[jamsat-news:3258] [ans] ANS-018 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

[Joseph Spier]

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-018

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor-
mation service of AMSAT North America, 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.

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur
Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor at amsat.org.

In this edition:

* Fox-1A Launch Date
* Most Current ISS Keps
* NASA Cubesat Simulators Intern Opportunities Summer 2015
* AESP-14 CubeSat on ISS awaiting deployment
* OGMS-SA CubeSat to provide FM Transponder
* Call for Speakers and Papers for the 41st Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave
   Conference
* Dick Flagg, AH6NM, honored as Yasme Excellence Award Winner
* Video of FUNcube-1 demonstration at IARU-R1 conference
* AMSAT Events
* ARISS News
* Satellite Shorts From All Over



SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-018.01
ANS-018 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 018.01
 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE January 18, 2015
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-018.01


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Fox-1A Launch Date


AMSAT has received a launch date for the Fox-1A satellite. Fox-1A will
be launched on August 27, 2015 on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5
rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on the NROL-55 flight
for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The launch time has not
been announced.

Fox-1A Operating Frequencies include:

Uplink 435.180 MHz FM
Downlink 145.980 MHz FM

The AMSAT Fox series of satellites will include additional opportunities
for launch during 2015-2016:

+ Fox-1B will fly with the Vanderbilt University radiation
experiments expected in 2016.

+ Fox-1C* will launch on Spaceflight's maiden mission of the
SHERPA multi-cubesat deployer during the 3rd quarter of 2015.

+ Fox-1D is a flight spare for Fox-1C. If not needed as a spare
it will become available to launch on any open launch slot which
becomes available and be submitted in a Cubesat Launch Initiative
(CSLI) proposal in 2015.

+ Fox-1E is built as a flight spare for Fox-1B but has been included
in a student science proposal as part of the November, 2014 CSLI
for an ELaNa flight slot. If selected the Fox-1B spare will fly as
Fox-1E.

* The flight for Fox-1C has been purchased by AMSAT. It is not funded by
the Cubesat Launch Initiative ELaNa program. Fund raising for the
$125,000 launch costs for Fox-1C are underway. We have commissioned a
unique challenge coin for donors who have contributed at the $100 level
or higher. This challenge coin is shaped as an isometric view of a Fox-1
CubeSat, complete with details such as the stowed UHF antenna, solar cells,
and camera lens viewport. Struck in 3mm thick brass, plated with antique
silver, and finished in bright enamel, the coin is scaled to be
approximately 1:4 scale, or 1 inch along each of the six sides. The reverse
has the AMSAT Fox logo.

You may donate at:

+ The AMSAT web site
http://www.amsat.org

+ AMSAT's page on the FundRazr crowdsourcing web site
http://fnd.us/c/6pz92/sh/561Zd

+ Or Call Martha at the AMSAT Office (888) 322-6728


[ANS thanks the Fox-1 Team for the above information]


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Most Current ISS Keps


AMSAT has been working on updating the keps for the ISS in a more
timely manner. Joe Fitzgerald has confirmed that the AMSAT keps
download site is now updated with the latest ISS data.

Here is his comment:

http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ftp/keps/current/nasabare.txt
is updated daily at 11:18 UTC with TLE's from Spaceflight.nasa.gov
http://tinyurl.com/ANS018-ISS-TRAJECTORY-DATA

According to Joe Fitzgerald, "This is a very significant improvement
and should be very helpful for this who need accurate keps for school
contacts and other ISS activities."

The bulletins remain on a weekly schedule with data from spacetrack.org
The ARISS team suggests this information should be share accordingly.


[ANS Thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, and ARISS for the above
information.]


----------------------------------------------- -----------------------


NASA Cubesat Simulators Intern Opportunities Summer 2015


CubeSat Simulator Intern Opportunities in Greenbelt, MD USA
The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is offering an internship
position for the Summer 2015 semester. Applications are being taken
on the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI) recruiting web site.

