| |
CX2SA > SAT 17.01.21 01:01z 357 Lines 15698 Bytes #999 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS-017.01
Read: GUEST
Subj: ANS-017 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
Path: HB9ON<IW0QNL<IZ3LSV<ED1ZAC<GB7CIP<CT7AXA<CT1EBQ<W0ARP<CX2SA
Sent: 210117/0051Z @:CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM #:47579 [Salto] FBB7.00e $:ANS-017.01
From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM
To : SAT@AMSAT
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 017.01
>From AMSAT HQ Washington, DC
January 17, 2021
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-017.01
RadFxSat-2 Launch Delayed Until Sunday, January 17, 2021
Virgin Orbit announced a new launch date of No Earlier Than (NET) Sunday,
January 17, 2021 with additional windows in January if needed. The
specific window is 10:00 to 14:00 PST (1800 to 2200 UTC). Virgin Orbit
seems to be using its Twitter account to make their public announcements,
so that may be worth watching at https://twitter.com/Virgin_Orbit.
AMSAT does not have preliminary TLE for the upcoming launch. If you are
hoping to snag the first contact, Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT VP -
Engineering suggests checking the nasabare.text TLE just prior to launch,
maybe thirty-minutes after launch or until they are posted.
[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
November/December 2020 AMSAT Journal Now Online
AMSAT members can read the November/December 2020 edition of the AMSAT
Journal online. This edition includes:
- Apogee View - Robert Bankston, KE4AL
- Engineering Update - Jerry Buxton, N0JY
- Educational Relations Update - Alan Johnston, KU2Y
- Development Update - Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
- For Beginners - Amateur Radio Satellite Primer VIII - Keith Baker,
KB1SF/VA3KSF
- Working FalconSat-3 Packet BBS with the Kenwood TH-D72A - Brian
Wilkins, KO4AQF
- Testing a More Fade-resistant BPSK Demodulator for Fox Linear
- Transponder Spacecraft - Chris Thompson, G0KLA/AC2CZ
- The Success Story of SMOG-P, the World's Smallest Satellite - Gabor
Geczy
- Starting My Adventure With Amateur Radio Satellites - James Johnson,
VE7HJ
The AMSAT Journal is a bi-monthly magazine for amateur radio in space
enthusiasts, published by the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
(AMSAT). Each issue is your source for hardware and software projects,
technical tips, STEM initiatives, operational activities, and news from
around the world. Join AMSAT today to start receiving your bi-monthly
issue of The AMSAT Journal. Members can access the latest issue of The
AMSAT Journal as well as archived editions at
https://launch.amsat.org/The_AMSAT_Journal/.
[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it
all begins with GOLF-TEE - a technology demonstrator for deployable
solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control. Come along for the
ride. The journey will be worth it!
https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
UVSQsat Scheduled for January 21, 2021 Launch
The launch of UVSQsat is scheduled for January 21, 2021 by a SpaceX
Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida. UVSQ-SAT is a nanosatellite
designed by LATMOS (Atmospheres Spatial Observation Laboratory) and
developed at the Observatory of Versailles Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines.
Its scientific and technological goals are observing essential climate
variables, namely shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes at the top of
the atmosphere and UV solar spectral irradiance.
In addition to experimental and educational missions, it will provide the
Amateur Radio community with a new FM transponder. AMSAT-Francophone and
the radio club F6KRK have been involved throughout the project. AMSAT-
Francophone offers software to interpret the data and send it to the
AMSAT-F & Satnogs database. The software is in beta mode and available
for testing and giving feedback for improvement. The software runs on
both Windows and Linux platforms. Information for downloading is
available at:
https://code.electrolab.fr/xtof/josast/-/blob/21-ecr-
uvsqsat/ApplicationUVSQsatDecoder/src/site/markdown/UserManual.md
Two audio files are available for testing the software:
- 1200 bps (BPSK / G3RUH): SDRSharp_20201023_143925Z_437017790Hz_IQ---
Beacon_1200.wav
- 9600 bps (BPSK / G3RUH): SDRSharp_20201023_144839Z_437011810Hz_IQ---
Beacon_9600.wav
The satellite will transmit on the frequency: 437.020 MHz.
