The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a
free, weekly news and infor-
mation 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
commun-
icating 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.
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News
Service
Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see:
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
In
this edition:
* Virgin Orbit Plans Flight Test of LauncherOne Rocket in
February
* AMSAT Awards Update
* AMSAT at Cowtown Hamfest - Ft. Worth -
January 17-18
* JARL Announces FO-29 Activation Schedule
* CAMSAT Says
CAS-6 Activation for Amateur Use has been Delayed
* Telemetry Dashboard
Available for SMOG-P and ATL PocketQubes
* MIT Radio Society W1MX January
Lecture Series on “Everything Radio”
* AMSAT-DL Announces a New QO-100
DownConverter V3d
* AMSAT South Africa Space Symposium 2020 First Call for
Papers
* Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule
* Upcoming Satellite
Operations
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT
$ANS-012.01
ANS-012 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News
Service Bulletin 012.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE January 12,
2020
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID:
$ANS-012.01
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If
you missed the live HamTalkLive podcast featuring Paul Stoetzer,
N8HM, AMSAT
Executive VP on January 9 you can listen on demand any-
time at
hamtalklive.com; or a podcast version on nearly all podcast
sites a few
minutes after the live show is over including Apple Pod-
casts, Stitcher,
Google Play, SoundCloud, and iHeart Podcasts; and
it's also available on
YouTube. A replay is also broadcast on WTWW
5085 AM on Saturday nights at
approximately 6:30 pm Eastern. Look
for Episode 195 - AMSAT 50th Anniversary
Recap 09
Jan
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Virgin
Orbit Plans Flight Test of LauncherOne Rocket in February
Virgin Orbit,
AMSAT's launch for RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E, has announced
they expect to have their
first test launch of LauncherOne, their
airborne-launched rocket, sometime in
the second half of February.
The LauncherOne rocket is carried on the VO 747
Cosmic Girl aircraft.
If this first test flight is successful
RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E is planned
for launch on the second flight of LauncherOne
during 1Q 2020 on the
ELaNa XX
mission.
RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E
-----------------
Uplink: 145.860
MHz - 145.890 MHz LSB/CW
Downlink: 435.790 MHz - 435.760 MHz USB/CW
(inverting)
Telemetry: 435.750 MHz 1K2 bps BPSK
Investigate the
excitement at: https://virginorbit.com/ -
and -
https://twitter.com/Virgin_Orbit/status/1214605925228482560
[ANS
thanks Virgin Orbit for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT
Awards Update
Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards,
reported, "Now
that 2019 is behind us, I thought I would catch up with the
awards
issued the last half of the year."
AMSAT Satellite
Communicators Award for making their first satellite QSO
+ Daniel Rahn,
K8EC
+ Bernd Peters, KB7AK
+ Shane Hale, KE5HSS
+ Benny Chandra,
YD0SPU
+ Martin Lipert, OK1UM
+ Helene Charbonneau, VE2AQM
+ Spiro Andy
Loizos, VE2LZS
+ Stelios Alex Loizos, VA2LZS
+ Souly Loizos, VE2FFS
+
Adam Warrix, KD9NRT
+ Steffen Gross, DM3CW
----------
AMSAT
Communications Achievement Award
+ Jonathan Zylstra, KL2DN #620
+
Robert Bankston, KE4AL #621
+ Sloan Davis, KN4GQB #622
+ Walter Mercado
Vazquez, KP4T #623
----------
AMSAT Sexagesimal Satellite
Communications Achievement Award
+ Robert Bankston, KE4AL
#184
----------
AMSAT Century Club Award
+ Robert Bankston,
KE4AL #54
----------
AMSAT South Africa Satellite Communications
Achievement Award
+ Jonathan Zylstra, KL2DN #US222
+ Robert Bankston,
KE4AL #US223
+ Sloan Davis, KN4GQB #US224
----------
AMSAT
Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award (1,000-4,000)
+ Ron Parsons, W5RKN
upgrade to 4000
----------
AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award
5,000
+ Adrian Liggins, VA3NNA #35
+ Ron Parsons, W5RKN
#36
----------
AMSAT Rover Award
+ #043 N7EGY
+ #044
CU2ZG
+ #045 K9EI
+ #046 KR5Z
+ #047 N4DCW
+ #048 KC9VGG
+ #049
W3ZM/9 (OP KC9VGG)
+ #050 W5PFG
----------
The next batch of
AMSAT 50th Anniversary Satellite Friends of 50
awards are hot off the
presses. Congratulations to:
+ BH4IWK
+ F4HVO
+ K0CFI
+
KC9VGG
+ VE2FFS
+ WP4T
Visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-50th-anniversary-awards-program/
To
see all the awards visit http://www.amsat.org
and click on
Services then Awards.
[ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO,
AMSAT Director Contests and
Awards, for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT
at Cowtown Hamfest - Ft. Worth - January 17-18
AMSAT will be represented
at the 2020 Cowtown Hamfest in Fort Worth,
TX on January 17 and 18 with a
table, demos and presentations. If you
live in the North Texas area, this is
a great event, well attended
and lots of vendors. Please put it on your
calendar. Info posted at
http://www.cowtownhamfest.com/
AMSAT
Ambassador Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, says he has openings to staff
the table, do
the demos and assist with the presentations.
The Cowtown amateur Radio
Club was a home for our dearly beloved and
SK, Keith Pugh, W5IU. The
organizers offered AMSAT a no charge table
space in the market area so a big
thank you to them is in order.
Tom hopes you can plan to be a part of
this fine event. If you can
assist in any way for AMSAT, please drop Tom an
email at:
N5HYP@arrl.net
Keep an
eye on https://www.amsat.org/other-events/
for updates on
coming AMSAT events.
[ANS thanks AMSAT Ambassador Tom
Schuessler, N5HYP, for the
above
information]
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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/
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JARL
Announces FO-29 Activation Schedule
Due to battery problems FO-29 has
been largely inactive - usually
activated over Japan while in range of the
command station. Akira
Kaneko, JA1OGZ, FO-29 Command Station has posted an
activation
schedule for additional access:
FO-29 Transponder Active
(UTC)
------------------------------
1/12 05:05- 17:00
1/13 04:10-
05:55
1/18 04:50- 06:35
1/19 03:55- 05:40
1/26 04:30- 06:15
2/1
06:00-
2/2 06:50-
2/8 04:50-15:00
2/9 03:55-15:50
2/11
03:50-05:35
2/23 03:20-05:05
2/24 04:10-5:55-14:20
3/1
04:00-05:40-15:55
3/2 04:45-14:55
FO-29
-----
Uplink: 145.900
- 146.000 MHz LSB/CW
Downlink: 435.900 - 435.800 MHz USB/CW
(inverting)
Beacon: 435.795 MHz
[ANS thanks Akira Kaneko, JA1OGZ,
FO-29 Command Station for the
above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CAMSAT
Says CAS-6 Activation for Amateur Use has been Delayed
01/07/2020 - via
ARRL
Chinese Amateur Satellite Group (CAMSAT) CEO Alan Kung, BA1DU,
tells
ARRL that some problems with the precise attitude determination
of
the newly launched CAS-6 amateur radio satellite have delayed
deploy-
ment of the antennas. The satellite was to have been put into
service
within 3 days.
“If the V/UHF antennas are deployed now,
additional torque may affect
determination of the satellite attitude,” Kung
said. “Engineers need
to modify and upload the software, which will take some
time.” He
said that taking into consideration the upcoming long Chinese
New
Year holiday, the test work is planned to be completed sometime
in
late February or early March. At that time, VHF/UHF antennas will
be
deployed, and the amateur radio payload will be available for use.
Kung
points out that the satellite’s CW beacon has been turned on,
although the
antenna has not yet been deployed. “If you have a ‘big
ear,’ you may be able
to receive weak signal leaked from an undeploy-
ed antenna on 145.910 MHz,”
he said. “A polyimide cover on the anten-
na chassis can help to leak some RF
signal.”
CAS-6 launched successfully on December 20, piggybacked on a
TIANQIN-1
technology test satellite. The microsatellite will be known
as
CAS-6/TIANQIN-1, and the call sign is BJ1SO. The primary launch
pay-
load was the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite,
CBERS-4A.
CAS-6 is in a sun-synchronous orbit with an apogee of 390
miles. It
carries a U/V linear transponder, with a downlink of 145.925, 20
kHz
passband (inverted) and an uplink of 435.28 MHz. The CW
telemetry
beacon is on 145.910 MHz, while 4k9 baud GMSK telemetry will be
trans-
mitted on 145.890 MHz.
[ANS thanks CAMSAT and the ARRL for the
above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Telemetry
Dashboard Available for SMOG-P and ATL PocketQubes
The SMOG-P and ATL
PocketQube team at the Budapest University of Tech-
nology and Economics has
released additional information about their
satellites recently launched by
RocketLab from New Zealand.
