<div dir="ltr"><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small" class="gmail_default"></div><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small" class="gmail_default"></div><div class="gmail_default"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">
</span></font><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4">AMSAT NEWS SERVICE<br>ANS-217</font></span><p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In this edition:</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">* ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit<br>
* SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation<br>
* Wireless Technology Workshop in India<br>
* Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger<br>
* ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch<br>
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution<br>
* ARISS News<br>
* Upcoming Satellite Operations<br>
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities<br>
* Satellite Shorts From All Over</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">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></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The news feed on <a href="http://www.amsat.org">http://www.amsat.org</a> publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] <a href="http://amsat.org">amsat.org</a></strong></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: <a href="https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/">https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ANS-217 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">To: All RADIO AMATEURS<br>
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation<br>
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653<br>
Washington, DC 20002</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">DATE 2024 Aug 4</span></font></p>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ROBUSTA-3A in Orbit</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">When the long-delayed inaugural launch of the European Space Agency’s
(ESA’s) new Ariane 6 rocket finally occurred on July 7, it suffered an
upper stage failure that left some payloads in the wrong orbits.
Fortunately, before the anomaly developed, the Ariane 6 successfully
deployed ROBUSTA-3A, a satellite with an amateur radio payload. The
target was a 580 km circular orbit with an inclination of 96 degrees.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ROBUSTA-3A (a.k.a. “Méditerranée”) is a 3U cubesat, designed and
built by students and faculty of Université de Montpellier in southern
France. Over a decade in development, involving around 300 students from
the University of Montpellier and all over the world, ROBUSTA-3A will
be its seventh satellite developed entirely in-house, having learned
much from the development and launch of smaller ROBUSTA-1U satellites.
The project has offered hands-on training, engineering and scientific
experience to the next generation of space engineers and researchers.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-58463 gmail-size-large" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/robusta-1024x593.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="593"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>The Robusta 3A satellite is 3U, three CubeSat units. (Photo: Van Allen Foundation)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The satellite’s primary mission is weather observation, specifically
to track “Cevenol events.” These are intense storms and incredibly heavy
rains that cause extensive flooding, often in the form of flash floods,
that hit the plains and the foothills of southern France. Once
considered “100-year storms,” they have been occurring with greater
frequency due to global climate change. Most of the weather data is
downlinked on a commercial S-band microwave frequency.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">“If the data we will be collecting improves the geographic and
temporal accuracy of weather forecasts for cévenol events, it would help
authorities give early warning to the population and allow rescue
services to better target the areas at risk,” explains Romain Briand,
assembly integration and testing manager at the University Space Center
of Montpellier.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-size-large gmail-wp-image-58462 gmail-aligncenter" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Robusta-3A_under_development_by_Centre_Spatial_Universitaire_de_Montpellier_CSUM_pillars-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683"></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">Robusta-3A under development by Centre Spatial Universitaire de Montpellier (CSUM)</em></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">However, ROBUSTA-3A aims to do even more than chart water vapour from space.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The satellite carries an experimental Attitude Determination and
Control System (ADCS) that will seek to optimize solar panel exposure
and correctly aim sensors and microwave downlink antennas. Using a set
of Sun sensors, magnetometers, and reaction wheels in a pyramidal
configuration, the system should provide precise attitude control,
especially during orbital maneuvers.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The satellite will also employ a cold gas thruster propulsion system
which operates with solid iodine as propellant. This system will
demonstrate orbit maintenance, phasing, and lifetime extension of small
satellite missions, and could also help with end-of-life decommissioning
and debris mitigation.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">As an extra mission, the CubeSat will test how computer memory from
chip manufacturer 3D PLUS withstands the radiation of space. This French
company specialises in highly-reliable electronic components and their
computer memory recently landed on the Moon as part of the India’s
Chandrayaan-3 lander.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Finally, ROBUSTA-3A also carries a 9k6 GMSK AX.25 store-and-forward
digital system with a UHF transmitter output of up to three watts — a
very powerful downlink! As the satellite is sill in commissioning,
operating protocols and uplink frequency have not yet been released.
