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<p><font size="4"><strong style="font-family:georgia,serif"></strong></font></p>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em><span class="gmail_default"></span><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"></span>AMSAT </em>News Service</span></font></h2>
<h3><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>ANS-011</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>January 11, 2026</strong></span></font></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">* NASA Ends Crew 11 Mission Due To ‘Medical Concern’ With An Astronaut<br>
* REMINDER: AMSAT Membership Now Includes “Getting Started” Guide<br>
* NASA Marks 50 Years Of GOES Satellites<br>
* VUCC Satellite Standings for January, 2026<br>
* DXCC Satellite Standings for January, 2026<br>
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution<br>
* Two U.S. Schools/Organizations Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process<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">Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] <a href="http://amsat.org">amsat.org</a></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">NASA Ends Crew 11 Mission Due To ‘Medical Concern’ With An Astronaut</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">NASA is bringing some of the crew aboard the International Space
Station (ISS) back to Earth early due to medical concerns with one the
astronauts.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">NASA officials announced on Wednesday, January 7, that they had
decided to cancel an upcoming spacewalk due to a medical issue with an
undisclosed crew member. Hours later, the agency indicated that it
wasn’t ruling out an early end to Crew-11’s mission, and confirmed that
the unnamed crew member was in a stable, non-emergency condition. NASA
officials finalized the decision to bring the astronauts home in an
announcement on Thursday, January 8.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, and Zena Cardman, KJ5CMN, had been scheduled to
step outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday at about
13:00 UTC, kicking off a roughly 6.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA).
But that spacewalk was postponed.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">A follow-up statement from NASA said, “Safely conducting our missions
is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options,
including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission.” That
crew includes both Cardman and Fincke, as well as Japanese astronaut
Kimiya Yui, KG5BPH, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. The crew was
launched on August 1, 2025 and was not scheduled for return until
mid-February, following the arrival of Crew-12.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-63219" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/jsc2025e064546large-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><em>The crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11
mission pose for a photo during a training session on July 3, 2025 at
SpaceX facilities in Florida.<br>
>From left: Oleg Platonov, Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, Zena Cardman, KJ5CMN, and Kimiya Yui, KG5BPH. (Credit: SpaceX)</em></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The early return of Crew-11 shouldn’t cause any delays in the
preparations to rollout and launch the agency’s Space Launch System
(SLS) rocket for Artemis 2 — the first crewed mission to the moon in
over 50 years — NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said on Thursday,
January 8. Artemis 2 is slated to roll to the launchpad for a liftoff no
earlier than February 5.</span></font></p>
<p style="font-weight:400"><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Space.com for the above information. Read the full story at <a href="https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/iss-astronaut-evacuation-shouldnt-interfere-with-upcoming-artemis-2-moon-mission-nasa-chief-says">https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/iss-astronaut-evacuation-shouldnt-interfere-with-upcoming-artemis-2-moon-mission-nasa-chief-says</a>.]</em></font></p>
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<h2 style="text-align:left"><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">REMINDER: AMSAT Membership Now Includes “Getting Started” Guide</span></font></h2>
<p style="text-align:left"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">AMSAT is offering a limited-time promotion for new and renewing members that includes a free digital copy of <em>Getting Started with Amateur Satellites</em>. The promotion is being offered as AMSAT begins the 2026 membership year.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:left"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Anyone who joins or renews their AMSAT
membership during the promotional period will receive a download link
for the latest edition of <em>Getting Started with Amateur Satellites</em>
in their membership confirmation email. The guide is designed to help
radio amateurs understand the fundamentals of satellite operation and
serves as a practical reference for both newcomers and operators
returning to the hobby. Additional information about AMSAT membership is
available at <a href="https://launch.amsat.org">https://launch.amsat.org</a>.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><a href="https://www.amsat.org/product/getting-started-with-amateur-satellites-digital-download/" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-63153" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/amsat_getting_started_guide_2025_cover.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="518"></a></font></p>
<p style="text-align:left"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In addition to this limited-time promotion, AMSAT membership includes a subscription to <em>The AMSAT Journal</em>,
access to archived issues, discounts on selected items in the AMSAT
online store, and opportunities to participate in AMSAT elections,
committees, awards programs, and other AMSAT activities and programs.