To search, go to:
https://intern.nasa.gov --> Student Opportunities --> Internships -->
and you are brought to a page with tabs. The opening tab HOME
describes the main ground rules and schedule. Click the SEARCH
OPPORTUNITIES tab and scroll to the very bottom. Enter Keyword in the
box: "cubesat" without the quotes, then click the Search and then you
will get a growing list of opportunities including the Cubesat
Simulator, Cubesat Groundstation, and PICetSat Module & PCB
Development. This brings the student to this page:

https://intern.nasa.gov/ossi/web/public/guest/searchOpps/

Again, the Internship Titles are:
o CubeSat Simulator Upgrade Plus
o CubeSat Ground Station Development
o PICetSat Module & PCB Development

The objective of this Opportunity is to allow a university level
student to rework, repair and improve a prototype "1-Unit" CubeSat
simulator/model on loan from AMSAT and then to share his or her
experiences as a result. The model used in this Opportunity is
similar to that described in The AMSAT Journal article "Education
With a Satellite Simulator: ETP CubeSat Simulator," by Mr. Mark
Spencer, ARRL Education and Technology Program Coordinator, Part 1
in the the September/October 2009 issue and Part 2 in the November/
December 2009 issue.

Back copies are available at:
http://www.arrl.org/files/file/ETP/CubeSat/CubeSat-Pt1-SepOct09.pdfhttp://www.arrl.org/files/file/ETP/CubeSat/CubeSat-Pt2-NovDec09.pdf

A course of study in engineering is required. Electrical/Electronics
Engineering (EE) or Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) for
university students in their junior class or higher. Experience in
hardware is also required.

Open to U.S. citizens.

The immediate skills required of the intern are to be a well-rounded
individual, and to have an excellent knowledge of and experience with
Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office (especially in using
spreadsheets), electrical and electronic circuits (theory and
practice), microcontrollers, interfacing, and the use of basic
laboratory test equipment and procedures.

Familiarity with the CubeSat community is important.

A proficiency in either C++ or a similar language for microcontrollers
and the desire to learn a new one is necessary. A basic understanding
of data acquisition, signal processing, or control is required.

Hands-on experience in building something, repairing or upgrading
PCs or other electronic gear, or just getting stuff to work is required.
Mechanical and electrical construction skills will be used.

Experience in RF or wireless technology (anywhere between 3 and
2400 MHz) is very important. Holding or obtaining an Amateur Radio
license from the FCC and practical radio experience is a distinct
advantage.

A good attitude, an exceptional willingness to learn and to contribute
as a team player are essential qualities. Likewise, excellent
communicator skills (verbal, writing and definitely e-mail),
reliability, punctuality, having a self-starter work ethic and the
ability & desire to work independently for long periods are required.

You may ask questions regarding the tasks and skill requirements
with the mentor in advance (Mr. Pat Kilroy, Code 568,
Patrick.L.Kilroy ＠ nasa.gov) and
telephone interviews will be available.

The student application instructions provide a deadline of March 1
to apply, but mentors will start evaluating applications as soon as
next week. The word to the wise is to get one's application in ASAP
and certainly within the next three weeks!

Applications must be made via the OSSI web. Please Be sure to enclose
your callsign.

https://intern.nasa.gov/ossi/web/public/main/index.cfm?sola rAction=
view&subAction=content&contentCode=HOME_PAGE_INTERNSHIPS


[ANS thanks NASA and Pat, N8PK for the above information]


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OGMS-SA CubeSat to provide FM Transponder


The AESP-14 is a 1U CubeSat developed by undergraduate and graduate
engineering students at the Technology Institute of Aeronautics (ITA)
in Brazil. The satellite’s primary mission is to test the various
subsystems in the space environment.

The satellite was sent to the International Space Station (ISS) on
January 10 by the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch and it is now awaiting
release into space by the JEM orbital deployer (J-SSOD) at the Kibo
Japanese module.

The satellite has an amateur radio experiment developed by the
Americana Amateur Radio Club (CRAM). The experiment consists of the
random transmission of 100 sequences of ASCII characters prefixed
with the “CRAM” word that will used as part of a contest among
receiving stations. The first 10 amateur radio stations that complete
receiving the 100 sequences will be awarded a commemorative diploma.
A web site is being developed to collect the sequences. The site
address will be announced shortly.