However, amateurs should expect something similar to the FalconSAT-3
store-and-forward system that was popular until that satellite deorbited
in January of 2023. ROBUSTA-3A is currently transmitting short
telemetry bursts on its International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)
coordinated downlink frequency of 436.750 MHz.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks ESA, IARU, and the Space Center of the University of Montpellier for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
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<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Professor Hakan Kayal from Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU)
Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany posted on X this past week, “Thanks to
everyone using SONATE-2’s APRS digipeater over the weekend. A total of
421 messages were digipeated.”</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg’s SONATE
(SOlutus NAno satelliTE) satellite is a technology demonstration mission
for highly autonomous payloads and artificial intelligence in the 6U
CubeSat class. As part of the SONATE-2 mission, novel hardware and
software technologies of artificial intelligence (AI) are to be verified
in miniaturized format in earth orbit. By using such AI technologies,
the satellite can independently analyze the environment and start
autonomous recordings. Deep learning plays a special role as a versatile
image processing tool. In addition to the classification of targets
already known at the start of the mission, the payload should also have
the option of on-board training for the detection of anomalies as
previously unknown objects or phenomena.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-58457" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/csm_SONATE-2_Missionpatch.png" alt="" width="338" height="338"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>SONATE-2 mission patch (JMU artwork)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The operation of an amateur radio payload is important to the
educational mission of SONATE-2. The development and operation of the
satellite is used for the education of students of the university. In
cooperation with the DLR School Lab in Neustrelitz, Germany, it is
planned to use the amateur radio payload for the education of high
school students.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The amateur payload of SONATE-2 consists of a VHF transceiver that
was already built for the predecessor mission SONATE over the course of
several student projects. For SONATE-2 additional student projects
extended the transceiver functionalities. It will provide regular SSTV
downlinks with images from the optical sensors included in the AI
payload as well as an APRS digipeater and CW beacon.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">On the education side, the mission will serve as a foundation for
different aspects of the university aerospace and computer science
engineering program. In the context of practical courses, as thesis
authors or as student assistants, students can participate in the
development of all subsystems of the space and ground segment, including
the amateur radio payload and the technology demonstration payload. In
the context of mandatory lectures and exercises on space operations
every student will also be included in the operations of the satellite.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers a School Lab for high school
students at the location of the external ground station in Neustrelitz,
Germany. Besides experiments on space and satellites, the School Lab
includes amateur radio contacts to the ISS under the supervision of
licensed local radio amateurs, which they wish to extend to other
satellites like in this cooperation with the SONATE-2 mission.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Besides the amateur and educational mission parts, the SONATE-2
mission also has a research objective for the demonstration of novel
artificial intelligence technology in the space environments. While the
AI payload is mainly operated using a separate up/downlink in the space
operation service in S-band, the satellite bus and the amateur payloads
are operated in the amateur service. Housekeeping telemetry in the
amateur service also contains status information of the non-amateur
payload.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-58458" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/csm_SONATE-2_Test_Model.jpg" alt="" width="639" height="360"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>SONATE-2 Test Model, October 2023 (Photo: JMU)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">According to Kayal, not many similar projects are currently being undertaken.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">“Let’s assume that a small satellite is to investigate a new asteroid
in the solar system in the future. It cannot be trained for this task
on the ground, because the object of investigation is largely unknown.
