From ans ＠ amsat.org Sun Jun 1 09:12:47 2025 From: ans ＠ amsat.org (Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ) via ANS) Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2025 00:12:47 +0000 Subject: [jamsat-news:3943] [ANS] ANS-152 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins Message-ID: <0100019728d5746d-108fa2ea-bca5-46d0-9165-ed333c7d9224-000000@email.amazonses.com> AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-152 In this edition: * Welcome SO-125! AMSAT-EA’s HADES-ICM Joins the OSCAR Fleet * Your Voice, Your Board: Nominate Now for 2025 AMSAT Election * Another Batch of CubeSatSim Kits Available Soon in AMSAT Store * SpaceX Starship Ninth Flight Yields Data, Misses Reentry Goals * Japanese Private Lander Resilience Nears Lunar Touchdown * GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers June 2025 Rankings * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 30, 2025 * ARISS News * AMSAT Ambassador Activities * Satellite Shorts From All Over 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. The news feed on https://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 You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ANS-152 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2025 Jun 01 ________________________________ Welcome SO-125! AMSAT-EA’s HADES-ICM Joins the OSCAR Fleet AMSAT-EA’s HADES-ICM satellite, a 1.5U PocketQube carrying an SDR-based FM and digital repeater payload for amateur radio use, was launched on March 14, 2025, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket during SpaceX’s Transporter-13 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Following deployment from the ION-SCV-017 Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) on March 31, the satellite has been undergoing commissioning. The FM repeater is expected to be activated in June-initially on weekends, with plans to eventually transition to full-time (24/7) operation, as is currently the case with AMSAT-EA’s earlier HADES-R mission. HADES-ICM also hosts an experimental payload from the University of Manchester’s Smart IR/Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), designed to test a very low-power active radiator under space conditions. Data from this experiment will be publicly transmitted via telemetry packets. The satellite carries an FM and digital repeater payload, built on an improved SDR-based platform capable of transmitting up to 0.25W when battery conditions allow. This makes it accessible to stations using handheld antennas like the Arrow antenna. The coordinated uplink frequency is 145.875 MHz, and the downlink is 436.666 MHz. The repeater operates with an open squelch and does not require a subtone. The satellite has been cataloged with NORAD ID 63492. At the request of AMSAT-EA, AMSAT hereby designates HADES-ICM as SO-125 (Spain-OSCAR 125). We congratulate AMSAT-EA, thank them for their continued contributions to the amateur satellite community, and wish them success with this and future missions! [ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number Administrator for the above information] ________________________________ Your Voice, Your Board: Nominate Now for 2025 AMSAT Election AMSAT has officially opened the nomination period for its 2025 Board of Directors election, which will take place during the third quarter of the year. Four director positions are set to expire in 2025. The current board members whose seats are up for election are: * Barry Baines, WD4ASW * Jerry Buxton, N0JY * Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA * Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO In addition to these four full Director roles, up to two Alternate Directors may also be elected to serve one-year terms. To nominate a candidate, a written submission is required. Nominations must include the nominee’s name, call sign, and contact information, along with the same details for either five AMSAT members in good standing or one Member Society endorsing the candidate. Nominations should be directed to the AMSAT Secretary: Douglas Tabor, N6UA 1133 Verlan Way Cheyenne, WY 82009 Per AMSAT’s bylaws, all nominations must follow the format specified by the Secretary. Doug Tabor has indicated that nominations will be accepted in both hard copy (via postal mail) and digital formats (including email or scanned documents). However, fax submissions are not permitted. Email nominations should be sent to: dtabor [at] amsat [dot] org All nomination petitions must be received by the Secretary no later than June 15th. After the submission deadline, the Secretary will confirm the eligibility of each candidate and the supporting members or societies, with final notification to candidates provided by the end of June. [ANS thanks Doug Tabor, N6UA, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information] ________________________________ Another Batch of CubeSatSim Kits Available Soon in AMSAT Store A new batch of CubeSatSim Kits will be available for purchase in the AMSAT Store (https://www.amsat.org/product/cubesatsim-kit) on Thursday, June 5th, at 7 pm US Eastern time. Priced at $550 with shipping included for U.S. addresses, the CubeSatSim Kit offers a hands-on learning experience with no soldering and some assembly, making it ideal for both educational use and public demonstrations. The CubeSatSim Kit includes: * Fully assembled and tested PCBs (Main, Solar, and Battery Boards) * Raspberry Pi Zero 2 with a Pi Camera and fully programmed micro-SD card, along with a fully programmed Raspberry Pi Pico WH * AMSAT logo Remove Before Flight tag switch * 3D printed frame, nylon screws, and nuts, with a mini screwdriver included for assembly * Metal standoffs, stacking headers, and JST jumpers for stacking the PCBs and Pi Zero 2 * 10 solar panels with pre-soldered JST connectors and mounting tape * BME280 sensor (pressure, temperature, altitude, humidity) and MPU6050 IMU/gyro pre-soldered * Two 6″ SMA coax cables and two SMA antennas The kit also comes with an instruction sheet, parts inventory, and links to online instructions. Assembly time is estimated to be under two hours, with scissors and the provided mini screwdriver. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/CubeSatSim-KitKit-Parts-with-Labels.png] Limited quantities of the CubeSatSim Kit will soon be available for purchase from the AMSAT Store. [Credit: Alan Johnston, KU2Y] The v2.0 CubeSatSim features improvements over v1.2, such as an FM transceiver, Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller, and RF command and control using DTMF or APRS packets. It can also be modified to function as a 500mW high altitude balloon payload. For those interested in creating their own CubeSatSim, v2.0 blank PCB sets are available at the AMSAT Store for $35. These require additional components, which can be purchased for approximately $400 using the provided Bill of Materials. Additional resources include: * Kit Instructions https://cubesatsim.org/kit * Kit Videos https://cubesatsim.org/kit-videos * Discussion Forum https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/discussions * Quick Start Guide https://cubesatsim.org/qsg For more information or to borrow a loaner CubeSat Simulator, contact Alan Johnston, AMSAT VP Educational Relations, at ku2y [at] arrl.net. How to Order Kits will be sold exclusively on the AMSAT Store website. Only U.S. shipping addresses are eligible; orders with non-U.S. addresses will be refunded and closed. About CubeSatSim CubeSatSim is a low-cost satellite emulator powered by solar panels and batteries. It transmits UHF radio telemetry and can be expanded with additional