ANS-077 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

In this edition:

* First SONATE 2 Images Received
* FUNcube Mode Change
* Free On-Line Amateur Radio Operating Class
* Starship Lifts Off On Third Test Flight
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 15
* NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Finishes Mission, Returns to Earth
* 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-077 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 March 17

First SONATE 2 Images Received

First images were received this week from the SONATE 2 satellite. A low-resolution Slow-Scan TV (SSTV) image that had been pre-loaded onto the satellite prior to launch was received on March 8. The first wide field of view earth image from the onboard camera was received on March 11. Both images can be viewed at https://www.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/aerospaceinfo/staff/kayal/research-activities/sonate-2/

[12.03.2024 First wide field of view image from SONATE-2]

SONATE 2 was built by students and faculty in the Aerospace Information Technology program at at Würzburg University in Germany. It was launched on March 4 as part of the SpaceX Transporter 10 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E in Vandenberg SFB, Calif.

Using Doppler measurements, Nico Janssen, PAØDLO, has identified SONATE 2 as object 59112. The telemetry downlink frequency is 437.0254 MHz, just slightly above the published target frequency of 437.025 MHz. Telemetry is in 9k6 G3RUH GMSK AX.25 using a protocol that may be downloaded from https://www.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/fileadmin/1003-ifex/2024/SONATE-2_protocol_definition_for_radio_amateurs.xlsx

The SSTV downlink is at 145.880 MHz FM using the Martin M1 protocol. The satellite also carries an APRS digipeater for 145.825 MHz, but the digipeater is not yet active. A schedule for upcoming SSTV transmissions is published at https://www.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/aerospaceinfo/mitarbeiter/kayal/forschungsprojekte/sonate-2/information-for-radio-amateurs/

[ANS thanks Würzburg University and Nico Janssen, PAØDLO, for the above information.]


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FUNcube Mode Change

The FUNcube team are pleased to announce that FUNcube 1 (aka AO-73) is out of Safe mode back in Eclipse mode as of March 11. “Eclipse mode” means that the transponder is normally operational only when the satellite is in eclipse, i.e. the solar panels are NOT being illuminated.

The nominal transponder frequencies are:

Uplink: 435.150 – 435.130 MHz LSB (Inverting)
Downlink: 145.950 – 145.970 MHz USB
Telemetry Tx: 145.935 MHz BPSK

(The passband may be up to 15kHz higher depending on on-board temps. Lower temperatures give higher freqs!)

[ANS thanks David Johnson, G4DPZ, and https://funcube.org.uk/ for the above information.]


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Free On-Line Amateur Radio Operating Class

A free, weekly, 3-hour Amateur Radio Operating Class on Zoom will begin on Thursday April 4 and run through June 20 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern / 5:30 p.m. Central time. The presenters will be various experienced folks in the various subjects.

A detailed syllabus will be published before the classes begin. Attend them all, or any that you like, but you must register for the classes. To receive registration information, contact Rol Anders, K3RA, at [email protected].

Subjects will include:

  • All About Operating–A general Introduction
  • Amateur Radio Organizations—Local to International
  • Ham Radio Awards
  • DXing-History and Tips from the Experts
  • QSLing-How to get that needed card for DXCC or WAS
  • VHF/UHF Weak Signal Work and “Roving”
  • Image Operating—Slow Scan and Fast Scan TV
  • Remote Station control over internet
  • Learning CW in the no-code era
  • Digital Modes—From RTTY to FT8 and beyond
  • Contesting—How to get started, tips for the beginner and intermediated contester
  • Logging Software—What’s available, how to use
  • Propagation—A general intro to HF Propagation
  • *Amateur Satellites—How to get started*
  • Portable (backpacking) operation—Tips from an expert
  • Setting Up a Modern (or not so modern) HF Station
  • Lightning Protection and Grounding
  • Traffic Handling
  • Public Service, Emergency Communications

[ANS thanks Dan Hausauer, WØCN, and Rol Anders, K3RA, for the above information.]


Starship Lifts Off On Third Test Flight

SpaceX’s Starship vehicle lifted off on its third test flight March 14, making significant progress compared to its first two by achieving most of its planned test milestones.

The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle lifted off from the company’s Starbase site at 9:25 a.m. Eastern. The liftoff was delayed by nearly an hour and a half because of ships in restricted waters offshore. SpaceX reported no technical issues during the countdown.

[Starship lifts off on its third integrated test flight March 14. Credit: SpaceX webcast]

The Super Heavy booster fired all 33 of its Raptor engines for nearly three minutes before executing “hot staging”, with the Starship upper stage’s engines igniting while still attached to Super Heavy before separating.

The booster then performed burns to attempt what SpaceX webcast hosts called a “soft splashdown” in the Gulf of Mexico, where it would not be recovered. However, the landing burn did not appear to go correctly, and the company later said that the booster broke apart 462 meters above the ocean after lighting several Raptor engines for a landing burn.

The Starship upper stage performed its burn, placing the vehicle onto its planned suborbital trajectory. It avoided the fate of the previous Starship launch in November, when the vehicle broke apart late in its burn after catching fire while venting propellant.

While in space on its suborbital trajectory, SpaceX opened a payload bay door that will be used on later Starship vehicles for deploying Starlink satellites. It also performed an in-space propellant transfer demonstration as part of a NASA contract where it would move propellant from one tank within the vehicle to another. SpaceX said it was evaluating the data from both tests.

SpaceX had planned to perform a brief relight of a Raptor engine on Starship about 40 minutes after liftoff, but the company said on the webcast that this test was skipped for reasons not immediately known. The company later said the engine test was called off because of the vehicle’s roll rates.

Several minutes later, the vehicle started reentry. A camera mounted on a flap on Starship provided dramatic images of the reentry, relayed through Starlink satellites. Telemetry was lost about 49 and a half minutes after liftoff when the vehicle was descending through an altitude of 65 kilometers. SpaceX later said on the webcast that it lost contact through both its own Starlink satellites as well as through NASA TDRSS data relay satellites at the same time, speculating that the vehicle may have broken up.

While the mission did not achieve all its test objectives, the company considered the launch a success. “What we achieved on this flight will provide invaluable data to continue rapidly developing Starship,” it said in a statement.

[ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information.


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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 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 daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/.

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

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


NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Finishes Mission, Returns to Earth

The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, with NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, KI5WSL, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, KG5GCZ, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, KE5DAW, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov aboard, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa, and Borisov are returning after nearly six-months in space as part of Expedition 70 aboard the International Space Station.

The Crew-7 mission lifted off  at 3:27 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2023, on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. About 30 hours later, Dragon docked to the Harmony module’s space-facing port. Crew-7 undocked at 11:20 a.m. Monday, March 11, to begin the trip home.

Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa, and Borisov traveled 84,434,094 miles during their mission, spent 197 days aboard the space station, and completed 3,184 orbits around Earth. The Crew-7 mission was the first spaceflight for Moghbeli and Borisov. Mogensen has logged 209 days in space over his two flights, and Furukawa has logged 366 days in space over his two flights.

[A thermal screenshot showing the successfully deployed four parachutes of the Dragon Capsule as it makes its descent on March 12]
(Image credit: NASA)

Throughout their mission, the Crew-7 members contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations, including a number of ARISS amateur radio contacts. Moghbeli conducted one spacewalk, joined by NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, replacing one of the 12 trundle bearing assemblies on the port solar alpha rotary joint, which allows the arrays to track the Sun and generate electricity to power the station.

