<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<style type="text/css" style="display:none;"> P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} </style>
</head>
<body dir="ltr">
<div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="elementToProof ContentPasted0">
<span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">AMSAT NEWS SERVICE</span>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">ANS-239</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">In this edition:</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Cast Your Vote: 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Ending Soon</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Registration Now Open for Upcoming International AMSAT Conferences</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Chandrayaan-3 Makes Historic Soft Landing on Moon's South Pole</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* SpaceX Launches Crew-7 Mission aboard Crew Dragon Endurance</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Teams Hack U.S. Air Force Satellite in Space Cybersecurity Contest</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Satellite Top 100 Rovers August 2023 Rankings</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 25, 2023</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* ARISS News</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Upcoming Satellite Operations</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Satellite Shorts From All Over</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">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.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">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/</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">ANS-239 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">To: All RADIO AMATEURS</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">712 H Street NE, Suite 1653</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Washington, DC 20002</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">DATE 2023 Aug 27</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Cast Your Vote: 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Ending Soon</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">There is less than a three-week window remaining to participate in the 2023 AMSAT Board of Directors Election. The voting process will conclude on September 15, 2023. To access
candidate statements and the online Election Ballot, you can visit AMSAT's Wild Apricot membership portal at https://launch.amsat.org/2023-BoD-Election.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">In this year's election, four seats on the Board of Directors are open for consideration. Once the voting period concludes on September 15th, four of the candidates will take
their places on the Board, along with an alternate member. The following individuals have been officially nominated:</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Barry Baines, WD4ASW</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Jerry Buxton, N0JY</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Frank Karnauskas, N1UW</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Upon clicking the poll link, you will be directed to your ballot or poll question. After selecting your preferred choices, simply click the Submit button to cast your vote.
Unlike typical online polls, the results of previous votes up until your vote will not be visible. Each AMSAT member is entitled to one vote only. If you attempt to access the poll link again after casting your vote, you will receive a message confirming your
vote has been submitted.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The outcomes of the Board of Directors Election, including the total number of ballots cast, the vote count for each candidate, and the names of the newly elected Board of
Directors members, will be publicly announced a few days following the conclusion of the election.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks Jeff Davis, KE9V, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">---------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Registration Now Open for Upcoming International AMSAT Conferences</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ AMSAT-DL was founded in 1973, so this year we can look back on 50 years of space exploration. We have taken this as an opportunity to put this year’s symposium in a special
setting. Ticket sales are now available at https://shop.amsat-dl.org. The Festive Conference and Symposium will be held Friday, September 15 to Sunday, September 17, 2023.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">With a view to the 50-year history of AMSAT-Germany and its mission of promoting amateur radio via satellites, the celebratory conference “From OSCAR 10 to OSCAR 100: 50 years
of AMSAT-DL in service to science, research and education” will take place at the Bochum Observatory radome. Accommodations are limited, and the booking of the overnight stays is only possible via the AMSAT-DL store. See https://amsat-dl.org/en/ticket-sales-festive-conference-50-years-amsat-dl
for more information.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ AMSAT-UK is pleased to announce that the 2023 Colloquium will take place alongside the RSGB Convention at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Milton Keynes on the weekend
of 14/15th October 2023.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Full details of the Colloquium will be made available nearer the time on the AMSAT-UK website at https://amsat-uk.org. As in previous years, the AMSAT-UK Colloquium will run
as a separate stream within the RSGB Convention and will include presentations on a variety of satellite and space related topics.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Entrance to the RSGB Convention is managed by the RSGB and you will be required to purchase Day Tickets for the Saturday and/or Sunday to attend the AMSAT-UK Colloquium. These
can be booked via the RSGB website at https://rsgb.org/main/rsgb-2023-convention. Early bird discounts are being offered by the RSGB via their website.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ AMSAT will hold their 41st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting on October 20-21, 2023 at the Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel in Irving, Texas. The schedule
will encompass an array of activities, including an AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting, AMSAT Space Symposium, AMSAT Annual General Meeting, AMSAT Banquet and Reception, AMSAT Member Breakfast, as well as the Friday Night Social and Auction.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">You can register online for individual events or all events at: https://launch.amsat.org/event-5363188. Rooms are available for check-in on Wednesday, October 18, with check-out
on Sunday, October 22. The Standard room with a single King bed is currently SOLD OUT; act quickly to secure your reservations. Alternatively, the Standard room with two Queen beds is priced at $137.00* (excluding state and local taxes of 15%). To make phone
reservations, call 972-929-8400 and request the RADIO AMATEUR SATELLITE rate. For online reservations, visit https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1689956666782&key=GRP&app=resvlink.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks AMSAT, AMSAT-UK, and AMSAT-DL for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> The 2023 AMSAT President's Club coins are here now!