More information on the satellite frequencies: http://amsat-
f.org/AMSATLIST/SatellitePage/UK/0UVSQsat.html
More information on the project: http://uvsq-
sat.projet.latmos.ipsl.fr/index.php
[ANS thanks AMSAT-F for the above information.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Seven US Schools Moved Forward in ARISS Selection Process
January 7, 2021 - Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS) is pleased to announce the schools/host organizations selected
for the July-December 2021 contact window. A total of seven of the
submitted proposals during the recent proposal window have been accepted
to move forward in the processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur
radio contact with crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program
is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and
Math (STEAM) activities and raise their awareness of space
communications, radio communications, space exploration, and related
areas of study and career possibilities.
The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide
scheduling opportunities for the seven US host organizations during the
July through December 2021 time period. They are now at work completing
an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute
the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by the ARISS
Technical Mentors, the final selected schools/organizations will be
scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the
scheduling opportunities offered by NASA.
The seven schools advancing in the selection process are:
Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN
Tarwater Elementary, Chandler, AZ
Museum of Science & Technology, Syracuse, NY
SpaceKids Global and Girl Scouts of Citrus, Winter Park, FL
Civil Air Patrol - Illinois Wing, St Charles, IL
Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC
Savannah River Academy, Grovetown, GA
[ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN for the above information.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
CubeSat to Test Harnessing Earth's Magnetic Field for Propulsion
Although not an Amateur Radio satellite, a student-built CubeSat is of
interest to the Amateur Radio Satellite Service. Built at the University
of Michigan, it will investigate whether small satellites can be
maintained in low Earth orbit without thrusters or propellant. Scheduled
to launch from the Mojave Air and Space Port on Virgin Orbit's Launch
Demo 2 on January 10, 2020, the Miniature Tether Electrodynamics
Experiment-1 (MiTEE-1) will test the concept of using the Earth's
magnetic field to generate thrust.
The usual way to overcome this is to use thrusters to boost the satellite
into a higher orbit, but for smaller spacecraft, and especially CubeSats,
this isn't currently an option - although efforts like the ThermaSat
design are looking to bring lightweight propulsion systems to CubeSats.
The result is that many perfectly good pieces of hardware are destroyed
prematurely, deorbiting in a matter of months or even days.
The MiTEE project will test the feasibility of using electromagnetism to
provide propulsion by stringing a wire tether 33 to 100 feet (10 to 30 m)
long between two CubeSats. The idea is that solar panels would provide
electricity, which would run through the wire. As the satellite orbits
the Earth, the ionosphere completes the circuit and, because a force is
exerted on a wire when it conducts a current in a magnetic field, the
tether generates thrust that can be used to boost the spacecraft into a
higher orbit. As the force isn't very great, such an approach wouldn't be
feasible for larger satellites, but the hope is it will be enough to
allow small satellites to compensate for the drag of the atmosphere.
The result of two and half years of work, MiTEE-1 won't actually produce
any thrust. Instead, it will consist of a satellite about the size of a
loaf of breadbox and another about the size of a smartphone that deploys
on a one-meter (33-in) rigid boom. This will measure how much current can
be drawn from the ionosphere under various conditions.
The data from the mission will be used for planning and building the next
MiTEE satellite, which will demonstrate the electric propulsion system
concept in operation.
More information is available at: https://newatlas.com/space/cubesat-
earth-magnetic-field-boost-orbit/.
[ANS thanks Jeff Davis and newatlas.com for the above information.]
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows,
and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through
AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
CHESS CubeSat Constellation to Carry FUNcube Transponders
In 2020, a project between AMSAT-UK, AMSAT-NL and Swiss universities
started with the aim of equipping two Swiss satellites with a linear
transponder for Amateur Radio.
With a linear transponder, several QSOs can take place simultaneously.
The satellites can be operated in CW/SSB with the simplest equipment. The
satellites also include features for classroom demonstrations and
experiments. In numerous teleconference discussions, the technical
possibilities could be sounded out and the realization prepared.