sensors and modules, making it ideal for educational and public demonstrations. [ANS thanks Alan Johnston, KU2Y, AMSAT Vice President Educational Relations for the above information] ________________________________ SpaceX Starship Ninth Flight Yields Data, Misses Reentry Goals SpaceX achieved partial success Tuesday with the ninth test flight of its massive Starship rocket, overcoming prior engine shutdown problems but discovering new issues during the vehicle’s return from space. Launched from the company’s Starbase facility in South Texas, the rocket reached space and achieved full engine cutoff for the first time using its current Block 2 design. However, the upper stage lost control during coast and reentry phases, tumbling and eventually disintegrating over the Indian Ocean. The early stages of the mission went according to plan. All 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster ignited successfully, pushing the rocket skyward with twice the thrust of the Saturn V. After separation, the Starship upper stage ignited its own engines and reached a near-orbital trajectory. Elon Musk confirmed on X that the main engines completed their full burn and that the heat shield tiles remained intact during ascent-both major improvements over previous tests. But soon after engine cutoff, SpaceX aborted a planned payload door test to deploy simulated Starlink satellites when the door failed to open. Minutes later, engineers reported a loss of tank pressure in the Starship’s attitude control system, causing the rocket to enter a slow spin. This compromised SpaceX’s ability to restart an engine for orbital maneuvering and made a controlled reentry impossible, eliminating the opportunity to gather key data on new heat shield tile configurations. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SpaceX-Starship-Flight-9-Liftoff-1024x576.jpg] Starship Flight 9, a megarocket as tall as a 38-story building, lifts off from Starbase, Texas. [Credit: SpaceX / X] The mission ended with the vehicle tumbling into the atmosphere and breaking apart during reentry. Despite the premature conclusion, SpaceX officials noted that they collected valuable data on a number of new systems. The company has been working to improve the durability of heat shield tiles, which are critical to the Starship’s goal of rapid reuse. Tuesday’s flight included multiple experimental tile designs and attachment methods that engineers are eager to analyze, even with the limited reentry data available. There was also progress on the Super Heavy booster. For the first time, SpaceX reused a booster from a previous flight, testing modifications aimed at improving fuel efficiency and failure recovery during landing burns. Although the booster exploded near the end of its descent rather than splashing down intact, it flew well through much of its return. SpaceX believes data from this flight will inform future attempts to catch returning boosters with launch pad arms. The latest setback underscores the challenge of developing a fully reusable heavy-lift rocket capable of missions to the Moon and Mars. SpaceX began 2025 with ambitious goals for up to 25 test flights, but that timeline now appears unlikely. However, Musk indicated that the next three Starships could launch within weeks of each other. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing the flight, and engineers are analyzing telemetry to confirm whether new issues or previously known problems led to the vehicle’s demise. As SpaceX prepares for its next test, company officials remain cautiously optimistic. Read the full article at: https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/spacex-may-have-solved-one-problem-only-to-find-more-on-latest-starship-flight/ [ANS thanks the Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, for the above information] ________________________________ The 2025 AMSAT President’s Club Coins Have Just Arrived! Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-PC-Coin-2-Sided-Color-Web-300x148.jpg] Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus. Join the AMSAT President’s Club today! ________________________________ Japanese Private Lander Resilience Nears Lunar Touchdown Japan’s ispace is aiming for a June 5 landing attempt with its Resilience lunar lander, now orbiting the moon. The spacecraft is targeting Mare Frigoris, a volcanic plain in the moon’s northern hemisphere. If the landing succeeds, it would mark the first moon touchdown by a private Japanese company and only the second lunar landing for Japan overall. Resilience launched on January 15 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, sharing the ride with Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander. Blue Ghost landed successfully on March 2, while Resilience took a longer, energy-efficient route to the moon, entering orbit on May 6. The mission follows ispace’s earlier attempt in 2023, which failed during descent after the lander misjudged the rim of a crater. On May 22, ispace released a photo taken by Resilience showing the moon’s south polar region. The image, posted on social media, reveals a rugged cratered surface and drew attention for an optical illusion in which the craters can appear as raised bumps. While Resilience will land far from the south pole, the photo demonstrated the spacecraft’s ability to capture detailed lunar imagery. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ispace-Resilience-Moon-Photo-1024x750.jpg] Resilience captured a photo of the lunar south pole from orbit ahead of its scheduled June 5 landing. [Credit: ispace] The mission carries five payloads, including a small rover named Tenacious developed by ispace’s European division. The rover is tasked with collecting lunar soil under a NASA contract awarded in 2020. It also carries a small artwork titled Moonhouse, created by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg and mounted to the rover’s front bumper. Resilience joins a growing list of privately developed missions targeting the lunar surface. It follows earlier commercial efforts like Firefly’s Blue Ghost and Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus, which landed in early 2024. These missions contribute to broader scientific and technical goals for lunar exploration. In addition to demonstrating landing capabilities, Resilience will test technologies designed for future ispace missions, including navigation, communications, and thermal control systems. Data from the lander and its payloads will inform development of ispace’s next-generation landers, which are intended for satellite servicing and lunar cargo delivery. Read the full article at: https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/private-japanese-moon-probe-snaps-photo-of-lunar-south-pole-ahead-of-june-5-landing [ANS thanks the Mike Wall, Space.com, for the above information] ________________________________ GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers June 2025 Rankings The June 2025 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr in order to provide more accurate data. Updated: 2025-05-30 1 ND9M 26 KX9X 51 EB1AO 76 N4UFO 2 NJ7H 27 ON4AUC 52 AC0RA 77 PT2AP 3 JA9KRO 28 KG5CCI 53 W7WGC 78 AA8CH 4 UT1FG 29 N5BO 54 XE1ET 79 PT9BM 5 N5UC 30 K8BL 55 N6DNM 80 VE1VOX 6 DL6AP 31 KE4AL 56 EA4NF 81 FG8OJ 7 OE3SEU 32 KB5FHK 57 SM3NRY 82 YU0W 8 DP0POL 33 PA3GAN 58 DF2ET 83 N6UTC 9 F5VMJ 34 F4BKV 59 LU4JVE 84 AF5CC 10 K5ZM 35 VE3HLS 60 AA5PK 85 KI7UXT 11 WI7P 36 KI0KB 61 KI7QEK 86 JM1CAX 12 LU5ILA 37 JO2ASQ 62 SP5XSD 87 KJ7NDY 13 N6UA 38 KI7UNJ 63 F4DXV 88 PS8BR 14 HA3FOK 39 LA9XGA 64 DL4EA 89 N4DCW 15 N9IP 40 BA1PK 65 AD7DB 90 WA9JBQ 