ANS

ANS-152 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

by

In this edition:

* Welcome SO-125! AMSAT-EA’s HADES-ICM Joins the OSCAR Fleet
* Your Voice, Your Board: Nominate Now for 2025 AMSAT Election
* Another Batch of CubeSatSim Kits Available Soon in AMSAT Store
* SpaceX Starship Ninth Flight Yields Data, Misses Reentry Goals
* Japanese Private Lander Resilience Nears Lunar Touchdown
* GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers June 2025 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 30, 2025
* ARISS News
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

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

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

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

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

ANS-152 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2025 Jun 01

Welcome SO-125! AMSAT-EA’s HADES-ICM Joins the OSCAR Fleet

AMSAT-EA’s HADES-ICM satellite, a 1.5U PocketQube carrying an SDR-based FM and digital repeater payload for amateur radio use, was launched on March 14, 2025, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket during SpaceX’s Transporter-13 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Following deployment from the ION-SCV-017 Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) on March 31, the satellite has been undergoing commissioning. The FM repeater is expected to be activated in June—initially on weekends, with plans to eventually transition to full-time (24/7) operation, as is currently the case with AMSAT-EA’s earlier HADES-R mission.

HADES-ICM also hosts an experimental payload from the University of Manchester’s Smart IR/Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), designed to test a very low-power active radiator under space conditions. Data from this experiment will be publicly transmitted via telemetry packets.

The satellite carries an FM and digital repeater payload, built on an improved SDR-based platform capable of transmitting up to 0.25W when battery conditions allow. This makes it accessible to stations using handheld antennas like the Arrow antenna. The coordinated uplink frequency is 145.875 MHz, and the downlink is 436.666 MHz. The repeater operates with an open squelch and does not require a subtone. The satellite has been cataloged with NORAD ID 63492.

At the request of AMSAT-EA, AMSAT hereby designates HADES-ICM as SO-125 (Spain-OSCAR 125). We congratulate AMSAT-EA, thank them for their continued contributions to the amateur satellite community, and wish them success with this and future missions!

[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number Administrator for the above information]

Your Voice, Your Board: Nominate Now for 2025 AMSAT Election

AMSAT has officially opened the nomination period for its 2025 Board of Directors election, which will take place during the third quarter of the year.

Four director positions are set to expire in 2025. The current board members whose seats are up for election are:

  • Barry Baines, WD4ASW
  • Jerry Buxton, N0JY
  • Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
  • Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO

In addition to these four full Director roles, up to two Alternate Directors may also be elected to serve one-year terms.

To nominate a candidate, a written submission is required. Nominations must include the nominee’s name, call sign, and contact information, along with the same details for either five AMSAT members in good standing or one Member Society endorsing the candidate.

Nominations should be directed to the AMSAT Secretary:

Douglas Tabor, N6UA
1133 Verlan Way
Cheyenne, WY 82009

Per AMSAT’s bylaws, all nominations must follow the format specified by the Secretary. Doug Tabor has indicated that nominations will be accepted in both hard copy (via postal mail) and digital formats (including email or scanned documents). However, fax submissions are not permitted.

Email nominations should be sent to: dtabor [at] amsat [dot] org

All nomination petitions must be received by the Secretary no later than June 15th. After the submission deadline, the Secretary will confirm the eligibility of each candidate and the supporting members or societies, with final notification to candidates provided by the end of June.

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

Another Batch of CubeSatSim Kits Available Soon in AMSAT Store

A new batch of CubeSatSim Kits will be available for purchase in the AMSAT Store (https://www.amsat.org/product/cubesatsim-kit) on Thursday, June 5th, at 7 pm US Eastern time. Priced at $550 with shipping included for U.S. addresses, the CubeSatSim Kit offers a hands-on learning experience with no soldering and some assembly, making it ideal for both educational use and public demonstrations.

The CubeSatSim Kit includes:

  • Fully assembled and tested PCBs (Main, Solar, and Battery Boards)
  • Raspberry Pi Zero 2 with a Pi Camera and fully programmed micro-SD card, along with a fully programmed Raspberry Pi Pico WH
  • AMSAT logo Remove Before Flight tag switch
  • 3D printed frame, nylon screws, and nuts, with a mini screwdriver included for assembly
  • Metal standoffs, stacking headers, and JST jumpers for stacking the PCBs and Pi Zero 2
  • 10 solar panels with pre-soldered JST connectors and mounting tape
  • BME280 sensor (pressure, temperature, altitude, humidity) and MPU6050 IMU/gyro pre-soldered
  • Two 6″ SMA coax cables and two SMA antennas

The kit also comes with an instruction sheet, parts inventory, and links to online instructions. Assembly time is estimated to be under two hours, with scissors and the provided mini screwdriver.

Limited quantities of the CubeSatSim Kit will soon be available for purchase from the AMSAT Store. [Credit: Alan Johnston, KU2Y]
The v2.0 CubeSatSim features improvements over v1.2, such as an FM transceiver, Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller, and RF command and control using DTMF or APRS packets. It can also be modified to function as a 500mW high altitude balloon payload.

For those interested in creating their own CubeSatSim, v2.0 blank PCB sets are available at the AMSAT Store for $35. These require additional components, which can be purchased for approximately $400 using the provided Bill of Materials.

Additional resources include:

For more information or to borrow a loaner CubeSat Simulator, contact Alan Johnston, AMSAT VP Educational Relations, at ku2y [at] arrl.net.

How to Order
Kits will be sold exclusively on the AMSAT Store website.
Only U.S. shipping addresses are eligible; orders with non-U.S. addresses will be refunded and closed.

About CubeSatSim
CubeSatSim is a low-cost satellite emulator powered by solar panels and batteries. It transmits UHF radio telemetry and can be expanded with additional sensors and modules, making it ideal for educational and public demonstrations.

[ANS thanks Alan Johnston, KU2Y, AMSAT Vice President Educational Relations for the above information]

SpaceX Starship Ninth Flight Yields Data, Misses Reentry Goals

SpaceX achieved partial success Tuesday with the ninth test flight of its massive Starship rocket, overcoming prior engine shutdown problems but discovering new issues during the vehicle’s return from space. Launched from the company’s Starbase facility in South Texas, the rocket reached space and achieved full engine cutoff for the first time using its current Block 2 design. However, the upper stage lost control during coast and reentry phases, tumbling and eventually disintegrating over the Indian Ocean.

The early stages of the mission went according to plan. All 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster ignited successfully, pushing the rocket skyward with twice the thrust of the Saturn V. After separation, the Starship upper stage ignited its own engines and reached a near-orbital trajectory. Elon Musk confirmed on X that the main engines completed their full burn and that the heat shield tiles remained intact during ascent—both major improvements over previous tests.

But soon after engine cutoff, SpaceX aborted a planned payload door test to deploy simulated Starlink satellites when the door failed to open. Minutes later, engineers reported a loss of tank pressure in the Starship’s attitude control system, causing the rocket to enter a slow spin. This compromised SpaceX’s ability to restart an engine for orbital maneuvering and made a controlled reentry impossible, eliminating the opportunity to gather key data on new heat shield tile configurations.

Starship Flight 9, a megarocket as tall as a 38-story building, lifts off from Starbase, Texas. [Credit: SpaceX / X]
The mission ended with the vehicle tumbling into the atmosphere and breaking apart during reentry. Despite the premature conclusion, SpaceX officials noted that they collected valuable data on a number of new systems. The company has been working to improve the durability of heat shield tiles, which are critical to the Starship’s goal of rapid reuse. Tuesday’s flight included multiple experimental tile designs and attachment methods that engineers are eager to analyze, even with the limited reentry data available.

There was also progress on the Super Heavy booster. For the first time, SpaceX reused a booster from a previous flight, testing modifications aimed at improving fuel efficiency and failure recovery during landing burns. Although the booster exploded near the end of its descent rather than splashing down intact, it flew well through much of its return. SpaceX believes data from this flight will inform future attempts to catch returning boosters with launch pad arms.