</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its launch
</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> on June 16, 1983, this year's coin features
</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 10.
</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help
</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Chandrayaan-3 Makes Historic Soft Landing on Moon's South Pole</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">In a momentous achievement, the Chandrayaan-3 mission by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully executed a lunar landing, establishing India as the fourth
nation to accomplish this feat.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Amid palpable tension followed by jubilant cheers at the ISRO mission control center, the Chandrayaan-3 mission's robotic lander, known as Vikram, made a triumphant touchdown
on the moon's surface near its southern pole at 12:33 P.M. UTC on August 23. The mission, launched on July 14, marked ISRO's determined return to lunar landing endeavors after the Chandrayaan-2 mission's unfortunate crash in 2019. With the safe landing of
the spacecraft, India joins the ranks of the former Soviet Union, the United States, and China as countries that have successfully executed soft landings on the moon.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">A critical aspect of Chandrayaan-3's landing was its complete autonomy during lunar descent. Due to the three-second signal delay between the lander and Earth, Earth-bound
engineers couldn't guide the landing in real-time. Vikram was tasked with reducing its orbital velocity to virtually zero, aligning with the intended trajectory for a secure landing. This required precise coordination of its engines based on continuous measurements
of distance, velocity, and orientation.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Learning from the lessons of Chandrayaan-2, ISRO incorporated increased redundancies and safeguards into Chandrayaan-3. The mission carried extra fuel and an improved guidance,
navigation, and control system, capable of correcting significant deviations from the intended path. In-depth ground tests using helicopters and cranes further validated the changes made to 21 subsystems.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The success of Chandrayaan-3 is particularly significant given the recent history of lunar landing attempts. Out of the past six attempts in the last five years, only four
were successful. Notably, Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft crashed on August 19, joining the ranks of unsuccessful landers from Israel, India, and Japan. Chandrayaan-3's achievement aligns with the accomplishments of China's Chang'e 4 and Chang'e 5 landers, which
have also found success in recent times.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Sankaran Muthusamy, director of the U. R. Rao Satellite Center, ISRO's center responsible for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, stressed the responsibility to inspire both India and
the world through this historic landing.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Chandrayaan-3's intricate lunar descent involved four primary phases. The "rough braking" phase initiated when the craft was 30 kilometers above the lunar surface. It fired
its four main engines for approximately 12 minutes, reducing its horizontal velocity by about 80 percent. A critical "attitude hold" phase followed, wherein smaller thrusters stabilized the lander to ensure accurate sensor readings. Chandrayaan-3 relied on
redundant altimeters, one using lasers and another using microwaves, to determine its height. Microwave altimeters, with their wider coverage, enhanced the mission's accuracy.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The successful mission is expected to propel India's lunar ambitions further. By signing the Artemis Accords, a framework for collaborative lunar exploration led by the United
States, India has opened avenues for enhanced partnerships with other signatory countries. The success of Chandrayaan-3 also paves the way for India's potential collaboration with Japan in its upcoming LUPEX rover mission. This partnership aims to study water
ice on the moon's south pole, contributing valuable data to future endeavors, including NASA's Artemis program.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks Jatan Mehta, writing for ScientificAmerican.com for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">---------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">SpaceX Launches Crew-7 Mission aboard Crew Dragon Endurance</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-7 mission on August 26, 2023. Lift-off occurred precisely at 07:27 UTC (3:27 AM EDT) from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space
Center in Florida.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The mission, also known as United States Crew Vehicle mission 7 (USCV-7), was orchestrated by SpaceX, the launch provider, for their customer, the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA). With this launch, SpaceX demonstrated its prowess in space technology, deploying its Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket and Booster B1081-1 for the mission.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">This launch was no ordinary event. It marked the 250th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket, accompanied by the 220th successful booster landing. Notably, it extended SpaceX's record
for consecutive booster landings to an impressive 146. Moreover, Crew-7 marked SpaceX's 11th crewed mission, solidifying the company's position as a frontrunner in human spaceflight endeavors. The total number of humans launched by SpaceX totals 42 – the answer
to everything!</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The Crew-7 mission aimed to bridge the gap between nations and space agencies. The spacecraft, aptly named "Endurance," carried a diverse crew from four different countries
and space organizations:</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Commander Jasmin Moghbeli (KI5WSL): Raised in Baldwin, New York, by Iranian parents who emigrated in 1979, she holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from MIT.