16 WY7AA 41 VA3VGR 66 VE1CWJ 91 KB2YSI 17 W5PFG 42 N7AGF 67 KE9AJ 92 K0FFY 18 AK8CW 43 VK5DG 68 BG7QIW 93 VE3GOP 19 DL2GRC 44 XE3DX 69 N8RO 94 N0TEL 20 AD0DX 45 JL3RNZ 70 VA7LM 95 KG4AKV 21 N4AKV 46 PR8KW 71 W8LR 96 DK9JC 22 AD0HJ 47 KE0WPA 72 KM4LAO 97 W8MTB 23 WD9EWK 48 KE0PBR 73 M1DDD 98 CU2ZG 24 ND0C 49 K7TAB 74 W1AW 99 K6VHF 25 DJ8MS 50 JK2XXK 75 HB9GWJ 100 VE7PTN [ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information] ________________________________ [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/AMSAT-SDR-Gen2-GNU-Radio-Based-Transverter.jpg] ________________________________ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 30, 2025 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 https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/. NOTICE: In an effort to minimize confusion between sources of two line element sets, AMSAT is adopting the convention of listing the USSF/NORAD Satellite Catalog name first, followed by any secondary name or names in parentheses. For example, "POEM 4 (BGS ARPIT)" was added recently where "POEM 4" is the name that appears in the US Space Force Satellite Catalog, and "BGS ARPIT" is the name best known within the amateur satellite community. Expect name changes for affected satellites in the coming weeks as this change is fully implemented. This week there are no additions or deletions to the AMSAT TLE distribution. [ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information] ________________________________ ARISS NEWS 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. + Recently Completed Royal Moroccan Air Academy, Marrakech, Morocco, direct via CN8ERA The ISS callsign was OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember was Nichole Ayers KJ5GWI The ARISS mentor was IN3GHZ Contact was successful: Wed 2025-05-28 12:55:36 UTC Yonezawa 5th Junior High School, Yonezawa, Japan, direct via 8N7Y5JH The ISS callsign was OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember was Takaya Onishi KF5LKS The ARISS mentor was 7M3TJZ Contact was successful: Thu 2025-05-29 09:23:02 UTC Watch the livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/sxpw07oNZSg Atkarsk, Saratov region, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign was RSØISS The scheduled crewmember was Sergey Ryzhikov The ARISS mentor was RV3DR Contact was successful: Thu 2025-05-29 13:55 UTC Starominskiy District, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign was RSØISS The scheduled crewmember was Kirill Peskov The ARISS mentor was RV3DR Contact was successful: Sat 2025-05-31 10:35 UTC + Upcoming Contacts Technical University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, direct via EI1ISS The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember is Takaya Onishi KF5LKS The ARISS mentor is EI8BP Contact is go for: Wed 2025-06-04 12:07:37 UTC 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 https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down). As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. 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. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] ________________________________ AMSAT Ambassador Activities AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says, “Think a 75-minute presentation on “working the easy satellites” would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!” Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences. Scheduled Events Rochester Amateur Radio Association Hamfest 2025 - June 21st, 2025 Barnard Fire Department Park 410 Maiden Lane Rochester, NY 14616 KB2YSI https://rochesterham.org/hamfest.htm Greater Louisville Hamfest - September 6th, 2025 Paroquet Springs Conference Centre 395 Paroquet Springs Drive Shepherdsville, KY 40165 W4FCL https://louisvillehamfest.wixsite.com/louisvillehamfest 43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting - October 16th thru 19th, 2025 Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North 1515 North 44th Street Phoenix, Arizona 85008 https://www.amsat.org/2025-symposium/ 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. For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/ [ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director - AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information] ________________________________ AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available Yes, These are the Real Thing! [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Keytag1D-300x155.jpg] Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a Fox-Plus Satellite Includes First Class Postage (Sorry - U.S. Addresses Only) Order Today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain ________________________________ Satellite Shorts From All Over + Congratulations are in order for John, AB5SS, who has earned GridMaster Award #72 for completing satellite contacts in all 488 Maidenhead grid squares across the contiguous United States. The GridMaster Award is one of the highest honors in amateur satellite operations, recognizing exceptional dedication and achievement. First created by the Star Comm Group in 2014 and supported by Damon Runion, WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, the award is now managed by AMSAT for the benefit of the entire community. To date, only a small number of operators have reached this milestone, highlighting the rarity and significance of the accomplishment. Earning GridMaster status requires years of persistence, careful tracking, and often the support of skilled satellite rovers. More information on the GridMaster Award, including how to apply, is available at https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/. (ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information) + Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, is featured in the June 2025 QST “Member Spotlight” for his outstanding contributions to amateur radio satellite operations and AMSAT. A lifelong space enthusiast, Tom was encouraged by the late Keith Pugh, W5IU (SK), to explore satellites and began operating in 2010 using an Icom IC-W32A and Arrow Antenna. He quickly became hooked and joined AMSAT, later serving as an AMSAT Ambassador, giving presentations at clubs, hamfests, and virtual events like the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. Tom also hosts two AMSAT-focused nets in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, helping build local interest in satellite communications. One of his proudest moments was a spontaneous QSO with astronaut Woody Hoburg, KB3HTZ, aboard the ISS in 2023. His passion and outreach have made him a key figure in promoting AMSAT and inspiring others to discover the excitement of working satellites. (ANS thanks Barry Baines, WD4ASW, AMSAT Board of Directors, for the above information) + The European Space Agency’s ACES mission has launched the most precise atomic clock ever sent to space, with the goal of improving how we measure elevation on Earth. This effort addresses real-world issues like the infamous misalignment of a German-Swiss bridge caused by differing sea level baselines. ACES was installed on the International Space Station’s Columbus module on April 25, 2025, using the station’s robotic arm. By linking ACES to the most accurate ground-based clocks, scientists can compare how time ticks across the planet-since time passes more slowly in stronger gravity, this allows geodesists to map Earth’s gravitational field with centimeter-level precision. The clock network will eventually make elevation measurements more accurate worldwide, including in poorly surveyed regions like Africa and