There is no training data, so the measurements and recordings can’t be
made on the ground,” Kayal added.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Transmitting this data to Earth for initial processing and
subsequently training the AI via remote control would result in
significant time delays for missions located at a considerable distance
from Earth.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Opting for a heightened level of autonomy with direct on-board AI
support would greatly enhance the mission’s efficiency. This approach
would expedite the detection of intriguing objects and phenomena on the
asteroid, considerably reducing the time required for their
identification.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">To facilitate this, four on-board cameras capture the essential
imagery required for training the AI. Initially, the AI acquires
knowledge of conventional geometric patterns on Earth’s surface, among
other things, which subsequently empowers it to autonomously identify
anomalies.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-58456" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/csm_1106sonate1www_249a9ca3d9.jpg" alt="" width="935" height="525"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>A model of the SONATE-2 nanosatellite, here artistically depicted in orbit. (Image: Hakan Kayal / Universität Würzburg)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In addition to these AI experiments, SONATE-2 carries a suite of
other small satellite technologies that are ready for in-orbit testing.
These technologies include an automated lightning detection and
recording system, as well as an electric propulsion system developed in
collaboration with the University of Stuttgart.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Kayal added, “In terms of complexity, SONATE-2 is unparalleled among nanosatellites.”</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">SONATE-2 was one of a cluster of satellites launched on a SpaceX
Falcon-9 flight on March 5, 2024. Digipeater and SSTV activations are
announced at <a href="https://x.com/JMUSpace/">https://x.com/JMUSpace/</a>.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">SSTV downlink: Regular downlink of images captured by the on-board cameras<br>
Frequency: 145.880 MHz<br>
Modulation: Martin M1 SSTV FM (F3F)<br>
TX Power: 500mW</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">APRS digipeater: (Updated 26.07.2024)<br>
APRS digipeater in half-duplex operation. Digipeater is only active when published at <a href="https://x.com/JMUSpace/">https://x.com/JMUSpace/</a>. When activated, it will transmit a greeting message every 2 minutes.<br>
Make sure to include SONATE-2 callsign DPØSNX in the APRS route.<br>
Frequency: 145.825 MHz Up/Down<br>
Modulation: 1k2 AFSK (F2D)<br>
Protocol: AX.25<br>
TX Power: 500mW</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks JMU Würzburg, Gunter’s Space Page, and AZO Robotics Network for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Wireless Technology Workshop in India</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">A special workshop on ‘Wireless Technology and its Practical
Solutions’ was conducted for Rajkot – Police Wireless Department at
Gujarat (India) on 20th July 2024. The venue was the Police Training
Center at Rajkot Headquarter. It was a highly informative 3 hours
session from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Regional Coordinator of AMSAT-INDIA & The Amateur Radio Society
of India, Mr. Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, gave insight into various Radio
Communication protocols, types of modulation, modes & various
applications used in Amateur Radio & Police department.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-58459" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/VU2EXP.png" alt="" width="300" height="300"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP (<a href="http://hamphotos.com">hamphotos.com</a>)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">As this workshop was targeted for 25 technical wireless officers
& radio operators, we focused on the radio communication enhancing
methods, utilizing various techniques, using different antennas for
specific applications and diagnosis of wireless setup with various
measuring instruments incl. SWR/Power Meter, NanoVNA/Antenna Analyzer.
