<div dir="ltr"><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small" class="gmail_default"></div><div class="gmail_default"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>AMSAT </em>News Service</span></font><h3><span style="font-weight:normal"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ANS-348<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">December 14, 2025</span></font></span></h3>
<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">* Soyuz Crew Lands Ending Eight-Month Space Research Journey<br>
* Satellites Experience “Orbital Summer” And “Orbital Winter”<br>
* CCSDS Development Competition Open to European Hams<br>
* VUCC Satellite Standing December 2025<br>
* DXCC Satellite Standing for December 2025<br>
* A Dying Satellite May Photograph Asteroid Apophis in 2029<br>
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution<br>
* Boeing’s Next Starliner Flight Will Carry Cargo Only<br>
* ARISS News<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="https://www.amsat.org">https://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"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] <a href="http://amsat.org">amsat.org</a></b></span></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>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Soyuz Crew Lands Ending Eight-Month Space Research Journey</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The crew of Soyuz MS-27, including NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, KJ5HKP,
along with Russian Cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky,
returned safely to Earth after living aboard the International Space
Station (ISS) in weightlessness for 245 days. The return marked the end
of ISS Expedition 73.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Lieutenant Commander (LCDR, U.S. Navy) Jonny Kim was born and raised
in Los Angeles, California to Korean-American immigrants. He enlisted in
the Navy as a Seaman recruit after graduating high school in 2002.
After completion of Hospital Corpsman “A” school training, he reported
to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, CA.
After completing his training at Naval Special Warfare, Kim reported to
the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School in Fort Liberty,
NC for the Special Operations Combat Medic Course. He was assigned as a
Special Warfare Operator to SEAL Team THREE in San Diego, CA and
obtained various qualifications including Military Freefall Parachutist,
Advanced SCUBA, Combatant Diver (closed circuit rebreather), Naval
Special Warfare Special Reconnaissance Scout and Sniper, and Advanced
Special Operations Techniques. As a Navy SEAL he completed more than 100
combat operations.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In 2012, Petty Officer First Class Kim was commissioned as a naval
officer through the Navy’s enlisted-to-officer commissioning program,
Seaman to Admiral-21, following graduation from the University of San
Diego. Kim obtained his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and
completed his internship with the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine
Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s
Hospital in Boston, MA.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Kim is an Aeromedical Dual Designated (AMDD) Naval Aviator and Flight
Surgeon, he completed his primary flight training at Naval Air Station
(NAS) Corpus Christi, TX, helicopter advanced flight training at NAS
Whiting Field in Milton, FL, and the Naval Flight Surgeon course at the
Naval Aerospace Medical Institute at NAS Pensacola, FL.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Selected by NASA in 2017, Kim completed two years of training as an
Astronaut Candidate. Training included technical and operational
instruction in International Space Station systems, Extravehicular
Activities (EVA) Operations, T-38 flight training, robotics,
physiological training, expeditionary training, field geology, water and
wilderness survival training, and Russian language proficiency
training. In 2020, Kim began his support of International Space Station
operations as a Capsule Communicator (CapCom) in Mission Control Center
Houston and the Artemis program under the astronaut Exploration branch.