SMOG-P digital downlink: 437.150
MHz
ATL digital downlink: 437.175 MHz
More information on both
satellites is posted at: http://gnd.bme.hu
SMOG-P (MO-105) is a 1p
PocketQube (5x5x5 cm, 250 grams), a fully re-
dundant tiny satellite with an
actual scientific payload: a flying
spectrum analyzer. It measures the
scattered RF energy over the UHF
band (specifically, in the digital
terrestrial TV band) that can be
detected in space.
ATL-1 (MO-106) is
a larger 2p PocketQube featuring the same spectrum
analyzer
experiment.
Both satellites transmit almost identical telemetry data. In
addition
to basic CW telemetry carrying callsign, battery voltage and
tempera-
ture, there is digital telemetry with variable data rate and
coding
scheme. Most frequently, modulation is 1250 or 5000 bps GMSK. The
data
is encoded either by the well-known "AO-40" FEC, or a shorter,
pro-
prietary variant of it, but they can also use a more powerful,
state-
of-art repeat-accumulate (RA) coding scheme.
Some practical
information about receiving the telemetry:
A GUI telemetry receiver is
available for Windows and Linux (soon for
OS X as well), and a command line
receiver can also be used (Linux
only). Both can be downloaded from: https://gnd.bme.hu:8080/index
The
programs are able to submit the received packets to the central
telemetry
data base. This requires a quick registration, the login
credentials can be
used with either of the decoders. There are some
issues with the GUI software
that hopefully will be resolved within
a few days. These decoders assume
either a USB receiver connected
through the sound card or an rtl-sdr
receiver.
Thanks to Daniel Estevez, EA4GPZ, a high quality, full decoder
and
packet uploader is also available for GNU Radio 3.8 within the
out-
of-tree module gr-satellites. For uploading to the received
packets,
it uses the same login as the "official" programs do:
https://github.com/daniestevez/gr-satellites/tree/maint-3.8
This
decoder can unleash the full potential of the RA FEC. You'll
need to put an
FM demodulator in front of the flowgraph.
The team is looking forward to
seeing many submissions on the "Leader-
board" from around the world: https://gnd.bme.hu:8080/leaderboard
Having
many receiving stations around the globe could greatly improve
the global
picture the spectrum analyzer payload can offer.
[ANS thanks the
PocketQube team at the Budapest University of Tech-
nology and Economics
for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
MIT
Radio Society W1MX January Lecture Series on “Everything Radio”
The
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Radio Society (W1MX) and
the Department
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science are
hosting a lecture series
in January that may answer some of your
questions about such topics as radar
techniques, interferometry,
imaging, and radio astronomy, to antenna design
and modern chip-
scale RF devices. No prior experience with radio is
necessary, and
all are welcome.
All lectures will take place in the
Green Building — MIT’s tallest
academic building. Sessions will be live
streamed and archived for
later viewing. The lectures have already kicked off
on January 10
with “The Next Generation of Weather Radar.” Other topics
include
“Lightning Interferometry” (January 13); “Radio Noises from the
Sky”
(January 15); “EDGES: Measuring the Early Universe” (January
22);
“Antennas” (January 24), and “Chip-Scale THz Circuits and
Sensors”
(January 29). Lectures begin at 5 PM ET and conclude at 7
PM.
MIT has posted details at: http://w1mx.mit.edu/iap/2020/
[ANS
thanks the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the
above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT-DL
Announces a New QO-100 DownConverter V3d
The first version of the
AMSAT-DL down converter was built in early
2019, enabling many stations to
become active on QO-100 for the first
time. Since then, a lot of operating
experience and new insights have
been gained, which have flowed into the new
board V3d.
The AMSAT-DL DownConverter V3d is a completely new
development. It
offers important functions for all QO-100 stations, no matter
if you
work with VHF/UHF, HF transceiver, or an SDR. This new board can
be
used as a central frequency converter assembly for your QO-100
sta-
tion providing stable clocks for all components meaning that
addi-
tional external GPS modules are not required.
The specification
for the AMSAT-DL DownConverter V3d includes:
+ Centralized clock
generation with GPS or OCXO
+ Reference clock for the PLL in the LNB
+
Reference clock for a transmit mixer
+ Reference clock for an SDR
+
Short-circuit proof LNB phantom power
+ Connection for a dual LNB (for
simultaneous NB and WB reception)
+ Downward mixing of the NB transponder
into an amateur band
(UHF/VHF or HF)
+ OLED display for displaying the
operating status and the station
coordinates
The full specification
and list of features is posted at:
https://amsat-dl.org/der-neue-amsat-dl-qo-100-downconverter-v3d
and
you can order your unit at: https://shop.amsat-dl.org/
[ANS
thanks AMSAT-DL for the above
information]
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The digital download version of the 2019 edition of
Getting Started
with Amateur Satellites is now available as a
DRM-free PDF from the
AMSAT Store. Get yours today!
https://tinyurl.com/ANS-237-Getting-Started
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AMSAT
South Africa Space Symposium 2020 First Call for Papers
Papers are
invited for presentation at the conference and publi-
cation on the web.
Please send your synopsis by 28 February 2020
in a word document of no more
than 300 words to:
admin@amsatsa.org.za. Please tell us if
you will be available to
present your paper at the conference ... speakers
attend free.
The Symposium date is July 18, 2020 at the Premier Hotel
Midrand.
The theme this year is "Amateur Radio in Space – exploring
VHF,
UHF and Microwaves". Watch http://www.amsatsa.org.za/ for
the
latest information.
[ANS thanks AMSAT SA for the above
information]
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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/
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Upcoming
ARISS Contact Schedule
Quick list of scheduled contacts and
events:
+ Sayama Mizutomi Community Center, Sayama, Japan, direct via
8J1SS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The
scheduled astronaut is Luca Parmitano KF5KDP
Contact is go: Mon 2020-01-13
11:58:07
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, and David Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS
opera-
tion team members, for the above
information]
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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
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Upcoming
Satellite Operations
Satellite Shorts
+ January 17-19 EM17 KN6DBC
AO-91 & AO-92 night passes (@KN6DBC)
New Orleans, LA (EL49, EL58,
EM59, EM40, EM50, EM60)
January 14 – February 1, 2020. Adam, KC3OBS,
will be roving
EM40, EM50, EL49, EL59, January 14th – Feb 1. In
between,
Adam will be EL58, January 18th or 19th depending on
weather,
and in EM60 January 29. Adam will announce passes and
updates
on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sparky_husky
Lucas
Gusher Special Event (EM20) January 11-12, 2020
The Beaumont Amateur
Radio Club will be operating using the call-
sign K5S on various HF
bands including as many CAS-4A, CAS-4B,
AO-91, AO-92 passes that we can.
SO-50 and XW-2A also possible.
More information about K5S can be found
on qrz.com.
Labrador (GO11 +) January 19-27, 2020
Chris VE3FU,
Dave VE9CB, and Frank VO1HP will be active as VO2AC
in the 2020 CQ160 CW
contest, January 24-26, from Point Armour
Lighthouse, in Labrador. If
time permits before the contest, they
may be active on FM satellites
from GO11 as VO2AC or VO2AAA.
Depending on weather and timing of passes,
you might catch them on
FM satellites as they make their way from FO93
to GO-11, passing
through FO92, GO02, GO13, GO12, and GO22 along the
way, but no
promises. They will also make the reverse trek on January
27.
Brennan Price, M/N4QX, will be active from grid square IO91 *as
work
permits* January 20-24. QSL *exclusively* via Logbook of the
World.
Montserrat, January 26 to February 2
Mel, W8MV, will be
working the FM satellites using the callsign
VP2MCV. He will then be
operating from Antigua from February 2 to
February 9. Mel is still
waiting for the license so it is not yet
known what the callsign will be
from Antigua. QSL via LoTW.
Isla Perez, Mexico - EL52dj February
11-17
Members of Radio Club Puebla DX will be active as 6F3A from
Isla
Perez (grid EL52dj), Mexico, between February 11-17. The
operators
mentioned are Patricia/XE1SPM (Team Leader), Ismael/XE1AY,
Rey/
XE1SRD and Ricardo/XE1SY. Activity will be on
80/40/20/17/15/12/
10/6 meters, and include the ARRL DX CW Contest
(February 15-16).