The crew contributed to hundreds of experiments and technology demonstrations, including the first study of human response to different spaceflight durations, and an experiment growing food on the space station.

This was the third flight of the Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance. It also previously supported the Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions. The spacecraft will return to Florida for inspection and processing at SpaceX’s refurbishing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where teams will inspect the Dragon, analyze data on its performance, and process it for its next flight.

The Crew-7 flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and its return to Earth follows on the heels of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 launch, which docked to the station March 5, beginning another science expedition. That crew consists of Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ, Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, and Alexander Grebenkin, RZ3DSE.

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information.]


ARISS News

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.

Second Chance School of Orestiada, Orestiada, Greece, telebridge via VK4KHZ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM, Mike Barratt, KD5MIJ (Observing)
The Moderator is scheduled to be Will KW4WZ
The ARISS mentor is IKØWGF
Contact is go for: Wed 2024-03-20 17:45:54 UTC 60 deg
Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/@sdeorestiadas9736?si=RPdn0JxEjpbK2Rhx

Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Aleksandr Grebyonkin, RZ3DSE
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for Mon 2024-03-25 08:40 UTC

Kursk, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Aleksandr Grebyonkin, RZ3DSE
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for Wed 2024-03-27 14:55 UTC

Ufa, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Marina Vasilevskaya
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for Fri 2024-03-29 16:20 UTC

The crossband repeater is 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 currently misconfigured (145.825 MHz up & down). The SSTV system is currently stowed.

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

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

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

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

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


Upcoming Satellite Operations

Jay Stephenson, WA1JAY, pays a visit to Paradise Isl. from March 15 to April 2. QRV as C6A/WA1JAY on HF (SSB, FT4/8) and via FM satellites. QSL via ClubLog OQRS, LoTW.

F4DXV Jérôme (@F4DXV) and EA4NF Philippe (@EA4NF_SAT) announce that they will be actívating Noirmoutier island EU-064 IN86 from April 1 to 4, 2024 with the special callsign TM4J. This International DXpedition is the 1st 100% SAT from this French island:
LEO (FM+SSB)
GEO (QO-100)
MEO (GREENCUBE IO-117)
Updates available on @TM4J_SAT

Please submit any additions or corrections to k5zm (at) comcast (dot) net.

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-Francophone Seventh Amateur Radio Space Meeting
Saturday March 16th – Sunday March 17th
Electrolab Hackerspace à Nanterre
52 Rue Paul Lescop
92000 Nanterre, France
https://site.amsat-f.org/

JAMSAT Symposium 2024
Saturday March 23rd – Sunday March 24th
Hotel Binario Saga Arashiyama
3-4 Hiromichicho, Saga Tenryuji, Ukyo Ward
Sagano, Kyoto, Japan
https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=2446

Raleigh NC Hamfest
Saturday, 6 April 2024
Jim Graham Building, NC State Fairgrounds
https://www.rarsfest.org/

2024 CubeSat Developer’s Workshop
Tuesday April 23rd – Thursday April 25th
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA
https://www.cubesatdw.org/

Dayton Hamvention 2024
Friday May 17th – Sunday May 19th
Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center
120 Fairground Road
Xenia, OH 45385
https://hamvention.org

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


Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ NASA has terminated its OSAM-1 mission, a multibillion-dollar endeavor aimed at showcasing robotic satellite servicing technology in space, due to ongoing technical, cost, and schedule challenges. Originally intended to demonstrate satellite refueling, the mission expanded to include in-orbit assembly, incorporating a 16-foot robotic arm named SPIDER. Despite significant congressional funding, the project faced continual delays and ballooning costs, reaching $1.5 billion with an estimated additional cost of nearly $1 billion for launch. Changes in the satellite servicing market, with a shift towards alternative technologies like Northrop Grumman’s Mission Extension Vehicle, contributed to the cancellation. Maxar, the prime contractor for OSAM-1, faced criticism for poor performance, leading to delays and cost overruns, although the company cited other factors like the COVID-19 pandemic. The cancellation impacts approximately 450 workers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, prompting NASA to review strategies to mitigate workforce impacts and consider alternative uses for developed technologies. (ANS thanks Ars Technica, for the above information.)

+ China’s human spaceflight agency, CMSA, is progressing towards its goal of landing astronauts on the moon before 2030. The spacecraft developed for this purpose has been named Mengzhou, translating to “Dream Vessel,” for lunar missions, and Lanyue, meaning “Embracing the Moon,” for orbital travel. These names were selected through a public contest, with Mengzhou having a variant for low Earth orbit (LEO) carrying seven astronauts and a moon version transporting three astronauts into lunar orbit. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is designing and building the spacecraft and lander, along with a new rocket, the Long March 10. The moon landing plan involves two Long March 10 rockets launching Mengzhou and Lanyue, rendezvousing in lunar orbit, with astronauts descending to the lunar surface. A 440-pound crew rover will accompany the lunar lander. Progress on various mission hardware is reportedly on track, including completed development of the primary spacecraft and technical proposals for launch and landing sites. Recently, models of the rocket, spacecraft, and lander were showcased at an exhibition in Shanghai. (ANS thanks Space.com, for the above information.)

+ U.S. regulators have approved ground rules for allowing SpaceX and other satellite operators to use radio waves from terrestrial mobile partners to keep smartphone users connected outside cell tower coverage. The Federal Communications Commission voted March 14 unanimously in favor of its Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) regulatory framework. SCS providers would operate as a secondary service to companies providing Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) with conventional frequencies already approved for use from space. This means an SCS operator would have to immediately cease operations if they interfere with an MSS provider or terrestrial telco with primary rights. (ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information.)

+ A rocket made by a Japanese company exploded seconds after launch on Wednesday, in a spectacular failure for the start-up’s bid to put a satellite into orbit. Tokyo-based Space One’s 18-metre (60-foot) Kairos rocket blasted off in the coastal Wakayama region of western Japan, carrying a small government test satellite. But around five seconds later, the solid-fuel rocket erupted in fire, sending white smoke billowing around the remote mountainous area as orange flames raged on the ground, live footage showed. Space One said it had taken the decision to “abort the flight” and details were being investigated. (ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information.)


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

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* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
* Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.
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Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

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

ANS-070 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

In this edition:

* SpaceX’s Transporter-10 Successfully Launches Over Fifty Satellites
* Vostochny Spaceport Sends Meteor-M2-4 Weather Satellite Into Orbit
* NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Launches to International Space Station
* GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers March 2024 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 8, 2024
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

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

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

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

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

ANS-070 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 Mar 10


SpaceX’s Transporter-10 Successfully Launches Over Fifty Satellites

SpaceX successfully executed its tenth Transporter rideshare mission, showcasing the continued high demand for satellite deployment services. The flawless launch took place at Vandenberg Space Force Base, on March 4th at 5:05 p.m. EST, where a Falcon 9 rocket carried 53 small satellites into orbit. While this success underscores the persistent need for such services from satellite developers, it also brings attention to emerging challenges in maintaining space situational awareness.