He served as the International Space Station’s Increment Lead for
Expedition 65 in 2021.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">As part of his astronaut training, Kim earned his Technician Class amateur radio license in July of 2024.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-62822" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/jsc2025e033523large-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>Soyuz MS-27 crew members (from left) NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky<br>
pose for a pre-flight portrait at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia. (Credit: GCTC)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Kim launched to the International Space Station on April 8, 2025, as a
flight engineer on the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft. He spent eight months
aboard the station as an Expedition 72/73 flight engineer, conducting
science experiments and maintaining the space station. During the
science expedition, Kim orbited the Earth 3,920 times and traveling
nearly 104 million miles. He saw the arrival of nine visiting spacecraft
and the departure of six during his time in orbit.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This was Kim’s first spaceflight, where he served as flight engineer
for Expedition 72 and 73. This also was Zubritsky’s first trip to the
space station. Ryzhikov now has logged a total of 603 days in space
during three trips to the orbital complex, ranking him 13th all time.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The three crew members were flown by helicopter to Karaganda,
Kazakhstan, where recovery teams are based. After medical exams, Kim
boarded a NASA aircraft and returned to Houston to spend Christmas with
his wife and their three children.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Expedition 74 is now underway with veteran NASA astronaut Mike
Fincke, KE5AIT, as commander leading six flight engineers including NASA
astronauts Zena Cardman, KJ5CMN, and Chris Williams, KJ5GEW, JAXA
(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, KG5BPH, and
Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Platonov, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei
Mikaev.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks NASA for the above information.]</em></font></p>
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<div dir="ltr">
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Satellites Experience “Orbital Summer” And “Orbital Winter”</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Think satellites are immune to seasons? Think again!</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">They experience “Orbital Summer” and “Orbital Winter” with extreme
effects. Because of the position of the Earth, as well as the orbital
path, satellites experience periods when they are entirely out of
Earth’s shadow (“orbital summer”) and periods when they are in “eclipse”
for most or all of their orbits (“orbital winter”).</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">What does this mean for their batteries and temperature?</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-62823" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/05f7d22c7dd43322.png" alt="" width="700" height="700"><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>(Credit: TinyGS)</em></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:left"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">When fully illuminated, solar panels are
generating non-stop power and batteries are fully charged. But “Orbital
Summer” isn’t just about light; it’s about heat. Without the shadow of
an eclipse to cool down, the satellite heats up, putting stress on
batteries and other components.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Conversely, when “Orbital Winter” happens, a satellite will
experience maximum eclipse time. When in eclipse, batteries may not
charge sufficiently. Satellites must survive long periods in the dark,
relying heavily on batteries and internal heaters to keep from freezing.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">“Orbital Summer” And “Orbital Winter” are primary contributors to
satellite failure, and a major challenge to those who build and operate
satellites of all types.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks TinyGS for the above information.]</em></font></p>
</div>
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<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">CCSDS Development Competition Open to European Hams</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The European Space Agency (ESA) is presenting a pilot programme on
behalf of The Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) and
is pleased to announce a new outreach initiative aimed at strengthening
engagement with the European amateur satellite and academic communities.
This initiative supports the wider objective of promoting the adoption
and practical application of CCSDS space communication standards.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">CCSDS invites European amateur satellite operators, students,
educators, and academic researchers to participate and to help advance
open, interoperable space communication technologies.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ESA, in partnership with Goonhilly Earth Station, CCSDS, AMSAT-UK,
and AMSAT-DL, are launching a competition to develop high-quality
reference implementations of selected CCSDS protocols.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This competition is sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA).</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">About the Competition</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This programme invites participants to:</span></font></p>
<p style="padding-left:40px"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Develop open, standards-compliant reference implementations of CCSDS protocols<br>
Contribute to a shared technical resource for amateur satellite operators, universities, and research groups<br>
Gain recognition within both the CCSDS community and the broader space communications field</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">An in-person hackathon at Goonhilly Earth Station will be available
to interested participants, providing a unique environment for
collaboration, expert guidance, and accelerated development.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Goonhilly Earth Station is coordinating the competition and will not assert any ownership over Hackathon/Competition outputs.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">Prize</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Winners of the competition will receive an invitation to attend a
CCSDS conference in the United States, where they will present their
results to the international CCSDS community.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">Protocols Featured in the Competition</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">These are the outlines of the two CCSDS protocols selected for this competition:</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">LunaNet Signal-In-Space Recommended Standard – Augmented Forward Signal (LSIS – AFS)<br>
The LSIS–AFS standard defines how lunar orbiters or surface systems
broadcast a unified navigation and timing signal to support future
missions on and around the Moon. It provides a framework for creating an
enhanced, interoperable “forward signal” that spacecraft, rovers, and
astronauts can use for more accurate positioning, timing, and
situational awareness.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">Space Communications Session Control (CCSDS 235.1)</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The CCSDS 235.1 standard defines how space missions establish,
manage, and conclude communication sessions between spacecraft and
ground systems. It provides a common framework that ensures reliable
coordination when exchanging data, sending commands, and transitioning
between communication states.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Participants may choose either to develop a functional concept or
prototype that demonstrates how the LSIS–AFS signal could be designed,
transmitted, interpreted, or applied to support future lunar missions,
or to create a practical, interoperable reference implementation of
Space Communications Session Control aligned with the CCSDS 235.1
standard.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">A Long-Term Vision: Toward a Cislunar Amateur Radio Payload</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">CCSDS is pleased to highlight a longer-term aspiration linked to this