QSL via XE1SY. ADDED NOTE: Ismael, XE1AY, reports that
he doing
CW and the satellites, and will also TX from EL50 and
XE1AY/mm
from EL51. (Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin #1446)
Big Bend
National Park (DL88) March 16-17, 2020
Ron AD0DX, Doug N6UA, and Josh
W3ARD will operate from Big Bend
National Park to put grid DL88 on the
air. Details will be added
here, as they come available, but you are
more than welcome to
keep an eye on their individual Twitter
feeds:
https://twitter.com/ad0dx, https://twitter.com/dtabor, and
https://twitter.com/W3ARDstroke5
Please
submit any additions or corrections to ke4al (at) amsat.org
[ANS thanks
Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP User Services for
the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite
Shorts From All Over
+ Need help getting your Icom IC-9700 working with
SatPC32? Check
out this guide written by Stefan Wagener, VE4SW posted on
at:
http://www.amsat.org -->
Satellite Info --> Station and Operating
Hints --> "The new Icom
IC-9700 is a great satellite radio ..."
document is at the bottom of the
page. The direct URL to the PDF
document is: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-012-IC9700-SatPC32
+
NASA's Texas Space Grant Consortium announced the summer program
for STEM
Educators (grades 5-12), LiftOff 2020: Moon to Mars, a
weeklong
professional development training for teachers, June 21-26,
2020. The
application deadline is March 2, 2020. Workshops include
learning
experiences by incorporating a space science theme support-
ed by NASA
missions. Teacher participants are provided with infor-
mation and
experiences through speakers, hands-on activities and
field investigations
that promote space science and enrichment
activities for themselves and
others. Visit the program website
at: http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/liftoff/
+
A new distance record has been set on the PO-101 (Diwata2H) FM
transponder. F4DXV worked R9LR on 08-Jan-2020 at 22:57 UTC for
a distance
of 4,542 km. More posted at:
https://twitter.com/PRStoetzer/status/1215441267976523777
https://www.amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/
+
The AMSAT-DL radome to house their QO-100 antenna made it to Ant-
arctica
and is installed on top of Neumayer-Station III. Further
work will be
needed to be install it permanently. The station is
also waiting for the
AMSAT-UK FUNcube relay to arrive, pending wea-
ther conditions for flying
there. See the photo posted by HB9HCF:
https://twitter.com/pa3weg/status/1215642731336404995
+
A tweet from @AlbaOrbital reports that AMSAT Spain is signed up to
fly on
Alba Cluster 3. The Spanish satellite is a 1.5p PocketQube
called Hades
which is a satellite for amateur communications imple-
menting a Bent-Pipe
type repeater and with Store & Forward capabil-
ities. See:
https://twitter.com/AlbaOrbital/status/1214932730045194240
+
AMSAT-EA (Vocalía de Satellites de URE) has registered with IARU
and the
Spanish administration their GÉNESIS-L and GÉNESIS-N sat-
ellites for
launch in mid-2020. An introduction to the project:
https://www.ure.es/satelites-genesis-de-amsat-ea/
- and -
https://twitter.com/ure_es/status/1214911584927133701
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=698
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=699
+
A 3-axis rotor based on the Celestron NexStar telescope mount with
hamlib
and rotctl drivers is demonstrated at:
https://youtu.be/Avp1ROEkgeA -and- https://youtu.be/BDTjnJm41mc
+
Stuart Thomas, KB1HQS, author of the ARRL book, "Portable Operating
for
Amateur Radio", describes construction of a Hiking Pole Yagi
Antenna for
Extreme Environments" on his web page:
https://kb1hqs.com/2019/12/26/ultralight-hiking-pole-yagi-antenna/
+
Amateur radio talks featured at the popular DEF CON 27 event in
Las Vegas
during August 8-11, 2019. Watch Mark KR6ZY - Hunting tape
measure yagis
and offset attenuators - DEF CON 27 Ham Radio Village:
https://youtu.be/KGQDQZT9lRQ - and -
feast on the videos of hundreds
of additional DEF CON talks posted
at:
https://www.youtube.com/user/DEFCONConference/videos
(via Southgate)
+ In April 2020, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope will
celebrate
30 years since its launch. ESA/Hubble has produced a
commemorative
calendar of the telescope’s Hidden Gems that is now
available for
everyone to use and enjoy. See:
https://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic2001/
+
Opensource.com has published 12 open source resources for kids and
young
adults to learn from open source technology:
https://opensource.com/article/19/12/kids-students-education
+
Did you ever dream of being a NASA astronaut? This spring, NASA once
again
will be accepting applications for New Astronauts! Stay tuned
to http://nasa.gov/astronauts for upcoming
information on how you
can explore places like the Moon and Mars.
+
The Signal Path presents, "Tutorial on Theory, Characterization &
Measurement Techniques of Phase Noise" in a video posted at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOHjFtw0sgo&feature=youtu.be
+
If phase noise doesn't keep you up at night you've probably found
yourself
wondering why do mirrors flip left & right but not up and
down? A
video giving you the answer that this has to do with specu-
lar
reflection, mirrors being like windows into another world like
alternate
universes, just with in and out flipped! There's your
answer! Have a good
night after you watch at:
https://youtu.be/1t4dOPxKgrY
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/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 and remember to behave and to help keep
amateur radio in space,
This week's ANS Editor,
JoAnne Maenpaa,
K9JKM
k9jkm at amsat dot
org
_______________________________________________
Via the ANS
mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Monday, January 06, 2020
KTWR Testing DRM
Guam
KTWR Chief Engineer Steve Brunson announced the KTWR DRM test transmission in
B19 Winter period as follows:
UTC
Wednesday 1026-1056 11995 50kW 315deg for China
Thursday 1226-1241 7500 50kW 320deg for Japan
Sunday 1026-1056 13800 90kW 285deg for India
Reports welcome via online report at http://www.twr.as (akahito Akabayashi BCDX)
Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins
Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2020 Jan 06 0724 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 30 December - 05 January 2020
Solar activity was very low. New Region 2755 (S34, L=355, class/area Bxo/020 on 03 Jan) developed on the SE limb on 01 Jan but was in decay by 04 Jan. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed.
No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels on 30 Dec-04 Jan. Moderate levels were reached on 05 Jan with a maximum flux of 245 pfu observed at 05/1800 UTC.
Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet levels on 30 Dec-02 Jan under nominal solar wind conditions. On 03 Jan, total field increased to 10 nT at 03/0505 UTC with solar wind speed increasing to around 410 km/s. On 04 Jan, a prolonged period of southward Bz was observed reaching a maximum southward deflection of -4 nT. On 05 Jan, total field increased once again to 15 nT at 05/1743 UTC followed by an increase in solar wind speed to near 550 km/s as a negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) became geoeffective. The geomagnetic field responded with isolated unsettled periods on 03-04 Jan and quiet to active levels on 05 Jan.
Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 06 January - 01 February 2020
Solar activity is expected to continue at very low levels.
No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal levels on 08-14 Jan and 23 Jan-01 Feb. Moderate levels are expected on 06-07 Jan and again on 15-22 Jan.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach unsettled levels on 08-10 Jan and 01 Feb. Unsettled to active levels are expected on 06 Jan and14-15 Jan due to recurrent CH HSS effects.
Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2020 Jan 06 0724 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
# 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
# Issued 2020-01-06
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2020 Jan 06 72 12 4
2020 Jan 07 72 5 2
2020 Jan 08 72 8 3
2020 Jan 09 72 8 3
2020 Jan 10 72 8 3
2020 Jan 11 72 5 2
2020 Jan 12 71 5 2
2020 Jan 13 70 5 2
2020 Jan 14 70 12 4
2020 Jan 15 70 12 4
2020 Jan 16 70 5 2
2020 Jan 17 70 5 2
2020 Jan 18 70 5 2
2020 Jan 19 70 5 2
2020 Jan 20 70 5 2
2020 Jan 21 70 5 2
2020 Jan 22 70 5 2
2020 Jan 23 70 5 2
2020 Jan 24 70 5 2
2020 Jan 25 71 5 2
2020 Jan 26 72 5 2
2020 Jan 27 72 5 2
2020 Jan 28 72 5 2
2020 Jan 29 72 5 2
2020 Jan 30 72 5 2
2020 Jan 31 72 5 2
2020 Feb 01 72 8 3
(NOAA)
Saturday, January 04, 2020
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-005
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a
free, weekly news and infor-
mation 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 commun-
icating 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.
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service
Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see:
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
In this edition:
* AMSAT Member KC9ZJX Receives 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Award
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 2, 2020
* Space Fence nearing operational acceptance by U.S. Air Force
* VUCC Awards-Endorsements for January 2020
* Winter Field Day to Include Limited Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-005.01
ANS-005 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 005.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE 2020 Jan 05
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-005.01
AMSAT Member KC9ZJX Receives 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Award
Congratulations to AMSAT member Dhruv Rebba, KC9ZJX, winner of the
Bloomington and Normal (Illinois) Human Relations Commissions 2020
Martin Luther King Jr. award. The commission chooses people who re-
flect the ideology of the late Dr. King.
Rebba is a sophomore at Normal Community High School. He is a volun-
teer and/or member of YMCA/YWCA, Illinois 4-H, Multicultural Leader-
ship Program (MCLP), National Computer Science Honor Society, and
First Robotics. He is also Amateur Radio Newsline's 2019 Young Ham
Of The Year. Rebba gave the youth presentation at AMSAT 36th Annual
Symposium Huntsville, Alabama in 2018 where is also received AMSAT's
Presidential Award.
