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

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

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

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

In this edition:

• OMOTENASHI is Struggling to Carry Amateur Radio to the Moon
• Amateur Radio Operators and More Will Track NASA’s Artemis 1
• New Groundstation Software Available for GreenCube
• Release Date of CAS-10/XW-4
• U.S. High School CubeSat to be APRS Relay
• CAPSTONE Arrives to Orbit at the Moon
• Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution
• ARISS News
• Upcoming Satellite Operations
• Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
• Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-324 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2022 NOV 20

OMOTENASHI is Struggling to Carry Amateur Radio to the Moon

OMOTENASHI, a project of the JAXA Ham Radio Club, was a secondary payload aboard NASA’s Artemis 1 mission, launched on November 16. It plans to land on the surface of the moon, and to transmit a beacon in the amateur 70cm band.

Controllers have reported OMOTENASHI is tumbling, making it difficult for the spacecraft to charge its batteries and communicate with the ground. Of the ten cubesats flown as secondary payloads, seven are operation, two have not been heard from, and OMOTENASHI is struggling. Controllers are continuing recovery attempts.

OMOTENASHI is derived from Outstanding MOon exploration TEchnologies demonstrated by NAno Semi-Hard Impactor. Omotenashi is also a Japanese word for hospitality.

JAXA Ham Radio Club planned to utilize the flight demonstration opportunity of the OMOTENASHI mission to conduct the following amateur radio missions:
(i) To conduct technological research with respect to receiving ultra-weak UHF signal from a space probe toward the moon
(ii) To conduct an outreach activity providing amateur radio operators all over the world with an opportunity to try to receive signals from moon region.

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

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

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

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

Orbiting Module DOWNLINK

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

Surface Probe DOWNLINK

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

JAXA Ham Radio Club had announced prior to launch that amateurs can constantly access the newest TLE from https://bit.ly/3wyopTr  This file is to be overwritten when the next TLEs are calculated. However, the site appears to still display pre-launch keps at this time.

The JAXA Club posts updates at https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/home/omotenashi/JHRCweb/jhrc.html

[ANS thanks JAXA Ham Radio Club and parabolicarc.com for the above information]

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There’s still time to join the 2022 AMSAT President’s Club!
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on
October 15, 1972, this year’s coin features
an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6.
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/
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Amateur Radio Operators and More Will Track NASA’s Artemis 1

Amateur radio operators will join a powerful international network tracking NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

NASA officials announced that a network of 18 volunteers, organizations and space agencies will assist with tracking Artemis 1, which will send an uncrewed Orion spacecraft to orbit around the moon after blasting off from Earth atop a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Launch occurred on Nov. 16.

The selected volunteers, including two individuals in the amateur radio community, will “demonstrate whether they can receive Orion’s signal, and use their respective ground antennas to passively track and measure changes in the radio waves transmitted by Orion,” NASA officials said in a statement Oct. 31.

NASA collected the proposals in a Request for Information released in August. Data the participants pick up will be sent to the agency’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program. The goal is to improve tracking information for future deep-space missions, NASA officials stated. NASA, of course, will also gather its own tracking data on Orion.

Selected volunteers from the amateur radio community include:
Non-profit: CAMRAS, Netherlands
Academic institutions: Space Systems Design Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute, U.S.
Private citizens: Scott Chapman, K4KDR (U.S.) and Scott Tilley, VE7TIL (Canada)

[ANS thanks space.com for the above information]

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New Groundstation Software Available for GreenCube

As of Nov. 18, a total of 135 stations digipeated via the Italian GreenCube satellite. These stations represent 31 DXCC entities. Stations now report using various combinations of software to operated through the satellite. One constant is using SatPC32ISS for antenna tracking and doppler correction.

The S5Lab GreenCube team software is a bit more complicated and at the beginning that was all that was available. It used three programs, including GNURadio, GreenCubeTNC and GreenCubeDigi.