Among the diverse payloads was SONATE-2, a 6U+ CubeSat developed by the University of Wuerzburg in Germany. This satellite serves as a technology demonstration for artificial intelligence hardware, software, and machine learning techniques, coupled with an educational component through the DLR School Lab. SONATE-2’s amateur payload includes a VHF transceiver and an AI payload with optical sensors, providing regular SSTV downlinks, an APRS digipeater, and CW beacon.

The mission aims to engage students in aerospace and computer science engineering programs, offering practical skills and participation in satellite operations. SONATE-2 reported successful operation, with over 1000 telemetry frames downloaded in the first day post-launch, indicating a safe and stable state of the satellite.

The SpaceX Transporter-10 Payload Stack. Annotations by https://twitter.com/GewoonLukas_ [Credit: SpaceX]
However, the CroCube mission faced a slight setback, with the first Croatian satellite now scheduled for launch on Transporter-11 in June 2024. This decision, prompted by tightened technical conditions set by Exolaunch and SpaceX, aims to ensure project criteria are met, minimizing risks. CroCube, a 1U CubeSat designed for amateur radio and Earth surface imaging, sees this delay as an opportunity to focus on key activities, including ground station completion, mission promotion, educational events, and finalizing the financial structure.

The Transporter-10 mission also witnessed the deployment of various payloads from different companies, showcasing innovation in satellite inspection, proximity operations, and technology testing. Notable deployments include Spire’s Lemur CubeSats, Iceye’s radar mapping satellites, and Satellogic’s imaging satellite. Lynk Global, in the process of going public, launched two satellites to fund its direct-to-device constellation development.

SONATE-2 is Equipped with Amateur Radio SSTV, Digipeater, and CW Beacon. [Credit: University of Würzburg]
Startups such as Unseenlabs, Loft Orbital, Atomos Space, True Anomaly, Quantum Space, and Sidus Space seized the opportunity, deploying their first satellites. This diverse array of payloads highlights the industry’s commitment to pushing boundaries in space exploration. Another notable payload, MethaneSAT, developed by Ball Aerospace for the Environmental Defense Fund, aims to track global methane emissions with high-resolution precision, contributing to environmental monitoring efforts.

Despite the success of Transporter-10, challenges in space situational awareness have surfaced. Owen Marshall of LeoLabs highlighted a degradation in cataloging objects after launch, particularly in rideshare missions where the median catalog time can exceed two weeks. This delay poses risks to satellite operators’ communication capabilities, emphasizing the need for enhanced tracking capabilities in the era of growing satellite deployments.

As the space industry evolves, addressing these challenges becomes crucial to ensure the sustainability and safety of activities in Earth’s orbit. The success of SpaceX’s Transporter-10 mission underscores the industry’s vitality, but the spotlight on emerging challenges signals the need for continual innovation and collaboration to navigate the complexities of our expanding presence in space.

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


Vostochny Spaceport Sends Meteor-M2-4 Weather Satellite Into Orbit

On February 29, 2024, the Vostochny spaceport witnessed the successful launch of a Soyuz-2-1b rocket, inaugurating the first mission of the year from this spaceport. On board was the Meteor-M2-4 weather spacecraft, a notable addition to the Meteor-M series, alongside several secondary payloads, including an Iranian micro-satellite dedicated to Earth observation.

Developed by the Moscow-based VNIIEM Corporation, Meteor-M2-4, weighing nearly three tons, boasts advanced instruments designed for comprehensive monitoring of global weather patterns, the ozone layer, ocean surface temperature, and ice conditions. Recognized for its military applications by the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, this mission marked a significant stride in space exploration.

Meteor-M2-4 encountered delays in its journey, originally slated for a December 26, 2023 launch. However, due to multiple rescheduling, the liftoff finally took place on February 29, 2024. The spacecraft, delivered to the launch site on December 28, 2023, underwent meticulous preparations, including fueling and integration with the launch vehicle, ultimately culminating in a successful liftoff.

Meteor-M 2-4 Satellite / Secondary Payloads Encapsulated in Payload Fairing [Credit: Roscosmos]
Following the standard ascent profile for Meteor satellites, the launch trajectory headed northwest over eastern Russia, reaching a near-polar orbit with an inclination of approximately 98.57 degrees. The fairing protecting the payload separated during the second stage operation, with subsequent stage separations carefully planned for safe impact zones in the Amur Region and the Sakha Republic.

The Fregat upper stage took charge of the final payload deployment, executing precise maneuvers over the Arctic and Antarctica. Approximately 59 minutes and 46 seconds after liftoff, the Meteor-M2-4 satellite was successfully released, accomplishing its primary mission. The Fregat then proceeded to deploy the secondary payloads into their designated orbits.

Meteor M2-4 Image Decoded Using a Raspberry Pi 5 and SatDump by N5ZKK [Credit: David Trolinger]
The Russian Meteor M2-4 satellite commenced transmitting weather images within the first day in orbit. Known for their accessibility to amateur users, Meteor M satellites operate around 137 MHz, making them receivable with a RTL-SDR dongle and suitable satellite antennas. The satellite also transmits in the L-band, enabling reception with a 60cm or larger dish and motorized or hand tracking. Unlike previous satellites in the series, M2-4 experienced a smooth launch and deployment, with reports indicating excellent signal strength and clear image reception in both VHF and L-band frequencies. Two-Line Elements (TLE’s) and the SatDump decoding software (https://github.com/SatDump/SatDump) have been updated to support Meteor M2-4, simplifying access for enthusiasts through Github updates.

Space historian Jonathan McDowell shared valuable insights into the flight, detailing each Fregat maneuver and its impact on the satellite cluster. While the majority of the secondary payloads adhered to the expected orbits, anomalies in the deployment of some SITRO satellites prompted further investigation. The launch of Meteor-M2-4 and its accompanying payloads stands as a noteworthy accomplishment for Russia’s space program, contributing significantly to global endeavors in weather monitoring, Earth observation, and satellite technology development.

[ANS thanks Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com and RTL-SDR.com for the above information]


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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Launches to International Space Station

After overcoming multiple delays in the past few weeks, a diverse team of astronauts lifted off into orbit late on a Sunday evening. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission achieved a flawless launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:53 p.m. EST on March 3rd, propelling four astronauts toward the International Space Station (ISS).

Marking the eighth collaboration between NASA and SpaceX for crew rotations, the Crew-8 mission embarked on a scientific journey to the ISS. The Crew-8 team is led by Commander Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, Pilot Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, and Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin, RZ3DSE. Dominick, a first-time astronaut, will serve as a mission specialist during Expedition 70/71. Barratt, with two spaceflights under his belt, brings valuable experience to the mission. Epps, NASA’s first-time astronaut selected in 2009, plays a crucial role in monitoring the spacecraft during dynamic flight phases. Grebenkin, on his inaugural space mission, serves as a flight engineer during Expeditions 70/71.

Members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Standing in Front of a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket [Credit: SpaceX]
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulated NASA and SpaceX, stating, “On this eighth crew rotation mission, we are once again showing the strength of our commercial partnerships and American ingenuity that will propel us further in the cosmos.” The crew’s mission aboard the ISS involves conducting over 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to support space exploration and benefit humanity on Earth.

The Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, autonomously docked with the forward port of the station’s Harmony module under the vigilant watch of SpaceX and NASA mission control centers in Hawthorne, California, and Houston, Texas. The successful docking occurred on Tuesday, March 5th, at 2:28 a.m. EST over the central North Atlantic.

