south pole — an area of great interest to science, as there is speculation that water ice may be found in this area of the moon.

Landing a bit after sunrise on a lunar day, the Vikram lander with its four science payloads, and its onboard six-wheeled Pragyan rover with an additional two 2 payloads, have 14 Earth days to do some serious science together. All payloads have now been switched on, including ChaSTE onboard the lander, which measures the change in temperature with depth — from ~50° C at the surface to -10° C over a depth of 8 cm in an initial test.

India’s successful landing took place just days after Luna 25, Russia’s first post-Soviet lunar lander, suffered an anomaly during an orbit-lowering maneuver and crashed into the Moon. That leaves scientist eager for data from the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

[ANS thanks The Orbital Index 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.

COMPLETED CONTACTS
Augusta Preparatory Day School, Augusta, GA, direct via K4RGK
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Steve Bowen KI5BKB
The ARISS mentor is AA4KN
Contact was successful: Thu 2023-08-31 13:51:28 UTC 64 degrees maximum elevation
Congratulations to the Augusta Preparatory Day School students, Steve, K4RGK, and mentor AA4KN!

UPCOMING CONTACTS
Egemen Yildiz Secondary School, İzmir, Turkey, telebridge via K6DUE
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Jasmin Moghbeli KI5WSL
The ARISS mentor is IZ2GOJ
Contact is go for: Wed 2023-09-06 10:35:27 UTC 73 degrees maximum elevation

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

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

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

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]

Upcoming Satellite Operations

No rovers have reported any upcoming operations.

To include your satellite roving plans in the AMSAT News Service Weekly bulletins, send them to Ian, K5ZM at k5zm (at) comcast (dot) net at least a couple of weeks in advance. Upcoming satellite operations are updated weekly on the AMSAT Upcoming Satellite Operations page but may expire before the next AMSAT News Service bulletin is released. You can watch for the latest roving information to become available at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-info/upcoming-satellite-operations.

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

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]

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-DL Festive Conference & Symposium (50 Years)
September 15-17, 2023
Bochum Observatory
Blankensteiner Str. 200A, 44797 Bochum, Germany

+ 2023 AMSAT SA Space Symposium (online only)
Saturday, 23 September 2023
Registration at https://bit.ly/45SynOJ

+ 2023 AMSAT-UK Colloquium & RSGB Convention
October 14-15, 2023
Kents Hill Park Conference Centre
Milton Keynes MK7 6BZ, United Kingdom

+ ARRL Minnesota State Convention
Saturday, October 14
Hennepin Technical College
9000 Brooklyn Blvd.
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
http://mnconvention.org

+ 41st AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting
October 20-21, 2023
Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel
4440 W John Carpenter Fwy, Irving, TX 75063

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.

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

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Congratulations to Jérôme Lecuyer, F4DXV in JN04JR35PD, and Bill Attwood, VE6WK in DO20WV58DO, on setting the new FO-29 distance record on August 26, eclipsing the prior record set by KE9AJ and EB1AO by 46 km! See https://www.amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/ for the complete list of current satellite distance records. (ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive VP and Records Manager, for the above information)

+ Since satellite operators all have VHF and UHF equipment and antennas of some sort, you might try aiming at the horizon for a while on the weekend of September 9-11, and seeing what contacts can be made without a bird overhead. The ARRL Septmeber VHF Contest begins at 1800z on Saturday and ends at 0259z on Monday (actually, Sunday night in North America). There is even a category for FM only. For details, see https://www.arrl.org/september-vhf?_zs=s8mxl&_zl=lcFg2 (ANS thanks ARRL for the above information)