AESP-14 will transmit with an RF power of 500 mW on 437.600 MHz using
the 9600 bps G3RUH modulation (GFSK) and AX.25 UI framing. Radio
amateurs are encouraged to send any telemetry frames received back to
the team. Telemetry format and more information will be published in
the project web site
http://www.aer.ita.br/~aesp14

An update bulletin will be released as soon as the final launch date
is announced by NASA.


[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and Edson, PY2SDR for the above information]


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OGMS-SA CubeSat to provide FM Transponder


OGMS-SA is a 3U CubeSat being developed by students at the Paris-Est
Creteil University as part of the QB50 constellation.
The purposes of this CubeSat include upper atmosphere science; radio
communication experiments; technology demonstrator; education,
training and outreach.
Additionally it will provide an FM voice transponder for amateur use.
Planning is to use VHF uplink and UHF downlink with 9k6 FX25 GMSK
modulation. A downlink of 437.545 MHz has been coordinated.

OGMS-SA CubeSat
http://www.esep.pro/-CubeSat-OGMS-SA-En-construction-.html

Source IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination
http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru

QB50 CubeSat Launch Contract Signed
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/28/qb50-cubesat-launch-contract-signed /


[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]


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Call for Speakers and Papers for the 41st Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave
Conference


Talks and papers, both long and short, are needed for the 41st
Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave Conference on April 17-19 2015 in
Manchester, CT.

Please tell us about what you have been working on: Operating,
contesting, construction, homebrewing, microwaves.

Please let Paul, W1GHZ, (w1ghz ＠ arrl.net) know if you are considering
a presentation or paper. A commitment by the end of February would be
appreciated, with a deadline of 18 March.

The conference organizers are also planning another Friday afternoon
workshop. One suggestion is for an Antenna Modeling workshop. We
could even do two simultaneous workshops - one for Antenna Modeling
and something else for those who aren't computer-oriented. Any
suggestions, please.

Find additional details at
http://www.newsvhf.com/vhfconf.html


[ANS thanks Paul, W1GHZ for the above information]


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Dick Flagg, AH6NM, honored as Yasme Excellence Award Winner


The Yasme Foundation Board of Directors has announced the recipients
of several awards. The Foundation named four individuals to receive
the Yasme Excellence Award for 2014.

Honored as Yasme Excellence Award winners were:

* Kimo Chun, KH7U, for 20 years of behind-the-scenes support to
DXpeditions to Pacific entities -- including logistics, organization,
equipment, local contacts, and planning.

* Dick Flagg, AH6NM, for his years of working with the Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program and its
predecessor Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX), and for
supporting NASA's Radio Jove project, both designed to introduce
Amateur Radio to students and the general public.

* Florin Cristian Predescu, YO9CNU, and Lisa Leenders, PA2LS, for
their work in organizing and promoting Youngsters on the Air (YOTA)
and Amateur Radio youth activities.

The Yasme Excellence Award is presented to individuals who, through
their own service, creativity, effort, and dedication, have made a
significant contribution to Amateur Radio in technical, operating, or
organizational achievement.

http://www.yasme.org/news_release/2014-01-07.pdf


[ANS thanks ARRL Letter and YASME Foundation for the above
information]


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Video of FUNcube-1 demonstration at IARU-R1 conference


Riaan Greeff ZS4PR has released a video of the demonstration of the
FUNcube-1 (AO-73) CubeSat by Graham Shirville G3VZV to delegates at
the IARU Region 1 Conference in September 2014.

Mats SM6EAN has posted a brief report on the Swedish Amateur Radio
Society (SSA) website about the FUNcube-1 CubeSat presentation at the
IARU Region 1 General Conference in Varna-Albena, Bulgaria.

The following is translated from the original Swedish post.

After the session of the VHF, UHF and Microwave C5 Committee had
completed the delegates were given two interesting presentations.