Crew-8’s arrival at the ISS expands the existing Expedition 70 crew, comprising astronauts from NASA, ESA, JAXA, and Roscosmos. With the temporary addition of Crew-8 members, the ISS will briefly host eleven individuals until the return of Crew-7 members a few days later.

Current Crew of International Space Station until Crew-7 Departs on March 10 [Credit: NASA TV]
Beyond the space environment, Crew-8 aims to conduct various scientific experiments to advance human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and address challenges faced by humanity on Earth. These experiments include studies on brain organoids to understand neurodegenerative disorders, the effects of microgravity on plant growth, and shifts in body fluids during spaceflight.

The ISS continues to serve as a crucial platform for research and development, with NASA’s commitment to maximizing its utility. Research conducted onboard not only benefits life on Earth but also lays the groundwork for future missions, such as NASA’s Artemis program, aimed at returning humans to the Moon and beyond.

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]


GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers March 2024 Rankings

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

Updated: 2024-03-06

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

[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information]


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

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


Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 8, 2024

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. 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.

CUBEL-1 NORAD Cat ID 49017 Decayed from orbit on or about 06 February 2024

[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.

ARISS-USA Director of Engineering, Randy Berger, WAØD, recently spoke to ARISS fan Michael Randazzo, KO4PDI. They covered Ham Radio gear on the ISS and more. See the interview at Michael’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sdW_mhbUew

Recently Completed Contacts

“IES Pedro Simón” Abril High School, Alcaraz, Spain, telebridge via K6DUE
The ISS callsign was NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember was Loral O’Hara KI5TOM
The ARISS mentor was IKØUSO
Contact successful: Mon 2024-03-04 11:21:02 UTC
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xgk4YZT5w4

Upcoming Contacts

No upcoming contacts scheduled

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

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 Service Module radio is currently misconfigured. SSTV radio is currently stowed.

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

PJ2, CURACAO: Andreas, DK5ON, is going to pay a visit to Curacao from March 11 to 27. QRV as PJ2/DK5ON on 80-6m, maybe also on 160m and via satellites, on CW, SSB, FT4/8. QSL via DK5ON (d/B), ClubLog OQRS, LoTW.  Thanks to DXNL DARC DX Newsletter March 6, 2024 (http://www.darcdxhf.de).

NOIRMOUTIER ISLAND SAT DXPEDITION 2024
F4DXV Jérôme (@F4DXV) and EA4NF Philippe (@EA4NF_SAT) announced that they will be activating Noirmoutier Island EU-064  IN86 from April 1 to 4, 2024 with the special callsign TM4J
This International DXpedition is the 1st 100% SAT from this French island: GEO (QO-100) MEO (GREENCUBE IO-117) LEO (FM+SSB)
Updates available on @TM4J_SAT

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-Francophone Seventh Amateur Radio Space Meeting
Saturday March 16th – Sunday March 17th
Electrolab Hackerspace à Nanterre
52 Rue Paul Lescop
92000 Nanterre, France
https://site.amsat-f.org/

JAMSAT Symposium 2024
Saturday March 23rd – Sunday March 24th
Hotel Binario Saga Arashiyama
3-4 Hiromichicho, Saga Tenryuji, Ukyo Ward
Sagano, Kyoto, Japan
https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=2446

2024 CubeSat Developer’s Workshop
Tuesday April 23rd – Thursday April 25th
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA
https://www.cubesatdw.org/

Dayton Hamvention 2024
Friday May 17th – Sunday May 19th
Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center
120 Fairground Road
Xenia, OH 45385
https://hamvention.org


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


Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Congratulations to both Eddy Schebesta, OE3SEU, and Paulo Bauer Jorge, F5VMJ, for their outstanding achievements in providing satellite contacts! Eddy has achieved an impressive 132 grid squares, earning him the AMSAT VUCC/r Award #13, while Paulo has excelled with contacts from 102 grid squares, earning him AMSAT VUCC/r Award #14. The Reverse VUCC or VUCC/r Award, originally introduced by the Central States VHF Society and now carried on by AMSAT, recognizes the dedication of satellite rovers like Eddy and Paulo. For more information about this prestigious award, you can visit the AMSAT website at https://www.amsat.org/reverse-vucc-or-vucc-r-award. Keep on roving, Eddy and Paulo, and continue to inspire others in the AMSAT community with your remarkable achievements! (ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information)

+ NASA will broadcast live coverage of SpaceX Crew-7’s return to Earth from the International Space Station on March 10. The coverage will commence with a change-of-command ceremony at 11:55 a.m. EDT. Astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli, Andreas Mogensen, Satoshi Furukawa, and Konstantin Borisov will conclude their nearly six-month science mission. Weather permitting, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is set to undock on March 11 at 11:05 a.m., with splashdown targeted for as early as 5:35 a.m. on March 12 off the Florida coast. The live coverage will be available on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website, featuring farewell remarks, hatch closure, undocking, and splashdown events, as well as a media teleconference on March 12 with key participants. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information)

+ SpaceX is aiming for the third test flight of its Starship rocket on March 14, as announced through a post on the X platform. The Starship vehicle comprises a stainless-steel reusable upper stage, also known as Starship, and a Super Heavy first-stage booster, standing over 400 feet tall together. A recent critical fueling test at the Starbase facility in Texas involved pumping over 10 million pounds of liquid methane and liquid oxygen into the rocket. The upcoming launch follows two previous test flights in April 2023 and November 2023, where Starship faced issues like failure to separate from the first-stage booster and a subsequent explosion of the Super Heavy. After the second test, the FAA identified seventeen corrective actions, all of which SpaceX claims to have completed, addressing issues related to leak reduction, fire protection, and propellant vent operations. The Starship and Super Heavy, designed for full reusability, are pivotal for NASA’s Artemis 3 mission to land astronauts on the moon by 2026. (ANS thanks Brett Tingley, Space.com, for the above information)

+ NASA has identified a growing air leak on the International Space Station (ISS) located at the end of the Russian service module. The leak, situated in Russia’s Zvezda service module, initially released one pound of air per day but accelerated to over two pounds daily in early February. Despite the increased rate, NASA assures that it does not currently jeopardize the safety of the ISS crew or impact the station’s operations. Collaboration between the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada is underway to address the situation. Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, confirms ongoing monitoring and asserts that there is no immediate threat to the crew or the station itself. The leak is in a three-foot-long area and has prompted precautionary measures, including sealing off the affected vestibule to mitigate further air loss from the rest of the space station. (ANS thanks Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, for the above information)

+ The inaugural components for Europe’s new Ariane 6 rocket have reached the port of Pariacabo in Kourou, French Guiana, transported by the container ship, Canopée. Manufactured across Europe, the central core arrived on Canopée, which uses sails to reduce emissions and save up to 30% on fuel during its 10-day, 7,000 km journey. The rocket’s stages were produced in various European locations, with the main engine and stage integrated in Les Mureaux, France, and the upper stage and insulation in Bremen, Germany. Following transport, the components were offloaded and taken to the Ariane 6 assembly building, a few kilometers away, where they will undergo integration before liftoff. The boosters, already at Europe’s Spaceport, are P120C solid propulsion boosters similar to those used for the Vega-C rocket. The central core will be assembled horizontally and then transported to the launchpad, where it will be erected, followed by the addition of boosters and the upper stage, with the goal of a summer launch for Flight Model-1. (ANS thanks the European Space Agency for the above information)


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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

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

ANS-063 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for March 3, 2024

AMSAT News Service

ANS-063
March 3, 2024

In this edition:

  • ARISS 40th Anniversary Celebration Held at Kennedy Space Center
  • AMSAT-Francophone Hosts 7th Amateur Radio Space Meeting (RSR) March 16th and 17th
  • VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standing as of March 1, 2024
  • Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 1, 2024
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Satellite Shorts From All Over

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

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

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

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


ARISS 40th Anniversary Celebration Held at Kennedy Space Center

ARISS held their 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Positive Impact of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight at Kennedy Space Center on February 22-24.