South America. Though ACES is just a first step, it paves the way for a future system of even more precise space-based clocks that could revolutionize infrastructure planning, sea level monitoring, and geophysical research. (ANS thanks Sophia Chen, MIT Technology Review, for the above information) + Starfish Space is preparing to launch its second mission, Otter Pup 2, on SpaceX’s upcoming Transporter-14 rideshare flight, where it will attempt to dock with a D-Orbit ION satellite already aboard the same launch. Unlike traditional spacecraft, Otter Pup 2 uses an electrostatic capture mechanism, allowing it to dock with unmodified satellites by attaching to flat panels. The mission aims to demonstrate rendezvous and docking technologies that will support future servicing missions, such as life extension and orbital debris inspection, for both commercial and government clients. A similar effort in 2023 failed due to a malfunction in the launch partner's vehicle, though Otter Pup was still able to approach a different target. This mission will more realistically simulate the challenges of space servicing, with Otter Pup 2 traveling long distances before performing proximity operations and multiple dockings. Starfish hopes to prove that its technology is safe, flexible, and viable, building confidence in satellite servicing amid growing demand and regulatory interest. (ANS thanks Jeff Foust, SpaceNews, for the above information) ________________________________ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ mahrenstorff [at] amsat.org -------------- next part -------------- HTMLの添付ファイルを保管しました... URL: -------------- next part -------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- ANS mailing list -- ans ＠ amsat.org View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/ans ＠ amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to ans-leave ＠ amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org From ans ＠ amsat.org Fri Jun 6 14:58:40 2025 From: ans ＠ amsat.org (Frank Karnauskas (N1UW) via ANS) Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2025 05:58:40 +0000 Subject: [jamsat-news:3944] [ANS] BoD Election Nomination Message-ID: <0100019743d1ed4d-b4738057-cf2c-4570-b6e7-3a39cb8177be-000000@email.amazonses.com> Greetings, Mitch. I planning on running for last place in the upcoming BoD election. I would appreciate your nominating if you are so inclined. The instructions for nominations are below. Nominations are due no later than June 15th. To nominate a candidate, a written submission is required. Nominations must include the nominee’s name, call sign, and contact information, along with the same details for either five AMSAT members in good standing or one Member Society endorsing the candidate. Nominations should be directed to the AMSAT Secretary: Douglas Tabor, N6UA 1133 Verlan Way Cheyenne, WY 82009 Per AMSAT’s bylaws, all nominations must follow the format specified by the Secretary. Doug Tabor has indicated that nominations will be accepted in both hard copy (via postal mail) and digital formats (including email or scanned documents). However, fax submissions are not permitted. Email nominations should be sent to: dtabor [at] amsat [dot] org All nomination petitions must be received by the Secretary no later than June 15th. After the submission deadline, the Secretary will confirm the eligibility of each candidate and the supporting members or societies, with final notification to candidates provided by the end of June. Thanks in advance. Cheers, Frank Frank Karnauskas, N1UW Vice President, Development Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. (AMSAT) 712 H Street NE, Ste 1653 Washington DC 20002 info ＠ amsat.org Direct Contact 3670 E. Kingler Spring Pl. Tucson, AZ 85718 f.karnauskas ＠ amsat.org -------------- next part -------------- HTMLの添付ファイルを保管しました... URL: -------------- next part -------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- ANS mailing list -- ans ＠ amsat.org View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/ans ＠ amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to ans-leave ＠ amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org From ans ＠ amsat.org Sun Jun 8 09:31:58 2025 From: ans ＠ amsat.org (Paul Stoetzer via ANS) Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2025 00:31:58 +0000 Subject: [jamsat-news:3945] [ANS] ANS-159 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins Message-ID: <010001974cf38b2f-e9085ce4-8370-4daa-ab3f-9c765f07bedd-000000@email.amazonses.com> *AMSAT News Service* *ANS-159* *June 8, 2025* In this edition: - Nominations Close Soon for 2025 AMSAT Board of Directors Election - NOAA-18 Decommissioned - Request for Expression of Interest for futureGEO Project - SO-125 FM Transponder Activated - Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for June 6, 2025 - ARISS News - AMSAT Ambassador Activities - Satellite Shorts From All Over 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. The news feed on https://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 You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ------------------------------ Nominations Close Soon for 2025 AMSAT Board of Directors Election AMSAT solicits nominations for the 2025 AMSAT Board of Directors election, scheduled to take place in the third quarter of the year. The nomination period closes on June 15th. The seats of the following four incumbent Directors expire in 2025 and will be filled by this year’s election: - Barry Baines, WD4ASW - Jerry Buxton, N0JY - Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA - Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO Further, up to two Alternate Directors may be elected for one-year terms. A valid nomination for Director must be written and requires either one Member Society or five current individual members in good standing to nominate an AMSAT member. Written nominations, with the nominee’s name, call sign, and contact information, as well as the nominators’ names, call signs, and contact information, should be sent to the AMSAT Secretary: Douglas Tabor, N6UA 1133 Verlan Way Cheyenne, WY 82009 AMSAT bylaws require that the nomination be written and in the form specified by the Secretary, who has elected to accept written nomination materials via postal mail or in electronic form, including email or electronic image of a paper document. Fax transmissions cannot be accepted. Email nominations may be sent to dtabor [at] amsat [dot] org. Regardless of the means used, petitions must be received by the Secretary no later than June 15th. The Secretary will verify the qualifications of candidates and nominating members or Member Societies as petitions are accepted and will notify candidates whether their nominations are in order by the end of June. *[ANS thanks Douglas Tabor, N6UA, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information]* ------------------------------ *AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available* *Yes, These are the Real Thing!