Commissioned as a U.S. Marine Corps officer, Moghbeli served as an AH-1 Super Cobra pilot, completing 150 combat missions. She earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and became a helicopter test pilot at Marine
Corps Air Station Yuma. Chosen for NASA Astronaut Group 22 in 2017, Moghbeli's journey led her to become the Commander of Crew-7 in 2022.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Pilot Andreas Enevold Mogensen (KG5GCZ): ESA astronaut with a diverse background. He earned a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Imperial College London in 1999.
Mogensen's professional journey saw him working as an engineer in various global locations, including offshore oil rigs in Africa and wind turbine control systems in Denmark. He was selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009 while contributing to spacecraft guidance
and navigation research. Mogensen's space journey began with Soyuz TMA-18M in 2015, making him the first Danish citizen in space.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Mission Specialist Satoshi Furukawa (KE5DAW): Distinguished astronaut with a medical background. Graduating from the University of Tokyo with a Doctor of Medicine in 1989 and
a PhD in Medical Science in 2000, Furukawa practiced as an anesthetist and surgeon before his selection as an astronaut candidate in 1999. His medical expertise took him on his first space journey aboard Soyuz TMA-02M in 2011. As a veteran, he returns to space
as a Mission Specialist for Crew-7 in 2023, contributing his medical insights to the international team.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Mission Specialist Konstantin Sergeyevich Borisov: Cosmonaut with a diverse educational journey. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Economics from the Russian Academy
of Economics in 2005 and pursued a master’s degree in Operations Research and Systems Analysis at Warwick University, UK. Borisov's passion for aviation led him to complete a master's program in Life Support Systems for Aircraft at the Moscow Aviation Institute.
Selected as a cosmonaut in 2018, Borisov's dedication culminated in his assignment as a Mission Specialist for Crew-7 in 2023.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The Crew Dragon spacecraft, "Endurance," embarked on a journey to rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS) in an orbit approximately 400 km above Earth. This mission
further solidified SpaceX's commitment to reusability, with the booster for Crew-7, Booster B1081-1, being a new addition to the roster, demonstrating the company's capability to successfully launch humans using an unused booster for the fifth time.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks Florian Kordina and Trevor Sesnic, writing for EverydayAstronaut.com for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows,</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Teams Hack U.S. Air Force Satellite in Space Cybersecurity Contest</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The United States Air Force has successfully concluded its pioneering Hack-A-Sat competition, with three teams claiming victory and substantial cash prizes. The competition,
which took place as part of the annual DEF CON hacking convention in Las Vegas from August 11 to August 14, centered on the task of hacking into an active satellite in orbit. This was a new level of challenge compared to previous editions that relied on simulated
ground-based satellites.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The spotlight shone on the small CubeSat christened "Moonlighter," collaboratively developed by the Aerospace Corporation and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. This formidable
space contender was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 5, 2023, concurrently with cargo bound for the International Space Station.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Five determined teams squared off in the Hack-A-Sat contest, each striving to outsmart the defenses of Moonlighter and reap both prestige and monetary rewards. Emerging triumphant
was the Italian consortium "mHACKeroni," a fusion of five Italian cyber research teams, whose accomplishment netted them the coveted first-place position and a princely sum of $50,000. Following closely in second place was the "Poland Can Into Space" squad
hailing from Poland, pocketing $30,000 for their impressive performance. The third spot on the podium was clinched by the collaborative British-American force known as "jmp fs:[rcx]," whose strategic prowess earned them $20,000 in cash winnings.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The essence of the competition was the penetration of Moonlighter's protective layers, enabling participants to override the satellite's predetermined scope of observation
targets. Successful teams then wielded the power to direct the satellite's lens towards desired focal points on the Earth's surface, capturing images that were subsequently relayed back to ground stations.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The significance of such competitions resonates in their contribution to fortifying the security of satellite systems. Col. Neal Roach, representing the Space Systems Command
of the U.S. Air Force, emphasized the broader impact of the Hack-A-Sat initiative. "Hack-A-Sat has raised public awareness on the importance of space cybersecurity and has helped to strengthen the industry, security, and government partnership that we need
to build more resilient space systems that will keep our nation and our world secure," he stated.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The urgency surrounding satellite cybersecurity has grown in recent years, exacerbated by real-world incidents. In a troubling revelation, Elon Musk disclosed that SpaceX's
Starlink satellites faced repeated cyberattacks, coinciding with Russia's actions in Ukraine. The history of cyber intrusions into satellite systems traces back to 2011 when two U.S. government satellites reportedly fell victim to suspected Chinese military
hacking endeavors.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks Brett Tingley, Editor for Space.com for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">---------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Satellite Top 100 Rovers August 2023 Rankings</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The August 2023 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (All Satellites) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined
by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations.
Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr in order to provide more accurate data.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Updated: 2023-08-05</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">1 N5UC 26 KE4AL 51 JK2XXK 76 AC0RA</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">2 ND9M 27 N7AGF 52 DL2GRC 77 PT9BM</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">3 NJ7H 28 ON4AUC 53 M1DDD 78 A41ZZ</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">4 JA9KRO 29 KG5CCI 54 AD7DB 79 HB9GWJ</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">5 DP0POL 30 K8BL 55 VE1VOX 80 PT9ST</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">6 N6UA 31 N6DNM 56 AA8CH 81 5H3SE</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">7 DL6AP 32 KE0PBR 57 LU4JVE 82 KB2YSI</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">8 AD0HJ 33 WI7P 58 KM4LAO 83 9J2SEU</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">9 WY7AA 34 JO2ASQ 59 VE3GOP 84 DL4EA</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">10 HA3FOK 35 XE3DX 60 AM1SAT 85 DK9JC</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">11 K5ZM 36 EA4NF 61 KD8RTT 86 K4DCA</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">12 AK8CW 37 OE3SEU 62 FG8OJ 87 AB5SS</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">13 AD0DX 38 SP5XSD 63 N4UFO 88 PA3GAN</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">14 N5BO 39 VE1CWJ 64 N4DCW 89 K0FFY</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">15 N9IP 40 PR8KW 65 PT2AP 90 EC3TZ</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">16 WD9EWK 41 W7WGC 66 KJ7NDY 91 KF6JOQ</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">17 W5PFG 42 EB1AO 67 AF5CC 92 VE6WK</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">18 ND0C 43 F4DXV 68 N0TEL 93 CU2ZG</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">19 LU5ILA 44 JL3RNZ 69 VO2AC 94 KG4AKV</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">20 KX9X 45 KE0WPA 70 KI7UXT 95 KC7JPC</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">21 KB5FHK 46 K7TAB 71 KI7QEK 96 VE7PTN</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">22 LA9XGA 47 VA7LM 72 W8LR 97 YU0W</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">23 VE3HLS 48 AA5PK 73 XE1ET 98 VA3VGR</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">24 KI7UNJ 49 KE9AJ 74 WA9JBQ 99 WN9Q</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">25 DJ8MS 50 F5VMJ 75 VK5DG 100 V55QO</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> from our Zazzle store!</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> 25% of the purchase price of each product goes</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;"> https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 25, 2023</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits
used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around
2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">This week there are no additions or deletions to the weekly AMSAT TLE distribution.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">---------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">ARISS NEWS</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">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.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ Upcoming Contacts</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Bowman Middle School, Bakersville, NC, direct via W4GUZ</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The scheduled crewmember is Warren Hoburg KB3HTZ</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The ARISS mentor is AA6TB</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Contact is go for: Mon 2023-08-28 14:38:46 UTC</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Augusta Preparatory Day School, Augusta, GA, direct via K4RGK</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be TBD</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The scheduled crewmember is Steve Bowen KI5BKB</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The ARISS mentor is AA4KN</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Contact is go for: Thu 2023-08-31 13:51:28 UTC</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">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.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down).</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">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.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">--------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Upcoming Satellite Operations</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">TF/DL2GRC: Got an email from Nina stating that she & the family will be heading to Iceland with operations scheduled to begin on Friday (18th).</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">From Nina: We will do a trip around the Island and hope to be active on MEO, LEO and GEO: family, equipment, satellites and weather permitting. Operations can be expected between
August 18th to 30th. Please keep in mind, it will be a family holiday and no DX-pedition. Look out for TF/DL4BEN, TF/DL8SCU and TF/DL2GRC. Stay tuned!</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">To include your satellite roving plans in the AMSAT News Service Weekly bulletins, send them to Ian, K5ZM at k5zm (at) comcast (dot) net at least a couple of weeks in advance.