The announcement is posted on-line at:
https://www.wglt.org/post/bloomington-normal-mlk-awards-announced
[ANS thanks WGLT.org, NPR Radio from Illinois State University,
for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 2, 2020
Correction to the addition of FloripaSat 1 to last week's TLE distri-
bution:
FloripaSat 1 is NORAD CAT ID 44885.
Also the first part of the TLE distribution was left off the
orb19360.2l.amsat file sent last week. The second file sent
orb19361.2l.amsat contained the full list of satellites.
We are still awaiting the identification of CAS-6. Or... Use the keps
for FloripaSat 1 (NORAD CAT ID 44885) for CAS-6 per suggestion of Joe
Fitzgerald, KM1P. This, of course, assumes that CAS-6 is in fact
transmitting???
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the
above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Space Fence nearing operational acceptance by U.S. Air Force
According to NASA’s most recent Orbital Debris Quarterly News, NASA
calculates about 17.6 million pounds of objects are in earth orbit.
That number will only grow as more commercial space projects launch
massive constellations with thousands of smallsats, presenting a huge
problem for both U.S. government and commercial organizations.
That’s where the U.S. Air Force’s Space Fence will play a crucial role.
Using advanced solid-state S-band radar technology, the Space Fence
radar located on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, it will play
a critical role in the everyday lives of Americans who are becoming
more dependent on space-based technologies for everything from weather
forecasting, banking, global communications to GPS navigation.
Today, these critical services are being threatened by hundreds of
thousands of objects and space debris orbiting the Earth. Frequent col-
lisions and deterioration of assets, such as defunct satellites and
rocket boosters, have increased the amount of space debris and raised
the risk of future collisions in space.
The Air Force Space Surveillance Network currently tracks about 25,000
objects. When Space Fence comes online, the catalog will experience
significant growth and when fully operational, Space Fence will be the
world’s largest and most advanced radar system, providing unprecedented
space situational awareness.
Beyond cataloging objects, Space Fence will detect closely-spaced ob-
jects, breakups, maneuvers, launches and conjunction assessments from
LEO through GEO.
Space Fence is currently in a trial period and expected to become fully
operational in 2020.
[ANS thanks Milsat Magazine 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
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
VUCC Awards-Endorsements for January 2020
Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the
ARRL for the period December 3, 2019 through January 1, 2020.
Congratulations to all those who made the list this month!
DEC JAN
AA5PK 1064 1074
AA8CH 620 641
N3GS 601 624
WD9EWK(DM43)585 597
NS3L 526 551
W5CBF 179 533
K9UO 500 528
AA9LC 416 514
W7QL 451 478
PS8ET 303 326
G0ABI 306 320
WB7VUF 206 319
AA4QE 204 305
KC9VGG 200 228
KC9UQR 172 196
N9FN 103 194
W4AQT 153 179
W5CBF(EM21) New 179
W0NBC 152 176
KJ4M 102 170
W9VNE New 169
VE1VOX 126 155
W4DFU 116 151
AI9IN 125 150
WD9EWK(DM41)127 148
WD9EWK(DM23)104 137
N7AME 127 128
WA9JBQ 104 125
VU2LBW 100 114
KC8AMH New 101
N3CAL New 100
YO2CMI New 100
If you find errors or omissions, please contact W5RKN at w5krn.com.
This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf listings for the
two months. It's a visual comparison so omissions are possible. Apolo-
gies if your call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are rov-
ing to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are doing most of the
work!
[ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Winter Field Day to Include Limited Satellite Operations
Winter Field Day runs for 24 hours during the last full weekend in Jan-
uary each year from 1900 UTC (2pm EST) Saturday to 1900 UTC (2pm EST)
Sunday. For 2020 the dates are January 25th and 26th. Station set-up
may commence no earlier than 1900 UTC (2pm EST) on the Friday before.
Station setup may consume no more than 12 hours total.
All Amateur bands, HF, VHF, & UHF except 12, 17, 30 and 60 meters. Any
mode that can faithfully transmit the exchange intact without a conver-
sion table... CW, SSB, AM, FM, DStar, C4FM, DMR, Packet, PSK, SSTV,
RTTY, Olivia, Satellite, etc... (note FT8 is excluded).
Satellite contacts do not count as a new mode/band multiplier. Satel-
lite contacts are limited to ONE ONLY per entry so as to not tie up
satellite frequencies with stations calling CQ WFD.
Three operating categories are available:
Indoor: Operation from inside a remote, insulated, heated, and weather-
protected structure where an Amateur station is normally not available.
Outdoor: Operation from a location partly or fully exposed to the ele-
ments and at least 30 feet away from your normal station location and
not using any part of a previously erected antenna system or station.
Home: Operation from inside a home or inside another structure attach-
ed to a home that could or would be the usual location of an Amateur
station.
For additional information, see: https://www.winterfieldday.com/
[ANS thanks the Winter Field Day Association 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/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
Want to see AMSAT in action or learn more about amateur radio in space?
AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating
through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meet-
ings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.
Current schedule:
January 6, 2020 West Valley Amateur Radio Club, Sun City, AZ
January 11, 2020 Thunderbird ARC Hamfest, Glendale, AZ
January 17-18, 2020 Cowtown Hamfest, Fort Worth, TX
February 7-9, 2020 Hamcation, Orlando, FL
March 6, 2020 Irving Hamfest, Irving, TX
May 15-17, 2020 Hamvention, Xenia, OH
June 12-13, 2020 Ham-Con, Plano, TX
A copy of the AMSAT hamfest brochure is available for download at:
https://tinyurl.com/yx7lc7m8
This color brochure is designed to be printed double-sided and folded
into a tri-fold handout.
To include your upcoming AMSAT presentation and/or demonstration,
please send an email to ambassadors (at) amsat (dot) org.
For additional information on the AMSAT Ambassador Program, see:
https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, Director, AMSAT Ambassadors for
the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming Satellite Operations
Due to weather concerns, the W5M/MM satellite expedition to EL58 is
being postponed to Sunday Jan 5th. For updates, follow on Twitter
at https://twitter.com/ad0dx
Lucas Gusher Special Event (EM20) January 11-12, 2020
The Beaumont Amateur Radio Club will be operating using the call-
sign K5S on various HF bands including as many CAS-4A, CAS-4B,
AO-91, AO-92 passes that we can. SO-50 and XW-2A also possible.
More information about K5S can be found on qrz.com.
Labrador (GO11 +) January 19-27, 2020
Chris VE3FU, Dave VE9CB, and Frank VO1HP will be active as VO2AC
in the 2020 CQ160 CW contest, January 24-26, from Point Armour
Lighthouse, in Labrador. If time permits before the contest, they
may be active on FM satellites from GO11 as VO2AC or VO2AAA.
Depending on weather and timing of passes, you might catch them on
FM satellites as they make their way from FO93 to GO-11, passing
through FO92, GO02, GO13, GO12, and GO22 along the way, but no
promises. They will also make the reverse trek on January 27.
Big Bend National Park (DL88) March 16-17, 2020
Ron AD0DX, Doug N6UA, and Josh W3ARD will operate from Big Bend
National Park to put grid DL88 on the air. Details will be added
here, as they come available, but you are more than welcome to
keep an eye on their individual Twitter feeds:
https://twitter.com/ad0dx, https://twitter.com/dtabor, and
https://twitter.com/W3ARDstroke5
Please submit any additions or corrections to ke4al (at) amsat.org
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP User Services 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/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ TAPR PSR Digital Journal Winter 2020 Edition Available at:
http://tapr.org/psr/psr143.pdf
(ANS thanks TAPR for the above information)
+ The January/February 2020 SARC Communicator newsletter is available
at: http://bit.ly/SARC20JanFeb This edition has 75 pages of projects,
news, views, and reviews from the SW corner of Canada. Find out
about the northernmost amateur radio station: "VY0ERC: What is life
like at the farthest north Amateur Radio Club in Canada?" starting
on page 14.
(ANS thanks Surrey Amateur Radio Communications for the above info)
+ A CBC Hamilton news feature on John David, VA3JHD, and his work with
the Canadian Forces Affiliate Radio Systems (CFARS), briefly mentions
amateur satellites. See the article at: https://tinyurl.com/rmbpfxa
(ANS thanks CBC Hamilton for the above information)
+ Work is going "smoothly" on the Chandrayaan-3 mission to put a rover
probe on the moon's surface, Indian Space Research Organisation
chairman K. Sivan told a press conference. India is seeking to become
only the fourth nation after Russia, the United States and China to
put a mission on the moon's surface and boost its credentials as a
low-cost space power. The country's Chandrayaan-2 module crashed on
the moon's surface in September.