The latest setback underscores the challenge of developing a fully reusable heavy-lift rocket capable of missions to the Moon and Mars. SpaceX began 2025 with ambitious goals for up to 25 test flights, but that timeline now appears unlikely. However, Musk indicated that the next three Starships could launch within weeks of each other. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing the flight, and engineers are analyzing telemetry to confirm whether new issues or previously known problems led to the vehicle’s demise. As SpaceX prepares for its next test, company officials remain cautiously optimistic.

Read the full article at: https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/spacex-may-have-solved-one-problem-only-to-find-more-on-latest-starship-flight/

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

The 2025 AMSAT President’s Club Coins Have Just Arrived!
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight

Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today!

Japanese Private Lander Resilience Nears Lunar Touchdown

Japan’s ispace is aiming for a June 5 landing attempt with its Resilience lunar lander, now orbiting the moon. The spacecraft is targeting Mare Frigoris, a volcanic plain in the moon’s northern hemisphere. If the landing succeeds, it would mark the first moon touchdown by a private Japanese company and only the second lunar landing for Japan overall.

Resilience launched on January 15 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, sharing the ride with Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander. Blue Ghost landed successfully on March 2, while Resilience took a longer, energy-efficient route to the moon, entering orbit on May 6. The mission follows ispace’s earlier attempt in 2023, which failed during descent after the lander misjudged the rim of a crater.

On May 22, ispace released a photo taken by Resilience showing the moon’s south polar region. The image, posted on social media, reveals a rugged cratered surface and drew attention for an optical illusion in which the craters can appear as raised bumps. While Resilience will land far from the south pole, the photo demonstrated the spacecraft’s ability to capture detailed lunar imagery.

Resilience captured a photo of the lunar south pole from orbit ahead of its scheduled June 5 landing. [Credit: ispace]
The mission carries five payloads, including a small rover named Tenacious developed by ispace’s European division. The rover is tasked with collecting lunar soil under a NASA contract awarded in 2020. It also carries a small artwork titled Moonhouse, created by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg and mounted to the rover’s front bumper.

Resilience joins a growing list of privately developed missions targeting the lunar surface. It follows earlier commercial efforts like Firefly’s Blue Ghost and Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus, which landed in early 2024. These missions contribute to broader scientific and technical goals for lunar exploration.

In addition to demonstrating landing capabilities, Resilience will test technologies designed for future ispace missions, including navigation, communications, and thermal control systems. Data from the lander and its payloads will inform development of ispace’s next-generation landers, which are intended for satellite servicing and lunar cargo delivery.

Read the full article at: https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/private-japanese-moon-probe-snaps-photo-of-lunar-south-pole-ahead-of-june-5-landing

[ANS thanks the Mike Wall, Space.com, for the above information]

GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers June 2025 Rankings

The June 2025 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: 2025-05-30

1 ND9M 26 KX9X 51 EB1AO 76 N4UFO
2 NJ7H 27 ON4AUC 52 AC0RA 77 PT2AP
3 JA9KRO 28 KG5CCI 53 W7WGC 78 AA8CH
4 UT1FG 29 N5BO 54 XE1ET 79 PT9BM
5 N5UC 30 K8BL 55 N6DNM 80 VE1VOX
6 DL6AP 31 KE4AL 56 EA4NF 81 FG8OJ
7 OE3SEU 32 KB5FHK 57 SM3NRY 82 YU0W
8 DP0POL 33 PA3GAN 58 DF2ET 83 N6UTC
9 F5VMJ 34 F4BKV 59 LU4JVE 84 AF5CC
10 K5ZM 35 VE3HLS 60 AA5PK 85 KI7UXT
11 WI7P 36 KI0KB 61 KI7QEK 86 JM1CAX
12 LU5ILA 37 JO2ASQ 62 SP5XSD 87 KJ7NDY
13 N6UA 38 KI7UNJ 63 F4DXV 88 PS8BR
14 HA3FOK 39 LA9XGA 64 DL4EA 89 N4DCW
15 N9IP 40 BA1PK 65 AD7DB 90 WA9JBQ
16 WY7AA 41 VA3VGR 66 VE1CWJ 91 KB2YSI
17 W5PFG 42 N7AGF 67 KE9AJ 92 K0FFY
18 AK8CW 43 VK5DG 68 BG7QIW 93 VE3GOP
19 DL2GRC 44 XE3DX 69 N8RO 94 N0TEL
20 AD0DX 45 JL3RNZ 70 VA7LM 95 KG4AKV
21 N4AKV 46 PR8KW 71 W8LR 96 DK9JC
22 AD0HJ 47 KE0WPA 72 KM4LAO 97 W8MTB
23 WD9EWK 48 KE0PBR 73 M1DDD 98 CU2ZG
24 ND0C 49 K7TAB 74 W1AW 99 K6VHF
25 DJ8MS 50 JK2XXK 75 HB9GWJ 100 VE7PTN

[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information]

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 30, 2025

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/.

NOTICE: In an effort to minimize confusion between sources of two line element sets, AMSAT is adopting the convention of listing the USSF/NORAD Satellite Catalog name first, followed by any secondary name or names in parentheses. For example, “POEM 4 (BGS ARPIT)” was added recently where “POEM 4” is the name that appears in the US Space Force Satellite Catalog, and “BGS ARPIT” is the name best known within the amateur satellite community. Expect name changes for affected satellites in the coming weeks as this change is fully implemented.

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

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

ARISS NEWS

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

+ Recently Completed

Royal Moroccan Air Academy, Marrakech, Morocco, direct via CN8ERA
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Nichole Ayers KJ5GWI
The ARISS mentor was IN3GHZ
Contact was successful: Wed 2025-05-28 12:55:36 UTC

Yonezawa 5th Junior High School, Yonezawa, Japan, direct via 8N7Y5JH
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Takaya Onishi KF5LKS
The ARISS mentor was 7M3TJZ
Contact was successful: Thu 2025-05-29 09:23:02 UTC
Watch the livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/sxpw07oNZSg

Atkarsk, Saratov region, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember was Sergey Ryzhikov
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful: Thu 2025-05-29 13:55 UTC

Starominskiy District, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember was Kirill Peskov
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful: Sat 2025-05-31 10:35 UTC

+ Upcoming Contacts

Technical University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, direct via EI1ISS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Takaya Onishi KF5LKS
The ARISS mentor is EI8BP
Contact is go for: Wed 2025-06-04 12:07:37 UTC

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

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]

AMSAT Ambassador Activities

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

AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says,

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

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

Scheduled Events

Rochester Amateur Radio Association Hamfest 2025 – June 21st, 2025
Barnard Fire Department Park
410 Maiden Lane
Rochester, NY 14616
KB2YSI
https://rochesterham.org/hamfest.htm

Greater Louisville Hamfest – September 6th, 2025
Paroquet Springs Conference Centre
395 Paroquet Springs Drive
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
W4FCL
https://louisvillehamfest.wixsite.com/louisvillehamfest

43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting – October 16th thru 19th, 2025
Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North
1515 North 44th Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85008
https://www.amsat.org/2025-symposium/

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

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

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

AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available
Yes, These are the Real Thing!

Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a Fox-Plus Satellite
Includes First Class Postage (Sorry – U.S. Addresses Only)
Order Today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Congratulations are in order for John, AB5SS, who has earned GridMaster Award #72 for completing satellite contacts in all 488 Maidenhead grid squares across the contiguous United States. The GridMaster Award is one of the highest honors in amateur satellite operations, recognizing exceptional dedication and achievement. First created by the Star Comm Group in 2014 and supported by Damon Runion, WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, the award is now managed by AMSAT for the benefit of the entire community. To date, only a small number of operators have reached this milestone, highlighting the rarity and significance of the accomplishment. Earning GridMaster status requires years of persistence, careful tracking, and often the support of skilled satellite rovers. More information on the GridMaster Award, including how to apply, is available at https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/. (ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information)

+ Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, is featured in the June 2025 QST “Member Spotlight” for his outstanding contributions to amateur radio satellite operations and AMSAT. A lifelong space enthusiast, Tom was encouraged by the late Keith Pugh, W5IU (SK), to explore satellites and began operating in 2010 using an Icom IC-W32A and Arrow Antenna. He quickly became hooked and joined AMSAT, later serving as an AMSAT Ambassador, giving presentations at clubs, hamfests, and virtual events like the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. Tom also hosts two AMSAT-focused nets in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, helping build local interest in satellite communications. One of his proudest moments was a spontaneous QSO with astronaut Woody Hoburg, KB3HTZ, aboard the ISS in 2023. His passion and outreach have made him a key figure in promoting AMSAT and inspiring others to discover the excitement of working satellites. (ANS thanks Barry Baines, WD4ASW, AMSAT Board of Directors, for the above information)

+ The European Space Agency’s ACES mission has launched the most precise atomic clock ever sent to space, with the goal of improving how we measure elevation on Earth. This effort addresses real-world issues like the infamous misalignment of a German-Swiss bridge caused by differing sea level baselines. ACES was installed on the International Space Station’s Columbus module on April 25, 2025, using the station’s robotic arm. By linking ACES to the most accurate ground-based clocks, scientists can compare how time ticks across the planet—since time passes more slowly in stronger gravity, this allows geodesists to map Earth’s gravitational field with centimeter-level precision. The clock network will eventually make elevation measurements more accurate worldwide, including in poorly surveyed regions like Africa and South America. Though ACES is just a first step, it paves the way for a future system of even more precise space-based clocks that could revolutionize infrastructure planning, sea level monitoring, and geophysical research. (ANS thanks Sophia Chen, MIT Technology Review, for the above information)

+ Starfish Space is preparing to launch its second mission, Otter Pup 2, on SpaceX’s upcoming Transporter-14 rideshare flight, where it will attempt to dock with a D-Orbit ION satellite already aboard the same launch. Unlike traditional spacecraft, Otter Pup 2 uses an electrostatic capture mechanism, allowing it to dock with unmodified satellites by attaching to flat panels. The mission aims to demonstrate rendezvous and docking technologies that will support future servicing missions, such as life extension and orbital debris inspection, for both commercial and government clients. A similar effort in 2023 failed due to a malfunction in the launch partner’s vehicle, though Otter Pup was still able to approach a different target. This mission will more realistically simulate the challenges of space servicing, with Otter Pup 2 traveling long distances before performing proximity operations and multiple dockings. Starfish hopes to prove that its technology is safe, flexible, and viable, building confidence in satellite servicing amid growing demand and regulatory interest. (ANS thanks Jeff Foust, 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, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ
mahrenstorff [at] amsat.org

ANS-138 AMSAT News Service Bulletins for May 18

by

In this edition:

* BuzzSat Satellite Meteorology Course Now Available
* AMSAT Volunteers Power Hamvention Exhibit
* The 16th Annual TAPR/AMSAT Banquet Enjoyed by Many
* AMSAT Symposium
* March/April 2025 AMSAT Journal Now Available
* JAMSAT Symposium
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution
* Change to Upcoming Satellite Operations
* ARISS News
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

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

The news feed on 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

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/

 

BuzzSat Satellite Meteorology Course Now Available

The AMSAT Youth Initiative is pleased to introduce the first in its series of “Satellites in Space Help Us Live a Better Life on Earth” online courses!

Title screen from the Satellite Meteorology online course (Image: AMSAT)

An “Introduction to Satellite Meteorology” explores the many ways that NOAA satellites help meteorologists predict the immediate weather and long-term climate behavior to make our lives more enjoyable and safer. It is designed for students Grades 8-12.

Each chapter has 40-50 pages and is expected to take perhaps 30 minutes per chapter. If you leave the course, it will remember where you left off so you won’t have to start from scratch.

The course is designed to be “self-standing” so any student, parent, youth leader or teacher can independently utilize the course. The courses are free. You can try this course at:

https://buzzsat.com/

Please note that this edition of the course is a beta release. Numerous improvements to the navigation features, clarity of graphics and technical content are scheduled for the next release in June 2025. But we’d love to hear from you! Please send your comments and suggestions to Frank Karnauskas, AMSAT VP-Development at f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org.

Future course to be added later this year include how satellites play a critical role in managing:

  • Climate Change
  • Pollution Control
  • Wildlife and Natural Resources
  • Navigation
  • Satellite Design and Operation
  • Space Exploration
  • Communications
  • Broadcasting
  • Military Operations
  • And much, much more!

Subject matter experts in any of these areas or educators in the sciences are invited to talk with the BuzzSat team about future course development.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

AMSAT Volunteers Power Hamvention Exhibit

AMSAT volunteers kept busy at the organization’s exhibit at the 2025 Dayton Hamvention. Interest level was high among both satellite veterans and hams just wanting information on how to get started on the satellites.

The hot seller at the exhibit was the brand new, updated edition of the book, Getting Started in Amateur Satellites.

Steve Belter, N9IP, AMSAT Treasurer, helps beginners (Photo: Mark Johns)

The AMSAT Education area attracted the attention of a number of young hams and soon to be hams. Carsten Glasbrenner, KQ4SJM, son of AMSAT VP-Operations, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, shared his knowledge with other young people who came to the exhibit.

Carsten Glasbrenner, KQ4SJM, points out Cubsat SIM displays to youth. (Photo: Drew Glasbrenner)

Interest was also high at the AMSAT engineering area, where members of the engineering team discussed the GOLF-Tee and Fox-Plus satellites currently under construction.

AMSAT VP-Engineering, Jerry Buxton, NØJY, and other engineers discuss satellite construction with Hamvention participants (Photo: Mark Johns)

Live satellite demonstrations outside of the exhibit area also drew interest from Hamvention participants.

AMSAT Executive VP, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, operates on RS-44 as Mark Johns, KØJM, aims the Arrow antenna. (Photo: Keith Baker)

The Hamvention AMSAT Forum was held on Saturday afternoon, May 17. The forum featured updates on the organization itself from AMSAT President Robert Bankston, KE4AL, Executive VP Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, and from Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, VP-Development. Frank also updated those in attendance on the AMSAT Youth Initiative, including the “Satellites in Space Help Us Live a Better Life on Earth” online courses (see above).

Jerry Buxton, NØJY, VP-Engineering, provided an overview of upcoming satellite projects and launches in development and Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, VP-Operations, discussed efforts to extend the lives of satellites already on orbit.

Prior to the beginning of the Hamvention, on Thursday evening, May 15, AMSAT members and friends gathered at Ticket’s Pub & Eatery in nearby Fairborn, Ohio for what has become a traditional gathering in recent years. More than 40 were in attendance — a record number for this event.

AMSAT members enjoy a pre-Hamvention meal at Ticket’s on Thursday (Photo: Keith Baker)

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]

The 2025 AMSAT President’s Club Coins Are Now Available!

2025 PC Coin Set
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight
Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.

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

The 16th Annual TAPR/AMSAT Banquet Enjoyed by Many

The 16th annual TAPR/AMSAT Banquet was held at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center on Friday, May 16. This dinner is always a highlight of the TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) and AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.) activities during the Dayton Hamvention. This year’s banquet speaker was Phil Karn, KA9Q, who highlighted developments and use cases for his ka9q-radio software suite for SDR receivers.

Phil Karn delivers the TAPR/AMSAT banquet address (Photo: Mark Johns)

Karn was the recipient of the ARRL’s Mary Hobart, K1MMH, Medal of Distinction. He was presented the honor at the ARRL donor reception on May 15, 2025, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.

A graduate of Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University with degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Karn has retired from a technology career including Bell Labs, Bellcore, and Qualcomm. He is co-founder of AMPRnet, is founder and past-President of Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), a private foundation that exists to support amateur radio and digital communication science and technology through grants and scholarships, and the management of 44Net. Karn continues to serve on the ARDC Board of Directors. The work of ARDC has contributed approximately $30 million to amateur radio since 2020.

Karn has been licensed since he was 15. “It’s been a major factor in my life, directly and indirectly,” he said. Karn views amateur radio as a creative outlet. “I’m an engineer, so I need an outlet for my technical ideas. I’m retired, so amateur radio now fulfills that need. It’s very gratifying to see others using your ideas and works,” said Karn.