Highlights of the event included a surprise live telebridge contact with the ISS via K6DUE where students present at the conference were able to ask questions of Astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli aboard the ISS.

It was also announced that the repaired HamTV module will launch on the SpaceX-30 resupply mission, scheduled for launch on March 12th. HamTV sends a 2.3 GHz amateur television video signal from the ISS to support student contacts and other projects.

Discussions were held regarding the Amateur Radio Exploration (AREx) initiative with plans for amateur radio aboard Lunar Gateway. Teams are currently working with spectrum planners for frequencies between 2.4 and 10.5 GHz and the CAVIAR prototype on-station radio was demonstrated.

Lou McFadin, W5DID, received a special achievement award. Lou has been active in amateur radio in human spaceflight since STS-9.

The keynote speaker for the weekend was Richard Garriott, W5KWQ. His conference keynote was a retrospective of his father’s amateur radio efforts entitled “Owen Garriott, W5LFL, Ham Radio Pioneer” and he also delieved a banquet keynote entitled “Exploration Endeavors in Space: Experiences and Leadership as a Private Astronaut and in Space Communication in LEO, to the Moon and Beyond.”

Stay tuned to ANS for further reports from this event.

[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]


AMSAT-Francophone Hosts 7th Amateur Radio Space Meeting (RSR) March 16th and 17th

The AMSAT-Francophone is organizing the seventh Amateur Radio Space Meeting (RSR) on March 16 and 17, 2024 in Nanterre. This event, held within the framework of its general assembly, aims to bring together both amateur radio satellite users and the designers of these satellites (whether they are amateurs, students, or academics). The goal is to share and exchange ideas about their passion and projects.
Here are the formats of activities that will be offered during these two days:
  • Conferences: These will last between 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Working sessions on predefined topics.
  • Unconference, where you get to define the topic.
 Admission to the conferences is free, and on-site catering will be available for your convenience.
In addition, here are some additional details:
  • More than 20 conferences will be part of the program.
  • Participatory moments will take place (in a Grid format).
  • Over 17 speakers will share their knowledge and experiences.
  • The conferences will be broadcast on QO100 and Twitch
  • All conference are in French
For more information, you can visit the AMSAT-Francophone website (AMSAT Francophone | L’activité radioamateur par satellite (amsat-f.org))

[ANS thanks AMSAT-Francophone for the above information]


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


VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standing as of March 1, 2024

VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary
February 01, 2024 to March 01, 2024

Call 1-Feb 1-Mar
WC7V        1457   1550
AA5PK        1426   1450
N8RO        1423   1444
DF2ET        1200   1300
MI6GTY         970   1201
N0JE        1100   1175
KF7R        1100   1128
F4BKV        1000   1100
VE6WQ         814   1007
YO2CMI         820   1003
WI7P         882    975
N8JCM         917    952
JK2XXK         503    903
EA2AA         883    892
KQ4DO         853    880
KK4YEL         674    728
N8MR         675    684
JG6CDH         605    677
VE7PTN         301    635
IK3ITB         500    604
LA6OP         458    600
N7ZO         501    600
N3CAL         525    580
DL6KBG         500    550
VE4MM         536    550
WB7QXU         500    550
HP2VX         496    500
I3BUI         New    500
JA1GZK         435    500
F6EQD         311    420
PA7RA         300    408
ZS2BK         305    405
KH6WI         300    400
N6PAZ         369    386
JI5USJ         301    355
LA9KY         New    347
K6VHF         276    300
K7OGW         New    300
DL5KUA         128    266
KB9DAK         171    255
JF3MKC         200    250
BX1AD         New    237
KB2MFS         New    215
PU5DDC         200    213
N2WLS         104    205
W6CZ         103    200
WD9EWK (DM42)         183    189
7J1ADJ         New    164
KJ7SXR         New    151
N4UFO         New    150
BD8CBU         New    132
KA9CFD         New    126
HB9BIN         New    119
BI1QGX         New    102
N2YZH         New    101
AA0K         New    100
AG1A         New    100
LZ3SV         New    100
VK5DG         New    100

Congratulations to the new VUCC holders!

LZ3SV is first VUCC Satellite holder from Bulgaria and KN21
BX1AD is first VUCC Satellite holder from Taiwan and PL04
KJ7SXR is first VUCC Satellite holder from CN86
HB9BIN is first VUCC Satellite holder from JN37
LA9KY is first VUCC Satellite holder from JP65
BI1QGX is first VUCC Satellite holder from ON80
7J1ADJ is first VUCC Satellite holder from PL36
VK5DG is first VUCC Satellite holder from QF02

DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary
February 01, 2024 to March 01, 2024

Call 1-Feb 1-Mar
OE9DGV        210   212
SM3NRY        171   174
G4WFQ        143   173
RA3S        101   161
YO2KHK        151   156
OZ9AAR        151   153
DK9JC        100   152
ZS4TX        128   152
UX0FF        135   147
YO2RR        138   142
F6AOJ        129   139
SP3AU        137   138
PA7RA        113   133
IK5CBE        New   131
IW7DOL        122   127
K8DP        122   125
XE1MEX        115   122
FG8OJ        114   116
LA0FA        109   112
UW7LL        New   107
NS3L        100   104
EA5RM        101   103
DL5KUA        New   101
AC9O        New   100

Congratulations to the new DXCC Satellite holders!

IK5CBE is first DXCC Satellite holder from JN53
DL5KUA is first DXCC Satellite holder from JO53

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


Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 1, 2024

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/

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

IT-SPINS NORAD Cat ID 49017 Decayed from orbit on or about 25 February 2024

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


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

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


ARISS News

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

“IES Pedro Simón” Abril High School, Alcaraz, Spain, telebridge via K6DUE

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM
The ARISS mentor is IKØUSO

Contact is go for: Mon 2024-03-04 11:21:02 UTC 70 deg
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xgk4YZT5w4

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

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

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

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

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

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


Upcoming Satellite Operations

Quick Hits:

From…me! (K5ZM) I’ll be heading back to SGU for some sorely needed R & R and will be there from Saturday, 2 Mar through Saturday, 9 Mar and leaving on the morning of the 10th. Rove-wise, the main objectives are reactivations of the DM46/DM47 & DM56/DM57 gridlines, plus a trip just a bit farther south for the DM44/DM45 gridline -that will be new /r for me. Given the windshield time involved, I’m thinking these will take the form of a Mon/Wed/Fri scenario, but that’s not set in stone. I don’t necessarily care about the order in which I do them. Let me know your thoughts. I’ll probably hit DM36 (and of course DM37) and maybe another grid or two in between.