We extended a handful of maintenance tips for Radio, Antenna, Feed line
& repeaters to optimize radio communications.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">We also gave an overview of Ham Radio & its various events,
Understanding of Digital Communication, Satellite Communication,
Features of newer Digital protocol incl. DMR, D-STAR & Fusion. There
was good interaction with participants, lots of doubt & queries
were cleared satisfactorily. Good number of radio stuff was displayed
incl. HTs, VHF Base Radio, IC-705 SDR HF Radio, RTL SDR Dongle, Antenna
Tuner, CAT Control, Soundcard Interface, Morse Key, CW Paddle &
Keyer, CubeSat model, Balun, LNA, SWR/Power meter, NanoVNA, Dummy load,
PSU, Feed lines, EFHW Antenna, Telescopic Antenna, Connectors, Adaptors,
ARISS Awards, QSL Cards etc., which helped participants to view,
discuss & understand our entire stuff better.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">We always give practical demos, but, here in the audience was a heavy
user of CW & RT from the police dept. We didn’t give a demo of that
kind hi..hi.., but surely gave demos of Digital Communication – sending
text messages between two VHF Setup and a second demo of sending SSTV
Images between two local vhf stations! For the audience it was
interesting to learn how we ham convert simple ASCII codes to
corresponding audio frequencies (for Digital Communication) and RGB
pixel values of Image to Slow Scan Television format to transmit &
receive ‘IMAGES’ via our standard radios! That’s why we proudly call Ham
Radio the oldest Social Media!</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">It was a nice & fruitful workshop overall. I am thankful to
Commissioner of Police Rajkot Shri Brajesh Kumar Jha Sir for approval of
this workshop and Shri S K Jadeja Sir (PI Wireless) for nicely
coordinating this workshop. I am thankful to our AMSAT-INDIA & ARSI
(The Amateur Radio Society of India) for their great support and
guidance to make this workshop highly successful.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">We wish Rajkot Gujarat Police will utilize the gained knowledge & implement into the system for better productivity!</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Need new satellite antennas?</strong><br></span></font>
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<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.</strong><br></span></font>
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<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Small Satellites of the Future Grow Larger</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Small satellite companies that have grown out of the New Space boom
are retiring the cubesat platforms that made them to focus on larger,
more powerful next-get small sats that promise to unlock new
possibilities with advanced AI and real-time laser-based inter-satellite
communications.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Over the past 15 years, small satellites have revolutionized how
things are done in space. Built quickly from cheap, off-the-shelf
components, and small enough to hitch an affordable ride to orbit on the
back of bigger missions, these devices and the young, agile New Space
companies behind them taught the old-school space industry a few
lessons.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">But New Space is coming of age and the firms behind the small
satellite revolution must live up to expectations less favorable to
their trade-mark experimental ethos. The lowest cost and shortest time
to orbit may no longer be the technology’s biggest draw as users want
maximum return on investment and require granted reliability. The firms
behind the disruptive tech, however, have grown up together with their
market share and are tapping into emerging innovation, looking to
unleash a whole load of new applications in the coming years.<br>
The Evolution of the Smallsat</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-large gmail-wp-image-58464" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ABMA_2_von_Braun_Medaris-1024x779.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="779"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>Members of the ABMA satellite team (with Gen. Medaris and Dr. von
Braun seated in center) with a model of the Explorer 1 satellite.
(Photo, U.S. Army)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Satellites started small. The first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1 —
launched in 1958 — weighed only 14 kilograms. But the technology, prized
for opening a whole new perspective on our planet, quickly bulked up,
enabled by the increasing lifting powers of fast-evolving rockets. Soon,
complex satellites the size of a school bus took over, observing the
planet from above, broadcasting TV signals across continents and sensing
the environment around them.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">It was only in the mid-1980s that researchers renewed their interest
in smaller satellites with masses of tens to a couple of hundred
kilograms. The true small sat revolution, however, began in 1999, with
the invention of a cubesat. Based on standardized satellite units of 10
by 10 by 10 centimeters in size, cubesats opened space to anyone with
enough technical skill to assemble and operate them. Soon, university
teams from all over the world began launching their own experimental
spacecraft to provide their students with hands-on space tech
experience.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">By 2014, San Francisco-based Planet Labs launched its first
commercial constellation of 28 three-unit (3U) Earth-observing cubesats