However, UZ7HO quickly created the digi app and custom soundmodem after the S5Lab release, most everyone has migrated to UZ7HO now. Note: UZ7HO has updated the program from time to time, so download it again once in a while to get the updates. It is available at: https://uz7.ho.ua/greentnc.zip (There are both FM and SSB soundmodems included in the package, but the FM one can ignored, as all are using USB-D for both uplink and downlink.) Note matching the rig bandpass filter with the Soundmodem one (900-2100 Hz) helps to have a better S/N particularly if you have local QRM.

The radio will interface with soundmodem via a soundcard or virtual audio cable. Soundmodem.exe is located in the \greentnc\usb directory, and is a separate program. This program needs to be configured to connect with your radio’s audio interface. The digipeater software is in the client directory, called GreenCubeDigi.exe. GreenCubeDigi automatically connects to soundmodem via TCP. So you should have two programs running, one the TNC and the other the digi “terminal.”

Ops may add GetKISS+ software, by Mike Rupprecht, DK3WN, in order to upload received packets to SatNOGS. This isn’t necessary, but it does help add coverage for telemetry. This software is a bit tricky to get working, but once you have one of Mike’s programs running other programs will work without any issues. Mike’s software can be found here: https://www.satblog.info/software/

Doug Papay, K8DP, recommends installing GetKISS+ v1.4.1 (he could not get v1.4.2 to work). It requires VB6 runtime, which should already be installed, and the ActiveX OCX controls need to be registered. See: https://www.pe0sat.vgnet.nl/decoding/tlm-decoding-software/dk3wn/ for instructions on how to do this. Make sure to run the command prompt as Administrator when performing the regsrv32.exe commands. Also, do not delete or move the OCX files after registering them. (The OCX files should be placed in C:\Libraries\OCX folder)

Mike also has a GreenCube Telemetry Decoder that you can download—it is a nice program that graphically displays the telemetry. He has also added a digipeater message display and list of unique callsigns heard—a nice feature.

The config.ini files will need to be updated to reflect your station details. These files are located in the folder where you keep GetKISS+ and GreenCube Telemetry Decoder.

GetKISS+ and GreenCube Telemetry Decoder connect via TCP to the soundmodem all using the same IP (localhost) and port number.

Some have been confused by the lack of an ACK message after transmitting a packet to the satellite. It is sent only if the Tx delay is used. However, it is better to use Tx delay 0 for real-time QSOs to avoid unnecessary transmission by the bird (saving on-board power). With Tx delay 0 you will receive your own message as an acknowledgement.

[ANS thanks Doup Papay, K8DP, and Jean Marc Momple, 3B8DU, 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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Release Date of CAS-10/XW-4

AMSAT-China, or CAMSAT, http://www.camsat.cn, has announced December 18 as the release date for CAS-10/XW-4. Photos of this satellite may be seen at:
https://twitter.com/bd5rv/status/1592978613204586496 and
https://twitter.com/bd5rv/status/1593693879798497285

As previously reported by ANS, CAMSAT’s CAS-10/XW-4 satellite was launched on November 12, 2022, carried on the Tianzhou 5 cargo spacecraft to the Chinese Space Station. The satellite will be active immediately upon deployment into its own 400 km orbit with an inclination of 42.9 degrees. CAS-10 carries a VHF uplink and UHF downlink linear transponder with a bandwidth of 30kHz. Downlink frequencies for VHF/UHF linear transponder 435.180 MHz, for UHF CW telemetry beacon 435.575 MHz and for GMSK telemetry 435.725 MHz. Also an uplink for the transponder 145.870 MHz have been coordinated.

[ANS thanks Michael Chen, BD5RV/4, for the above information]

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U.S. High School CubeSat to be APRS Relay

TJREVERB, a 2U CubeSat built by Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, has been frequency coordinated to operate as an APRS relay on 145.825 MHz. It is scheduled for launch on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft set to deliver additional science, crew supplies, and hardware to the International Space Station next week. The satellite will be released from ISS at a later time.