* * * *Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a Fox-Plus SatelliteIncludes First Class Postage (Sorry ? U.S. Addresses Only)Order Today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain * ------------------------------ NOAA-18 Decommissioned *NOAA-18 (Credit: NOAA)* On May 31, 2025 at 1605 UTC, the NOAA-18 S-band Transmitter 4 (STX4) experienced a power drop from 7W to 0.8W. STX4 is the only remaining transmitter used for up-link (commanding) and downlink (telemetry & global science data from the recorder). Full recovery of the S-Band transmitter and its functionality is not possible, and therefore jeopardizes the ability to ensure safe operation of the spacecraft. Based on NOAA’s requirement to responsibly manage on-orbit assets, NOAA decommissioned NOAA-18 on June 6, 2025 between 1733 and 1749 UTC and the APT signal transmission ceasing was observed by amateur observers. NOAA-18 is a legacy Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) satellite and is operated with no performance or latency requirements. Users should transition to NOAA's Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). JPSS provides global observations that serve as the backbone of both short- and long-term forecasts, including those that help us predict and prepare for severe weather events. The five satellites scheduled in the fleet are the currently-flying NOAA/NASA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) satellite, NOAA-20, previously known as JPSS-1, NOAA-21, previously known as JPSS-2, and the upcoming JPSS-3 and JPSS-4 satellites. *[ANS thanks the NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service for the above information]* ------------------------------ *The 2025 AMSAT President’s Club Coins Are Here!* *Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight* *Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.**Join the AMSAT President’s Club today!* ------------------------------ Request for Expression of Interest for futureGEO Project As part of AMSAT-DL's cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) to prepare a future geostationary amateur radio payload project (“futureGEO”), a *Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI)* was recently sent to national AMSAT organizations, amateur radio associations and qualified experts worldwide. The aim is to identify potential partners who would like to actively participate in the definition and development of a new amateur radio payload for a future geostationary satellite. Contributions should include innovative technical ideas, experiences from previous missions (e.g. QO-100) as well as concrete proposals for payloads, experiments and educational initiatives. In particular, amateur radio organizations whose countries are members of the ESA or which are in the planned visibility range (footprint) are addressed. This means Canada, Europe, North and South America, and Africa. Call for expressions of interest (RFEI) for futureGEO project Unfortunately, we have noticed that not all contact details in the “AMSAT International Directory” are up to date. *(Editor's note: International AMSAT organizations should submit updated contact information for key leaders to info at amsat.org to update this directory) *If you are an organization that has not received an RFEI but would like to actively participate, please contact us directly. → Request for Expression of Interest ? RFEI “futureGEO” ? Invitation Letter (PDF) → Future Amateur Goestationary Payload Definitions ? WORK TO BE DONE (PDF) *The deadline for expressions of interest is June 30, 2025.* We look forward to your feedback and hope for committed international cooperation on this forward-looking project! *Editor's note: The AMSAT Board of Directors and senior leadership will be submitting an expression of interest. A geostationary amateur radio satellite with a North American footprint has been sought for a very long time and AMSAT is committed to providing AMSAT-DL with any support that we can provide in this endeavor.* *[ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information]* ------------------------------ SO-125 FM Transponder Activated *SO-125 (HADES-ICM)* On the evening on June 5, 2025, the SO-125 FM transponder was activated for the first time. AMSAT-EA intends to activate the FM transponder on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays moving forward. Initial reports are that the satellite's transponder works well. QSOs have been made via the satellite in all regions of the world. The satellite has a 145.875 MHz uplink and a 436.666 MHz downlink. The NORAD ID for Keplerian elements is 63492. AMSAT has submitted a request to the ARRL to have SO-125 added to the LoTW configuration file for LoTW QSO confirmations. SO-124 (HADES-R) continues in 24 hour operation with a 145.925 MHz uplink and a 436.888 MHz downlink. Wednesdays are reserved for digital modes. Updates on AMSAT-EA's satellites can be found at https://x.com/eb1ao and https://x.com/AmsatSpain. *[ANS thanks AMSAT-EA for the above information]* ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for June 6, 2025 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 https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/ . IRIS-A NORAD Cat ID 51044 Decayed from orbit on or about 05 JUN 2025 *[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]* ------------------------------ *Need new satellite antennas? Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the **AMSAT Store! **When you purchase through **AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards **Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.* ------------------------------ ARISS News 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. *Scheduled Contacts**School in the Aznakaevsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Sergey Ryzhikov The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Sun 2025-06-08 09:05 UTC *Mountain Creek State High School, Mountain Creek, Queensland, Australia, via IK1SLD* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember is Takaya Onishi KF5LKS The ARISS mentor is VK4KHZ Contact is go for: Mon 2025-06-09 08:10:45 UTC 47 deg 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 https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down), If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. 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. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html *[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]* ------------------------------ *Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store ! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space ------------------------------ AMSAT Ambassador Activities AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says, "Think a 75-minute presentation on "working the easy satellites" would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!" Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences. Scheduled Events *June 21, 2025* *Rochester Amateur Radio Association Hamfest 2025*Barnard Fire Field 410 Maiden Lane Rochester, NY 14616 KB2YSI *September 6, 2025* *Greater Louisville Hamfest* Paroquet Springs Conference Centre 395 Paroquet Springs Drive Shepherdsville, KY 40165 W4FCL *October 16, 17, 18, 19, 2025AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting and 43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting*Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North 1515 North 44th Street Phoenix, Arizona 85008 Details at https://www.amsat.org/2025-symposium/ 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. For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/ *[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director ? AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information]* ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts from All Over + The FCC has denied AST Space Mobile's request to use 430 MHz -440 MHz for telemetry operations, noting "There is no space tracking or space telemetering allocation in the 430-440 MHz frequency range." (Thanks to AMSAT-DL and the FCC for the information) + A paper by Hope Lea, KD2L, and Ruth Willet, KM4LAO, entitled "Empowering the Next Generation Through Space Communication" was selected best in "The Next Generation" part