Upcoming satellite operations are updated weekly on the AMSAT Upcoming Satellite Operations page but may expire before the next AMSAT News Service bulletin is released. You can watch for the latest roving information to become available at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-info/upcoming-satellite-operations.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">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.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">---------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires,
and other events.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ AMSAT-DL Festive Conference & Symposium (50 Years)</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">September 15-17, 2023</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Bochum Observatory</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Blankensteiner Str. 200A, 44797 Bochum, Germany</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ 2023 AMSAT-UK Colloquium & RSGB Convention</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">October 14-15, 2023</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Kents Hill Park Conference Centre</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Milton Keynes MK7 6BZ, United Kingdom</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ 41st AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">October 20-21, 2023</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">4440 W John Carpenter Fwy, Irving, TX 75063</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says,</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">"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)!"</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">[ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, and AMSAT for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">---------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Satellite Shorts From All Over</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ Russia's Luna-25 mission, launched from Vostochny Cosmodrome on August 10, has encountered failure as its spacecraft crashed into the Moon's surface during an attempt to
land at the lunar south pole. This marks Russia's first lunar mission since 1976. The intended target was the Boguslawsky Crater near the south pole, and the spacecraft was equipped with instruments, including a robotic arm, to search for water ice up to 50
centimeters below the surface. The failure occurred after a command was sent to lower the craft's orbit, resulting in a loss of communication on August 19. Roscosmos confirmed the craft's collision with the lunar surface on August 20. Roscosmos plans to follow
Luna-25 with a lunar orbiter, called Luna-26, and then two more landing missions: Luna-27, which will send a drilling rig to the lunar surface; and Luna-28, a sample-collection mission that aims to return material from the moon's polar regions to Earth. [ANS
thanks Elizabeth Howell, Staff Writer for Spaceflight.com, for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ On August 23, 2023, the Progress MS-24 cargo ship launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying 2.5 tons of cargo for the International Space Station (ISS). This mission marked
the third out of four Progress cargo ships planned for 2023. The cargo ship, designated as Progress MS-24, was launched using a Soyuz-2-1a rocket from Launch Pad 6 at Site 31 in Baikonur. It followed a sequence of stages, with successful booster separations,
fairing jettisoning, and third-stage ignition, ultimately inserting the cargo ship into an initial parking orbit. Progress MS-24 arrived at the International Space Station’s aft port of the Zvezda service module at 11:45 p.m. EDT on August 24. The spacecraft
will remain at the orbiting laboratory for approximately six months, then undock for a destructive but safe re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere to dispose of trash loaded by the crew. [ANS thanks RussianSpaceWeb.com for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ Brown University students successfully demonstrated a low-cost solution to address space debris by reentering their cube satellite, SBUDNIC, into Earth's atmosphere. The
satellite, developed by an academically diverse team, including undergraduates led by alumni Marco Cross and faculty member Rick Fleeter, deployed a plastic drag sail made from Kapton polyimide. This sail, acting like an umbrella, aided the satellite's descent
and contributed to its early reentry. SBUDNIC was launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter 5 mission and reentered the atmosphere after just 445 days, about five years earlier than planned. The project's success highlights the potential for cost-effective measures
to combat space junk and reduce the risk it poses to space vehicles. [ANS thanks Brown University for the above information]</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">+ NASA’s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory-A spacecraft (STEREO-A), launched in October 2006, far outlived its mission life span of two years. Its orbital trajectory
around the sun meant that it had a chance to do what very few other NASA spacecraft could: eventually make its way back toward home. This month, when STEREO-A passes between the sun and the Earth for the first time since its launch, it will be used to perform
new research on the sun, aided by newer NASA satellites that have been developed more recently. When STEREO-A was launched, it viewed the sun during a solar minimum. That limited the number of coronal mass ejections and other phenomena that the spacecraft
initially observed. This year, STEREO-A’s return has coincided with a period of intense solar activity. Earthbound instruments can only ever observe one Earth-facing slice of the sun at a time, while the rest of the rapidly changing solar surface remains obscured.
The STEREO spacecraft, from its offset position, allowed scientists to capture a 360-degree view of the sun for the first time, research that is ongoing as long as this old bird continues to perform. (ANS thanks the Washington Post for the above information)</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">---------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* 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.</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">* Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">This week's ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ</span></div>
<div class="ContentPasted0"><span style="font-family: Consolas, Courier, monospace;">ad0hj [at] amsat.org</span></div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<div><br class="ContentPasted0">
</div>
<br>
</div>
</body>
</html>