The first U.S. high school to send a CubeSat to space back in 2013, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s Research and Education Vehicle for Evaluating Radio Broadcasts satellite aims to study the use of iridium as a primary radio communication method. Additionally, the satellite will demonstrate using a passive magnet onboard and the Earth’s magnetic field for stabilization rather than using an attitude determination and control system for pointing accuracy and stabilization for iridium. What makes this satellite even more notable is that it was a system’s engineering project. The students selected space-grade parts, wired the electronics for the satellite, wrote the drivers to control the different systems, and coded the flight software.

“What’s special about TJREVERB isn’t necessarily the mission, it’s what we did. These kids literally built a satellite the way the industry would build a satellite; we selected parts from vendors and got those parts to work together,” said Kristen Kucko, robotics lab director and the school’s space faculty advisor. “This is an engineering feat.”

[ANS thanks NASA Blogs and IARU for the above information]

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CAPSTONE Arrives to Orbit at the Moon

The CAPSTONE mission operations team confirmed that NASA’s CAPSTONE spacecraft arrived at its orbit at the Moon Sunday evening. The CubeSat completed an initial orbit insertion maneuver, firing its thrusters to put the spacecraft into orbit, at 12:39 UTC on Nov. 13.

CAPSTONE is now in a near-rectilinear halo orbit, or NRHO. This particular NRHO is the same orbit that will be used by Gateway, the Moon-orbiting space station that will support NASA’s Artemis missions. CAPSTONE is the first spacecraft to fly an NRHO, and the first CubeSat to operate at the Moon.

In the next five days, CAPSTONE will perform two additional clean-up maneuvers to refine its orbit. After these maneuvers, the team will review data to confirm that CAPSTONE remains on track in the NRHO.

CAPSTONE – short for Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment – is a precursor to the Gateway project to establish a crewed space station in orbit around the moon. AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.

[ANS thanks NASA 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

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/

No changes for this week.

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

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ARISS NEWS

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

Ural State University, Yekaterinburg, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Sergey Prokopyev. Contact is go for Mon 2022-11-21 15:20 UTC

St. Joseph´s Convent Secondary School, Castries, St Lucia, multi-point telebridge via IK1SLD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS. The scheduled crewmember is Josh Cassada, KI5CRH. Contact is go for: Tue 2022-11-22 17:40:36 UTC 42 degrees maximum elevation. Watch for Livestream at: https://www.ariotti.com/

Five Bridges Junior High School, Stillwater Lake, NS, Canada, telebridge via IK1SLD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS. The scheduled crewmember is Josh Cassada, KI5CRH. Contact is go for: Wed 2022-11-23 16:52:06 UTC 58 degrees. Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/c/ARISSlive and https://nslive.tv/five-bridges-ariss and https://www.ariotti.com/

Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Sergey Prokopyev. Contact is go for Mon 2022-11-28 08:20 UTC

School TBD, Saint Petersburg, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Anna Kikina. Contact is go for Wed 2022-11-30 14:25 UTC.

School TBD, Kaliningrad, Russia, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Anna Kikina. Contact is go for Wed 2022-11-30 16:00 UTC

School TBD, Aznakayevo, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Anna Kikina. Contact is go for Thu 2022-12-01 08:20 UTC.

School TBD, Vologda, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Anna Kikina. Contact is go for Thu 2022-12-01 08:20 UTC

The crossband repeater continues to be active. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

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

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

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

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

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

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Upcoming Satellite Operations

KX9X Will be in EM47 with Ward N0AX the weekend of November 19 for the @arrl Phone Sweeptakes. He’ll take some satellite gear and do a few passes. Sats aren’t the priority this trip but he will hand out the grid.

KC1MEB: Rove trip vacation style. FN53 Nov. 18 into 19, FN56 Nov. 19 into 20, FN57 Nov. 20 through 22.