(ANS thanks spacedaily.com for the above information)
+ China has just released the first batch of #ChangE4 science data! The
first ever mission to land on the the far side of the Moon. This is
actually a really cool and user friendly website. To access in En-
glish visit: http://moon.bao.ac.cn/index_en.jsp
+ E-members of AMSAT-UK can now download the December 2019 edition of
OSCAR News, issue 228. For details, see:
https://amsat-uk.org/2019/12/31/december-2019-oscar-news/
Also, a video on a recent moonbounce and satellite expedition to
Botswana may be found on the AMSAT-UK website:
https://amsat-uk.org/2019/12/27/a21eme-moonbounce-qo100/
(ANS thank AMSAT-UK and Trevor Essex, M5AKA, for the above informa-
tion)
+ Congratulations to Chris Taron, NK1K, on the achievement of DXCC via
LEO satellite! This is a remarkable achievement matched by few.
(ANS thanks Twitter @NK1K for the above information)
+ Congratulations to WA7FWF on uploading 1 million Fox Telemetry
frames to the server. For more information on capturing telemetry
from the Fox satellites, see:
https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/
(ANS thanks Mark Hammond, N8MH, AMSAT Board Member, for the above
information
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining
donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive 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 and Remember to help keep amateur radio in space,
This week's ANS Editor,
K0JM at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
mation 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 commun-
icating 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.
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service
Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see:
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
In this edition:
* AMSAT Member KC9ZJX Receives 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Award
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 2, 2020
* Space Fence nearing operational acceptance by U.S. Air Force
* VUCC Awards-Endorsements for January 2020
* Winter Field Day to Include Limited Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-005.01
ANS-005 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 005.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE 2020 Jan 05
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-005.01
AMSAT Member KC9ZJX Receives 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Award
Congratulations to AMSAT member Dhruv Rebba, KC9ZJX, winner of the
Bloomington and Normal (Illinois) Human Relations Commissions 2020
Martin Luther King Jr. award. The commission chooses people who re-
flect the ideology of the late Dr. King.
Rebba is a sophomore at Normal Community High School. He is a volun-
teer and/or member of YMCA/YWCA, Illinois 4-H, Multicultural Leader-
ship Program (MCLP), National Computer Science Honor Society, and
First Robotics. He is also Amateur Radio Newsline's 2019 Young Ham
Of The Year. Rebba gave the youth presentation at AMSAT 36th Annual
Symposium Huntsville, Alabama in 2018 where is also received AMSAT's
Presidential Award.
The announcement is posted on-line at:
https://www.wglt.org/post/bloomington-normal-mlk-awards-announced
[ANS thanks WGLT.org, NPR Radio from Illinois State University,
for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 2, 2020
Correction to the addition of FloripaSat 1 to last week's TLE distri-
bution:
FloripaSat 1 is NORAD CAT ID 44885.
Also the first part of the TLE distribution was left off the
orb19360.2l.amsat file sent last week. The second file sent
orb19361.2l.amsat contained the full list of satellites.
We are still awaiting the identification of CAS-6. Or... Use the keps
for FloripaSat 1 (NORAD CAT ID 44885) for CAS-6 per suggestion of Joe
Fitzgerald, KM1P. This, of course, assumes that CAS-6 is in fact
transmitting???
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the
above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Space Fence nearing operational acceptance by U.S. Air Force
According to NASA’s most recent Orbital Debris Quarterly News, NASA
calculates about 17.6 million pounds of objects are in earth orbit.
That number will only grow as more commercial space projects launch
massive constellations with thousands of smallsats, presenting a huge
problem for both U.S. government and commercial organizations.
That’s where the U.S. Air Force’s Space Fence will play a crucial role.
Using advanced solid-state S-band radar technology, the Space Fence
radar located on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, it will play
a critical role in the everyday lives of Americans who are becoming
more dependent on space-based technologies for everything from weather
forecasting, banking, global communications to GPS navigation.
Today, these critical services are being threatened by hundreds of
thousands of objects and space debris orbiting the Earth. Frequent col-
lisions and deterioration of assets, such as defunct satellites and
rocket boosters, have increased the amount of space debris and raised
the risk of future collisions in space.
The Air Force Space Surveillance Network currently tracks about 25,000
objects. When Space Fence comes online, the catalog will experience
significant growth and when fully operational, Space Fence will be the
world’s largest and most advanced radar system, providing unprecedented
space situational awareness.
Beyond cataloging objects, Space Fence will detect closely-spaced ob-
jects, breakups, maneuvers, launches and conjunction assessments from
LEO through GEO.
Space Fence is currently in a trial period and expected to become fully
operational in 2020.
[ANS thanks Milsat Magazine 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
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
VUCC Awards-Endorsements for January 2020
Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the
ARRL for the period December 3, 2019 through January 1, 2020.
Congratulations to all those who made the list this month!
DEC JAN
AA5PK 1064 1074
AA8CH 620 641
N3GS 601 624
WD9EWK(DM43)585 597
NS3L 526 551
W5CBF 179 533
K9UO 500 528
AA9LC 416 514
W7QL 451 478
PS8ET 303 326
G0ABI 306 320
WB7VUF 206 319
AA4QE 204 305
KC9VGG 200 228
KC9UQR 172 196
N9FN 103 194
W4AQT 153 179
W5CBF(EM21) New 179
W0NBC 152 176
KJ4M 102 170
W9VNE New 169
VE1VOX 126 155
W4DFU 116 151
AI9IN 125 150
WD9EWK(DM41)127 148
WD9EWK(DM23)104 137
N7AME 127 128
WA9JBQ 104 125
VU2LBW 100 114
KC8AMH New 101
N3CAL New 100
YO2CMI New 100
If you find errors or omissions, please contact W5RKN at w5krn.com.
This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf listings for the
two months. It's a visual comparison so omissions are possible. Apolo-
gies if your call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are rov-
ing to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are doing most of the
work!
[ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Winter Field Day to Include Limited Satellite Operations
Winter Field Day runs for 24 hours during the last full weekend in Jan-
uary each year from 1900 UTC (2pm EST) Saturday to 1900 UTC (2pm EST)
Sunday. For 2020 the dates are January 25th and 26th. Station set-up
may commence no earlier than 1900 UTC (2pm EST) on the Friday before.
Station setup may consume no more than 12 hours total.
All Amateur bands, HF, VHF, & UHF except 12, 17, 30 and 60 meters. Any
mode that can faithfully transmit the exchange intact without a conver-
sion table... CW, SSB, AM, FM, DStar, C4FM, DMR, Packet, PSK, SSTV,
RTTY, Olivia, Satellite, etc... (note FT8 is excluded).
Satellite contacts do not count as a new mode/band multiplier. Satel-
lite contacts are limited to ONE ONLY per entry so as to not tie up
satellite frequencies with stations calling CQ WFD.
Three operating categories are available:
Indoor: Operation from inside a remote, insulated, heated, and weather-
protected structure where an Amateur station is normally not available.
Outdoor: Operation from a location partly or fully exposed to the ele-
ments and at least 30 feet away from your normal station location and
not using any part of a previously erected antenna system or station.
Home: Operation from inside a home or inside another structure attach-
ed to a home that could or would be the usual location of an Amateur
station.
For additional information, see: https://www.winterfieldday.com/
[ANS thanks the Winter Field Day Association 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/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
Want to see AMSAT in action or learn more about amateur radio in space?
AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating
through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meet-
ings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.
Current schedule:
January 6, 2020 West Valley Amateur Radio Club, Sun City, AZ
January 11, 2020 Thunderbird ARC Hamfest, Glendale, AZ
January 17-18, 2020 Cowtown Hamfest, Fort Worth, TX
February 7-9, 2020 Hamcation, Orlando, FL
March 6, 2020 Irving Hamfest, Irving, TX
May 15-17, 2020 Hamvention, Xenia, OH
June 12-13, 2020 Ham-Con, Plano, TX
A copy of the AMSAT hamfest brochure is available for download at:
https://tinyurl.com/yx7lc7m8
This color brochure is designed to be printed double-sided and folded
into a tri-fold handout.
To include your upcoming AMSAT presentation and/or demonstration,
please send an email to ambassadors (at) amsat (dot) org.
For additional information on the AMSAT Ambassador Program, see:
https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, Director, AMSAT Ambassadors for
the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming Satellite Operations
Due to weather concerns, the W5M/MM satellite expedition to EL58 is
being postponed to Sunday Jan 5th. For updates, follow on Twitter
at https://twitter.com/ad0dx
Lucas Gusher Special Event (EM20) January 11-12, 2020
The Beaumont Amateur Radio Club will be operating using the call-
sign K5S on various HF bands including as many CAS-4A, CAS-4B,
AO-91, AO-92 passes that we can. SO-50 and XW-2A also possible.
More information about K5S can be found on qrz.com.
Labrador (GO11 +) January 19-27, 2020
Chris VE3FU, Dave VE9CB, and Frank VO1HP will be active as VO2AC
in the 2020 CQ160 CW contest, January 24-26, from Point Armour
Lighthouse, in Labrador. If time permits before the contest, they
may be active on FM satellites from GO11 as VO2AC or VO2AAA.