initiative. In close cooperation with its partners—particularly ESA,
which is proposing a future cislunar amateur radio payload—CCSDS intends
to support the preparation of the most successful protocol
implementations for potential consideration for flight.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This offers an exceptional opportunity for community-developed
CCSDS-compliant software to be demonstrated in a deep-space operational
environment.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This prospective mission is subject to funding and programme approval.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">Contact and Expressions of Interest</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">For enquiries or to express interest in participating, please contact: <a href="mailto:esa-competition@amsat-uk.org">esa-competition@amsat-uk.org</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Additional details—including eligibility criteria, protocol
specifications, submission requirements, evaluation processes, and
timelines—will be released soon.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:left"><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks the AMSAT-UK for the above information.]</em></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">VUCC Satellite Standing December 2025</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">————————————————————<br>
VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for<br>
November 01, 2025 to November 30, 2025.<br>
————————————————————</span></font></p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Call</span></font></th>
<th><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Nov</span></font></th>
<th><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Dec</span></font></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">E70A</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">840</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">901</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">A65BR</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">676</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">701</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">F6GLJ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">609</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">701</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">EA3TA</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">607</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">681</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">AD2DD</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">604</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">650</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">HP2VX</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">527</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">543</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">N6PAZ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">495</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">500</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">PY2HZ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">New</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">427</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">OH3DP</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">300</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">352</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">BI1QGX</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">102</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">350</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">W6IA</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">278</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">302</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">PY2YJ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">210</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">266</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">DH0GSU</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">170</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">204</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">N9HF</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">New</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">185</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">KT8O</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">153</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">175</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">WB5TX</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">151</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">156</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">BI1NWO</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">New</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">126</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">DF3VG</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">New</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">123</span></font></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Congratulations to the new VUCC Satellite holders.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">PY2HZ<br>
N9HF<br>
BI1NWO<br>
DF3VG</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">N0HF is first VUCC Satellite holder from EL99<br>
PY2HZ is first VUCC Satellite holder from GG48</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ for the above information.]</em></font></p>
<hr>
<h2 style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-59974 gmail-size-full" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/AMSAT-SDR-Gen2-GNU-Radio-Based-Transverter.jpg" alt="" width="849" height="521"></span></font></h2>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">DXCC Satellite Standings for December, 2025</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">————————————————————<br>
DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for<br>
November 01, 2025 to December 01, 2025.<br>
————————————————————</span></font></p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Call</span></font></th>
<th><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Nov</span></font></th>
<th><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Dec</span></font></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">HB9RYZ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">166</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">169</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">IK4CIE</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">146</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">157</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">G8BCG</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">135</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">154</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">PA7RA</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">148</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">154</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">DL9RAN</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">125</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">150</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">IU0LFQ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">121</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">150</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">IK1GPG</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">100</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">144</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">DL8GAM</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">125</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">136</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">LA0FA</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">128</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">133</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ON6AA</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">114</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">131</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">W2GDJ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">122</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">123</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">LA7XK</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">110</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">118</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">JK2XXK</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">New</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">106</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">I1YDT</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">New</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">100</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">YB5QZ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">New</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">100</span></font></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Congratulations to the new DXCC Satellite holders.<br>