Karn’s technical contributions to advance the Amateur Radio Service drive his dedication to the future of education through ham radio. He envisions education having a greater role in amateur radio in decades to come. “Ham radio has always excelled at individual self-learning, but it could do so much more. I’d really like to see the many technical tinkerers outside ham radio join us. I’d like to see much more amateur radio in formal education. HamSCI and the many university small satellite groups are good examples but there could be so much more. Hams will continue to create new technology, usually by working in academia and industry but also as individuals,” he said.

Mary Hobart, K1MMH, was ARRL’s first Chief Development Officer. She passed away in 2021. The medal named in her honor is given to those individuals or couples who have inspired our small community to reach higher with their own philanthropic support of ARRL and amateur radio. In 2023, ARRL honored Michael “Mike” D. Valentine, W8MM (Silent Key), and his wife Margaret “Peg” Valentine with the inaugural Hobart Medal.

[ANS thanks ARRL for the above information]

43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting Announced

Save the date! The 43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting will be held October 16th through Sunday October 19th. The site of the 2025 event will be the Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North.


(Photo credit: Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North)

The hotel is located minutes away from Phoenix Sky Harbor airport and features free airport shuttle, all-suite rooms at affordable prices and free breakfast! Information for room reservation at reduced rates and event registration will be published shortly.

For your planning purposes, the overall schedule for the event is as follows:

Thursday, October 16th
0900 – 1700 Board of Directors Meeting

Friday, October 17th
0900 – 1200 Board of Directors Meeting
1300 – 1700 Symposium Presentations
1800 – 2100 Reception & Auction

Saturday, October 18th
0900 – 1200 Symposium Presentations
1300 – 1500 Symposium Presentations
1500 – 1700 Annual General Meeting
1800 – 1900 Reception
1900 – 2100 Banquet

Sunday, October 19th
0800 – 1000 Members Breakfast

(Times subject to change.)

Plan to attend this fun and informative event while you exchange ideas with your friends in the world of amateur satellites!

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

Need new satellite antennas?

Purchase 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/

March/April 2025 AMSAT Journal Now Available

The March/April 2025 issue of The AMSAT Journal is now available to members on AMSAT’s Member Portal.

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

Inside the Current Issue:

  • Using AI to Keep Amateur Radio in Space – Joe Kornowski, KB6IGK
  • New Space Opportunities
  • The Future of Lunar Amateur Radio – JS1YMG Update
  • APRS Update
  • SDR Update
  • AMSAT Field Day 2025 Rules – Bruce Paige, KK5DO

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]

JAMSAT Symposium 2025: Satellites, Soldering, and Socials in Tokyo

The Japan Amateur Satellite Association (JAMSAT) successfully hosted its 17th annual general meeting and technical symposium on March 22–23, 2025, at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) in Tokyo. The two-day hybrid event welcomed both in-person and online participants and featured a diverse program of organizational updates, technical presentations, hands-on outreach activities, and social networking opportunities for the amateur satellite community.

The general meeting, held on the first day at noon, covered official business including approval of the 2024 fiscal report, auditor’s findings, the 2025 project plan, and a proposed revision to the association’s bylaws. JAMSAT members were invited to vote by proxy or attend via Zoom, and participation exceeded expectations. The event was formally recognized as an international meeting, qualifying for discounted use of the Miraikan venue and underscoring its educational and public-service role.

Immediately after the meeting, the two-day symposium began with a series of technical presentations. Topics included the RST (Lehman Satellite Tracker) by JI1SYC, a report on the ultra-compact RSP-03 “Hamorun” satellite, and a briefing on QO-100 operations from Cambodia under the XU7AMO callsign. Other featured talks explored a geostationary payload proposal by AMSAT-DL, the SHF beacon’s status, and technical insights into the Ten-Koh 2 receiver system for 5.8 GHz.

The 2025 JAMSAT General Meeting and Symposium was held in Tokyo and featured two days of satellite presentations. [Credit: JAMSAT]

Satellite mission updates were also prominent. Researchers from Chiba Institute of Technology presented results from the SAKURA satellite and previewed its successor, BOTAN. The team from Tokyo Institute of Technology introduced OrigamiSat-2, a CubeSat designed to test a two-layer deployable membrane antenna and high-speed downlink. The final session discussed amateur satellite roles in emergency communications, drawing attention to disaster readiness as a future focus area.

Public outreach remained a strong component of the event. On the morning of March 22, JAMSAT organized the “Touching Satellites” program with support from Icom Inc., offering live satellite demonstrations and electronics workshops for children. An exhibit area featured satellite engineering models and educational posters, while 10 young participants had the opportunity to assemble and solder simple kits under the guidance of volunteers.

A formal dinner was held at the nearby Chinese restaurant Tōen in Telecom Center, drawing a wide cross-section of members for informal conversation and project discussion. The social gathering reflected a return to normalcy following years of pandemic-related restrictions and helped to strengthen the group’s community bonds. JAMSAT plans to publish digital versions of the symposium materials online and encourages continued member engagement through web meetings, field activities, and international coordination.

[ANS thanks the Mikio Mori, JA3GEP, JAMSAT Newsletter Editor for the above information]

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


25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 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/.

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

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

Change to Upcoming Satellite Operations

Due to the popularity of the https://hams.at website as a location to report rover activity, the AMSAT website will no longer attempt to track those reports separately. Thus, the AMSAT News Service will no longer carry routine coverage. Please make use of https://hams.at for information on upcoming satellite operations in the future.

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

ARISS NEWS

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

RECENTLY COMPLETED
Astronomical society Kumova slama, Daruvar, Croatia, Direct via 9A1CCY
The ISS callsign was to be OR4ISS. The scheduled crewmember was Jonathan (Jonny) Kim, KJ5HKP
The ARISS mentor was SP3QFE
Contact was successful: Thu 2025-05-15 17:00:12 UTC 26 degrees maximum elevation
Congratulations to the Astronomical society Kumova slama students, Jonny, mentor SP3QFE, and ground station 9A1CCY!

UPCOMING
Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The scheduled crewmember is Sergey Ryzhikov
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for 2025-05-23 09:15 UTC

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AMSAT Ambassador Activities

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

June 21, 2025
Rochester Amateur Radio Association Hamfest 2025
Barnard Fire Field
410 Maiden Lane Rochester, NY 14616
KB2YSI

September 6, 2025
Greater Louisville Hamfest
Paroquet Springs Conference Centre
395 Paroquet Springs Drive
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
W4FCL

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

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Congratulations to Benni Riethmueller, DL4BEN, (age 16!) on receiving AMSAT Rover Award #087! To earn the AMSAT Rover Award, participants must accumulate a combined total of 25 points through various achievements in portable satellite operations outside their home grid square. The AMSAT Rover Award was established to recognize and honor the accomplishments of satellite operators who engage in rover operations. Rover operations involve the activation of grid squares outside one’s home grid, utilizing various satellite transponders and modes to establish communication links. A breakdown of the points system along with a list of past AMSAT Rover Award recipients can be found at https://www.amsat.org/amsat-rover-award/. Keep on roving, Benni, and continue to inspire others in the AMSAT community! (ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information)

+ China has granted scientists from six countries, including the United States, access to Moon rocks collected by its Chang’e-5 mission in 2020. Two NASA-funded U.S. institutions—Brown University and Stony Brook University—were selected to study the samples, despite longstanding restrictions on NASA’s direct collaboration with China. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) called the samples “a shared treasure for all humanity” and emphasized its commitment to international cooperation. Experts noted that while U.S.-China space technology exchanges remain limited, lunar sample analysis poses no military concern and aligns with global scientific norms. The Chang’e-5 samples are of particular interest because they appear to be about a billion years younger than those collected during the Apollo missions. CNSA officials stated they intend to maintain an active and open stance in global space collaboration through initiatives like the Belt and Road space information corridor. (ANS thanks BBC News for the above information)

+ The FAA granted environmental approval for up to 25 Starship launches a year at Starbase, a five-fold increase from the previous limit. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.)