Members may also access archived proceedings from past AMSAT Space
Symposiums through the AMSAT member portal.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:left"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Beyond these tangible benefits, AMSAT
membership supports the development, launch, and operation of amateur
radio satellites, along with education and outreach efforts. Joining
AMSAT is not just about individual benefits — it is about being part of
the community that builds and operates amateur satellites for radio
amateurs worldwide. As AMSAT looks ahead to 2026, the promotion helps
launch another year of growth and opportunity for amateur radio in
space.</span></font></p>
</div>
<p><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT President for the above information.]</em></font></p>
</div>
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<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>The 2026 President’s Club Coin is Now Here!</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Help Support GOLF and FoxPlus.</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-63195" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/PC-2026-Coin-2S-Color-1-300x152.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="152"></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Annual memberships start at only $120</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Keep Amateur Radio in Space!</strong><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><a href="https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/</strong></a></span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">NASA Marks 50 Years Of GOES Satellites</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, or GOES
programme started a revolution in meteorology and weather forecasting.
With GOES-1, satellite-sourced weather data could be sourced without
waiting for the satellite to pass overhead. Previous satellites could
only provide data at the times they were passing overhead.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The first three GOES satellites carried an instrument called Visible
and Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer (VISSR). This instrument enabled
meteorologists to collect a wider range of data as well as a fuller set
of data than ever before. GOES-1 went up in 1974, with the next two
arriving in the next five years</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The second generation of GOES satellites added important weather
observation instruments. With these, our understanding of phenomena such
as El Niño and tropical storms improved greatly. Furthermore, beginning
with GOES-7, an RF receiver was added as part of the Search and Rescue
Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT) system.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-wp-image-63211" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/History-of-GEO-satellites-9-2025-no-GeoXO.png" alt="" width="800" height="513"></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">Timeline of GOES launches including
key technological developments associated with each “generation” of
satellites. (Figure credit: NOAA/NASA)</em></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">From 1994-2001, the third generation GOES satellites reached orbit.
Innovations included the ability to narrow the area under observation to
better understand local weather events. GOES-12 also included the Solar
X-ray Imager (SXI) instrument, which added full-disk X-ray observations
of the Sun to the toolkit of space weather watchers.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Gen 4 satellites, called GOES-N, ushered in improvements to
positioning with star-tracker instruments. With these, the location of
weather events could be more precisely determined. The Extreme
Ultraviolet Sensor added to space weather observations. Scan rates were
quickened to one-minute scans, which aided in understanding severe
weather outbreaks and issuing warnings.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The current generation of GOES satellites, known as GOES-R, added a
variety of capabilities. These satellites feature the ability to narrow
in and zoom out from local to global views with a choice of scan rates.