Depending on weather and timing of passes, you might catch them on
FM satellites as they make their way from FO93 to GO-11, passing
through FO92, GO02, GO13, GO12, and GO22 along the way, but no
promises. They will also make the reverse trek on January 27.
Big Bend National Park (DL88) March 16-17, 2020
Ron AD0DX, Doug N6UA, and Josh W3ARD will operate from Big Bend
National Park to put grid DL88 on the air. Details will be added
here, as they come available, but you are more than welcome to
keep an eye on their individual Twitter feeds:
https://twitter.com/ad0dx, https://twitter.com/dtabor, and
https://twitter.com/W3ARDstroke5
Please submit any additions or corrections to ke4al (at) amsat.org
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP User Services 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/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ TAPR PSR Digital Journal Winter 2020 Edition Available at:
http://tapr.org/psr/psr143.pdf
(ANS thanks TAPR for the above information)
+ The January/February 2020 SARC Communicator newsletter is available
at: http://bit.ly/SARC20JanFeb This edition has 75 pages of projects,
news, views, and reviews from the SW corner of Canada. Find out
about the northernmost amateur radio station: "VY0ERC: What is life
like at the farthest north Amateur Radio Club in Canada?" starting
on page 14.
(ANS thanks Surrey Amateur Radio Communications for the above info)
+ A CBC Hamilton news feature on John David, VA3JHD, and his work with
the Canadian Forces Affiliate Radio Systems (CFARS), briefly mentions
amateur satellites. See the article at: https://tinyurl.com/rmbpfxa
(ANS thanks CBC Hamilton for the above information)
+ Work is going "smoothly" on the Chandrayaan-3 mission to put a rover
probe on the moon's surface, Indian Space Research Organisation
chairman K. Sivan told a press conference. India is seeking to become
only the fourth nation after Russia, the United States and China to
put a mission on the moon's surface and boost its credentials as a
low-cost space power. The country's Chandrayaan-2 module crashed on
the moon's surface in September.
(ANS thanks spacedaily.com for the above information)
+ China has just released the first batch of #ChangE4 science data! The
first ever mission to land on the the far side of the Moon. This is
actually a really cool and user friendly website. To access in En-
glish visit: http://moon.bao.ac.cn/index_en.jsp
+ E-members of AMSAT-UK can now download the December 2019 edition of
OSCAR News, issue 228. For details, see:
https://amsat-uk.org/2019/12/31/december-2019-oscar-news/
Also, a video on a recent moonbounce and satellite expedition to
Botswana may be found on the AMSAT-UK website:
https://amsat-uk.org/2019/12/27/a21eme-moonbounce-qo100/
(ANS thank AMSAT-UK and Trevor Essex, M5AKA, for the above informa-
tion)
+ Congratulations to Chris Taron, NK1K, on the achievement of DXCC via
LEO satellite! This is a remarkable achievement matched by few.
(ANS thanks Twitter @NK1K for the above information)
+ Congratulations to WA7FWF on uploading 1 million Fox Telemetry
frames to the server. For more information on capturing telemetry
from the Fox satellites, see:
https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/
(ANS thanks Mark Hammond, N8MH, AMSAT Board Member, for the above
information
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining
donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive 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 and Remember to help keep amateur radio in space,
This week's ANS Editor,
K0JM at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
Thursday, January 02, 2020
Frequency updates
All times UTC
New Zealand
Radio New Zealand Pacific Sun-Fri DRM:
1651-1750 on 5975 RAN 035 kW / 035 deg to Tonga/Samoa English unchanged
1751-1850 NF 11690*RAN 035 kW / 035 deg to Tonga/Samoa English, ex 9780
1851-1958 NF 13840*RAN 035 kW / 035 deg to Tonga/Samoa English, ex 11690
* both freqs are unregistered for this time slots
United Kingdom
BBC - cancelled transmissions
Effective: 01 Jan 2020
0100-0130 on 5845 TAC 100 kW / 141 deg to SoAs Hindi
0100-0130 on 5875 WOF 250 kW / 075 deg to SoAs Hindi
0100-0130 on 7430 WOF 300 kW / 082 deg to SoAs Hindi
0100-0130 on 11995 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg to SoAs Hindi
1500-1600 on 7410 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg to SoAs Urdu
1500-1600 on 9410 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg to SoAs Urdu
1500-1600 on 11995 SNG 250 kW / 320 deg to SoAs Urdu
Only one transmission of BBC in Hindi is on the air:
1400-1430 on 5875 TAC 100 kW / 141 deg to SoAs Hindi
1400-1430 on 9510 SNG 250 kW / 320 deg to SoAs Hindi
1400-1430 on 9540 SLA 250 kW / 075 deg to SoAs Hindi
1400-1430 on 11995 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg to SoAs Hindi
(DX Bulgaria 01 Jan 2020)
Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins
Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2019 Dec 30 0435 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 23 - 29 December 2019
Solar activity was very low. New Region 2753 (S29, L=122, class/area Bxo/010 on 25 Dec) developed on the visible disk on late on 23 December while Region 2754 (N25, L=191, class/area Axx/010 on 25 Dec) developed on 24 Dec. Both regions were inactive and decayed to plage on 26 Dec. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed during the period.
No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels on 27-29 Dec and reached moderate levels on 23-26 Dec. The maximum flux of the period was 462 pfu observed at 25/1810 UTC.
Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to unsettled levels. A slight enhancement in solar wind parameters occurred beginning late on 25 Dec as a weak negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) became geoeffective. Total field increased to a maximum of 9 nT at 25/1920 UTC while solar wind speed reached a maximum of 415 km/s at 26/1435 UTC. The geomagnetic field responded with an isolated unsettled period early on 26 Dec.
Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 30 December - 25 January 2020
Solar activity is expected to continue at very low levels.
No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal levels on 06-14 and 23-25 Jan while moderate levels are expected on 30 Dec-05 Jan and 15-22 Jan.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach unsettled levels on 30 Dec-01 Jan due to weak CH HSS activity. Unsettled to active levels are expected on 14-15 Jan due to recurrent CH HSS activity.
Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2019 Dec 30 0435 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
# 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
# Issued 2019-12-30
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2019 Dec 30 72 8 3
2019 Dec 31 72 8 3
2020 Jan 01 71 8 3
2020 Jan 02 71 5 2
2020 Jan 03 70 5 2
2020 Jan 04 70 5 2
2020 Jan 05 70 5 2
2020 Jan 06 70 5 2
2020 Jan 07 70 5 2
2020 Jan 08 70 5 2
2020 Jan 09 70 5 2
2020 Jan 10 70 5 2
2020 Jan 11 70 5 2
2020 Jan 12 72 5 2
2020 Jan 13 72 5 2
2020 Jan 14 72 12 4
2020 Jan 15 72 12 4
2020 Jan 16 72 5 2
2020 Jan 17 72 5 2
2020 Jan 18 72 5 2
2020 Jan 19 72 5 2
2020 Jan 20 72 5 2
2020 Jan 21 72 5 2
2020 Jan 22 72 5 2
2020 Jan 23 72 5 2
2020 Jan 24 72 5 2
2020 Jan 25 72 5 2
(NOAA)
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Saturday, December 28, 2019
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-363
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a
free, weekly news and infor-
mation 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 commun-
icating 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.
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service
Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see:
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
In this edition:
* First Element of ARISS Next Generation Radio System Readied for
Launch on SpaceX CRS-20
* ARISS SSTV Event Planned for December 28 - January 1
* Reminder: AMSAT CW Day on January 1
* Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for December 26
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-363.01
ANS-363 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 363.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE December 29, 2019
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-363.01
First Element of ARISS Next Generation Radio System Readied for
Launch on SpaceX CRS-20
During this Holiday Season, when the spirit of giving and receiving
gifts reigns high, ARISS received a special gift and delivered a
phenomenal gift to the international community. This occurred on
Thursday December 19, 2019.
Our international gift to all—students, STEM education, the public and
the amateur radio community—was the historic transfer of the first
Interoperable Radio System (IORS) flight unit, serial number 1001, to
NASA Johnson Space Center for launch on SpaceX CRS-20. The special
gift received by ARISS was the approval from NASA Safety to launch the
IORS on SpaceX CRS-20 and stow the radio system on the International
Space Station. December 19, 2019 was truly a banner day for ARISS!
The IORS is a foundational element of the ARISS next generation radio
system and is an incredible engineering achievement by the ARISS
hardware team. This first element delivery will support easier radio
mode transitions and enable new, exciting capabilities for hams,
students and the general public. The IORS will include a higher power
radio, an enhanced voice repeater, updated digital packet radio (APRS)
capabilities and slow scan television (SSTV) capabilities for both the
US and Russian segments. The IORS consists of a special, modified
JVCKenwood TM-D710GA transceiver, an AMSAT-developed multi voltage
power supply and interconnecting cables.