+ Due to budget cuts, NASA might scale back ISS operations, such as reducing crew size, extending crew missions, and halting upgrades to science instruments. A list of other NASA projects that may be abandoned by budget cuts is at https://www.planetary.org/articles/billions-wasted-mysteries-unsolved-the-missions-nasa-may-be-forced-to-abandon (ANS thanks The Planetary Society for the above information.)

+ Germany’s armed forces are planning to establish a large satellite constellation, aiming to create an independent communications infrastructure similar to SpaceX’s Starlink. The initiative, led by the Bundeswehr, envisions deploying hundreds of satellites to ensure secure and resilient military communications, with potential expansion into remote sensing and other applications. Germany has historically relied on satellite services provided by allies but shifting geopolitical dynamics have prompted a reevaluation of this dependence. The proposed Bundeswehr constellation is intended to ensure sovereignty and continuity in defense operations, even in contested or degraded environments. It would operate separately from IRIS2, the European Union’s own sovereign satellite project aimed at providing broadband internet across the continent. Read the full article at: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/germanys-military-wants-its-own-starlink-like-satellite-constellation
(ANS thanks the Andrew Jones, Space.com, for the above information.)

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

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

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

ANS-124 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

by

In this edition:

* AMSAT Prepares for Major Presence at 2025 Dayton Hamvention
* Amazon Kicks Off Kuiper Network with Ambitious First Satellite Launch
* Europe’s Vega C Rocket Launches Satellite to Map Forest Health
* GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers May 2025 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 2, 2025
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

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

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

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

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

ANS-124 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2025 May 04

AMSAT Prepares for Major Presence at 2025 Dayton Hamvention

AMSAT will return to the 2025 Dayton Hamvention with a strong lineup of events, volunteer opportunities, and social gatherings. The event is set for May 16–18 at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio, where AMSAT will again serve as one of the larger exhibitors, occupying booths 1007–1010 and 1107–1110 in Building 1. Alongside its booth activities, AMSAT will host a variety of forums and after-hours events designed to engage and inform amateur radio enthusiasts.

In preparation for Hamvention, AMSAT is actively seeking volunteers to help staff the booth. Around 20 volunteers assisted during last year’s event, providing a crucial link between AMSAT and the broader amateur radio community. Whether attendees can offer a few hours or the entire weekend, AMSAT welcomes all who are interested. Those wishing to volunteer or request more information can contact Phil Smith, W1EME, via email at w1eme [at] astrocom [dot] net.

The AMSAT Forum is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, from 1:35 PM to 3:10 PM EDT in Forum Room 2. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early and catch the ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) Forum at 12:40 PM in the same room. The forum will provide updates on current projects and future plans within the AMSAT community.

Keith Baker, KB1SF and Mark Johns, KØJM field questions at the AMSAT’s Beginner’s Corner. [Credit: Fairly Amused / YouTube]
The 16th annual TAPR/AMSAT Banquet will take place on Friday, May 16, at 6:30 PM EDT at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center in Kettering, Ohio. This year’s keynote speaker will be Phil Karn, KA9Q, who will discuss developments in his “ka9q-radio” software suite. Tickets are $70 and must be purchased in advance through the AMSAT Store by Monday, May 12, at 5:00 PM EDT. Seating is limited based on the number of meals reserved with the caterer, and no tickets will be sold or distributed at the AMSAT booth.

On Thursday, May 15, AMSAT will host its annual informal gathering at Tickets Pub & Eatery in Fairborn, OH, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. No program or reservations are required—just food, drinks, and conversation. All are welcome to attend and enjoy a relaxed evening ahead of the Hamvention weekend. Tickets offers a wide menu of Greek and American fare along with beverages from the bar.

As the central player in amateur satellite operations, AMSAT’s presence at Hamvention continues to reflect its leadership in advancing space-based amateur radio. From technical presentations to social events and volunteer engagement, AMSAT offers multiple ways for newcomers and seasoned operators alike to get involved and connect with the broader ham radio community.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]

Amazon Kicks Off Kuiper Network with Ambitious First Satellite Launch

Amazon launched the first 27 satellites for its Kuiper broadband internet constellation on Monday, marking the start of its long-anticipated challenge to SpaceX’s Starlink network. The satellites lifted off aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 UTC) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, after an initial launch attempt earlier this month was delayed by weather.

The launch is part of Amazon’s $10 billion Project Kuiper, which aims to deploy 3,236 satellites into low-Earth orbit to deliver global broadband service. Unveiled in 2019, the initiative targets consumers, businesses, and governments, a customer base already served by Starlink’s rapidly growing presence in the satellite internet market. The service is also being positioned as a vital solution for rural and underserved areas.

Amazon’s Kuiper program has experienced more than a year of delays, pushing the inaugural deployment well past its original target of early 2024. Under a Federal Communications Commission mandate, Amazon must launch half of its satellite constellation—1,618 satellites—by mid-2026. Analysts expect the company may need to seek an extension due to its late start.

ULA’s Atlas V readies to launch Amazon’s first Kuiper satellites from Cape Canaveral. [Credit: ULA / YouTube]
All 27 satellites from Monday’s launch are functioning normally, according to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who confirmed the status on social media nearly seven hours after liftoff. The confirmation marks a key milestone in the project. Amazon expects to begin customer service later this year, assuming deployment and testing continue on schedule.

Amazon could launch up to five additional Kuiper missions in 2025, according to ULA CEO Tory Bruno. The company has indicated that initial service could begin with as few as 578 satellites, enabling limited coverage in northern and southern regions, with global service expanding as more satellites are deployed. Amazon’s experience in consumer products and cloud infrastructure is seen by executives as a potential advantage over competitors.

SpaceX, which has launched over 8,000 Starlink satellites since 2019, currently leads the market with more than 5 million users in 125 countries. Despite SpaceX’s head start, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos remains optimistic about Kuiper’s future. “There’s insatiable demand for internet,” Bezos said in January. “There’s room for lots of winners.”

Read the full article at: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/amazon-launches-first-kuiper-internet-satellites-taking-starlink-2025-04-28/

[ANS thanks the Joey Roulette, Reuters, for the above information]

The 2025 AMSAT President’s Club Coins Have Just Arrived!
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight

Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today!

Europe’s Vega C Rocket Launches Satellite to Map Forest Health

The European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched its Biomass satellite aboard a Vega C rocket on April 29, advancing both Earth science research and Europe’s independent access to space. The launch took place at 5:15 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (0915 UTC) from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. The satellite separated from the rocket’s Avum upper stage nearly an hour later, entering a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 666 kilometers.

Built by Airbus Defence and Space, the 1,250-kilogram Biomass satellite is part of ESA’s Earth Explorer program. Its central feature is a P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), designed to measure the amount of carbon stored in Earth’s forests by penetrating the tree canopy and mapping forest biomass. Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s director of Earth observation programs, likened the technology to “a medical scan of the forest” during a prelaunch briefing.

Biomass is designed for a 5.5-year mission. The first 18 months will focus on tomographic radar mapping of forest interiors, followed by four years of interferometric observations to track changes in forest height and biomass. Beyond forests, the satellite will also observe glaciers and deserts, using the radar’s ability to penetrate ice and sand. ESA plans to collaborate with NASA, sharing data with the forthcoming NISAR satellite, which operates a similar SAR system at higher frequencies.

ESA’s Biomass satellite will map forest carbon with P-band radar from low Earth orbit. [Credit: ESA/ATG MediaLab]

The satellite’s radar system required new advancements in radio-frequency electronics due to the use of lower-frequency P-band waves. Airbus official Justin Byrne noted that engineers had to develop custom amplifiers and supporting electronics. The radar’s 12-meter deployable antenna, built by L3Harris, will begin unfolding a few days after launch in a process expected to take four days.

This mission marks Vega C’s second launch since returning to flight in December 2024, following a 2022 failure during the VV22 mission. ESA and Arianespace officials emphasized the extensive reviews and oversight applied to the rocket to ensure reliability. “We are scrutinizing, very closely, all of the launcher for any anomalies or weak points,” said Toni Tolker-Nielsen, ESA’s director of space transportation, who added that this level of review will continue through five launches.