of the SpaceOps 2025 conference in Montreal. This paper discussed ARISS and YOTA. AMSAT congratulates them on their outstanding work! (Thanks to ARISS for the information) + The FCC's #FridayFlashback on X this past week highlighted amateur radio. View FCC amateur radio ads from years past in the thread at https://x.com/FCC/status/1931024023023984709 ------------------------------ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: - Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). - 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. - Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. *73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* *This week's ANS Editor,* *Paul Stoetzer, N8HM* *n8hm [at] arrl.net * *ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002* -------------- next part -------------- HTMLの添付ファイルを保管しました... URL: -------------- next part -------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- ANS mailing list -- ans ＠ amsat.org View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/ans ＠ amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to ans-leave ＠ amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org From ans ＠ amsat.org Sun Jun 15 09:11:57 2025 From: ans ＠ amsat.org (Frank Karnauskas (N1UW) via ANS) Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:11:57 +0000 Subject: [jamsat-news:3946] [ANS] ANS-166 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <0100019770edba0c-f353babd-492b-4c25-8c19-fac303e37347-000000@email.amazonses.com> In this edition: * Hotel Reservations for 43rd AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting Now Available * Hard Copy Getting Started in Amateur Satellites Now Available * Bankston Introduces Hamvention 2025 AMSAT Forum * Burns Fisher ? The Legacy of AMSAT Flight Software * SkyRoof - A Specialized Satellite Tracking Program for SDR's * VUCC Satellite Standing June 2025 * DXCC Satellite Standing June 2025 * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 13, 2025 * ARISS News * AMSAT Ambassador Activities * Satellite Shorts From All Over 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. 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 [dot] org. Sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ Hotel Reservations for 43rd AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting Now Available Book your room now! The 43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting will be held Thursday, October 16th through Sunday, October 19th. The site of the 2025 event will be the Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North. For your planning purposes, the overall schedule for the event is as follows: Thursday, October 16th 0900 ? 1700 Board of Directors Meeting Friday, October 17th 0900 ? 1200 Board of Directors Meeting 1300 ? 1700 Symposium Presentations 1800 ? 2100 Reception & Auction Saturday, October 18th 0900 ? 1200 Symposium Presentations 1300 ? 1500 Symposium Presentations 1500 ? 1700 Annual General Meeting 1800 ? 1900 Reception 1900 ? 2100 Banquet Sunday, October 19th 0800 ? 1000 Members Breakfast [cid:image001.jpg ＠ 01DBDD32.853F40E0] Credit: Holiday Inn Suites Phoenix Airport North The Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North is located minutes away from Phoenix Sky Harbor airport and features: * Free airport shuttle and parking * Resort-style facility with beautiful courtyard, outdoor pool, brew pub. * Free breakfast * Fully updated rooms * All rooms are two-room suites with choice of 2 Queen beds or 1 King Bed * Affordable rates of only $129 plus tax. Make your reservations now! You must make your reservation directly with the hotel to enjoy this special rate. Group Code: P7C Group Name: AMSAT BY PHONE Reservations: 866-819-6510 ON LINE https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/phoenix/phxff/hoteldetail (Under Rate Preference: Select the "Group Rate" button and enter "P7C" then press "Enter" before continuing.) [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.] ________________________________ Hard Copy Getting Started in Amateur Satellites Now Available The hard copy edition of AMSAT’s completely updated Getting Started With Amateur Satellites is back in stock! This is the complete guide to get you working the amateur satellites including tracking applications, choosing an antenna, radio selection, and step-by-step operating instructions for the FM, SSB, and digital satellites. This book is for the beginner through the veteran satellite operator. In addition to practical tips and tricks, the book includes operating techniques so that you sound like an experienced operator. [cid:image002.jpg ＠ 01DBDD32.853F40E0] The chapters include: * Introduction to Satellites * Satellite Basics * Locating Amateur Satellites * Your Antenna System * Your Radio System * Operating the FM Satellites * Operating the SSB/CW Satellites * Receiving Satellite Digital Data * Operating the Digital Satellites * International Space Station * Reference Material * Upgrading Your Amateur Satellite Station This completely updated version is spiral-bound so it lays flat for easy reading The book is printed in full color and is 128 pages. Order your copy at https://www.amsat.org/product/getting-started-with-amateur-satellites-hard-copy/. Sorry, U.S. mailing addresses only. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.] ________________________________ Your 2025 AMSAT President’s Club Coin Is Waiting! Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight Help Support GOLF and Fox-Plus. [2025 PC Coin Set] Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ ________________________________ Bankston Introduces 2025 Hamvention AMSAT Forum AMSAT President Robert Bankston greeted attendees of the Hamvention Saturday, May 17, 2025 AMSAT Forum, kicking off the session which included short presentations by several AMSAT Engineering leaders. Bankston explained that the organization was officially formed in 1969 saying, “We've been keeping Amateur Radio in space for more than 50 years starting with OSCAR 1 in 1961.” OSCAR-1 was launched on December 12, 1961 as a secondary payload on the Thor-Agena rocket with a US Air Force mission. OSCAR-1 was the first satellite ever to be deployed as a secondary payload from a launch vehicle. [cid:image004.png ＠ 01DBDD32.853F40E0] “The bureaucratic efforts required to secure permission to launch OSCAR-1 greatly exceeded the effort required to build the satellite. It established the precedent for all subsequent secondary payload launches for the next five decades.” “Speaking of the fun of being a part of AMSAT,” Bankston said, “Our primary goal is to have Amateur Radio available in space for you to operate with. And if you haven't done it before, it's a blast. You're chasing that little chunk of radio, flying through space at 17,000 miles an hour and trying to keep up with it, whether it be by hand or with automated azimuth and elevation tracking antennas. Accomplishing that is great stuff.” Bankston told the audience that even more than operating via satellite communications, many AMSAT members get the opportunity to design and build a satellite that goes up into space. “AMSAT has a lot to offer to everybody. We are looking forward to enhanced relationships with school-aged students and their teachers via our new Youth Initiative which includes online self-learning. “Currently AMSAT has about 4,000 members, the majority of whom are in the United States. AMSAT members also are in some 53 countries. There are other AMSAT organizations around the world, in such countries as the UK, Spain, Germany, Japan, Brazil and many others. “AMSAT shares a strategic relationship with the U.S. Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) organization. That group facilitates worldwide space-oriented education programs primarily in middle and high schools. Student activities in the ARISS program culminate with a capstone of a live question and answer session via Amateur Radio with an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS). More than 100 astronauts have obtained and use an Amateur Radio license issued by their home country to legally transmit via radios installed on the ISS.” The forum session provided an update on current activities. Bankston said, “the most important part of today’s update is what our AMSAT engineers are working on.” The lineup of engineering professionals who presented talks began with Jerry Buxton, AMSAT VP of Engineering and his team. Buxton spoke about the importance of AMSAT’s volunteer engineers and an overview of current AMSAT projects. [ANS thank Robert Bankston, AMSAT President for the above information.] ________________________________ Burns Fisher ? The Legacy of AMSAT Flight Software Note; Burns Fisher, WB1FJ, AMSAT Senior Software Engineer spoke at the 2025 Hamvention AMSAT Forum about his involvement in the development of flight software for AMSAT satellites and progress to date. His non-technical presentation helped attendees understand the scope of AMSAT software advancements during the past 15 years. This is Par 1 of a 2 Part series. “I began working on Fox-1 software during 2010. The Fox-1 series of cubesats progressed from A through B, C, D and E. Software for each new satellite is based on that original Fox-1A software, including the five FOX-1 satellites as well as those flown by University of Washington and University of Maine. This is because we make AMSAT radios and processors available to universities so our software is used to control the AMSAT boards. “Fox-1A was launched in 2015. Since then we’ve refined, added to and reused the same fundamental programs, although each satellite features different capabilities and many other individual program refinements. Specific variations include satellite bus data configurations connecting new subsystems or improved modules within the flight computer. We almost always discover a few bugs in the current satellite which we try to fix in the next one. “Commands transmitted from a ground station control the Amateur Radio repeater or transponder receive and transmit functions as well as other satellite functions. These commands use encryption to securely authenticate that commands are coming from an AMSAT ground station. Controlling devices like satellites is the only time that encryption is allowed in Amateur Radio. “In addition, the flight software collects telemetry data from various systems in the satellite, combines it and transmits it back to earth so we can read and use the data to monitor our satellites and the investigators who provided science experiments can get their results.” “FoxTelem Software for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms can demodulate, store and analyze telemetry signals from AMSAT cubesats. FoxTelem users, who do not have to be licensed amateurs can upload received telemetry data to the AMSAT server so that it can be used by scientists and researchers whose experiments fly AMSAT satellites as well as by AMSAT engineers monitoring the health of the spacecraft.” (More details or download here: https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/) Burns continued, “If you want to know what the flight software does, the easiest way to see this is to look at the tasks within it. You can think of tasks as being like applications on your phone. This chart shows the list of current flight software tasks. “One flight task example is a diagnostic task for debugging and testing systems on the bench. Another software task controls experiments such as the Vanderbilt University radiation experiment and the Virginia Tech camera. [cid:image005.png ＠ 01DBDD32.853F40E0] The yellow boxes represent two new tasks coordinating multiple processors, and controlling a new electrical bus called CAN. GOLF flight software is still based on the original Fox-1 software but is more complicated and required an enormous amount of additional programming. “GOLF satellites have a Controller Area Network bus (CAN bus) designed to enable efficient communication between processors and other devices. The CAN bus concept originated in the Automotive Industry to connect automotive ECUs (Electronic Control Units). Its purpose is to reduce the complexity and cost of electrical wiring in automobiles by multiplexing different kinds of data. Multiplexing combines multiple input signals into a single output signal for transmission over a shared channel. There are multiple processors on GOLF.” While Fox satellites are all in Low Earth Orbits between approximately 500 km and 800 km altitudes, Burns needs to test newly added functions required for navigation and propulsion, part of AMSAT’s strategic goals involving highly elliptical orbits for wide access satellite missions. (Note: Part 2 of this series will appear in next week’s ANS Weekly Bulletin.) [ANS thanks Burns Fisher, WB1FJ, AMSAT Senior Software Engineer for the above information] ________________________________ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. [cid:image006.jpg ＠ 01DBDD32.853F40E0] When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ ________________________________ SkyRoof - A Specialized Satellite Tracking Program for SDR's SkyRoof , developed by Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA, is a satellite tracking and radio control program that focuses on software design radio (SDR) operation. The program supports SDR-based SSB/CW/FM receivers with RIT and Doppler tracking. Frequency tuning is done visually with a mouse. It provides detailed information about all satellites that transmit in the ham bands while all satellite traces on the waterfall are labeled with satellite names, and the boundaries of the transponder segments. [cid:image007.jpg ＠ 01DBDD32.853F40E0] SkyRoof provides the usual pass prediction for selected satellites and visual representation of the current satellite position and future passes in several formats including Sky View - the view of the sky from your location; Earth View - the view of the Earth from the satellite; Time Line - the satellite passes on the time scale; and Pass List - the details of the predicted passes. The SDR-based waterfall display covers the whole satellite segments on the VHF and UHF bands, with zoom and pan. The program supplies audio and I/Q output to external programs via a virtual audio cable (VAC). CAT control of an external transceiver is also said to be provided along with antenna rotator control. SkyRoof is currently available only for MS Windows. It is open source and can be downloaded for free at https://ve3nea.github.io/SkyRoof/index.html. [ANS thanks Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA for the above information.] ________________________________ VUCC Satellite Standing June 2025 Here is the VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for May 01, 2025 to June 01, 2025. Call May June DL2GRC 1501 1650 AA5PK 1500 1524 OZ9AAR 1100 1300 EA2AA 1050 1085 JN2QCV 1016 1075 W8LR 900 905 AA8CH 876 901 WD9EWK-(DM43) 774 779 AF5CC 651 656 RA3S 107 654 KA9CFD 500 608 AD2DD 517 604 HB9GWJ 575 602 AB5SS 411 549 HC2FG 413 477 K3HPA 350 375 N4QWF 336 350 WD9EWK-(DM41) 229 235 SV8CKM 140 215 WD9EWK-(DM31) 206 210 N6UTC-(DM15) 150 177 DH0GSU 156 170 OH3DP New 150 OE6JWD New 101 WB5TX New 101 W6OR New 100 Congratulations to the new VUCC