Graham Shirville G3VZV did a poolside demonstration of the FUNcube-1
satellite which was launched in November 2013. Using a computer,
FUNcube SDR dongle and a turnstile antenna, held by Kjetil Toresen
LA8KV, he received FUNcube-1 and displayed the telemetry data on the
computer screen. The satellite’s telemetry beacon on 145.935 MHz was
also heard using a handheld SSB receiver.

A presentation was also made about Hamnet which is being expanded,
especially in Germany. Hamnet is a high-speed multimedia network and
it was discussed whether and how IARU Region 1 could support the
expansion of this network.

Post by Mats SM6EAN in Swedish
http://www.ssa.se/iaru-reg-1-dag-4/

FUNcube
http://FUNc ube.org.uk/

FUNcube SDR Dongle
http://FUNcubeDongle.com/

FUNcube Yahoo Group
http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/

Dashboard App – Telemetry Decoder
http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboa rd/

Data Warehouse – Telemetry Archive
http://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/

Hamnet
http://hamnetdb .net/

IARU Region 1 Conference documents and pictures
http://iarur1con2014.bfra.bg/


[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]


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AMSAT Events


Information about AMSAT activities at other important events around
the country. Examples of these events are radio club meetings where
AMSAT Area Coordinators give presentations, demonstrations of working
amateur satellites, and hamfests with an AMSAT presence (a table with
AMSAT literature and merchandise, sometimes also with presentations,
forums, and/or demonstrations).

* Friday and Saturday, 16-17 January 2015 – Cowtown Hamfest in Forest
Hill TX (south of Fort Worth)

* Saturday, 14 February 2015 – presentation for the Greater Los
Angeles Mensa Regional Gathering 2015 in Los Angeles CA (Concourse
Hotel at Los Angeles International Airport)

* Friday and Saturday, 20-21 February 2015 – Yuma Hamfest in Yuma AZ
(Yuma County Fairgrounds, 32nd Street between Pacific Avenue & Avenue
3E, south of I-8 exit 3)

* Saturday, 7 March 2015 – Irving Amateur Radio Club Hamfest in
Irving TX (west of Dallas)

* Friday and Saturday, 13-14 March 2015 – Green Country Hamfest in
Claremore OK (northeast of Tulsa)

* Friday and Saturday, 20-21 March 2015 – Acadiana Hamfest in Rayne
LA (west of Lafayette)

* Saturday, 21 March 2015 – Weatherford Hamfest in Weatherford TX
(west of Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex)

* Saturday, 21 March 2015 – Scottsdale Amateur Radio Club Hamfest in
Scottsdale AZ (northeast of Phoenix, near AZ-101/Princess Drive)

* Saturday, 28 March 2015 – Tucson Spring Hamfest in Tucson AZ (22nd
Street, east of Columbus Blvd.)

* Friday, 3 April 2015 – presentation for the Associated Radio
Amateurs of Long Beach in Signal Hill CA (Signal Hill Community
Center)

* Saturday TBD in early May 2015 – Cochise Amateur Radio Association
Hamfest in Sierra Vista AZ

* Saturday TBD in early June 2015 – White Mountain Hamfest in Show
Low AZ

* Friday and Saturday, 12-13 June 2015 – HAM-COM in Irving TX (west
of Dallas)

* Friday and Saturday, 7-8 August 2015 – Austin Summerfest in Austin
TX


[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]


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ARISS News


+ A direct contact with students at Richmond Heights Middle School
and at BioTECH @ Richmond Heights High School in Miami, Florida, USA
via W1HQL was successful Thu 2015-01-15 16:09:40 UTC 46 deg.
Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF answered 12 questions for an
audience of 400 students.

RICHMOND HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Richmond Heights Middle School opened its doors in 1963 in the
Richmond Heights community in southwest Miami, Florida. The now 50
year old school, is located in a historic African American Community.
An army captain by the name of Frank C. Martin believed it to be a
wise investment as well as the right thing to do to establish a
housing development in which Black veterans of WWII could purchase
their own home. There are currently 636 students and a teaching
staff of 41 faculty members. Along with its exemplary athletics
program, full time gifted program, and Cambridge program, Richmond
Heights Middle School offers a Zoology Magnet program to the students
of Miami Dade County Public Schools. This is an extremely unique
magnet program that is one of only three in the nation. The zoology
magnet is a result of a partnership with Zoo Miami, the Zoological
Society of Florida and Richmond Heights Middle School. It has been
in existence since 1988. Students have the unique opportunity to
visit the zoo to study the animals within their exhibits while
engaging in STEM fields of study.