With Vega C and the upcoming Ariane 6 both operational, European officials underscored the strategic significance of sovereign launch capability. Arianespace CEO David Cavaillolès highlighted the importance of ending reliance on foreign providers like SpaceX. Arianespace has conducted two launches so far in 2025 and plans six more by year’s end. Responsibility for Vega C operations will soon shift to Avio, the rocket’s manufacturer, with the transition described as proceeding smoothly.

Read the full article at: https://spacenews.com/vega-launches-biomass-satellite/

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

GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers May 2025 Rankings

The May 2025 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: 2025-05-01

1 ND9M 26 KX9X 51 AC0RA 76 N4UFO
2 NJ7H 27 ON4AUC 52 W7WGC 77 PT2AP
3 JA9KRO 28 KG5CCI 53 N6DNM 78 AA8CH
4 UT1FG 29 N5BO 54 JL3RNZ 79 PT9BM
5 N5UC 30 K8BL 55 EA4NF 80 VE1VOX
6 DL6AP 31 KE4AL 56 SM3NRY 81 FG8OJ
7 OE3SEU 32 KB5FHK 57 DF2ET 82 YU0W
8 WI7P 33 F4BKV 58 XE1ET 83 KJ7NDY
9 DP0POL 34 VE3HLS 59 LU4JVE 84 N6UTC
10 K5ZM 35 PA3GAN 60 KI7QEK 85 AF5CC
11 F5VMJ 36 KI0KB 61 AA5PK 86 KI7UXT
12 N6UA 37 JO2ASQ 62 SP5XSD 87 PS8BR
13 LU5ILA 38 KI7UNJ 63 F4DXV 88 WA9JBQ
14 HA3FOK 39 LA9XGA 64 AD7DB 89 KB2YSI
15 N9IP 40 BA1PK 65 VE1CWJ 90 N4DCW
16 WY7AA 41 VA3VGR 66 KE9AJ 91 JM1CAX
17 W5PFG 42 N7AGF 67 BG7QIW 92 K0FFY
18 AK8CW 43 VK5DG 68 DL4EA 93 VE3GOP
19 DL2GRC 44 XE3DX 69 N8RO 94 N0TEL
20 AD0DX 45 KE0WPA 70 KM4LAO 95 KG4AKV
21 N4AKV 46 PR8KW 71 W8LR 96 W8MTB
22 AD0HJ 47 KE0PBR 72 VA7LM 97 CU2ZG
23 WD9EWK 48 K7TAB 73 M1DDD 98 VE7PTN
24 ND0C 49 JK2XXK 74 W1AW 99 DK9JC
25 DJ8MS 50 EB1AO 75 HB9GWJ 100 K6VHF

[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information]

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 2, 2025

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/.

NOTICE: In an effort to minimize confusion between sources of two line element sets, AMSAT is adopting the convention of listing the USSF/NORAD Satellite Catalog name first, followed by any secondary name or names in parentheses. For example, “POEM 4 (BGS ARPIT)” was added recently where “POEM 4” is the name that appears in the US Space Force Satellite Catalog, and “BGS ARPIT” is the name best known within the amateur satellite community. Expect name changes for affected satellites in the coming weeks as this change is fully implemented.

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

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

ARISS NEWS

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

+ Recently Completed

Wireless Institute of Australia AGM and Technical Expo, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, telebridge via K6DUE
The ISS callsign was NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember was Takaya Onishi KF5LKS
The ARISS mentor was VK4KHZ
Contact was successful: Sat 2025-05-03 11:12:24 UTC

+ Upcoming Contacts

IISS Copernico Pasoli, Verona, Italy, telebridge via K6DUE
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Jonathan (Jonny) Kim KJ5HKP
The ARISS mentor is IZ2GOJ
Contact is go for: Mon 2025-05-05 09:36:54 UTC

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

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).

A special ARISS-Russia SSTV event is on the ISS schedule beginning May 5 at 12:00 UTC. This is a celebration commemorating a regional holiday.

Monitor 145.800 MHz for potential activity during passes. This will impact the availability of APRS digipeater.

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

None currently posted.

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]

AMSAT Ambassador Activities

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

AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says,

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

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

Scheduled Events

Dayton Hamvention – May 16th thru 18th, 2025
Greene County Fair and Expo Center
210 Fairground Road
Xenia, OH 45385
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-at-hamvention-2025/
https://hamvention.org/

Rochester Amateur Radio Association Hamfest 2025 – June 21, 2025
Barnard Fire Department Park
410 Maiden Lane
Rochester, NY 14616
KB2YSI
https://rochesterham.org/hamfest.htm

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

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

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

AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available
Yes, These are the Real Thing!

Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a Fox-Plus Satellite
Includes First Class Postage (Sorry – U.S. Addresses Only)
Order Today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Juan Carlos, CO8TW, reports that a WhatsApp channel titled Satellites for Hams…!!! now has 338 active subscribers. The channel shares regular updates and information of interest to amateur radio satellite operators, including how to become a member of AMSAT. It can be accessed directly at: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaIMu2D4IBhG7yR2Tb2d. To join, download the free WhatsApp app from your device’s app store—App Store for iPhone or Google Play Store for Android—or access it from your computer at https://web.whatsapp.com. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is a global messaging platform that supports text, voice, video, and multimedia sharing. It remains a popular tool among hams for coordinating and exchanging satellite-related information in real time. (ANS thanks Juan Carlos, CO8TW, for the above information)

+ Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket suffered a launch failure early Tuesday after lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Roughly two-and-a-half minutes into flight, the rocket’s first stage separated, but a bright white vapor cloud appeared—possibly an explosion—just before the upper stage ignited. Though the upper stage’s Lightning engine fired for more than six minutes, damage to its nozzle significantly reduced thrust, preventing the rocket from reaching orbital velocity. The mission, which was carrying Lockheed Martin’s LM-400 tech demo satellite, ended with the rocket and payload falling into the Pacific Ocean. This marks another setback for Alpha, which has now only achieved two fully successful missions out of six. Despite contract wins and plans for a more capable vehicle, Firefly must improve Alpha’s reliability to compete in the crowded small-to-medium launch market. (ANS thanks Ars Technica for the above information)

+ NOAA has announced that satellites NOAA 15, 18, and 19 will be reclassified as end-of-life effective June 16, 2025. These polar-orbiting weather satellites are widely used by amateur radio enthusiasts and RTL-SDR hobbyists to receive APT and HRPT imagery. The news was first reported by Carl Reinemann on the USradioguy.com blog, where he clarified that despite the end-of-life designation, transmissions will continue. NOAA has confirmed that signals will still be broadcast on a “data of opportunity” basis, meaning they are no longer intended for operational or safety-critical use but remain suitable for hobbyist reception. NOAA also stated that no ground intervention will be provided for future sensor or hardware failures. Should any critical malfunctions occur, the satellites may be decommissioned, as was nearly the case with NOAA 15’s scan motor, which previously failed and later resumed function under unclear circumstances. (ANS thanks RTL-SDR.com and USRadioguy.com for the above information)

+ A Soviet spacecraft originally intended for Venus, Cosmos 482, is expected to make an uncontrolled reentry into Earth’s atmosphere around May 9–10, after orbiting the planet for over 53 years. Launched in March 1972, the mission failed when the upper stage of its Soyuz booster cut off prematurely, stranding the Venus lander in Earth orbit. The descent module—designed to endure Venus’ harsh atmosphere—remains intact and may potentially survive Earth reentry due to its heavy thermal shielding. Satellite tracker Marco Langbroek has modeled its descent and predicts it could hit the ground or ocean at speeds exceeding 145 miles per hour. Although the risk to people or infrastructure is low, the lander’s size and mass make its reentry comparable to a small meteorite impact. Its fiery return is a rare and fascinating reminder of Cold War-era space exploration still orbiting above us. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above information)

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

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

ANS-103 AMSAT News Service Bulletins

by

April 13, 2025

In this edition:

* Fram2Ham Mission A Success
* ISS SSTV April 11-16 – Humans in Space
* OpenGD77 Handheld Radio Firmware Aids FM Satellite Operating
* Update about HADES-ICM
* A New Breed of Satellite and Space Focused “Makers” is Emerging
* Your Story Is Needed
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution
* Starliner’s Wild Ride
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

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

The news feed on 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

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/

Fram2Ham Mission A Success

According to our education partner ARISS, “The Framonauts are back on Earth after a ground breaking mission and ham radio event!” The ARISS STEM contest teams submission deadline for participants to submit their contest entries was April 17, 2025. More than 110 STEM team submissions were received, along with 1,100 general submissions to the gallery.