JK2XXK<br>
I1YDT<br>
YB5QZ</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">YB5QZ is first DXCC Satellite holder from Indonesia and OJ00</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information.]</em></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">A Dying Satellite May Photograph Asteroid Apophis in 2029</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">An Australian company wants to join efforts to study a rare space
event, conducting its own flyby of the asteroid Apophis when it makes
its close approach to Earth in 2029.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Sydney-based HEO Robotics, a provider of commercial
satellite-to-satellite imagery, wants to add to the international
missions already planning to get up close to the 1,115-foot-wide (340
meters) asteroid Apophis as it zooms by Earth in April 2029 by buying a
satellite near the end of its life up in geostationary orbit and use its
remaining fuel.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-62826" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/YXnuxHcRReumk7nef6FtAi-970-80.png-300x169.webp" alt="" width="600" height="338"></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em> An illustration of the “God of Destruction” asteroid Apophis as it makes a close approach to Earth in April 2029<br>
(Image credit: Jonathan Männel / with Eyes on the Solar System, NASA/JPL)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Satellites in the geostationary belt (GEO) orbit 22,236 miles (35,786
kilometers) above the equator. Spacecraft nearing the end of their
lives use their remaining fuel to head into a so-called graveyard orbit
above GEO to take themselves out of the way of the operational
satellites. HEO aims to buy a satellite near the end of its mission
lifetime and, using a little more fuel than needed for the graveyard
trip, make a close approach to Apophis, which will pass within the GEO
belt when it makes its close approach to Earth on Friday, April 13,
2029.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Space.com for the above information. Read the full article at <a href="https://www.space.com/astronomy/asteroids/a-dying-satellite-could-use-its-final-moments-to-photograph-the-infamous-asteroid-apophis-in-2029">https://www.space.com/astronomy/asteroids/a-dying-satellite-could-use-its-final-moments-to-photograph-the-infamous-asteroid-apophis-in-2029</a>]</em></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for December 12, 2025</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">The following satellite has been <strong>removed</strong> from this week’s AMSAT TLE Distribution:</span></font></p>
<p style="padding-left:40px"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Duchifat 3 NORAD Cat ID 44854 Decayed from orbit on or about 08 Dec 2025</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The following satellites have been <strong>added</strong> to this week’s AMSAT TLE Distribution:</span></font></p>
<p style="padding-left:40px"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">SilverSat NORAD Cat ID 66909 Downlink frequency: 437.175 MHz<br>
BEE-1000 NORAD Cat ID 66650 Downlink frequency: 436.5 MHz<br>
SNUGLITE_III DURI NORAD Cat ID 66661 Downlink frequency 436.789 MHz</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information.]</em></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Boeing’s Next Starliner Flight Will Carry Cargo Only</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">NASA ended months of speculation about the next flight of Boeing’s
Starliner spacecraft, confirming that the vehicle will carry only cargo
to the International Space Station.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">NASA and Boeing are now targeting no earlier than April 2026 to fly
the uncrewed Starliner-1 mission, the space agency said. Launching by
next April will require completion of rigorous test, certification, and
mission readiness activities, NASA added in a statement.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Starliner’s first flight in December 2019, without crew, had to be
truncated after software problems plagued the vehicle. It was nearly
lost shortly after launch as well as before atmospheric reentry. It did
not make a planned rendezvous with the space station.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-62828" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/iss071e265073_stklarge-1024x683.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400"></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is
pictured docked to the Harmony module’s forward port at the
International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA</em></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The second mission, Orbital Flight Test 2, took place in May 2022.
Because of problems on the previous mission, this spacecraft also flew
uncrewed. This flight was more successful, reaching the space station
despite some thruster issues.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">NASA then spent more than two years testing Starliner on the ground
before its first crewed flight in 2024, carrying NASA astronauts Butch
Wilmore and Suni Williams, KD5PLB. During its approach to the space
station, the Starliner spacecraft once again experienced serious
thruster issues. (However, the life-and-death nature of this flight was
not revealed until nearly a year later.) Starliner ultimately docked
with the station, but after heated deliberations, NASA informed Boeing
that the vehicle would return to Earth uncrewed.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">As a result, a Dragon mission was launched later in 2024 carrying
just two astronauts instead of a full complement of four. This allowed
for the safe return of Wilmore and Williams in March 2025.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Wired for the above information. Read the full article at <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/boeings-next-starliner-flight-will-only-be-allowed-to-carry-cargo/">https://www.wired.com/story/boeings-next-starliner-flight-will-only-be-allowed-to-carry-cargo/</a>.]</em></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><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>
<h3><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">Scheduled Contacts</strong></font></h3>
<p style="font-weight:400"><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Due to the holidays, no contacts are scheduled until after the first of the year.</strong></em></font></p>
<p style="font-weight:400;text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-62820" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/598440176_1296395152293313_765609355300617014_n.jpg" alt="" width="526" height="526"></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"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.]</em></font></p>
<hr>
<h3 style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?</em><br>
Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our <a href="https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear">Zazzle store</a>!</span></font></h3>
<div>
<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-252x300.png" alt="" width="252" height="300"></span></font></p>
<h3 style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space</span></font></h3>
</div>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><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><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>None currently scheduled.</strong></em></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.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">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"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information.]</em></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Satellite Shorts from All Over</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Earth observation satellite TUBIN of Technical University Berlin,
Germany is about to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in the upcoming days;
16th December +/-1 day. During the orbit decay it is transmitting a
telemetry beacon every 10 seconds, including position, attitude,
temperatures, etc. via amateur radio UHF band at 435.950 MHz.