called Doves. More than 120 Doves are in orbit today, capturing an image
of each place on Earth more than once a day. Other companies followed
suit. As of today, cubesats have made it to orbit around Mars and the
Moon and observed the impact of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test
(DART) into the asteroid Didymos in 2022 in real-time.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-large gmail-wp-image-58460" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Axelspace-Pyxis-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>The Axelspace Pyxis mission launched in March of this year. (Photo: Axelspace)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Larger small satellite platforms — up to 500 kg in mass — have also
grown in popularity. In fact, these larger small satellites today
dominate space around Earth thanks to SpaceX’s constellation of Starlink
internet-beaming satellites.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Consulting firm Novaspace predicts that 26,104 small satellites —
including minisatellites of 100 to 500 kg in mass, microsatellites
between 10 and 100 kg and nanosatellites as light as 1 to 10 kg — will
launch in the next decade.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">And although the smallsat revolution is already behind us, new
technologies are emerging that promise to supercharge the sector in the
coming years. Via Satellite spoke with a number of experts in the field
about what the smallsat of the future will look like.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Read the full article at: <a href="https://interactive.satellitetoday.com/via/august-2024/what-does-the-smallsat-of-the-future-look-like/">https://interactive.satellitetoday.com/via/august-2024/what-does-the-smallsat-of-the-future-look-like/</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Via Satellite for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ASRTU-1 Scheduled for November Launch</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Published flight manifests indicate that the Chinese amateur radio
satellite ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for launch in November of this year
aboard a Russian rocket. As always, launches are subject to a wide
variety of variables, and space agencies are not always 100% forthcoming
about their activities. So while you may not want to mark the calendar
just yet, hopeful signs are pointing toward a launch in the coming
months.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-58461 gmail-size-medium" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The-sketch-of-the-ASRTU-satellite-255x300.png" alt="" width="255" height="300"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>Artist’s sketch of ASRTU-1</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ASRTU-1 is a 12U Cubesat mission designed by Russian and Chinese
university students for education and amateur radio. Harbin Institute of
Technology has successfully developed several amateur radio satellites,
including LilacSat-2 (CAS-3H), LilacSat-1 (LO-90), DSLWP-A (LO-93) and
DSLWP-B (LO-94). The partner institution is Bauman Moscow State
Technical University, which constructed two satellites, Baumanets-1 in
2006 and Baumanets-2 in 2017, both of which unfortunately failed to
reach orbit due to launch failures unrelated to the satellite payloads.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The amateur radio station onboard ASRTU-1 will provide FM and
telecommand uplinks, as well as FM, telemetry, and digital image
downlinks. A new SDR based transceiver was developed to provide
communication and experimental resources to radio amateurs, including a
V/U FM transponder, a UHF telemetry downlink, and a 10.5G image
downlink.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The repeater uplink will be on 145.875 MHz FM using a 67 Hz CTCSS
(PL) tone. Downlink will be on 435.400 MHz FM. The telemetry beacon will
be on 436.210 MHz using 9k6 bps BPSK.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In addition to the FM repeater, the satellite will also provide an
open telecommand system to allow radio amateurs to send commands to
control the satellite to take and download images. X Band image
downloads using 1 Mbps/10mbps QSPK will downlink on 10.460 GHz.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ASRTU-1 has been scheduled for a Roscosmos launch from Vostochny
Cosmodrome, Asiatic Russia, in Q4 2024 into a 530 km Sun-synchronous
Orbit (SSO). Downlinks and the repeater uplink have been coordinated by
the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks IARU and <a href="http://x.com/AKAhamradio/">x.com/AKAhamradio/</a> for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!</strong></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-medium gmail-wp-image-56929" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AMSAT-Car-Flag-e1705691761784-300x235.png" alt="" width="300" height="235"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Keeping Amateur Radio in Space</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><a href="https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear"><strong>https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear</strong></a></span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 2</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">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 <a href="https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/">https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/</a>.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">{This spot for changes to TLEs when applicable. Can be eliminated or replaced if none.}<br>