Once contest submissions are complete, ARISS will share when the gallery images are live. That is then your opportunity to start sharing your personal image SSTV captures on social media.

As with any experiment, there are many lessons learned. ARISS seeks feedback from participants.

A Shortwave Listener (SWL), Ryszard Kowalski, on April 7, 2025 posted a professional-quality framed collection of photos received during the Fram2Ham SSTV Experiment. For details see: https://fram2ham.com/. Kowalski has been a member of AMSAT since January 21, 2020.

The photos, captured during April 1-4, 2025, were posted on the AMSAT Facebook Group. View the collection here: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1738703997045169&set=gm.2587259684795960&idorvanity=752128438309103. A Facebook account may be necessary to view the images.

In another attention-worthy AMSAT Facebook Group post, Matúš Nemec, OM25ISS Administrator, on April 6, 2025 posted a set of photos and information regarding a Day in Space event at the University of Prešov, in Slovakia. See https://www.facebook.com/groups/1167612127668053/user/100034118948580/. A video of the day-long STEM oriented activity can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/live/M3TRp9ykIQo?feature=shared.

[ANS thanks ARIS and David Vine, WA1EAW, for the above information]

The 2025 AMSAT President’s Club Coins Have Just Arrived!
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight
Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.

2025 PC Coin Set

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

ISS SSTV April 11-16 – Humans in Space

April 12 is the International Day of Human Spaceflight so, what better theme for the April 11-16 Slow Scan TV transmissions.

Start: Friday, April 11 1700 GMT
End: Wed, April 16 1430 GMT

Frequency: 145.800 MHz FM (+/-3.5 kHz Doppler Shift)
SSTV Mode: PD120 (Transmission cycle 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off)

Amateurs are invited to upload decoded images in the ARISS gallery, area “Series 26 – Humans in space” at: https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/

Once submitted, clicking on the dedicated button enables application for the official ARISS SSTV award.

The ARISS QSL can also be requested by contacting the European QSL bureau: https://www.ariss-eu.org/index.php/ariss-station/european-qsl-bureau

To support everyone interested in such events, the European Space Agency released tutorials about how to receive pictures transmitted over amateur radio by the International Space Station: you can find them on https://issfanclub.eu/2024/11/08/esa-tips-how-to-get-pictures-from-the-international-space-station-via-amateur-radio-2/

It’s always possible to receive the ISS SSTV signal by using the WebSDR at the Goonhilly Earth Station, the audio can then be fed into your PC or Smartphone SSTV App https://vhf-goonhilly.batc.org.uk/

Follow @ARISS_intl on X for official updates, since changes can occur.

Reminder, the images are sent on a (roughly) 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off schedule. So if nothing is heard, give it 2 minutes!

Many FM rigs can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters. For best results you should select the filter for wider deviation FM. Handhelds generally have a single wide filter fitted as standard.

Predictions for the ISS pass times are available at https://www.amsat.org/track/

Useful information on receiving the pictures and links for Apps to display the pictures can be found here: https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

OpenGD77 Handheld Radio Firmware Aids FM Satellite Operating

An article In ARRL QST magazine, April 2025, pages 35 and 36, provides an overview of an available open source firmware for held-held radios: According to the article, the free firmware can provide some models of analog FM and DMR capable radios with satellite capability including screens showing; polar view graphic, satellite individual predictions, a satellite alarm and the ability to upload Kep’s data into the radio.

Doppler tuning and AOS and LOS information were mentioned in the QST article. View the April 2025 QST issue via this link: https://edition.pagesuite.com/get_image.aspx?w=280&eid=7584fe3f-aae2-4504-82c2-65a4c4f268bf&pnum=first.

ARRL members can access QST supplementary materials which are available via this link: http://www.arrl.org/qst-in-depth. Several YouTube videos about the firmware are live including how to create a code plug for programming a handheld with GD-77 firmware. This unique firmware was introduced several years ago.

The GD77 firmware also includes a number enhancements, including easier DMR related functions. Recent discussion on OpenGD77 was heard via the CSRA Multimode Tech Net from several satisfied users. Information about the net is available on their Facebook Group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1138357396634299/

The firmware is now available for use in some models of Radioddity, Baofeng and TYT model radios and have been successfully used on an Anytone 878UV II plus handheld.. A GD77 user guide is available via this link: https://github.com/LibreDMR/OpenGD77_UserGuide?tab=readme-ov-file#readme
and a forum is here: https://www.opengd77.com/

The developer’s site includes this caution statement, “firmware license forbids any form of commercial use of the firmware binary or the source code. Installing the firmware onto the radio will invalidate all FCC certifications and those of other countries’ licensing bodies. However, it is usually possible to back up and restore the original radio firmware.

[ANS thanks QST and David Vine, WA1EAW, for the above information]

Need new satellite antennas?

Purchase 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/

Update About HADES-ICM

HADES-ICM was deployed last Monday, March 31, at 7:37 UTC from OTV ION-SCV-017. Telemetry data shows the satellite is in good condition. The satellite has already accepted commands and now it is undergoing a testing phase. The final TLE is not yet available but you can use this one (Source SatNOGS):

HADES-ICM
1 98637U 25052X 25092.34373891 .00000000 00000-0 42496-2 0 03
2 98637 97.4434 347.3229 0004588 342.2991 86.6061 15.18376415 09

The repeater will not be active until we have its final TLE and the satellite has been fully checked. This can take several weeks.

The same software as for HADES-R can be used for demodulating and decoding. (Recommended Andy’s Soundmodem).

[ANS thanks Félix Paez, EA4GQS, AMSAT-EA Principal Project Manager, for the above information]

A New Breed of Satellite and Space Focused “Makers” is Emerging

Several threads have come together pointing to a new breed of space oriented individuals who may be attracted to Amateur Radio. Exploding interest in inexpensive small board computers (SBC), satellite specific firmware for handhelds, 3-D printed parts for satellite antennas and soda can size “satellites,” and makers using small board computers.

According to Wikipedia, “maker culture is a contemporary subculture representing a technology-based extension of DIY culture that intersects with hardware-oriented parts of hacker culture and revels in the creation of new devices as well as tinkering with existing ones.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maker_culture

Taken as a whole, this points in the direction from which new hams, especially students and young adults, may arise. This article is the first of a series about makers as potential recruits for Amateur Radio clubs. To learn more about makers, simply go to YouTube. YouTube is an abundant source of maker videos with some produced by satellite oriented Radio Amateurs and others.

You may recall that the 3-D printed components and Raspberry Pi (RPi) SBCs have been key components of many recent AMSAT projects. RPi. Is often the SBC of choice, especially in severely volume-restricted cubesats.

For example, the AMSAT CubeSatSim v1.3 hardware including two RPi SBCs and four matching cameras. An excellent overview of AMSAT education with the CubeSat Simulator project sessions were presented by Alan Johnston, KU2Y, the CubeSatSim creator. Another session, Integration of the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator for Education and Research, was presented by Rachel Jones, KO4HLC.

Learn more about the CubeSatSim here: https://cubesatsim.com/. Also, members may download any of the 1986 to 2024 AMSAT Symposium Proceedings here: https://launch.amsat.org/Proceedings. Non-members who join AMSAT may download the 184 page Proceedings and utilize all other AMSAT information and member services: https://launch.amsat.org/Membership.

To attract young adults Amateur Radio clubs may want to consider acquiring 3-D printers for shared use in member projects. Also, widely publicized activities using SBCs and open source software can attract fresh participants to clubs.

We’ll be covering more topics about makers and means of attracting them to Amateur Radio clubs in following issues the AMSAT News Weekly Bulletin.