+ Curbing methane release is crucial to slowing climate change and requires detecting methane leaks via space and air-based sensors, and holding emitters accountable. This week, Orbital Sidekick utilized its hyperspectral satellite constellation GHOSt to detect methane plumes from oil well pads. And, data from JPL’s EMIT sensor on the ISS spotted 22 methane plumes released during an extreme heat wave in Texas. There are more methane sleuthing satellites on the horizon: GHGSat is adding 4 more satellites to their constellation that monitor facility leaks with ~25m spatial resolution today, and MethaneSat, set to launch in early 2024, is planning to observe state-sized areas to identify specific sources of methane from anywhere in the world, and will also freely release the data, where it can be post-processed by AI. (ANS thank The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ Virgin Galactic’s announced on August 28 that it is targeting Friday, Sept. 8 for the launch of Galactic 03, its third commercial spaceflight and eighth space mission overall. Galactic 03 will take three paying customers to and from suborbital space from Spaceport America in New Mexico. Virgin Galactic hasn’t identified those passengers yet, but we know they’ve been ticket-holders for a long time. They’ll fly with Colin Bennett, one of Virgin Galactic’s astronaut instructors. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above information)

+ NASA officials sounded an alarm Tuesday, August 29, about the agency’s Deep Space Network, a collection of antennas in California, Spain, and Australia used to maintain contact with missions scattered across the Solar System. Everything from NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon to the Voyager probes in interstellar space rely on the Deep Space Network (DSN) to receive commands and transmit data back to Earth. There are currently around 40 missions that rely on the DSN’s antennas to stay in communication with controllers and scientists back on Earth. Another 40-plus missions will join the roster over the next decade or so, and many of the 40 missions currently using time on the network will likely still be operating over that time. “We have reached a really critical point on the DSN’s aging infrastructure,” said Sandra Cauffman, deputy director of NASA’s astrophysics division. (ANS thanks ARS Technica for the above informaton)

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM
k0jm [at] amsat.org

In this edition:

* Cast Your Vote: 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Ending Soon
* Registration Now Open for Upcoming International AMSAT Conferences
* Chandrayaan-3 Makes Historic Soft Landing on Moon’s South Pole
* SpaceX Launches Crew-7 Mission aboard Crew Dragon Endurance
* Teams Hack U.S. Air Force Satellite in Space Cybersecurity Contest
* Satellite Top 100 Rovers August 2023 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 25, 2023
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

ANS-239 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2023 Aug 27

Cast Your Vote: 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Ending Soon

There is less than a three-week window remaining to participate in the 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors Election. The voting process will conclude on September 15, 2023. To access candidate statements and the online Election Ballot, you can visit AMSAT’s Wild Apricot membership portal at https://launch.amsat.org/2023-BoD-Election.

In this year’s election, four seats on the Board of Directors are open for consideration. Once the voting period concludes on September 15th, four of the candidates will take their places on the Board, along with an alternate member. The following individuals have been officially nominated:

Barry Baines, WD4ASW
Jerry Buxton, N0JY
Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO
Frank Karnauskas, N1UW

Upon clicking the poll link, you will be directed to your ballot or poll question. After selecting your preferred choices, simply click the Submit button to cast your vote. Unlike typical online polls, the results of previous votes up until your vote will not be visible. Each AMSAT member is entitled to one vote only. If you attempt to access the poll link again after casting your vote, you will receive a message confirming your vote has been submitted.

The outcomes of the Board of Directors Election, including the total number of ballots cast, the vote count for each candidate, and the names of the newly elected Board of Directors members, will be publicly announced a few days following the conclusion of the election.

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

Registration Now Open for Upcoming International AMSAT Conferences

+ AMSAT-DL was founded in 1973, so this year we can look back on 50 years of space exploration. We have taken this as an opportunity to put this year’s symposium in a special setting. Ticket sales are now available at https://shop.amsat-dl.org. The Festive Conference and Symposium will be held Friday, September 15 to Sunday, September 17, 2023.

With a view to the 50-year history of AMSAT-Germany and its mission of promoting amateur radio via satellites, the celebratory conference “From OSCAR 10 to OSCAR 100: 50 years of AMSAT-DL in service to science, research and education” will take place at the Bochum Observatory radome. Accommodations are limited, and the booking of the overnight stays is only possible via the AMSAT-DL store. See https://amsat-dl.org/en/ticket-sales-festive-conference-50-years-amsat-dl for more information.

+ AMSAT-UK is pleased to announce that the 2023 Colloquium will take place alongside the RSGB Convention at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Milton Keynes on the weekend of 14/15th October 2023.