BIOTECH @ RICHMOND HEIGHTS 9-12 HIGH SCHOOL

BioTECH @ Richmond Heights 9-12 High School is the only Conservation
Biology public magnet high school is the United States and boasts
three campuses: our educational center at Richmond Campus, our
Research Station at Zoo Miami, and our Botanical Outpost at Fairchild
Tropical Botanic Garden. BioTECH provides students with a
challenging and advanced level math and science curriculum focused on
Conservation Biology that exposes them to rigorous STEM coursework as
well as research opportunities with practicing scientists in state-of-
the-art laboratories. In classes taken on-site at Zoo Miami,
students study the human impact on biological diversity, making
BioTECH the only school in the country to offer a full research and
teaching facility within zoo grounds. Research experiences are
offered in collaboration with the local zoo and the local research
and botanic garden. BioTECH is currently home to 130 students that
travel within the boundaries of a 467 square mile area to attend
this unique school. The school opened its doors in August 2014 with
a total of 8 faculty members, 7 support staff members, and
an arsenal of practicing scientists and conservation educators from
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Zoo Miami, Zoological Society of
Florida, Everglades National Park, The Dumond Conservancy, and
Biscayne National Park.

1. How would astronauts combat disease, say an accidental
infection by a Salmonella culture, given the increased virulence of
microbes in space?

2. What kind of work is the crew doing in support of the future
missions to Mars?

3. We have a 3D printer in our school. What are the future
implications of having a 3D printer on-board? What types of prints
will you create?

4. Does experiencing a sunrise/sunset every 90 minutes change
your sleep/wake cycles?

5. Do you feel physical exhaustion in space at the end of your
work day? How long is your work day?

6. Without gravity, how do plants, such as Arabidopsis, determine
orientation germination? Geotropism what do roots do? Do plants on
the ISS grow in all different directions?

7. Do you feel stressed on the space station? How do you cope
with stress on a space station and does it have more or less of an
effect on your immune system in space? Measure muscle conditioning?

8. How are astronaut diets altered to accommodate the changes to
the digestive system in microgravity?

9. All work and no play can be boring. What do you do for fun up
in space?

10. How do you keep from feeling trapped in the space station?

11. What role did your education play in becoming an astronaut?

12. Which teacher influenced you the most in your life and why?


Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule

+ A direct contact with high school students at Japanese Broadcasting
Corporation (NHK) headquarters in Shibuya, Japan in connection with
their “Masakame” event is scheduled for
Sat 2015-01-24 14:21:04 UTC 56 deg.


Japan’s NHK is televising a regular science program “Masakame” for
young people. ("Masakame" means Good Heavens.) They are planning to
offer a special program around the ARISS contact, which will be
video recorded, and Amateur Radio satellites on air on February 28.

The following contacts with RSØISS:

+ A direct contact with students in Kursk, Russia scheduled for
Wed 2014-12-24 has been postponed until January.
+ A direct contact with students in Kursk, Russia scheduled for
Thu 2014-12-25 has been postponed until January.

No additional information has been provided.


[ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above
information]


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Satellite Shorts From All Over


73 on 73 Award #7 - EA4AYW

Congratulations to Jorge Gallardo Sanchez, EA4AYW, for becoming the
seventh recipient of the 73 on 73 Award. He submitted a list of 73
stations worked via AO-73 between September 1, 2014 and
January 9, 2015.

For more information on the award see
http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/73-on-73-award/

[ANS thanks Paul, N8HM for the above information]


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/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 addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT
Office.

Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership
at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students
enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.

73,
This week's ANS Editor,
Joe Spier, K6WAO
k6wao at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans