This morning, AMSAT filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission on their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking In the Matter of Streamlining Licensing Procedures for Small Satellites (International Bureau Docket #18-86). The comments can be read in their entirety below.
ARISS-Russia, in collaboration with the Southwest State University in Kursk, Russia, are developing a series of educational CubeSat satellites called Tanusha. Two Tanusha CubeSats were developed by students at Southwest State University and were hand-deployed by cosmonauts during an August 2017 extravehicular activity. These two CubeSats are performing cluster flight experiments through communications links. A second set of CubeSats, Tanusha 3 & 4 were launched earlier this year and are currently on-board ISS. Tanusha 3 & 4 are planned to be hand deployed by Cosmonauts in August. They will perform even more comprehensive cluster flight objectives than Tanusha 1 & 2.
Tanusha-2
On June 20, Tanusha 3 will be connected to one of the ARISS Service Module antennas and will transmit from 0730-1200 UTC on 437.05 MHz. These FM transmissions will include greetings from students in several languages, including Russian, English, Spanish and Chinese. On June 21, Tanusha 4 will be connected to one of the ARISS Service Module antennas and will transmit from 0730-1200 UTC on the same frequency: 437.05 MHz. The ARISS-Russia team plan to also retransmit these signals on the standard ARISS 2-meter downlink, 145.80 MHz using the JVC Kenwood D700 radio that is still on-board ISS. All are invited to listen to the CubeSats from ISS on 437.05 and/or 145.80 MHz.
The next SSTV image downlinks are planned for June 29-July 1. These images will commemorate the various satellites that the ARISS team has developed and hand-deployed from the ISS. These will include the first satellite deployment from ISS: SuitSat-1/Radioskaf-1 which was deployed in February 2006. More details on this will be forthcoming as the date draws near.
ISS SSTV Image (Courtey M0AEU)
We thank ARISS-Russia delegate Sergey Samburov, RV3DR for this latest information.
73, Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO
ISS Ham Radio Program Manager & PI
ARISS International Chair
AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs
The “AMSAT North America” group that has existed for over a decade no longer serves as the official Facebook group of AMSAT. Please join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AMSATNA/
AMSAT has petitioned Facebook to remove the logo and name from the “AMSAT North America” group’s pages in accordance with Facebook’s Intellectual Property Policy.
AMSAT officers and board members will no longer hold any role in the group. Facebook’s policy is the creator of the group, owns the group resources.
For the most current information and discussion about AMSAT’s activities, please join us on our new group. This new group has been placed under corporate ownership under legal advice and to insure the latest information and discussion from AMSAT.
CAMSAT, the Chinese Amateur Satellite Group, has submitted requests to the IARU for frequency coordination for three new amateur satellites.
CAS-5A is a 6U CubeSat with several amateur transponders: A 30 kHz wide 15 meter to 10 meter linear transponder, a 15 kHz wide 15 meter to 70 cm linear transponder, a 30 kHz wide 2 meter to 70 cm linear transponder, and a 2 meter to 70 cm FM repeater. The satellite also has 10 meter and 70 cm CW beacons as well as a 70 cm 4.8k / 9.6k GMSK telemetry downlink.
CAS-5B is a 90 mm L x 80 mm W x 50 mm H 0.5 kg femtosatellite with a 70 cm CW beacon.
CAS-5A and CAS-5B are scheduled to launch in September from Jiuguan Launch Center into a 539 km x 533 km 97.5 degree inclination orbit.
CAS-6 is an amateur payload aboard a 50 kg microsatellite with a 20 kHz wide 70 cm to 2 m linear transponder, a VHF CW beacon, and a 4.8k GMSK telemetry downlink. Launch is planned from a Sea Launch Pad from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in September into a 579 km x 579 km 45 degree inclination orbit.
