[jamsat-news:2907] ANS-360 AMSAT Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-360

ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS 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.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:

ans-editor@amsat.org

In this edition:
* ARISS 10th Anniversary
* SA AMSAT Announces Two Cubesat Projects
* New South Africa Space Agency Promises Support for Amateur Satellites
* First Winner Picked in AMSAT PayPal Fundraiser Drive
* SO-67 Repeater Temporarily Suspended
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
* ARISS Status - 20 December 2010

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360.01
ARISS 10th Anniversary

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360.01
  From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
December 26, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-360.01

Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, who served as AMSAT's VP of Human Spaceflight for many
years, took time to reflect on the 10th anniversary of the very first Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contacts.

My heartiest of congratulations to all the ARISS volunteers and their
international sponsoring organizations on this, the 10th anniversary of the
first Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) school group
contact.

It is breathtaking to see all that you have done this past decade.  Ham radio
operations on ISS started with the first 
Moscow/USA checkout contact on November
13, 2000—just 11 days after Expedition 1 took up residence on ISS.  That paved
the way for the historic first school contact between the students at the
Burbank School in Burbank, Illinois and Bill Shepherd, KD5GSL on December 21,
2000.  Long-time ARISS volunteer Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, mentored that first
contact…preparing the Burbank students, teachers and community for an activity
that they will remember for the rest of their lives.  Since then, the ARISS
team’s volunteer spirit and can-do attitude have kept the ARISS stations on ISS
operational the entire decade--through all 26 crew expeditions.  Over 560
schools or organizations have performed ARISS contacts -- inspiring tens of
thousands of students and enabling millions and millions, worldwide, to
experience the human spaceflight journey and to share in the excitement and
camaraderie of the ham radio hobby.  The international team has installed
antennas and equipment in several ISS modules, deployed SuitSat, delivered
ARISSat, and a school contact was a prominent “star” in the IMAX ISS 3D movie.
Most importantly, you have inspired a legion of students to pursue careers in
science, technology, engineering and math.

On my desk is a copy of NASA’s “Reference Guide 
to the ISS.”  I recently noticed
that on the back cover is a beautiful photograph of ISS with the Sun shining
prominently on one of the ARISS antennas mounted 
on the Russian Service Module.
That photograph reminds me of a story from the U.S. Constitutional Convention
when statesmen Benjamin Franklin, looking towards the president's chair, at the
back of which a rising sun happened to be painted, observed to a few members
near him, that painters had found it difficult to distinguish in their art a
rising sun from a setting sun. Franklin said "I 
have often…looked at that behind
the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting: But
now at length I have the happiness to know that 
it is a rising and not a setting
sun."

Indeed….the sun that shines over ARISS is a rising sun.

Congratulations to the ARISS international team and their sponsoring
organizations!!

[ANS thanks Frank, KA3HDO, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360.02
SA AMSAT Announces Two Cubesat Projects

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360.02
  From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
December 26, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-360.02

This week SA AMSAT announced on their web page they plan to launch
two satellite projects, both CubeSats but with totally different
design approaches and time lines.

The first project will focus on providing a FM transponder that will
be available on most passes over South Africa and will have a short
time line to launch.

The second project, called SAiSAT focuses on an innovative approach
to the deployment of fold-out solar panels. The project is aimed at
getting Master and Phd students involved in the development and de-
sign of various payloads and substructures. A detailed paper on SAiSAT
will be released in the next two weeks on http://www.amsatsa.org.za

The FM Transponder CubeSat which has yet to be named will be based
on a standard available space frame and sub system with a locally
designed payload. The project will be coordinated by Hannes Coetzee,
ZS6BPZ.

SA AMSAT is inviting radio amateurs who have an interest in satellites
to join the project team. The team will meet for its first meeting on
mid-January via a teleconference.

To participate in the project team, please send your full details, a
description of your expertise in electronics, communication, satellite
tracking, software design, antenna design and any other areas of
experience that will support the project. In true amateur spirit participants
must have enthusiasm. Besides technical experience the team also
requires radio amateurs with management, financial, and communication
skills.

Send your details to saamsat@intekom.co.za by 31 December 2010. You
will be advised of the details of the teleconference in early January,
2011.

Both satellite projects will the subject of papers to be present at
the SA AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on 26 March 2011.

[ANS thanks SA AMSAT for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360.03
New South Africa Space Agency Promises Support for Amateur Satellites

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360.03
  From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
December 26, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-360.03

News posted on the SARL web (http://www.sarl.org.za) reported on the
launch of the South African National Space Agency on December 9.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, said that SANSA
is mandated as the primary, but not sole, implementer of South Africa's
National Space Programme to direct Government's investment in space
sciences and technology.

The purpose is to integrate and manage the country's space activities
for the greater good and implement an effective, sustainable, long term,
national space programme aligned with South Africa's socio-economic
policies.

On a question by the SARL at the media briefing if SANSA will support
amateur radio satellite programme, the CEO of SANSA said definitely.
The Radio Amateurs are part of our plans.

[ANS thanks SARL for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360.04
First Winner Picked in AMSAT PayPal Fund raiser Drive

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360.04
  From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
December 26, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-360.04

First Winner Picked in AMSAT PayPal Fund raiser Drive

Last week AMSAT-NA VP Operations, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA announced
an incentive plan being integrated into the AMSAT PayPal and Facebook
fund raiser campaign. Drew wrote, "Beginning with the $1250 mark, we
will be randomly picking a donor from every $250 increment to receive
an item from the AMSAT store. I hope to announce our first recipient
soon!"