Major Roves:

NOIRMOUTIER ISLAND SAT DXPEDITION 2024

 

F4DXV Jérôme (@F4DXV) and EA4NF Philippe (@EA4NF_SAT) announce that they will be actívating Noirmoutier island EU-064  IN86 from April 1 to 4, 2024 with the special callsign TM4J

In an exciting initiative, Jérôme F4DXV and Philippe EA4NF are preparing for an exceptional expedition to the island of Noirmoutier from 1 to 4 April 2024. Bearing the special call sign TM4J, this experienced team will devote themselves entirely to exploring satellite possibilities, offering a unique opportunity to radio enthusiasts the world over.
This international expedition will focus entirely on the LEO, GEO (QO-100) and MEO (GREENCUBE IO-117) satellites, with a variety of modes and operators. Jérôme and Philippe, experts in the field of portable satellite communications, will provide 24-hour coverage over several days, offering an unrivalled experience from this picturesque island in the Vendée.

This International DXpedition is the 1st 100% SAT from this French island.

Jérôme F4DXV:
120 DXCC LEO SAT
6 international DX expeditions by satellite
24 world distance records on LEO SAT
Philippe EA4NF:
126 DXCC LEO SAT
16 international DX expeditions by satellite
1 world distance record on LEO SAT
Captivating videos of their performances are available on YouTube, offering a glimpse of their expertise in amateur satellite communications in portable situations.
The main objective of this expedition is to maximise contacts with various countries during the 3-day activation, while offering operators around the world the rare opportunity to contact the highly coveted IN86 grid, in addition to accumulating DXCC and IOTA contacts.
Funded entirely by the two operators, the expedition will benefit from state-of-the-art technical resources, enabling uninterrupted activity 24 hours a day.
This initiative also aims to raise awareness of amateur radio among the general public, by highlighting satellite communication both to visitors on site and through the media.
Jérôme and Philippe will be happy to answer any questions you may have about amateur radio communication via satellite.

Updates available on @TM4J_SAT

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


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


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 Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says,

“Think a 75-minute presentation on “working the easy satellites” would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!”

Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences.

Scheduled Events

2024 CubeSat Developer’s Workshop
April 23-25, 2024
San Luis Obispo, CA
https://www.cubesatdw.org/

Dayton Hamvention 2024
Friday May 17th through Sunday May 19th, 2024
Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center
120 Fairground Road
Xenia, OH 45385
https://hamvention.org

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


Satellite Shorts from All Over

+ Longtime satellite operator and AMSAT member George Carr, WA5KBH, became a silent key on Sunday, February 25, 2024. His obituary can be found at https://www.johnsonfuneralhome.net/obits/deacon-george-k-carr-ii/. George was a frequent and friendly presence on amateur satellites for many years. AMSAT extends our condolences to George’s family and friends.

+ Bob Heil, K9EID, became a silent key this past week after a battle with cancer. From the Heil Facebook page:

“Our beloved founder, Dr. Bob Heil, K9EID, is now a Silent Key. Bob fought a valiant, year-long battle with cancer, and passed peacefully surrounded by his family. Bob’s lifelong passion for amateur radio was clear to everyone involved in the hobby. Everything Bob did for the betterment and growth of amateur radio – from his instructional handbooks and countless presentations to his support of the ARRL and youth programs – was based on the foundation and spirit of service. Bob was an Elmer to all of us. While Bob’s presence will dearly be missed, his impact on the hobby and everyone in it will forever be felt. On behalf of Bob to all ham radio operators worldwide, 73.”

Dr. Heil was a longtime friend of AMSAT and we extend our condolences to his family and friends.

(ANS thanks Heil for the above information.)

+ After spending over a decade on a mission in space, a defunct 5,000 pound satellite returned to Earth on Feb. 21, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean somewhere between Alaska and Hawaii. After tracking the dead satellite for most of the day, the European Space Agency confirmed the satellite had returned to earth by about 19:30 UTC. ERS-2 launched in 1995 and was initially planned to serve the ESA for three years. However, it remained in operation until 2011, providing data for over 5,000 projects, including tracking Earth’s shrinking polar ice, sea levels and atmospheric make-up. The majority of the 2.5 ton satellite disintegrated in Earth’s atmosphere, though remaining debris likely landed in the north Pacific. (ANS thanks USA Today for the above information.)

+ The International Space Station (ISS) took more than a quarter-century, 42 space launches, and $150 billion to build. Voyager Space is cooperating with multiple companies and space agencies, including Europe’s Airbus, American defense contractor Northrop Grumman, and — intriguingly — Hilton Hotels, to build a “Starlab” commercial space station to replace the aging ISS. On Jan. 31, the Starlab space station team announced that it had hired SpaceX to launch its entire Starlab space station to Low Earth Orbit “in a single mission prior to the decommissioning of the International Space Station.” SpaceX will use its new Starship megarocket for this mission. Furthermore, “Starlab will … be fully outfitted on the ground, and ready to permanently host four crew members in LEO to conduct microgravity research and advanced scientific discovery,” say the companies. (ANS thanks Yahoo! Finance and the Motley Fool for the above information.)

+ India has unveiled four Air Force pilots who have been shortlisted to travel on the country’s maiden space flight scheduled for next year. The Gaganyaan mission aims to send three astronauts to an orbit of 400km and bring them back after three days. India’s space agency, ISRO, has been carrying out a number of tests to prepare for the flight. The officers were introduced as Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla. If it succeeds, India will become only the fourth country to send a human into space after the Soviet Union, the U.S. and China. (ANS thanks the BBC for the above information.)

+ SLIM, the wrong-side-up Japanese lander, which had been hibernating through the two-week-long, -130 °C lunar night and the following week of unfavorable illumination angles (due to its aforementioned tipsy state), has somewhat surprisingly responded to commands from JAXA. The mission was not originally designed to survive the frigid night time temperatures. However, in a bit of situational irony, the agency had to shut the lander down again almost immediately due to overheating of the communications equipment in the 100 °C+ lunar mid-day. (ANS thanks the Orbital Index 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,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm [at] amsat.org

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

ANS-049 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

In this edition:

* SpaceX Delays Crew-8 Astronaut Launch to Make Way for Private Moon Mission
* Upcoming Rideshare Launch to Include Amateur Payloads
* Bill Introduced to Eliminate Private Land Use Restrictions on Amateur Radio
* Small Launch Companies Seek Niches to Compete With SpaceX Rideshare
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 16
* 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-049 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 Feb 18

SpaceX Delays Crew-8 Astronaut Launch to Make Way for Private Moon Mission

NASA’s next astronaut launch will delay nearly a week to let a moon mission leave Earth first.

NASA’s Crew-8 astronauts, who will launch on a SpaceX Crew Dragon, will fly to space no earlier than Feb. 28. The delay from Feb. 22 will make room for the expected launch of Intuitive Machines’ moon lander from the same launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Odysseus, a robotic lunar lander built by the Houston-based company Intuitive Machines, lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida early in the morning on Thursday, Feb. 15.

If all goes according to plan, Odysseus (designated IM-1) will touch down near the moon’s south pole on Feb. 22, becoming the first-ever private spacecraft to ace a lunar landing. Success would also be a big deal for the United States, which hasn’t been to the lunar surface since NASA’s Apollo 17 mission more than half a century ago.