{Do note that our Manual of Style specifies that we ALWAYS use first
& last names, callsign separated by commas, and then the title of
the AMSAT officer, if any. See example below. Same style applies to
persons referenced in story bodies, as well as in attributions.}</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ARISS NEWS</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">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></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>COMPLETED:</strong><br>
Kopernik Observatory, Vestal, NY, direct via K2ZRO<br>
The ISS callsign was NA1SS<br>
The scheduled crewmember was Matthew Dominick KCØTOR. The ARISS mentor was AB1OC<br>
Contact was successful: Wed 2024-07-31 18:17:25 UTC 43 degrees maximum elevation.<br>
Congratulations to the Kopernik Observatory students, Matthew, mentor AB1OC, and ground station K2ZRO!<br>
Watch for Livestream at <a href="https://youtube.com/live/Tv3x3D0DTzU?feature=share">https://youtube.com/live/Tv3x3D0DTzU?feature=share</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">SMPIT Nurul Ishlah, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, telebridge via VK4ISS<br>
The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1SS<br>
The scheduled crewmember was Sunita Williams KD5PLB. The ARISS mentor was VE3TBD<br>
Contact was go for: Fri 2024-08-02 12:43:07 UTC 27 deg</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Aznakaevsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD<br>
The ISS callsign was scheduled to be RSØISS<br>
The scheduled crewmember was Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor was RV3DR<br>
Contact was go for Sat 2024-08-03 14:40 UTC</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>UPCOMING:</strong><br>
International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly 2024, Cape Town, South Africa, telebridge via VK6MJ<br>
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS<br>
The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, Jeanette Epps,
KF5QNU, Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, or Mike Barratt, KD5MIJ. The ARISS
mentor is KA3HDO<br>
Contact is go for: Fri 2024-08-09 11:55:06 UTC 40 deg<br>
Watch for Livestream at <a href="https://astronomy2024.org/">https://astronomy2024.org/</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">A.G. Nikolaev Secondary School, Shorshel, Chuvashia, Russia direct via TBD<br>
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS<br>
The scheduled crewmember is Nikolay Chub. The ARISS mentor is RV3DR<br>
Contact is go for Sun 2024-08-11 08:20 UTC</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">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></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down).</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">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></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">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></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The latest information on the operation mode can be found at <a href="https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html">https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at <a href="https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html">https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Upcoming Satellite Operations</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ N8MR will be in EN57, with roves to EN67 from Friday, August 2 thru
Saturday, August 10. Using an Icom 9700, Arrow and Alaskan antennas.
Listening for Europe on linear eastern passes, with at least two of
these passes being on CW. Can operate CW for NA ops, if anyone wants it.
I can rove to EN56, only if needed. Posting passes to <a href="http://hams.at">http://hams.at</a> a day in advance. All QSOs to LoTW as N8MR.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Posted July 23rd by @SeanKutzko KX9X, on X (formerly Twitter): A
reminder that I’m leaving for Hawaii this Friday! Will be on SSB / FM
sats *holiday style* plus maybe some QRP FT8. No GreenCube, sorry. Will
post passes here and to <a href="https://hams.at">https://hams.at</a> soon. #HamRadio @AMSAT #AMSAT</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Posted July 21st by @W8LR_Jerry, on X (formerly Twitter): EM57/58 and EM67/68 are still planned for Aug 2/3. Please check <a href="http://hams.at">http://hams.at</a>
and @W8LR_Jerry for updates. As I mentioned two months ago EM85 in TN
will now be in my travel schedule beginning in Sept. I was just notified
today. I will be doing FM/Linear/GC when there. More later.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Posted July 25th by @AD0HJ, on X (formerly Twitter): Work trip
coming up the first full week of August in Fort Collins, Colorado. Will
make stops on the EN02/EN03 | DN82/DN92 grid lines on the drive out.
DN90/DN91 | EN20/EN30 grid lines on the way back. RS-44 satellite passes
in the evenings. Posted at <a href="http://hams.at">http://hams.at</a>.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Jonathan @N4AKV_ has posted an ambitious August roving schedule on
his <a href="http://qrz.com">qrz.com</a> page. Tentative plans for a major satellite and 6m road trip
through Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon
this summer. Satellite passes listed on <a href="https://hams.at">https://hams.at</a> for the next week include grid squares FN43, FN53, and GN16.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ FP/N4AKV will be on IO-117 on August 8. See <a href="https://hams.at">https://hams.at</a> for details.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on <a href="https://hams.at">https://hams.at</a>.