This first flight IORS will be installed in the ISS Columbus module.
A second flight unit is expected to be launched sometime in 2020 for
installation in the Russian Service module. A total of 4 flight units
and 10 total units will be built by the ARISS hardware team to support
on-board flight operations, training, operations planning and hardware
testing. Future upgrades and enhancements to the next generation
system are in various stages of design & development. These include a
repaired Ham Video system (currently planned for launch in mid-to-late
2020), L-band (uplink) repeater, ground command operations capability,
LimeSDR signal reception, a microwave “Ham Communicator” and Lunar
Gateway prototype experiment.
While yesterday was truly an historic milestone, it should be noted
that there is still much “heavy lifting” work to be done to prepare
the IORS for Operations on ISS. ARISS has 92 engineering requirements
and our operations Phase III safety review to complete. The space
agencies take a position of “Trust but Verify.” Thus, these
engineering and safety “verifications” all need to be closed out
before the IORS can be unstowed and turned on. This will be the ARISS
hardware team’s focus over the next few months.
Also, please remember that ARISS is almost entirely run by volunteers.
So donations to the ARISS program for next generation hardware devel-
opments, operations, education and administrative functions are always
welcome. Please go to https://www.ariss.org/donate.html if you want
to contribute to our efforts!
In closing, ARISS would like to thank the outstanding contributions of
the IORS hardware development team on an incredible radio system.
ARISS would like to thank our sponsors and donors for helping us
realize the IORS hardware systems. On behalf of the ARISS team, we
would like to wish you all a joyful and prosperous Holiday Season —
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!!
Ad Astra! To the Stars!
73,
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
ARISS International Chair
AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs
[ANS thanks Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, AMSAT Vice President - Human Space-
flight and ARISS International Chair 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 SSTV Event Planned for December 28 - January 1
ARISS is planning an SSTV event featuring commemorative images. This
event is currently scheduled to begin on December 28, 2019 at 11:00
UTC and ends at 18:20 UTC on January 1, 2020. Please make note that
sometimes changes may occur in the crew work schedule that could
affect our SSTV transmission dates and times, so frequently check our
ARISS Facebook and Twitter accounts shown below for any updates before
and throughout the event.
Transmissions will be sent at 145.800 MHz FM in the SSTV mode PD-120.
Once received, images can be posted and viewed by the public at
http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php and you can
receive a special SSTV ARISS Award for posting your image. See
https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/ for details. Also for simplicity, we
have added a new information tab for SSTV events, under the General
Contacts pulldown menu at www.ariss.org .
[ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS Public Relations for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Reminder: AMSAT CW Day on January 1
You are cordially invited to take part in AMSAT CW Activity Day 2020
sponsored by AMSAT for all radio amateurs throughout the world. The
2020 event will be held in memory of Larry Brown, W7LB, and
Keith Pugh, W5IU. Among their many contributions to AMSAT, they were
the AMSAT 20-meter net for many years.
Participation is easy. Just operate CW through any Amateur Radio
satellite on 1 January 2020. Use of straight keys or bugs is
encouraged but not required. If you use AO-7, please observe the QRP
rules currently in effect for that 45-year-old satellite. May it be
with us for many years to come!
[ANS thanks Raphael Soifer, W2RS, AMSAT Senior Advisor for the
above information.]
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
The digital download version of the 2019 edition of
Getting Started with Amateur Satellites is now available as a
DRM-free PDF from the AMSAT Store. Get yours today!
https://tinyurl.com/ANS-237-Getting-Started
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for December 26
This week's AMSAT TLE distribution reflects the following two
satellite name changes per ANS Bulletin 356.01 dated December 22,
2019:
SMOG-P (Cat. ID 44832) is now MO-105 (Magyar-OSCAR 105) and ATL-1
(Cat. ID 44830) is now MO-106 (Magyar-OSCAR 106).
(Per Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number
Administrator)
The following Amateur Radio satellite has been added to this week's
TLE distribution:
FloripaSat 1 - NORAD CAT ID 44830 (Taiyuan Space Center launch,
12/20/2019).
(Thanks to Nico Janseen, PA0DLO, for satellite identification.)
CAS-6 was launched as a piggyback satellite on TIANQIN-1 on December
20, 2019 via a CZ-4B launch vehicle from Taiyuan Satellite Launch
Center. Still awaiting a satellite signal, thus the CAT ID has not
been positively identified as yet. More later.
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager 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/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA
Are you over 70-1/2 years of age and need to meet your IRA's Required
Minimum Distribution for 2019? Consider making a donation to AMSAT!
Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, individuals
over 70-1/2 years of age may make direct transfers of up to $100,000
per year from a traditional IRA to an eligible charity without
increasing their taxable income. Consult your tax advisor or
accountant to make certain you are eligible.
AMSAT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational and scientific
organization whose purpose is to design, construct, launch, and
operate satellites in space and to provide the support needed to
encourage amateurs to utilize these resources. AMSAT's federal tax ID
is 52-0888529.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Upcoming Satellite Operations
Satellite Shorts:
Dec 27-30 EM90 N4DCW – vacation style (Twitter: @MWimages)
Dec 27-30 EL86 K4WPX FM
Dec 30 EM94 (overnight) – vacation style (Twitter: @MWimages)
Dec 30-Jan 01 EL87/88 K4WPX FM
Jan 02 EM58/68 WB9VPG Midday passes on AO-91/92
Wyoming (DN71,DN72,DN81,DN82) December 31, 2019
Doug, N6UA, and RJ, WY7AA are teaming up with special guest operator
Ron, AD0DX, to activate the DN71, DN72, DN81, DN82 grid corner on
December 31st. Plan is to be there for the morning FM passes and stay
until they get bored. FM and SSB.
Mississippi River Delta (EL58) January 4, 2019.
Ron AD0DX, Brian KG5GJT, and Robert KE4AL will operate as W5M/mm from
the mouth of the Mississippi River (EL58) on January 4th. This will be
a 6-hour activation from approximately 1430z to 2030z, on FM and
linear satellites.
Further information will be posted as it comes available.
Labrador (GO11 +) January 19-27, 2019
Chris VE3FU, Dave VE9CB, and Frank VO1HP will be active as VO2AC in
the 2020 CQ160 CW contest, January 24-26, from Point Armour
Lighthouse, in Labrador. If time permits before the contest, they may
be active on FM satellites from GO11 as VO2AC or VO2AAA.
Depending on weather and timing of passes, you might catch them on FM
satellites as they make their way from FO93 to GO-11, passing through
FO92, GO02, GO13, GO12, and GO22 along the way, but no promises. They
will also make the reverse trek on January 27.
Big Bend National Park (DL88) March 16-17, 2020
Ron AD0DX, Doug N6UA, and Josh W3ARD will operate from Big Bend
National Park to put grid DL88 on the air. Details will be added here
as they come available, but you are more than welcome to keep an eye
on their individual Twitter feeds: https://twitter.com/ad0dx,
https://twitter.com/dtabor, and https://twitter.com/W3ARDstroke5
Please submit any additions or corrections to ke4al (at) amsat.org
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP - User Services, 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/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ www.zarya.info (@Zarya_Info) reports that on Dec 18 at ~01:00 UTC,
the Meteor M2-2 meteorological satellite collided with an item of
space debris and entered a tumble. This event reduced orbit SMA by 1
km and height from 813 x 815 km to 811 x 814 km. The satellite is now
stabilized and communicating. Damage is being assessed.
+ Mike Thomas, KB8BMY, has made a video for those of you wanting to
take the next step to Linear Ham Radio Satellites. He shows how he put
his station together: My Linear Satellite Setup / KB8BMY / How to Set
Up a Portable Linear Station:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrQ14Cs9ia4&feature=youtu.be
+ Satellite antennas don't need to be very high, but tower safety is
always a good topic for amateurs: https://zerofalls.org/
+ Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin #1445 listed these two satellite activations:
7X, ALGERIA. Members of the "Association des Radio Amateurs Tunisiens"
(ARAT) are traveling to Algeria to conduct a joint Low Bands DX-
pedition with five members of the "Amateurs Radio Algeriens" (ARA)
between December 28th and January 2nd (2020). The team is led by Afif/
7X2RO and Ash/3V8SS/KF5EYY, and will also includes Ahmed/3V1B/KG5OUE
(22 years), Marwa/3V8CB (24 years, YL), Mohamed/7X3TL (27 years),
Mohamed/7X5FG, Redha/7X5QB and Abdelghani/7X2TT/M0NPT. The operators
will be focusing on working as many stations as possible on 160 and 80
meters as well as the other HF bands and Satellites. Modes will be CW/
SSB/FT8. QSL via 7X2RO and LoTW.
There will be ClubLog Live Streaming. For more details on how to help
and/or LF skeds, E-mail Ash at: ash.kf5eyy at gmail.com
Your financial support will be used to cover youngsters' costs.