“NASA and SpaceX will continue to assess Crew-8 readiness and may adjust the Crew-8 launch date following a successful IM-1 launch,” agency officials wrote in a statement on Feb. 13, while announcing the delay. The astronaut mission will serve as relief for Crew-7, which flew to space on Aug. 26 for an International Space Station mission expected to last six or seven months.

SpaceX Crew-8 crew. From left to right: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU.

Crew-8 includes NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR (commander), Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ (pilot), and Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU (mission specialist), along with Roscosmos cosmonaut and mission specialist Alexander Grebenkin.

Both the ISS crew and the IM-1 launch are using a pad SpaceX leases at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The moon mission has a fairly narrow launch window as the IM-1 lander needs specific landing conditions to land at the lunar south pole, which is part of why the launch date for Crew-8 may be adjusted.

Crew-8, as the name implies, is the eighth crewed operational mission by SpaceX that sends commercial crews to the ISS on NASA’s behalf. Starliner, the second vendor, may fly its first test crew in mid-April 2024.

[ANS thanks Space.com for the above information.]


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Upcoming Rideshare Launch to Include Amateur Payloads

The SpaceX F9 Transporter-10 Rideshare mission has been scheduled for launch on 1 March 2024. In addition to a half dozen commercial payloads, two amateur satellites are on the launch manifest: SONATE-2 from Germany and CroCube from Croatia.

SONATE-2

SONATE-2 is a 6U+ CubeSat designed and built by the University of Wuerzburg in Germany. As for many university satellites, the mission objectives of the SONATE-2 satellite can be divided into three different parts:
– The operation of an amateur radio payload
– The development and operation of the satellite for the education of students.
– The operation of a novel payload as a technology demonstration in space.

The amateur payload of SONATE-2 consists of a VHF transceiver that was already built for the predecessor mission SONATE over the course of several student theses. For SONATE-2 additional student theses extended the transceiver functionalities. It will provide regular SSTV downlinks with images from the optical sensors included in the AI payload as well as an APRS digipeater and CW beacon.

On the education side, the mission will serve as a foundation for different aspects of the university aerospace and computer science engineering program. In the context of practical courses, theses or as student assistants, students can participate in the development of all subsystems of the space and ground segment, including the amateur radio payload and the technology demonstration payload. In the context of mandatory lectures and exercises on space operations every student will also be included in the operations of the satellite. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers a School Lab for high school students at the location of our external ground station in Neustrelitz, Germany.

Besides experiments on space and satellites, the School Lab includes amateur radio contacts to the ISS under the supervision of licensed local radio amateurs, which they wish to extend to other satellites like in this cooperation with the SONATE-2 mission.

In addition to the amateur and educational mission parts, the SONATE-2 mission also has a research objective for the demonstration of novel artificial intelligence technology in the space environments. While the AI payload is mainly operated using a separate up/downlink in the space operation service in S-band, the satellite bus and the amateur payloads are operated in the amateur service. Housekeeping telemetry in the amateur service also contains status information of the non-amateur payload.

Proposing CW, SSTV using Martin M1 and APRS downlinks on VHF and a 9k6 G3RUH AX25 telemetry downlink on UHF. Planning a launch into a 550 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). More info at https://go.uniwue.de/hk. Downlinks on 437.025 MHz, 145.825 MHz, 145.840 MHz and 145.880 MHz have been coordinated by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).

CroCube

CroCube is a 1U CubeSat mission to support the Croatian, but also worldwide amateur radio community with many HAM services and activities. The mission’s goal is also to facilitate the technological development of Croatia, create an advanced society focused on prosperity and innovation, and increase participation in the global space sector. Also, drive Croatia into the space era, increase interest in astronomy and space projects, and develop STEM and tech entrepreneurship, create a platform for founding a space center in Croatia, increase investments and employment in robotics, technology and ICT and finally reduce unemployment and prevent brain drain.

The CroCube satellite is designed for HAM radio activities. The main purpose is to provide services for radio amateurs in Croatia and worldwide, and also for students of technical universities to get hands-on experience with satellite communication and get radioamateur licences. One of the project goals is to popularize HAM activities across the common population, students and children in Croatia.

CroCube will provide these HAM services:
– AX.25 telemetry
– CW beacon
– Digipeater
– Anniversary/special occasions AX.25 & CW messages for community engagement
– Experimental SSDV transmissions
– SATNOGS integration, decoder, dashboard

Proposing a UHF downlink using 9k6 G3RUH GFSK with AX25 telemetry. Planning an Exolaunch deployment into a 510 km SSO. More info at https://drustvo-evo.hr . A downlink on 436.775 MHz has been coordinated by IARU.

[ANS thanks Libre Space, Jan van Gils, PE0SAT, and IARU for the above information]


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Bill Introduced to Eliminate Private Land Use Restrictions on Amateur Radio

U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (MS) and Richard Blumenthal (CT) introduced S.3690 on January 30, 2024, the Senate companion bill to H.R.4006, introduced last June. Both bills reflect the Congressional campaign efforts by ARRL to eliminate homeowner association land use restrictions that prohibit, restrict, or impair the ability of an Amateur Radio Operator to install and operate amateur station antennas on residential properties they own.

Amateur Radio Operators repeatedly are relied upon to provide essential communications when disaster strikes, but their ability to do so is being impaired by the exponential growth of residential private land use restrictions that hinder their ability to establish stations in their homes with which to train and provide emergency communications when called upon.

In announcing the introduction of S.3690, Senator Wicker said: “Because communication during natural disasters is often hindered, we should be making every attempt to give folks more options. Reliable access can make the difference between life and death in an emergency. Our legislation removes roadblocks for amateur radio operators looking to help their friends, families, and neighbors.”

In a similar announcement, Senator Blumenthal stated: “Our measure will help clarify the rules so ham radio enthusiasts can successfully continue their communications.

In the face of emergency or crisis, they help provide vital, life-saving information that allow listeners to properly and safely respond, but prohibitive home association rules and confusing approval processes for installing antennas have been an unnecessary impediment. The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act resolves these bottlenecks and ensures that radio operators can function successfully.”

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and Director John Robert Stratton, N5AUS, Chair of the ARRL’s Government Affairs Committee, both extended on behalf of ARRL, its Members, and the Amateur Radio community their thanks and appreciation for the leadership of Senator Wicker and Senator Blumenthal in their continuing efforts to support and protect the rights of all Amateur Radio Operators.

[ANS thanks ARRL News for the above information]


Small Launch Companies Seek Niches to Compete With SpaceX Rideshare

Small launch vehicle developers are working to carve out niches in a market for smallsat launches that is increasingly dominated by SpaceX’s Transporter rideshare missions.

The Transporter missions, which fill a Falcon 9 often with more than 100 smallsats, offer per-kilogram prices significantly below dedicated small launch vehicles. SpaceX has seen high demand for those missions and announced plans last year for a related line of missions called Bandwagon that will go to mid-inclination orbits.

“The Transporter program was created a few years ago with, in my opinion, the sole purpose of trying to kill new entrants like us,” said Sandy Tirtey, director of global commercial launch services at Rocket Lab, during a panel at the SmallSat Symposium in Mountain View, Calif. on Feb. 7. “Yet, we are still flying because we offer something unique.”

That uniqueness, he argued, is the ability to fly missions to specific orbits not served by Transporter rideshare missions. An example is Rocket Lab’s next Electron launch, which will place into orbit the ADRAS-J inspector satellite for Astroscale. That mission requires a specific, precise orbit so that ADRAS-J can rendezvous with a derelict Japanese upper stage.