Full details of the Colloquium will be made available nearer the time on the AMSAT-UK website at https://amsat-uk.org. As in previous years, the AMSAT-UK Colloquium will run as a separate stream within the RSGB Convention and will include presentations on a variety of satellite and space related topics.

Entrance to the RSGB Convention is managed by the RSGB and you will be required to purchase Day Tickets for the Saturday and/or Sunday to attend the AMSAT-UK Colloquium. These can be booked via the RSGB website at https://rsgb.org/main/rsgb-2023-convention. Early bird discounts are being offered by the RSGB via their website.

+ AMSAT will hold their 41st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting on October 20-21, 2023 at the Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel in Irving, Texas. The schedule will encompass an array of activities, including an AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting, AMSAT Space Symposium, AMSAT Annual General Meeting, AMSAT Banquet and Reception, AMSAT Member Breakfast, as well as the Friday Night Social and Auction.

You can register online for individual events or all events at: https://launch.amsat.org/event-5363188. Rooms are available for check-in on Wednesday, October 18, with check-out on Sunday, October 22. The Standard room with a single King bed is currently SOLD OUT; act quickly to secure your reservations. Alternatively, the Standard room with two Queen beds is priced at $137.00* (excluding state and local taxes of 15%). To make phone reservations, call 972-929-8400 and request the RADIO AMATEUR SATELLITE rate. For online reservations, visit https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1689956666782&key=GRP&app=resvlink.

[ANS thanks AMSAT, AMSAT-UK, and AMSAT-DL for the above information]

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The 2023 AMSAT President’s Club coins are here now

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its launch
on June 16, 1983, this year’s coin features
an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 10.
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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Chandrayaan-3 Makes Historic Soft Landing on Moon’s South Pole

In a momentous achievement, the Chandrayaan-3 mission by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully executed a lunar landing, establishing India as the fourth nation to accomplish this feat.

Amid palpable tension followed by jubilant cheers at the ISRO mission control center, the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s robotic lander, known as Vikram, made a triumphant touchdown on the moon’s surface near its southern pole at 12:33 P.M. UTC on August 23. The mission, launched on July 14, marked ISRO’s determined return to lunar landing endeavors after the Chandrayaan-2 mission’s unfortunate crash in 2019. With the safe landing of the spacecraft, India joins the ranks of the former Soviet Union, the United States, and China as countries that have successfully executed soft landings on the moon.

A critical aspect of Chandrayaan-3’s landing was its complete autonomy during lunar descent. Due to the three-second signal delay between the lander and Earth, Earth-bound engineers couldn’t guide the landing in real-time. Vikram was tasked with reducing its orbital velocity to virtually zero, aligning with the intended trajectory for a secure landing. This required precise coordination of its engines based on continuous measurements of distance, velocity, and orientation.

Learning from the lessons of Chandrayaan-2, ISRO incorporated increased redundancies and safeguards into Chandrayaan-3. The mission carried extra fuel and an improved guidance, navigation, and control system, capable of correcting significant deviations from the intended path. In-depth ground tests using helicopters and cranes further validated the changes made to 21 subsystems.

The success of Chandrayaan-3 is particularly significant given the recent history of lunar landing attempts. Out of the past six attempts in the last five years, only four were successful. Notably, Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashed on August 19, joining the ranks of unsuccessful landers from Israel, India, and Japan. Chandrayaan-3’s achievement aligns with the accomplishments of China’s Chang’e 4 and Chang’e 5 landers, which have also found success in recent times.

Sankaran Muthusamy, director of the U. R. Rao Satellite Center, ISRO’s center responsible for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, stressed the responsibility to inspire both India and the world through this historic landing.

Chandrayaan-3’s intricate lunar descent involved four primary phases. The “rough braking” phase initiated when the craft was 30 kilometers above the lunar surface. It fired its four main engines for approximately 12 minutes, reducing its horizontal velocity by about 80 percent. A critical “attitude hold” phase followed, wherein smaller thrusters stabilized the lander to ensure accurate sensor readings. Chandrayaan-3 relied on redundant altimeters, one using lasers and another using microwaves, to determine its height. Microwave altimeters, with their wider coverage, enhanced the mission’s accuracy.