The CHESS [Constellation of High Energy Swiss Satellites] project
includes two satellites, which will be built simultaneously and later
launched as a constellation. Both will provide a linear transponder for
amateur radio use. The first satellite will have a nearly circular orbit
at an altitude of 400 km. The second will have an elliptical orbit with
an altitude of 350×1000 km.
The satellites themselves are a project of the École polytechnique
fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) with support from the Lucerne University of
Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU – Institute of Electrical Engineering
IET), the University of Bern, the Valais University of Applied Sciences
and Arts (HES-SO), the Haute École Neuchâtel and the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology ETH Zurich. The amateur radio payload is a
project of AMSAT-UK/-NL.
On 18 December 2020, the successful system requirements review took
place. The project coordination between CHESS and AMSAT lies with the
Amateur Radio Association of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences
and Arts – Technology & Architecture, Horw.
The Swiss AMSAT Operators provide information about the CHESS project at
https://www.amsat-hb.org/funcube-chess/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
International Amateur Radio Union Preparing for WRC-23
Preparations are under way by the International Amateur Radio Union
(IARU) to represent the interests of the amateur and amateur-satellite
services at World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23). The
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) sponsors WRCs, typically
every 4 years, to consider revisions to the international Radio
Regulations that define frequency allocations for various radio services.
The next WRC is expected to be held in 2023. Potentially affected bands
are 50 - 54 MHz (a new service has been proposed in an adjacent band);
1240 - 1300 MHz; 3300 - 3400 MHz; 10.0 - 10.5 GHz, and 241 - 250 GHz. In
addition, studies are being conducted to identify protection requirements
for space weather sensors that operate in frequency bands from 13 kHz to
at least 15 GHz.
Read the complete story at: http://www.arrl.org/news/international-
amateur-radio-union-preparing-for-wrc-23.
[ANS thanks the ARRL for the above information.]
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an amateur
radio package, including two-way communication capability, to
be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.
Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo; March 13,14 2021
The second QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo will be held on March 13-14, 2021.
There is an Amateur Radio speaker track and AMSAT will have a virtual
booth during the event. Advance tickets are now on sale.
More information at: https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/
[ANS thanks Virtual QSO Virtual Ham Expo for the above information.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming Satellite Operations
EL86; January 17-18, 2021
@KK4YEL: is heading out to EL86 for two days starting this Sunday
evening.
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR for the above information.]
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Purchase AMSAT Gear on our Zazzle storefront.
25% of the purchase price of each product goes
towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
ARISS News
+ Upcoming Contacts
Hisagi Junior High School, Zushi, Japan
Direct via 8N1ZH
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz.
The scheduled astronaut is Shannon Walker KD5DXB.
Contact is go for Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 08:17:59 UTC. (70 deg)
Maine Regional School Unit #21, Kennebunk, ME
Multi-point telebridge via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS.
The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz.
The scheduled astronaut is Mike Hopkins KF5LJG.
Contact is go for Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 18:27:40 UTC. (52 deg)
+ Completed Contacts
Shigagakuen Junior & Senior High School, Higashioumi, Japan,
Direct via 8N3SG
The ISS callsign was NA1SS.
The downlink frequency was 145.800 MHz.
The astronaut was Shannon Walker KD5DXB.
Contact was successful on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 10:38:29 UTC.
A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the
telebridge from their own home.
The latest information on the operation mode can be found at
https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html.
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N for the above information.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Shorts from All Over
+ New Keplerian Element Set orb21007.2l.amsat Available
Updated Keplerian elements were released on January 7, 2021 and are
available at:
https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/keps@amsat.org/.
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD for the above information.]
+ 31st Anniversary of LO-19
Members of AMSAT Argentina will celebrate the 31st anniversary of the
LUSAT (LO-19) satellite with the callsign LU7AA January 16-24, 2021.
Stations will be QRV on HF on SSB, FT8, and CW. An award is also
available. QSL via LU7AA direct or by eQSL.
More information is available at
http://lu4aao.org/lu7aa/cert_31_aniv_lusat_2021.htm.
[ANS thanks JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM for the above information.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