Fire-detection instruments were added for the first time ever on a
geostationary satellite. Many hobbyists enjoy receiving direct L-band
downlinks from these satellites.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:left"><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Orbital Today for the above information. See the full article at <a href="https://orbitaltoday.com/2025/12/26/nasa-marks-50-years-of-goes-satellites/">https://orbitaltoday.com/2025/12/26/nasa-marks-50-years-of-goes-satellites/</a>.]</em></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>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.</strong></span></font></p>
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<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><strong>When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds 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://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/</strong></a></span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">VUCC Satellite Standings for January, 2026</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for December 01, 2025 to January 01, 2026.</span></font></p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Callsign</span></font></th>
<th><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Dec</span></font></th>
<th><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Jan</span></font></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">PY2PIM</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">1200</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">RA3DNC</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">599</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">824</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">N8MR</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">801</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">809</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">AC9DX</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">682</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">725</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">HB9GWJ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">631</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">651</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">VE4MM</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">561</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">577</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">N7UJJ</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">462</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">509</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">K5WO</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">326</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">N9XG</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">310</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">312</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">SV8CKM</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">273</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">285</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">PU5DDC</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">241</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">254</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">G4BWP</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">150</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">200</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">WD9EWK(DM42)</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">189</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">194</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">E75AA</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">191</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">156</span></font></td>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">160</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">IK2XRL</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">140</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">BY1QH</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">PT2VM</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">126</span></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">PU4ELT</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">PY3YO</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 VUCC Satellite holders.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">PY2PIM<br>
E75AA<br>
IK2XRL<br>
BY1QH<br>
PU4ELT<br>
PY3YO</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">PY3YO is first VUCC Satellite holder from GG32<br>
PY2PIM is first VUCC Satellite holder from GG67<br>
PU4ELT is first VUCC Satellite holder from GH70</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">DXCC Satellite Standings for January, 2026</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for December 01, 2025 to January 01, 2026.</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>
YV5NEA<br>
EA7Z</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">YV5NEA is first DXCC Satellite holder from Venezuela and FK60<br>
EA7Z is first DXCC Satellite holder from IM67</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>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-62841" src="https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/SDR-Gen2-Ad-01_251214.jpg" alt="SDR Gen 2 Ad - 2026" width="879" height="516"></span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for January 9, 2026</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 style="padding-left:40px"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The following satellite has been <i>removed</i> from this week’s AMSAT TLE distribution:<br>
IO-86 NORAD Cat ID 40931. No new elements released for more than 180 days.</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">Two U.S. Schools/Organizations Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased
to announce the U.S. schools/host organizations newly selected for 2026
ARISS contacts. A total of two of the submitted proposals during the
recent proposal window have been accepted to move forward in the
processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur radio contact with
crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage
young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM)
activities and raise their awareness of space communications, radio
communications, space exploration, and related areas of study and career
possibilities.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide
scheduling opportunities for the two U.S. host organizations during the
July – December 2026 period. They are now at work starting to implement
their 4–6-month education plan which was outlined in their proposal.
These STEAM based educational activities help prepare students for their
contact as well as create an on-going exploration and interest in
aerospace and amateur radio topics. They are also completing an
acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the
ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by ARISS, the
final selected schools/organizations will be scheduled as their
availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities
offered by NASA.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The school and host organization are:</span></font></p>
<ul><li><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">YOTA Summer Camp in Huntsville, AL seeking a contact date between June 14 – 19, 2026.</span></font></li><li><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">University Heights School of Medical Arts in Jonesboro, AR seeking a contact date between July and December 2026.</span></font></li></ul>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a
cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the
space agencies that support the ISS. In the United States, sponsors are
the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Amateur Radio Digital
Communications (ARDC), Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT),
NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program (SCaN) and the ISS
National Lab—Space Station Explorers. The primary goal of ARISS is to
promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and
mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via
amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before
and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and
communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space,
space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see <a href="http://www.ariss.org">http://www.ariss.org</a>.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS PR, for the above information.]</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;padding-left:40px"><font size="4"><em style="font-family:georgia,serif">None scheduled for the coming week.</em></font></p>
<p style="font-weight:400"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Many times a school may make a last minute
decision to do a Livestream or run into a last minute glitch requiring a
change of the URL but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for
publication. You can always check <a href="https://live.ariss.org/">https://live.ariss.org/</a> to see if a school is Livestreaming.</span></font></p>
<p style="font-weight:400"><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">The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67}
& 437.800 MHz down), If any crew member 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">Service Module radio: Not in APRS configuration; only being used
for voice contacts at this time. Default mode is for packet
operations (145.825 MHz up & down) but occasionally used for SSTV
(145.800 MHz down).</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Ham TV – Configured. Default mode is for scheduled digital amateur television operations (2395.00 MHz).</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"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">February 13-15, 2026<br>
HamCation<br>
Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park<br>
4603 West Colonial Drive<br>
Orlando, Florida 32808<br>
AA4KN</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">March 21, 2026<br>
Midwinter Madness Hamfest<br>
Buffalo Civic Center<br>
1306 County Rd 134<br>
Buffalo Minnesota 55313<br>
KØJM, ADØHJ</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.</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">+ LACHIT-1 (Live Amateur Communication Hub for Innovative
Technologies – One), the first satellite developed Assam Don Bosco
University (ADBU) in Northeast India, is scheduled for launch aboard
Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) PSLV-C62 rocket on January
12. The LACHIT-1 mission is a student-led initiative involving more than
50 students and faculty members drawn from across the Northeast,
including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur
states. The satellite will carry a UHF downlink using 2-FSK modulation
at up to 9k6 kb with store and forward capability and a CW beacon.