The successful mission is expected to propel India’s lunar ambitions further. By signing the Artemis Accords, a framework for collaborative lunar exploration led by the United States, India has opened avenues for enhanced partnerships with other signatory countries. The success of Chandrayaan-3 also paves the way for India’s potential collaboration with Japan in its upcoming LUPEX rover mission. This partnership aims to study water ice on the moon’s south pole, contributing valuable data to future endeavors, including NASA’s Artemis program.

[ANS thanks Jatan Mehta, writing for ScientificAmerican.com for the above information]

SpaceX Launches Crew-7 Mission aboard Crew Dragon Endurance

SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-7 mission on August 26, 2023. Lift-off occurred precisely at 07:27 UTC (3:27 a.m. EDT) from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The mission, also known as United States Crew Vehicle mission 7 (USCV-7), was orchestrated by SpaceX, the launch provider, for their customer, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). With this launch, SpaceX demonstrated its prowess in space technology, deploying its Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket and Booster B1081-1 for the mission.

This launch was no ordinary event. It marked the 250th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket, accompanied by the 220th successful booster landing. Notably, it extended SpaceX’s record for consecutive booster landings to an impressive 146. Moreover, Crew-7 marked SpaceX’s 11th crewed mission, solidifying the company’s position as a frontrunner in human spaceflight endeavors. The total number of humans launched by SpaceX totals 42 – the answer to everything!

The Crew-7 mission aimed to bridge the gap between nations and space agencies. The spacecraft, aptly named “Endurance,” carried a diverse crew from four different countries and space organizations:

Commander Jasmin Moghbeli (KI5WSL): Raised in Baldwin, New York, by Iranian parents who emigrated in 1979, she holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from MIT. Commissioned as a U.S. Marine Corps officer, Moghbeli served as an AH-1 Super Cobra pilot, completing 150 combat missions. She earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and became a helicopter test pilot at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. Chosen for NASA Astronaut Group 22 in 2017, Moghbeli’s journey led her to become the Commander of Crew-7 in 2022.

Pilot Andreas Enevold Mogensen (KG5GCZ): ESA astronaut with a diverse background. He earned a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Imperial College London in 1999. Mogensen’s professional journey saw him working as an engineer in various global locations, including offshore oil rigs in Africa and wind turbine control systems in Denmark. He was selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009 while contributing to spacecraft guidance and navigation research. Mogensen’s space journey began with Soyuz TMA-18M in 2015, making him the first Danish citizen in space.

Mission Specialist Satoshi Furukawa (KE5DAW): Distinguished astronaut with a medical background. Graduating from the University of Tokyo with a Doctor of Medicine in 1989 and a PhD in Medical Science in 2000, Furukawa practiced as an anesthetist and surgeon before his selection as an astronaut candidate in 1999. His medical expertise took him on his first space journey aboard Soyuz TMA-02M in 2011. As a veteran, he returns to space as a Mission Specialist for Crew-7 in 2023, contributing his medical insights to the international team.

Mission Specialist Konstantin Sergeyevich Borisov: Cosmonaut with a diverse educational journey. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Russian Academy of Economics in 2005 and pursued a master’s degree in Operations Research and Systems Analysis at Warwick University, UK. Borisov’s passion for aviation led him to complete a master’s program in Life Support Systems for Aircraft at the Moscow Aviation Institute. Selected as a cosmonaut in 2018, Borisov’s dedication culminated in his assignment as a Mission Specialist for Crew-7 in 2023.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft, “Endurance,” embarked on a journey to rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS) in an orbit approximately 400 km above Earth. This mission further solidified SpaceX’s commitment to reusability, with the booster for Crew-7, Booster B1081-1, being a new addition to the roster, demonstrating the company’s capability to successfully launch humans using an unused booster for the fifth time.