[ANS thanks David Vine, WA1EAW, for the above information]

Your Story Is Needed

The AMSAT News Service weekly Bulletins and the bi-monthly AMSAT Journal editors are always seeking fresh Amateur Satellite news and information. We need your input including news tips. Send them to: [email protected].

AMSAT volunteer editors sometimes lack important news about domestic and international Amateur Satellite events and activities, club presentations, Amateur Satellite related projects, etc. Send info or an article about it to the above address.

Have you taken part in or conducted an interesting Amateur Satellite oriented activity. Do you present talks and presentations about Amateur Satellites and closely related topics? Do you participate in Amateur Satellite oriented nets? Would you like others to know about it? If so, tell us about it via: [email protected].

Are you experienced as a writer, presenter or have other space or satellite related skills you’d like to share with AMSAT members and others worldwide? If so, reach out to us via the email address above and let us know what you’d like to write about.

There are no paid staff personnel employed by AMSAT publications. The organization relies on volunteers and financial donations from people worldwide who support AMSAT in many different ways. If you are reading this note you are interested in keeping Amateur Radio in space and space-oriented education for students, young people as well as adults.

Thank you for reading this note and we hope to hear from you soon.

AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available
Yes, These are the Real Thing!

Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a Fox-Plus Satellite
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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 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/.

The following satellites have been removed from this week’s AMSAT TLE distribution:

DRAGON Fram2 NORAD Cat ID 63427 Splashdown 16:19 04 April 2025
Fram2Ham Provisional Cat ID 90000 Experiment terminated 08:42:50 O4 April 2025

The following satellites have been added to this week’s AMSAT TLE distribution:

TEVEL2-1 NORAD Cat ID 63217
TEVEL2-2 NORAD Cat ID 63218
TEVEL2-3 NORAD Cat ID 63219
TEVEL2-4 NORAD Cat ID 63213
TEVEL2-5 NORAD Cat ID 63214
TEVEL2-6 NORAD Cat ID 63215
TEVEL2-7 NORAD Cat ID 63239
TEVEL2-8 NORAD Cat ID 63237
TEVEL2-9 NORAD Cat ID 63238

Please note that Two/Three Line Element (TLE or 3LE) sets for spacecraft launched in the near future will not be available, and new formats will be used instead. The essence of the problem is that the US Space Force is running out of numbers to catalog new satellites, see https://celestrak.org/NORAD/documentation/gp-data-formats.php for details. AMSAT will continue to disseminate TLE for satellites currently in orbit indefinitely as we do now, but we seek comments regarding the best way to support the amateur satellites of the future. For example, is there any need to augment the weekly e-mail with a new list in one or more of the new formats or is on line access via www.celestrak.org or www.amsat.org sufficient? Please send your comments using the form at https://www.amsat.org/webmaster-contact/ on the AMSAT web site.

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

Starliner’s Wild Ride

For the first time since they returned to Earth on a Crew Dragon vehicle several weeks ago, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, participated in a news conference on Monday, March 31, at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Afterward, they spent hours conducting short, 10-minute interviews with reporters from around the world, describing their mission to test Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on the vehicle’s first crewed, which launched on June 5, 2024 for a planned 10 days.

After Starliner separated from the Atlas V rocket, Williams and Wilmore performed several maneuvering tests and put the vehicle through its paces. Starliner performed exceptionally well during these initial tests on day one.

More so even than launch or landing, the most challenging part of this mission, which would stress Starliner’s handling capabilities as well as its navigation system, would come as it approached the orbiting laboratory. That’s when trouble started, as several thrusters began to fail. Wilmore had to take manual control of the vehicle, but even more thruster failures ensued.

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is pictured docked to the International Space Station. One of the four thruster packs is visible on the service module. Credit: NASA

Essentially, Wilmore could not fully control Starliner any longer. But simply abandoning the docking attempt was not a palatable solution. Just as the thrusters were needed to control the vehicle during the docking process, they were also necessary to position Starliner for its deorbit burn and reentry to Earth’s atmosphere. So Wilmore had to contemplate whether it was riskier to approach the space station or try to fly back to Earth. Williams was worrying about the same thing.

Wilmore said, “We knew that they [Mission Control] were working really hard to be able to keep communication with us, and then be able to send commands. We were both thinking, what if we lose communication with the ground?

“Thankfully, these folks are heroes. And please print this. What do heroes look like? Well, heroes put their tank on and they run into a fiery building and pull people out of it. That’s a hero. Heroes also sit in their cubicle for decades studying their systems, and knowing their systems front and back. And when there is no time to assess a situation and go and talk to people and ask, ‘What do you think?’ they know their system so well they come up with a plan on the fly. That is a hero. And there are several of them in Mission Control.”

For the full article, see http://bit.ly/3XX0cnA

[ANS thanks Eric Berger writing for Ars Technica 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.

Magnet Innovation Center, Inlet Beach, Florida, telebridge via AB1OC
The scheduled crewmember is Nichole Ayers, KJ5GWI
The ARISS mentor is AA4KN
Contact is go for: Thu 2025-04-17 15:52:03 UTC 56 deg

Pan-African Citizen Science e-lab, Africa, telebridge via IK1SLD
The scheduled crewmember is Nichole Ayers, KJ5GWI
The ARISS mentor is IN3GHZ
Contact is go for: Fri 2025-04-18 10:26:16 UTC 76 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. UPCOMING: Powering off for Soyuz undocking on Apr 19 OFF about 12:15 UTC. ON Apr 20 about 14:30 UTC.

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

April 30: VYØSAT on SO-50 from EP28. Tentative if flight/wx cooperates. POTA CA4585.

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]

AMSAT Ambassador Activities

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

Denton County Amateur Radio Association (DCARA) – Monday, April 28 at 7 p.m. CDT
Denton Count Administrative Courthouse
1 Courthouse Drive
3rd floor, Room 2020
Denton, TX 76208
Also online. See https://dcara.net/club-calendar/ for link
AMSAT Ambassador Tom Schuessler, N5HYP

Dayton Hamvention – May 16th thru 18th, 2025
Greene County Fair and Expo Center
210 Fairground Road
Xenia, OH 45385
https://hamvention.org/

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

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+The Cover Story for the May 2025 issue of QST magazine is an article (beginning on page 55) about “NASA on the Air” (NOTA), a collaboration among 12 amateur radio clubs at NASA facilities across the country, from California to Florida. Club stations, operated primarily by NASA staff member who happen to be licensed amateurs, commemorate special events in space history with special operations on the ham bands. See the QST article or https://nasaontheair.wordpress.com/ for more information. (ANS thanks QST magazine for the above information.)

+ Three new crew members arrived at the International Space Station on April 8, 2025, beginning an eight-month space research mission. NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubrisky launched earlier the same day aboard the Soyuz MS-25. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information.)

+ CatSat now ready for microwave testing and QSOs. CatSat successfully demonstrated the capability to act as a linear transponder satellite for the first time on the morning of April 11! In this mode of operation, the satellite receives signals sent from the ground at 5.663 GHz and re-transmits them back to the ground at 10.47 GHz. During the pass, team members tracked the satellite and confirmed the presence of the re-transmitted signal at 10.47 GHz. (ANS thanks Walter Rahmer, KK7IOV, CatSat Command System Lead, for the above information.)

+ The Indonesian APRS satellite IO-86 has been returned to service after a hiatus of several days during the Eid al-Fitr holiday. The operating schedule may be found on X @pr_teksat. (ANS thanks Yono Adisoemarta, YDØNXX, for the above information.)

+ The Yuri Gagarin Cup International HF and VHF Contest, held in memory of Konstantin Khachaturov, RT3A (SK), is held April, 12 2025, 12.00 UTC until April, 13 2025, 11.59 UTC on HF and satellites. Awards are offered in various categories, including for SWLs. For details, see https://gccontest.ru/en/rules-gc-2025/ (ANS thanks Ham Radio World for the above information.)

+ SpaceX static fired Super Heavy Booster 14 (that had previously flown and returned on Flight 7) ahead of Starship Flight 9 with 29 of its 33 engines being flight proven—this will be the first reuse for the Starship system. (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 Editors, Mark Johns, KØJM and David Vine, WA1EAW
mjohns [at] amsat.org

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