Frequencies for a telemetry and data downlink on 436.175 MHz and for the
beacon on 435.360 MHz have been coordinated by the International
Amateur Radio Union (IARU). (ANS thanks Northeast News and IARU for the
above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ A live Satellite Communication Demonstration with the International
Space Station (ISS) was successfully conducted in Pransla village,
Gujarat (India) on 29 December 2025 with more than 12,000 students
assembled. The live science and space outreach program was conducted
with the active support of AMSAT-INDIA and Upagraha Amateur Radio Club
(UpARC) at Indian Space Research Organisation’s U R Rao Satellite
Centre. Basic concepts like ham radio, satellite communication, uplink
& downlink, azimuth, elevation, frequencies, etc., and satellite
tracking were explained so students could understand the upcoming live
ISS pass. Three confirmed two-way contacts were made during the single
ISS pass before what may be one of the largest crowds ever assembled for
a satellite demonstration. (ANS thanks Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, Regional
Coordinator – AMSAT-INDIA, for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ 2025 was a banner year for shattering launch records worldwide. The
324 orbital launch attempts in 2025 represented a 25% increase from
2024’s previous record of 259. Almost 60% of all launch attempts came
from the U.S., with SpaceX conducting 170 of the 193 American launches.
China was second with 92 launches during the year. (ANS thanks SpaceNews
for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ SpaceX is lowering orbits of 4,400 Starlink satellites to 480km
throughout 2026, reducing ballistic decay time by 80% and preventing
orbital debris accumulation risks. Lower altitude decreases collision
risk in increasingly crowded low Earth orbit. Deorbiting faster prevents
long-term orbital contamination. Massive orbital reconfiguration
represents proactive response to congestion challenges. Nearly half of
Starlink’s 9,400 operational satellites will require altitude
adjustment. The current 550-kilometer orbit sits within crowded
debris-prone region. The proposed 480-kilometer altitude places
satellites in a less congested orbital band. (ANS thanks NASA Space News
for the above information. Read the full story at <a href="https://nasaspacenews.com/2026/01/spacex-lowering-orbits/">https://nasaspacenews.com/2026/01/spacex-lowering-orbits/</a>.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ AMSAT-UK are pleased to announce they will be holding a webinar to
advise European amateurs regarding the ESA / CCSDS sponsored outreach
competition to develop reference protocols at 16:00 UTC on Wednesday
14th January. The webinar will be via Zoom and the event will be
recorded. <em>NOTE:</em> this competition is for European and UK hams only. For information and registration see <a href="https://amsat-uk.org/2026/01/06/webinar-for-ccsds-competition/">https://amsat-uk.org/2026/01/06/webinar-for-ccsds-competition/</a>. (ANS thanks AMSAT-UK 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"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This week’s ANS Editor,<br>Mark Johns, KØJM<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">mjohns [at] <a href="http://amsat.org">amsat.org</a></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>