A Rocket Lab Electron launched four smallsats for NorthStar Earth and Space Jan. 31. Credit: Rocket Lab

“Electron is really the only vehicle capable of delivering such a complex mission on an expedited timeline,” Peter Beck, chief executive of Rocket Lab, said in a Feb. 7 statement about the launch, scheduled for Feb. 19 (New Zealand time). Rocket Lab said the specific launch time will be determined just a day before launch, with a near-instantaneous launch window.

“Most of the missions that we fly are enabled by the fact that we offer dedicated services,” Tirtey said, citing the upcoming ADRAS-J launch. “There is no way you could do this on a rideshare.”

Other panelists said they are targeting customers with specific requirements or needs that make them less price-sensitive than those who opt for the less expensive Transporter launches. That includes dedicated orbits and high reliability, said Pablo Gallego, senior vice president of sales and customers at Spanish launch company PLD Space. “We are offering a premium service for the ones that are willing to pay.”

That argument, though, is in danger of being undercut by the combination of rideshare launches and orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs), which can take satellites to their desired orbit after being deployed from a Transporter or similar launch. Several companies are offering such vehicles and using them on Transporter launches.

While that combination may still be less expensive than dedicated launches, it still doesn’t offer sufficient flexibility, launch providers argued. “We are excited to partner with a lot of OTV providers in providing that service to our customers, but it comes down to performance and how quickly you can get there,” said Robert Sproles, chief technology officer of launch services company Exolaunch. “If it takes you multiple months on orbit to get to that final destination, there’s a strong argument to be made to going dedicated.”

Tirtey said that maneuvers that require plane changes can take months to complete, adding that current OTV providers have yet to demonstrate the ability to perform such complex maneuvers. “It could be useful, but you can’t expect a revolution because of physics.”

However, on another panel at the conference Feb. 6, industry officials said they see challenges for small launch vehicles coming from SpaceX’s Starship, which promises much greater performance at significantly lower prices. “If you’re a smallsat company, your business model should be looking forward to the model of the Starship rideshare,” a scaled-up version of Falcon 9 rideshare, said Abhishek Tripathi, director of mission operations at the University of California Berkeley’s Space Sciences Lab and who previously worked at SpaceX.

He said that the introduction of Starship could change how spacecraft are designed, allowing the use of heavier but cheaper materials and components. “You can throw mass and power and volume at your problem and thereby scale up your satellite bus and still be cheap.”

[ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information]


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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 16

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/.

  • Lume-1 NORAD Cat ID 43908 Decayed from orbit on or about 13 February 2024
  • FEES NORAD Cat ID 48082 Decayed from orbit on or about 12 February 2024

[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.

COMPLETED CONTACTS
School TBD, Naro-Fominsk, Russia, direct via UB3AYC
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The crewmember was Nikolay Chub
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful for Thu 2024-02-15 08:22 UTC
Congratulations to the Naro-Fominsk students, Nikolay, and mentor RV3DR!

B. Russell High School, Rome, Italy, direct via IKØUSO
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS
The crewmember was Jasmin Moghbeli KI5WSL
The ARISS mentor was IKØUSO
Contact was successful: Thu 2024-02-15 11:32:10 UTC 54 deg
Congratulations to the B. Russell High School students, Jasmin, and mentor IKØUSO!
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0YEgMvzbn8

Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia, direct via R2FDB
The ISS callsign was to be RSØISS
The crewmember was Konstantin Borisov
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful for: Fri 2024-02-16 09:10 UTC
Congratulations to the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University students, Konstantin, and mentor RV3DR!

SCHEDULED CONTACTS
Girl Scout Troop 1089, Sacramento, CA, direct via N6NA
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM
The ARISS mentor is AA4KN
Contact is go for: Thu 2024-02-22 18:26:02 UTC 89 deg

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

Jonathan Eernisse, N4AKV has been QRV from FM05/FM06 and FM15/FM16 this week. Both LEO and IO-117. Details available on hams.at

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

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


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.

+ 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Positive Impact of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight
Thursday February 22nd through Saturday February 24th, 2024
Center for Space Education: Astronauts Memorial Foundation
Kennedy Space Center, M6-306 405 State Road, FL 32899
https://www.ariss.org/overview.html

+ Dayton Hamvention 2024
Friday May 17th through Sunday May 19th, 2024
Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center
120 Fairground Road
Xenia, OH 45385
https://hamvention.org

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


Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ The JAMSAT Annual General Meeting and Symposium 2024 will be held in Sagano, Kyoto on 23-24 March 2024. To join the Symposium by ZOOM, please send e-mail to Ueda-san, [email protected], with your Callsign and Name by 16 March. He will send you invitation email including Zoom URL. If you are adept at reading Japanese (or have a good translation program) the latest edition of the JAMSAT Newsletter is packed with excellent articles, including a full report of satellite operations by the JAMSAT VK9QO DXpedition to Cocos (Keeling) Island, amateur transmissions from the moon by the SLIM LEV-1/LEV-2 landers, and a how-to on restoring a Yaesu G-5500 rotator. Visit the JAMSAT website at https://www.jamsat.or.jp/ to learn more. (ANS thanks Mikio Mouri, JA3GEP, JAMSAT Newsletter Editor, for the above information.)

+ An unspecified defect in early model Starlink satellites has prompted SpaceX to preemptively deorbit the units before they potentially fail and become hazards in low Earth orbit. The company has already initiated the disposal of 406 units from the nearly 6,000 satellites launched to date. Among these, 17 are currently non-maneuverable but are expected to naturally decay and eventually burn up in Earth’s atmosphere in the coming years. However, the decision to deorbit a large batch of approximately 100 satellites within a brief amount of time is certainly out of the ordinary. (ANS thanks Gismodo for the above information.)

+ The European Space Agency’s Cluster mission, which has spent 24 years revealing the secrets of Earth’s magnetic environment, is coming to an end. The first of the four satellites in the Cluster quartet, named ‘Salsa’, will reenter Earth’s atmosphere in September 2024. This month, spacecraft operators carried out a series of manoeuvres to ensure this reentry will take place over a sparsely populated region in the South Pacific. The end of the Cluster mission offers a rare chance to study the safe atmospheric reentry of four identical satellites under different conditions. (ANS thanks The European Space Agency for the above information.)

+ Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme, has confirmed that January 2024 was the warmest January on record. Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said: “2024 starts with another record-breaking month – not only is it the warmest January on record but we have also just experienced a 12-month period [with a mean global average temperature] more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial reference period. Rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are the only way to stop global temperatures increasing.” (ANS thanks https://climate.copernicus.eu for the above information.)

+ Voyager 1, humanity’s most distant scientific outpost, is currently careening away from Earth at 17 kilometers every second and unable to transmit useful scientific or engineering data back to us across nearly a light-day of space. The problem with the 46-year-old spacecraft cropped up back in November, when Voyager started sending gibberish back to Earth. Flight controllers have determined that the problem lies within the one remaining flight data system (FDS) computer on board, most likely thanks to a single bit of corrupted memory. The team has tried rebooting the FDS, to no avail. With most of the engineers who originally built the spacecraft long gone now, the team is treading very carefully. (ANS thanks Hackaday for the above information.)


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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

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