W7WGC Snow-bird rove from 11-02-2022 thru 11-22-2022-ish. In travel order:
Oregon grids: CN82 and DN02
Nevada grids: DN01, DN10, DN21, DN20, DM29 & 19, DM28 & 18, DM27, DM26.
Arizona grids: DM36, DM46, DM45, DM35, DM44, DM34, DM33, DM32.
Email (QRZ) with desired grid in subject line for updates. Wayne – W7WGC

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

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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.

None currently scheduled.

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

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Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ The latest episode of the ARRL On the Air podcast features details from avid satellite operator Sean Kutzko, KX9X, about how to get started on the amateur satellites — an activity that’s available to hams of all license classes. Sean’s article, “Ham Radio Satellites: Reliable, Accessible, and Enjoyable” is also the cover piece of the November/December issue of ARRL’s “On the Air” magazine. (ANS thanks ARRL Letter for the above information)

+ A cargo spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station Nov. 9, despite making its two-day trek through space with only one functioning solar panel. The Cygnus spacecraft, which was carrying 8,200 pounds of science experiments and supplies for the astronauts on board the ISS, lifted off from NASA’s launch site in Wallops Island, Virginia, atop an Antares rocket on Nov. 7. A few hours after Cygnus reached orbit, one of the spacecraft’s two solar arrays failed to deploy, NASA announced. NASA and Northrop Grumman, which designed and built the Cygnus capsule, opted to abandon efforts to open the array in order to focus on carrying out a safe rendezvous with the ISS, noting that the spacecraft already had sufficient power to finish its journey. (ANS thanks CNN Space & Science for the above information)

+ SpaceX launched one of its reusable Falcon 9 rocket boosters for the last time Saturday on a rare expendable mission for Intelsat, devoting all of the launcher’s propellant toward placing a pair of television broadcasting satellites into orbit. Intelsat says it paid SpaceX an additional fee for the expendable mission. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 11:06 a.m. EST (1606 GMT) Saturday after a four-day delay caused by Hurricane Nicole. The booster debuted March 2, 2019, with the first unpiloted test flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule. The booster was not fitted with SpaceX’s recovery hardware, such as titanium grid fins or landing legs. And SpaceX did not deploy one of its drone ships for the expendable mission. (ANS thanks SpaceflightNow for the above information)

+ AROW, the Artemis Real-Time Orbit Website, is a fun, interactive display of the Orion capsule and the Artemis 1 mission is provided by NASA at: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/trackartemis/ (ANS thanks NASA for the above information)

 

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Mark Johns, K0JM
k0jm at amsat dot org

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-317

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

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

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

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

In this edition:

•  CAS-10 Launched to Chinese Space Station
• Astronaut Bob Behnken, KG5GGX, Retires from NASA
• Changes to the AMSAT TLE Distribution for November 10, 2022
• ARISS News
• Upcoming Satellite Operations
• Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
• Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-317 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2022 Nov 13

CAS-10 Launched to Chinese Space Station

CAMSAT’s CAS-10 (XW-4) satellite was launched on November 12, 2022, carried on the Tianzhou 5 cargo spacecraft to the Chinese Space Station. Deployment from the Chinese Space Station is expected on or about December 15th. The satellite will be active immediately upon deployment into its own 400 km orbit with an inclination of 42.9 degrees.

CAS 10 is an 8U CubeSat approx 228x455x100mm with 12kg Mass. A follow on mission from CAS-9 and also known as Hope-4 (XW-4) Carrying a V/U Mode Linear Transponder, a UHF – CW Telemetry Beacon, a UHF – AX.25 4.8k/9.6kbps GMSK Telemetry downlink and a space camera.

CAS-10 carries a VHF uplink and UHF downlink linear transponder with a bandwidth of 30kHz. This transponder will work all day during the life cycle of the satellite, and amateur radio enthusiasts around the globe can use it for two-way radio relay communications.