[ANS thanks Florian Kordina and Trevor Sesnic, writing for EverydayAstronaut.com for the above information]

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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/

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Teams Hack U.S. Air Force Satellite in Space Cybersecurity Contest

The United States Air Force has successfully concluded its pioneering Hack-A-Sat competition, with three teams claiming victory and substantial cash prizes. The competition, which took place as part of the annual DEF CON hacking convention in Las Vegas from August 11 to August 14, centered on the task of hacking into an active satellite in orbit. This was a new level of challenge compared to previous editions that relied on simulated ground-based satellites.

The spotlight shone on the small CubeSat christened “Moonlighter,” collaboratively developed by the Aerospace Corporation and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. This formidable space contender was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 5, 2023, concurrently with cargo bound for the International Space Station.

Five determined teams squared off in the Hack-A-Sat contest, each striving to outsmart the defenses of Moonlighter and reap both prestige and monetary rewards. Emerging triumphant was the Italian consortium “mHACKeroni,” a fusion of five Italian cyber research teams, whose accomplishment netted them the coveted first-place position and a princely sum of $50,000. Following closely in second place was the “Poland Can Into Space” squad hailing from Poland, pocketing $30,000 for their impressive performance. The third spot on the podium was clinched by the collaborative British-American force known as “jmp fs:[rcx],” whose strategic prowess earned them $20,000 in cash winnings.

The essence of the competition was the penetration of Moonlighter’s protective layers, enabling participants to override the satellite’s predetermined scope of observation targets. Successful teams then wielded the power to direct the satellite’s lens towards desired focal points on the Earth’s surface, capturing images that were subsequently relayed back to ground stations.

The significance of such competitions resonates in their contribution to fortifying the security of satellite systems. Col. Neal Roach, representing the Space Systems Command of the U.S. Air Force, emphasized the broader impact of the Hack-A-Sat initiative. “Hack-A-Sat has raised public awareness on the importance of space cybersecurity and has helped to strengthen the industry, security, and government partnership that we need to build more resilient space systems that will keep our nation and our world secure,” he stated.

The urgency surrounding satellite cybersecurity has grown in recent years, exacerbated by real-world incidents. In a troubling revelation, Elon Musk disclosed that SpaceX’s Starlink satellites faced repeated cyberattacks, coinciding with Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The history of cyber intrusions into satellite systems traces back to 2011 when two U.S. government satellites reportedly fell victim to suspected Chinese military hacking endeavors.

[ANS thanks Brett Tingley, Editor for Space.com for the above information]

Satellite Top 100 Rovers August 2023 Rankings

The August 2023 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (All Satellites) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr in order to provide more accurate data.

Updated: 2023-08-05

[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information]

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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 25, 2023

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. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources.

This week there are no additions or deletions to the weekly AMSAT TLE distribution.

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

ARISS NEWS

Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.

+ Upcoming Contacts

Bowman Middle School, Bakersville, NC, direct via W4GUZ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Warren Hoburg KB3HTZ
The ARISS mentor is AA6TB
Contact is go for: Mon 2023-08-28 14:38:46 UTC

Augusta Preparatory Day School, Augusta, GA, direct via K4RGK
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be TBD
The scheduled crewmember is Steve Bowen KI5BKB
The ARISS mentor is AA4KN
Contact is go for: Thu 2023-08-31 13:51:28 UTC

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

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

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

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html.

The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html.

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]

Upcoming Satellite Operations

TF/DL2GRC: Got an email from Nina stating that she & the family will be heading to Iceland with operations scheduled to begin on Friday (18th).

From Nina: We will do a trip around the Island and hope to be active on MEO, LEO and GEO: family, equipment, satellites and weather permitting. Operations can be expected between August 18th to 30th. Please keep in mind, it will be a family holiday and no DX-pedition. Look out for TF/DL4BEN, TF/DL8SCU and TF/DL2GRC. Stay tuned!

To include your satellite roving plans in the AMSAT News Service Weekly bulletins, send them to Ian, K5ZM at k5zm (at) comcast (dot) net at least a couple of weeks in advance. Upcoming satellite operations are updated weekly on the AMSAT Upcoming Satellite Operations page but may expire before the next AMSAT News Service bulletin is released. You can watch for the latest roving information to become available at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-info/upcoming-satellite-operations.