Satellite holders! OH3DP OE6JWD WB5TX W6OR OH3DP is first VUCC Satellite holder from Finland and KP10. OE6JWD is first VUCC Satellite holder from JN77. [ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ for the above information.] ________________________________ DXCC Satellite Standing June 2025 Here is the DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for May 01, 2025 to June 01, 2025. Call May June DL2GRC 184 188 F4BKV 171 187 SA5IKN 100 184 OZ9AAR 153 173 HB9RYZ 157 163 DL6GBM 157 160 YO9HP 131 157 IK1IYU 146 153 IK5CBE 141 143 TF1A 112 113 W8LR 108 112 YL2GC New 101 Congratulations to the new DXCC Satellite holder! YL2GC YL2GC is first DXCC Satellite holder from Latvia and KO26. [ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ for the above information.] ________________________________ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! [cid:image008.png ＠ 01DBDD32.853F40E0] 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear ________________________________ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 13, 2025 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 https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/. The following satellite has been removed from this week's AMSAT TLE distribution: NOAA-18 NORAD Cat ID 28654 Decommissioned 1740 UTC 06/06/2025 [ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information] ________________________________ ARISS NEWS 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. [ARISS News] Completed Contacts Aznakaevo students, Aznakaevo, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via RC4P The ISS callsign was RSØISS. The crewmember was Sergey Ryzhikov. The ARISS mentor was RV3DR. Contact was successful Sunday, June 8, 2025 at 09:07 UTC. Mountain Creek State High School, Mountain Creek, Queensland, Australia, telebridge via IK1SLD The ISS callsign was OR4ISS. The crewmember was Takaya Onishi, KF5LKS. The ARISS mentor was VK4KHZ. Contact was successful Monday, June 9, 2025 at 08:10 UTC. Upcoming Contacts Axiom 4 group 3 telebridge via ON4ISS Rzeszow University of Technology, Rzeszow Poland. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS. The scheduled crewmember is Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, SQ7AS. The ARISS mentor is K4RGK. Contact is go for Tuesday.June 17, 2025 at 09:39 UTC. Axiom 4 group 4 telebridge via ON4ISS University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS. The scheduled crewmember is Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, SQ7AS. The ARISS mentor is K4RGK. Contact is go for Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 08:50 UTC. Axiom 4 group 1 telebridge via IK1SLD Hungarian Scout Association, Budapest, Hungary. Debrecen - Bánki Reformed Primary School, Technical College and Vocational Training School, Debrecen, Hungary Mezoberényi Petofi Sándor Evangélikus Gimnázium, Kollégium és Általános Iskola, Mezöberény, Hungary Budapesti Muszaki Szakképzési Centrum Puskás Tivadar Távközlési és Informatikai Technikum, Puskás Radio Amateur Club ? HA5KHC, HA5KBF, Budapest, Hungary. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be TBD. The scheduled crewmember is Tibor Kapu, HA5TRO. The ARISS mentor is ON6TI. Contact is go for Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 10:28 UTC. Axiom 4 group 2 telebridge via IK1SLD MOBILIS Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft., Gyor, Hungary Széchenyi István University of Gyor ? SZESAT, Gyor, Hungary. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS. The scheduled crewmember is Tibor Kapu, HA5TRO. The ARISS mentor is ON6TI. Contact is go for Thursday, June 19, 2025 at 09:39 UTC. Youth On The Air 2025, Denver, Colorado, direct via WØY The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS. The scheduled crewmember is Nichole Ayers, KJ5GWI. The ARISS mentor is N7GZT. Contact is go for: Thursday, June 19, 2025 at 17:25 UTC. Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/live/I7JFXlzjrKc?feature=share Axiom 4 group 5 telebridge via ON4ISS UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Dept. of Space, Govt. of India, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS. The scheduled crewmember is Shubhanshu Shukla, VU2TNI. The ARISS mentor is AA6TB. Contact is go for Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 08:01 UTC. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down). As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. 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. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.] ________________________________ AMSAT Ambassador Activities AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. [AMSAT Ambassador News Logo] June 21, 2025 Rochester Amateur Radio Association Hamfest 2025 Barnard Fire Field 410 Maiden Lane Rochester, NY 14616 KB2YSI August 21-24, 2025 Northeast HamXposition (HamX) & New England ARRL Convention Best Western Royal Plaza & Trade Center 181 Boston Post Road W Marlborough, MA 01752 http://www.HamX.org W1EME, WD4ASW, WB1FJ September 6, 2025 Greater Louisville Hamfest Paroquet Springs Conference Centre 395 Paroquet Springs Drive Shepherdsville, KY 40165 W4FCL October 16 - 19, 2025 AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting and 43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North 1515 North 44th Street Phoenix, Arizona 85008 Details at https://www.amsat.org/2025-symposium/ [ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director ? AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information] ________________________________ Satellite Shorts From All Over From September 19-21, 2025, the Bochum radome will once again be dedicated to satellite and space research. In cooperation with the Bochum Observatory, AMSAT-Deutschland e.V. is offering a varied and informative program aimed at AMSAT members and all space enthusiasts. The focus is on current developments and future prospects for national and international amateur radio satellites and other space projects. Lectures, presentations and exciting discussions will provide participants with valuable insights into the latest technologies, missions and research projects in space travel. As was the case last year, the Space Days begin on Friday with a general “come together” and end on Sunday with the General Assembly. The exact schedule and further plans here on the website as soon as possible. Anyone interested in giving a presentation is welcome to contact them in advance at info ＠ iuz-bochum.de. The SpaceX launch of four private astronauts has been delayed again. The Axiom Space's Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) mission to the International Space Station (ISS) had been scheduled to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida's Space Coast on Wednesday morning, June 11, but a propellant leak in the Falcon 9 booster nixed that plan. And now, another leak ? this one in a leaky module at Ax-4's destination, the ISS ? has further postponed the liftoff indefinitely. This is the first flight for the Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission. This will be the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched a Starlink mission. [ANS thanks SpaceX.com for the above information.] ________________________________ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat [dot] org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor is Frank Karnauskas, N1UW. f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002 AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. -------------- next part -------------- HTMLの添付ファイルを保管しました... 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