This week Martha at the AMSAT office was privileged to announce the
winner from the first $250 increment. Eric Schecter was our very first
winner. He will have the choice of an AMSAT clock, hat or golf shirt.
Hopefully, there will be more winners in the near future.

If you'd like to donate to the campaign or share the widget to your own
website, please visit http://www.amsat.org. The widget is on the front
page below the ARISSat-1 news, and you can click on "Give" to donate,
or "add to site" to receive the HTML code, or "supporters" to scroll
through the statistics.

Drew concludes, "I hope to soon see many more familiar names scrolling
across the widget, showing your support for ARISSat-1 and Project Fox,
AMSAT's next two satellites."

Donations, memberships, and store purchases may also be made through
the AMSAT store on the website, or by calling Martha at 1 888 322 6728.

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA VP Operations, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, and Martha
  at the AMSAT Office for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360.05
SO-67 Repeater Temporarily Suspended

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360.05
  From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
December 26, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-360.05

Johann, ZR1CBC reports from South Africa that the flash boot memory of
a CAN controller on Sumbandila was corrupted by a probable radiation
event.  It does not affect satellite health but prevents activation of
the amateur radio repeater, as the particular script detects an anomaly
and aborts.

The same problem also occurred in October of 2009 and was corrected.
However, the fix requires time consuming effort, which cannot be
exerted immediately.

SO-67 repeater activations are therefore suspended.  We apologize for
any disappointment and hope to return to normal operations somewhere
in January.

[ANS thanks Johann, ZR1CBC for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360.06
Satellite Shorts From All Over

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360.06
  From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
December 26, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-360.06

+ NASA Jet Propulsion Labs has an on-line slide show with views of
   the Earth varying with the seasons. See: http://tinyurl.com/26yqfun
   (jpl.nasa.gov)

+ Drew KO4MA demonstrates how circular downlinks are more elliptical,
   and have a preferred polarity. The same principles apply on the
   uplink too! You can get smarter by watching the video at:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTqjQ9xIQQE

+ Terry G1WPR reports successful trans-Atlantic contacts via HO-68
   with Nick, KB1RVT and Paul N2BX.

+ ClydeSpace has released a video showing the deployment of a sail
   which could be used to de-orbit a CubeSat. The first prototype of
   an aerobrake system being developed by Clyde Space and the Univers-
   ity of Glasgow can be seen at: http://tinyurl.com/2wlr3yh (SouthGate)

+ Matt, KF6RTB reports that the RAX Cubesat is recovering from a low
   battery charge condition. An anomaly last week that has severely re-
   duced RAX's power generation capability on her remaining three panels
   (the first panel shorted out). RAX will operate in two safe operating
   modes while engineering analysis is underway. You may copy infrequent
   beacons (every 1-2 minutes) or beacons off to regain energy spent on
   testing.

+ Luciano Fabricio, PY5LF, has produced a video showing reception of
   the two Amateur Radio FASTRAC satellites, Sara Lily and Emma on 145.825
   and 437.345MHz FM: http://tinyurl.com/34d58y5 (SouthGate)

+ Luis, LU6QI is trying to attempt a QSO with USA via AO7 or FO29. He
   thinks it could be possible with stations in Florida. Contact Luis
   by e-mail at lquintas@unsl.edu.ar to set up schedules.

+ Sebastian, W4AS found this news on-line on the ARRL LoTW web page:
   Dec 22, 2010 VUCC Award Support Testing - VUCC support is being
   installed and tested. When this upgrade is implemented, amateurs
   can use LoTW to apply for awards based on Maidenhead grid squares,
   such as VUCC and the Fred Fish Memorial Award.

+ AMSAT has received news from Captain Yuri Bodrov, UT1FG/MM, Master of
   the MV "Mottler" he is still operating through all satellites from the
   ocean "wet grid squares" on his sea voyage. Presently he in Coquimbo,
   Chile and expects to depart on December 23 enroute to Huelva, Spain
   and Brunsbuttel, Germany via the Panama Canal. This route will enable
   him to operated FG-FH-EH-EI-EJ-FJ-FK-GK-GL-HL-HM-IM-IN-IO-JO "wet grids".
   Yuri estimates he will be in satellite range for US stations beginning
   December 24. He will transit the Panama Canal on January 3.

+ Update your ISS keps. Russia's Mission Control raised the orbit of the
   International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, December 22 by raising
   it 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles). The readjustment is necessary to ensure
   the best conditions for the docking of Russia's Progress M-09M space
   freighter and the U.S. Discovery's final mission to the ISS.

[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360.07
ARISS Status - 20 December 2010

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360.07
  From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
December 26, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-360.07

1. Upcoming Contacts

The ARISS operations team is working to schedule school contacts for the next
year.  Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA and Cady Coleman, KC5ZTH arrived at the ISS on
Friday, December 17. Both plan to be active in the ARISS program.


2. Astronaut Training Status

Astronaut Tom Marshburn, KE5HOC attended an ARISS introduction course this past
week. Marshburn is slated to fly with Expedition 34 in November 2012.

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information]

/EX


In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's
Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project
Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are
available from the AMSAT Office.

73,
This week's ANS Editor, wishing everyone a happy new year,
Lee McLamb, KU4OS
ku4os at amsat dot org


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