CAS-10 carries a camera, and the pictures it takes are stored in the flash memory on the satellite, we have designed a simple remote control system based on DTMF, and amateur radio enthusiasts around the globe can send DTMF commands to download the camera photos.

CW beacon uses Morse code to send satellite telemetry data, which is also a feature that is widely welcomed by amateur radio enthusiasts.

Downlink frequencies for VHF/UHF linear transponder 435.180 MHz, for UHF CW telemetry beacon 435.575 MHz and for telemetry 435.725 MHz. Also an uplink for the transponder 145.870 MHz have been coordinated.

[ANS thanks Alan Kung, BA1DU, CAMSAT, for the above information]

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

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Astronaut Bob Behnken, KG5GGX, Retires from NASA

NASA astronaut and former U.S. Air Force Col. Bob Behnken, KG5GGX, is retiring from NASA after 22 years of service. His last day with the agency was Friday, Nov. 11.

Behnken’s career highlights included 93 days in space on two space shuttle Endeavour flights and the first crewed flight of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

Behnken was pilot and joint operations commander for the first crewed flight test of the SpaceX Dragon. Known as Demo-2, that flight launched Behnken and former NASA astronaut Doug Hurley to the International Space Station May 30, 2020, and safely returned them to Earth Aug. 2, 2020.

Behnken joined NASA at Johnson in July 2000 as an astronaut candidate. On his first spaceflight, in 2008, Behnken was a space shuttle Endeavour mission specialist for the STS-123 delivery of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency’s Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (Dextre) to the space station. Behnken performed three spacewalks, and operated station’s robotic arm both with and without Dextre attached. He flew again in 2010, as a mission specialist for STS‐130, which delivered the station’s Tranquility module and its cupola, the station’s seven-window Earth-facing observation post. He served as the mission’s lead spacewalker, performing three additional spacewalks to install the newly arrived module. Behnken completed 10 spacewalks across his three missions, spending more than 61 hours working in the vacuum of space.

Behnken grew up in St. Ann, Missouri, and graduated from Pattonville High School in Maryland Heights, Missouri. He earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in physics and mechanical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 1992, a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena in 1993, and a Doctorate in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1997.

Behnken was commissioned via the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and attended the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Before retiring from active military service in February 2022, Behnken had achieved the rank of colonel and flown more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 25 different types of aircraft.

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]

Changes to the AMSAT TLE Distribution for November 10, 2022

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/

Due to the impending installation and activation of amateur radio equipment aboard the Chinese Space Station, as well as the deployment of CAS-10, the Chinese Space Station (NORAD ID 48274) has been added to the AMSAT TLE distribution as “CSS”

[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager 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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ARISS News

Scheduled ARISS Contacts

Ural State University, Yekaterinburg, Russia, direct via TBD

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz
The scheduled crewmember is Sergey Prokopyev
Contact is go for Mon 2022-11-21 15:20 UTC

ARISS Radio Status

Columbus Module radios:
IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS – Configured. Default mode set for cross band repeater (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down).

* Powered OFF for US and RS EVAs on November 15 and 17. OFF Nov. 14 about 18:00 UTC. ON Nov. 18 about 18:15 UTC.
* Powered OFF for RS EVA on November 25. OFF Nov. 24 about 18:30 UTC.
* Powered OFF for US EVA on November 28.
* Powered OFF for US EVA on December 01.
* Powered OFF for RS EVA on December 05.
* Capable of supporting USOS scheduled voice contacts, packet and voice repeater ops.

Service Module radios:
IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS – Misconfigured. Default mode set for packet operations (145.825 MHz up & down)​

* Powered OFF for US and RS EVAs on November 15 and 17. OFF Nov. 14 about 18:00 UTC. ON Nov. 18 about 18:15 UTC.
* Powered OFF for RS EVA on November 25. OFF Nov. 24 about 18:30 UTC.
* Powered OFF for US EVA on November 28.
* Powered OFF for US EVA on December 01.
* Powered OFF for RS EVA on December 05.
* Capable of supporting ROS scheduled voice contacts, packet, SSTV and voice repeater ops.