Researchers would appreciate support of additional radio amateurs
listening in and forward the received telemetry data. Further
information can be found at <a href="https://community.libre.space/t/tubin-tubsat-27-re-entry/13998">https://community.libre.space/t/tubin-tubsat-27-re-entry/13998</a>. As the orbit is decaying quite fast, most recent TLE’s shall be used, which are frequently updated at <a href="https://db.satnogs.org/api/tle/?format=3le&norad_cat_id=48900">https://db.satnogs.org/api/tle/?format=3le&norad_cat_id=48900</a>. Any decoded frames, audio recordings or reception reports are very welcome and can be submitted following the instructions in <a href="https://community.libre.space/t/tubin-tubsat-27-re-entry/13998">https://community.libre.space/t/tubin-tubsat-27-re-entry/13998</a>.
The team at TU Berlin will collect all contributions and can provide
specialized TUBIN re-entry QSL cards. Full project overview at <a href="https://www.tu.berlin/en/raumfahrttechnik/research/current-projects/tubin">https://www.tu.berlin/en/raumfahrttechnik/research/current-projects/tubin</a>. (ANS thanks Steffen Reinert of Technische Universität Berlin for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ SkyRoof, a Windows application for Hams and satellite enthusiasts
by Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA, was recently featured on the website of
AMSAT-SM, the Swedish amateur radio satellite organization. The article
by Lars Thunberg, SMØTGU, may be found at <a href="https://www.amsat.se/2025/11/22/skyroof-sdr-satellite-software/">https://www.amsat.se/2025/11/22/skyroof-sdr-satellite-software/</a>. Lars also has an interesting article on setting up a LORA telemetry groundstation at <a href="https://www.amsat.se/category/operations/">https://www.amsat.se/category/operations/</a>. (ANS thanks AMSAT-SM for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Similarly, Peter Goodhall, MM9SQL, has developed Zenith, a web-based tracking application. Information at <a href="https://zenithtracker.org/">https://zenithtracker.org/</a>. (ANS thanks Peter Goodhall, MM9SQL, for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ AMSAT’s CubeSat Simulator gets excellent reviews, but a budget
version is available from the Ukraine for those with access to 3-D
printing and a willingness to overcome some bugs and limitations. A
YouTube video reviews the project at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvtHcwemfco">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvtHcwemfco</a> (ANS thanks @saveitforparts for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ At next year’s World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-25),
governments will face a choice that goes to the heart of how we monitor
our warming planet. Some regulators are wondering whether to open part
of the X-band — the 8.025–8.4 GHz range used by Earth observation
satellites — to 5G and 6G mobile networks. Several major telecom
operators have been pushing for this move, arguing that they could use
this spectrum more efficiently and pay countries handsomely for the
right to do so. Eleven satellite-focused companies have formed the
Remote Sensing Collective to resist the change. They’ve done this
because the satellites we depend on to understand the environment depend
in turn on the X-band. (ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information.
Read the full article at </span></font><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4"><a href="http://bit.ly/44pC8wX">http://bit.ly/44pC8wX</a></font></span><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Last month, Chinese astronauts on board the country’s Tiangong
space station discovered cracks in the window of their return vehicle,
the Shenzhou-20, which officials suspected were the result of a space
debris strike. The spacecraft was deemed not safe enough to return its
crew, prompting an orbital game of musical chairs as the China Manned
Space Agency (CMSA) launched an emergency uncrewed replacement
spacecraft, Shenzhou-22, to the station. Two Shenzhou-21 astronauts
embarked on the mission’s first spacewalk on December 9, inspecting and
photographing a damaged spacecraft window which triggered an earlier
emergency launch. CMSA did not publicize results. (ANS thanks
Futurism.com for the above information. Read the full article at <a href="https://futurism.com/space/chinese-astronauts-spacewalk-station-damaged-spacecraft">https://futurism.com/space/chinese-astronauts-spacewalk-station-damaged-spacecraft</a>.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ NASA has lost contact with the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile
Evolution, or MAVEN, a spacecraft that has circled the planet for more
than a decade, collecting science data and serving as a key
communications relay. (ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2 style="text-align:left"><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Join AMSAT today at <a href="https://launch.amsat.org/">https://launch.amsat.org/</a></span></font></h2>
<p style="text-align:left"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:</span></font></p>
<ul style="text-align:left"><li><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).</span></font></li><li><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Students are eligible for <em>FREE</em> membership up to age 25.</span></font></li><li><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.</span></font></li></ul>
<p style="text-align:left"><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"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif">This week’s ANS Editor,</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Mark Johns, KØJM</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>mjohns [at] <a href="http://amsat.org">amsat.org</a></strong></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002<br>
AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.</em></span></font></p>
</div><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></span></font></div>