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

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]

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-DL Festive Conference & Symposium (50 Years)
September 15-17, 2023
Bochum Observatory
Blankensteiner Str. 200A, 44797 Bochum, Germany

+ 2023 AMSAT-UK Colloquium & RSGB Convention
October 14-15, 2023
Kents Hill Park Conference Centre
Milton Keynes MK7 6BZ, United Kingdom

+ 41st AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting
October 20-21, 2023
Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel
4440 W John Carpenter Fwy, Irving, TX 75063

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.

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

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Russia’s Luna-25 mission, launched from Vostochny Cosmodrome on August 10, has encountered failure as its spacecraft crashed into the Moon’s surface during an attempt to land at the lunar south pole. This marks Russia’s first lunar mission since 1976. The intended target was the Boguslawsky Crater near the south pole, and the spacecraft was equipped with instruments, including a robotic arm, to search for water ice up to 50 centimeters below the surface. The failure occurred after a command was sent to lower the craft’s orbit, resulting in a loss of communication on August 19. Roscosmos confirmed the craft’s collision with the lunar surface on August 20. Roscosmos plans to follow Luna-25 with a lunar orbiter, called Luna-26, and then two more landing missions: Luna-27, which will send a drilling rig to the lunar surface; and Luna-28, a sample-collection mission that aims to return material from the moon’s polar regions to Earth. [ANS thanks Elizabeth Howell, Staff Writer for Spaceflight.com, for the above information]

+ On August 23, 2023, the Progress MS-24 cargo ship launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying 2.5 tons of cargo for the International Space Station (ISS). This mission marked the third out of four Progress cargo ships planned for 2023. The cargo ship, designated as Progress MS-24, was launched using a Soyuz-2-1a rocket from Launch Pad 6 at Site 31 in Baikonur. It followed a sequence of stages, with successful booster separations, fairing jettisoning, and third-stage ignition, ultimately inserting the cargo ship into an initial parking orbit. Progress MS-24 arrived at the International Space Station’s aft port of the Zvezda service module at 11:45 p.m. EDT on August 24. The spacecraft will remain at the orbiting laboratory for approximately six months, then undock for a destructive but safe re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere to dispose of trash loaded by the crew. [ANS thanks RussianSpaceWeb.com for the above information]

+ Brown University students successfully demonstrated a low-cost solution to address space debris by reentering their cube satellite, SBUDNIC, into Earth’s atmosphere. The satellite, developed by an academically diverse team, including undergraduates led by alumni Marco Cross and faculty member Rick Fleeter, deployed a plastic drag sail made from Kapton polyimide. This sail, acting like an umbrella, aided the satellite’s descent and contributed to its early reentry. SBUDNIC was launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter 5 mission and reentered the atmosphere after just 445 days, about five years earlier than planned. The project’s success highlights the potential for cost-effective measures to combat space junk and reduce the risk it poses to space vehicles. [ANS thanks Brown University for the above information]

+ NASA’s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory-A spacecraft (STEREO-A), launched in October 2006, far outlived its mission life span of two years. Its orbital trajectory around the sun meant that it had a chance to do what very few other NASA spacecraft could: eventually make its way back toward home. This month, when STEREO-A passes between the sun and the Earth for the first time since its launch, it will be used to perform new research on the sun, aided by newer NASA satellites that have been developed more recently. When STEREO-A was launched, it viewed the sun during a solar minimum. That limited the number of coronal mass ejections and other phenomena that the spacecraft initially observed. This year, STEREO-A’s return has coincided with a period of intense solar activity. Earthbound instruments can only ever observe one Earth-facing slice of the sun at a time, while the rest of the rapidly changing solar surface remains obscured. The STEREO spacecraft, from its offset position, allowed scientists to capture a 360-degree view of the sun for the first time, research that is ongoing as long as this old bird continues to perform. (ANS thanks the Washington Post for the above information)

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ
ad0hj [at] amsat.org