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></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">AMSAT Ambassador Activities</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating
through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club
meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-medium gmail-wp-image-58085" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ambassador-Logo-2024-300x245.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="245"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">August 17-18, 2024<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Huntsville Hamfest</strong><br>
Huntsville, AL<br>
AMSAT Booth and Forum<br>
N8DEU and W4FCL</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">September 7, 2024<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Greater Louisville Hamfest</strong><br>
Shepherdsville, KY<br>
AMSAT Forum and Information Table<br>
W4FCL</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">October 5, 2024<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Central Kentucky Hamfest</strong><br>
Lexington, KY<br>
AMSAT and Educational Satellites Forum and Information Table<br>
AI4SR and W4FCL</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">October 5, 2024<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>North Star Radio Convention</strong><br>
Hennepin Technical College (North Campus)<br>
Brooklyn Park, Minn.<br>
AMSAT Forum and Information Table<br>
KØJM and ADØHJ</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">October 25-27, 2004<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4">Double Tree<span style="font-family:georgia,serif"> Rocky Point Waterfront Hotel<br>
Tampa Bay, FL</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">November 2-3, 2024<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Stone Mountain Hamfest, ARRL State Convention</strong><br>
Stone Mountain, GA<br>
K4RGK</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">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.<br>
For more information go to: <a href="https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/">https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page for the above information]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Satellite Shorts From All Over</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ The MESAT-1 team are continuing to test and commission the
satellite. It is currently in Health Mode transmitting continuously and
the downlink power is now about 6dB higher. So it should be easier to
hear and decode. If you have had trouble decoding it then now is a good
time to try again. Software may be downloaded from <a href="https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/">https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/</a> (ANS thanks Chris E. Thompson, VE2TCP / G0KLA / AC2CZ, for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ SpaceX is now targeting mid- to late August for the launch of
Polaris Dawn, a mission funded by billionaire entrepreneur Jared
Isaacman. The upcoming flight, which will employ SpaceX’s Crew Dragon
spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket, had been slated to lift off no earlier
than July 31. SpaceX announced the delay today (July 26), during a press
conference focusing on the company’s upcoming Crew-9 astronaut mission
to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA. The NASA mission will
include Zena Cardman, KJ5CMN, Nick Hague, KG5TMV, Stephanie Wilson,
KD5DZE, and Aleksandr Gorbunov, Roscosmos. Crew-9 will launch no earlier
than Aug. 18, and Polaris Dawn will fly sometime after that, the
company said. The Polaris Dawn mission is scheduled to include the
first-ever private spacewalk. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above
information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ The U.S. military is installing modular state-of-the-art satellite
jammers capable of disrupting Russian or Chinese communications, should
the need arise. Even though the hardware is ground-based, the U.S. Space
Force will oversee installation and operation. The technology is
already past prototyping. The military tested the system at two
different locations earlier this year. The Department of Defense
allocated funds to build 24 remote installations, with 11 scheduled to
deploy before the end of the year. (ANS thanks SatNews.com for the above
information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ SpaceX Falcon 9 returned to flight with three Starlink launches in
30 hours after only 15 days of being grounded due to its recent
upper-stage anomaly (a brittle, and presumably cracked, pressure
monitoring line) and conducted its 300th reflight of a booster. (ANS
thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Boeing performed a hot fire test of the 27 maneuvering thrusters
aboard the docked Starliner space capsule, which could be the last test
before the spacecraft’s delayed return to Earth is approved. Astronauts
Barry “Butch” Wilmore, and Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, took Starliner to
the International Space Station on June 5 for what was to have been a
10-day test flight. NASA says they may now return in late August. (ANS
thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<hr>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Join AMSAT today at <a href="https://launch.amsat.org/">https://launch.amsat.org/</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).<br>
* Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.<br>
* 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.<br>
* Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Contact info [at] <a href="http://amsat.org">amsat.org</a> for additional membership information.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This week’s ANS Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM<br>
mjohns [at] <a href="http://amsat.org">amsat.org</a></span></font></p>
</div><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></span></font></div>