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

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

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

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

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

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Upcoming Satellite Operations

KX9X: Will be in EM47 with Ward N0AX the weekend of November 19 for the ARRL Phone Sweeptakes. I’ll take some satellite gear and do a few passes. Sats aren’t the priority this trip but will hand out the grid.

VE1CWJ/VP9: Planning “holiday style” LEO sats as VE1CWJ/VP9 from Nov 11-13. No set schedule, but evening RS-44 & FO-29 passes are most likely. QSL via LOTW.

KC1MEB: Rove trip vacation style. FN53 Nov 18th into 19th, FN56 19th into 20th, FN57 20th through 22nd

DK9JC: Passes on RS-44 for NA, Nov 18 Friday, 1841-1854Z 13min common FP #JN39EL pse no dupes and no EU weather depending, winter here

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

Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events

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

AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, reports: “Had a magnificent time last night speaking with the RAGS – Radio Amateurs of Greater Syracuse (NY). Great turnout … Zoom handled the show. They have been supporting their region very well since the mid-1050s.

One aspect of AMSAT Ambassadors’ lives is talking to clubs and conventions. I have given my presentation more than 150 times now … Well, actually, that’s really 150+ unique presentations – NEVER have I given the same exact show twice. There’s about 25 “slides” that get customized to each audience – and they appreciate the fact that mine is not a “canned” presentation:

“- I really enjoyed Clint’s presentation last night. The fact that he had taken the time to research and know something about his audience and welcomed interaction made it very informative and enjoyable. This was a refreshing change from many canned YouTube presentations I’ve tried to watch, which were poorly done, fuzzy video or muddy audio, or a badly prepared presenter stumbling his way through, with any valuable info lost along the way. Thanks for hooking this one up.”

Think a 75-90-minute presentation on “Working the Easy Satellites” would be appropriate for YOUR club or convention? Let me know!

Shows are scheduled for the PAPA System in Southern California, a group in Vancouver BC, and another East Coast club before Christmas.”

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, 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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Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Curious about satellite operating? Check out Sean Kutzko, KX9X’s interview with Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, for the ARRL On The Air Podcast, as they talk about satellite operating basics! https://blubrry.com/arrlontheair/91256162/operating-amateur-satellites/

+ The Greencube digipeater has proven popular for long range QSOs given its MEO orbit at approximately 5,800 km. The digipeater will be reactivated at 00:01 UTC on November 16th.

+ FO-99’s operation schedule for November is available at https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=2012

+ An Atlas 5 successfully launched a polar-orbiting weather satellite and a reentry technology demonstrator on Nov. 10. The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) 2 satellite, deployed 28 minutes after liftoff, placing it into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometers. The spacecraft made contact with controllers shortly after deployment. However, NASA reported nearly three hours after liftoff that they had yet to receive telemetry that the solar array deployed as planned. JPSS-2 is the second of four planned polar-orbiting weather satellites in the JPSS program to provide weather data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A secondary payload on the launch was the Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID), a technology demonstration of an inflatable heat shield. NASA is interested in using that technology, scaled up, for landing future Mars missions. LOFTID separated from the Centaur 75 minutes after liftoff, after the upper stage performed two burns to place it on a reentry trajectory. The vehicle appeared to perform as expected through reentry, deploying a parachute and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean east of Hawaii 2 hours and 13 minutes after liftoff. A recovery vessel picked up the spacecraft, as well as a separate data recorder ejected from LOFTID before splashdown. The launch was the 100th mission for NASA’s Launch Services Program, which coordinates launches for NASA science missions. It is also the final Atlas 5 launch for the program and the final Atlas 5 launch from Vandenberg. ULA will convert the launch pad for use by Vulcan. (ANS thanks SpaceNews 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 dot org