VO2, CANADA (Zone 2). Operators Chris/VE3FU (VO2AC), Frank/VO1HP and
Dave/VE9CB (VO2AAA) will be active as VO2AC during the 2020 CQWW 160M
CW Contest (January 24-26th) from the Point Amour Lighthouse, the
tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada, on the south coast of the rare
Labrador (LB) multiplier. Point Amour is located in the southeast part
of CQ Zone 2, and has a salt water path from NE clockwise through SW.
The team will be putting in a serious Multi-Op/High-Power effort as
VO2AC. Expect some pre contest activity as VO2AC, VO1HP/VO2 and VO2AAA
on 160m as they get their wire vertical array and beverage working;
they will especially be looking for JA/Asia on CW and FT8. If time
permits, they may also be active before the contest on 80m, 60m, 40m
and the FM satellites (AO-85, AO-91 and AO-92) from Grid GO11.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/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 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio In Space,
This week's ANS Editor,
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
mation 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 commun-
icating 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.
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service
Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see:
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
In this edition:
* First Element of ARISS Next Generation Radio System Readied for
Launch on SpaceX CRS-20
* ARISS SSTV Event Planned for December 28 - January 1
* Reminder: AMSAT CW Day on January 1
* Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for December 26
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-363.01
ANS-363 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 363.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE December 29, 2019
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-363.01
First Element of ARISS Next Generation Radio System Readied for
Launch on SpaceX CRS-20
During this Holiday Season, when the spirit of giving and receiving
gifts reigns high, ARISS received a special gift and delivered a
phenomenal gift to the international community. This occurred on
Thursday December 19, 2019.
Our international gift to all—students, STEM education, the public and
the amateur radio community—was the historic transfer of the first
Interoperable Radio System (IORS) flight unit, serial number 1001, to
NASA Johnson Space Center for launch on SpaceX CRS-20. The special
gift received by ARISS was the approval from NASA Safety to launch the
IORS on SpaceX CRS-20 and stow the radio system on the International
Space Station. December 19, 2019 was truly a banner day for ARISS!
The IORS is a foundational element of the ARISS next generation radio
system and is an incredible engineering achievement by the ARISS
hardware team. This first element delivery will support easier radio
mode transitions and enable new, exciting capabilities for hams,
students and the general public. The IORS will include a higher power
radio, an enhanced voice repeater, updated digital packet radio (APRS)
capabilities and slow scan television (SSTV) capabilities for both the
US and Russian segments. The IORS consists of a special, modified
JVCKenwood TM-D710GA transceiver, an AMSAT-developed multi voltage
power supply and interconnecting cables.
This first flight IORS will be installed in the ISS Columbus module.
A second flight unit is expected to be launched sometime in 2020 for
installation in the Russian Service module. A total of 4 flight units
and 10 total units will be built by the ARISS hardware team to support
on-board flight operations, training, operations planning and hardware
testing. Future upgrades and enhancements to the next generation
system are in various stages of design & development. These include a
repaired Ham Video system (currently planned for launch in mid-to-late
2020), L-band (uplink) repeater, ground command operations capability,
LimeSDR signal reception, a microwave “Ham Communicator” and Lunar
Gateway prototype experiment.
While yesterday was truly an historic milestone, it should be noted
that there is still much “heavy lifting” work to be done to prepare
the IORS for Operations on ISS. ARISS has 92 engineering requirements
and our operations Phase III safety review to complete. The space
agencies take a position of “Trust but Verify.” Thus, these
engineering and safety “verifications” all need to be closed out
before the IORS can be unstowed and turned on. This will be the ARISS
hardware team’s focus over the next few months.
Also, please remember that ARISS is almost entirely run by volunteers.
So donations to the ARISS program for next generation hardware devel-
opments, operations, education and administrative functions are always
welcome. Please go to https://www.ariss.org/donate.html if you want
to contribute to our efforts!
In closing, ARISS would like to thank the outstanding contributions of
the IORS hardware development team on an incredible radio system.
ARISS would like to thank our sponsors and donors for helping us
realize the IORS hardware systems. On behalf of the ARISS team, we
would like to wish you all a joyful and prosperous Holiday Season —
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!!
Ad Astra! To the Stars!
73,
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
ARISS International Chair
AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs
[ANS thanks Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, AMSAT Vice President - Human Space-
flight and ARISS International Chair for the above information]
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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
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ARISS SSTV Event Planned for December 28 - January 1
ARISS is planning an SSTV event featuring commemorative images. This
event is currently scheduled to begin on December 28, 2019 at 11:00
UTC and ends at 18:20 UTC on January 1, 2020. Please make note that
sometimes changes may occur in the crew work schedule that could
affect our SSTV transmission dates and times, so frequently check our
ARISS Facebook and Twitter accounts shown below for any updates before
and throughout the event.
Transmissions will be sent at 145.800 MHz FM in the SSTV mode PD-120.
Once received, images can be posted and viewed by the public at
http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php and you can
receive a special SSTV ARISS Award for posting your image. See
https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/ for details. Also for simplicity, we
have added a new information tab for SSTV events, under the General
Contacts pulldown menu at www.ariss.org .
[ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS Public Relations for the above
information]
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Reminder: AMSAT CW Day on January 1
You are cordially invited to take part in AMSAT CW Activity Day 2020
sponsored by AMSAT for all radio amateurs throughout the world. The
2020 event will be held in memory of Larry Brown, W7LB, and
Keith Pugh, W5IU. Among their many contributions to AMSAT, they were
the AMSAT 20-meter net for many years.
Participation is easy. Just operate CW through any Amateur Radio
satellite on 1 January 2020. Use of straight keys or bugs is
encouraged but not required. If you use AO-7, please observe the QRP
rules currently in effect for that 45-year-old satellite. May it be
with us for many years to come!
[ANS thanks Raphael Soifer, W2RS, AMSAT Senior Advisor for the
above information.]
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The digital download version of the 2019 edition of
Getting Started with Amateur Satellites is now available as a
DRM-free PDF from the AMSAT Store. Get yours today!
https://tinyurl.com/ANS-237-Getting-Started
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Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for December 26
This week's AMSAT TLE distribution reflects the following two
satellite name changes per ANS Bulletin 356.01 dated December 22,
2019:
SMOG-P (Cat. ID 44832) is now MO-105 (Magyar-OSCAR 105) and ATL-1
(Cat. ID 44830) is now MO-106 (Magyar-OSCAR 106).
(Per Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number
Administrator)
The following Amateur Radio satellite has been added to this week's
TLE distribution:
FloripaSat 1 - NORAD CAT ID 44830 (Taiyuan Space Center launch,
12/20/2019).
(Thanks to Nico Janseen, PA0DLO, for satellite identification.)
CAS-6 was launched as a piggyback satellite on TIANQIN-1 on December
20, 2019 via a CZ-4B launch vehicle from Taiyuan Satellite Launch
Center. Still awaiting a satellite signal, thus the CAT ID has not
been positively identified as yet. More later.
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the
above information]
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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/
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Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA
Are you over 70-1/2 years of age and need to meet your IRA's Required
Minimum Distribution for 2019? Consider making a donation to AMSAT!
Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, individuals
over 70-1/2 years of age may make direct transfers of up to $100,000
per year from a traditional IRA to an eligible charity without
increasing their taxable income. Consult your tax advisor or
accountant to make certain you are eligible.
AMSAT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational and scientific
organization whose purpose is to design, construct, launch, and
operate satellites in space and to provide the support needed to
encourage amateurs to utilize these resources. AMSAT's federal tax ID
is 52-0888529.
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Upcoming Satellite Operations
Satellite Shorts:
Dec 27-30 EM90 N4DCW – vacation style (Twitter: @MWimages)
Dec 27-30 EL86 K4WPX FM
Dec 30 EM94 (overnight) – vacation style (Twitter: @MWimages)
Dec 30-Jan 01 EL87/88 K4WPX FM
Jan 02 EM58/68 WB9VPG Midday passes on AO-91/92
Wyoming (DN71,DN72,DN81,DN82) December 31, 2019
Doug, N6UA, and RJ, WY7AA are teaming up with special guest operator
Ron, AD0DX, to activate the DN71, DN72, DN81, DN82 grid corner on
December 31st. Plan is to be there for the morning FM passes and stay
until they get bored. FM and SSB.
Mississippi River Delta (EL58) January 4, 2019.
Ron AD0DX, Brian KG5GJT, and Robert KE4AL will operate as W5M/mm from
the mouth of the Mississippi River (EL58) on January 4th. This will be
a 6-hour activation from approximately 1430z to 2030z, on FM and
linear satellites.
Further information will be posted as it comes available.
Labrador (GO11 +) January 19-27, 2019
Chris VE3FU, Dave VE9CB, and Frank VO1HP will be active as VO2AC in
the 2020 CQ160 CW contest, January 24-26, from Point Armour
Lighthouse, in Labrador. If time permits before the contest, they may
be active on FM satellites from GO11 as VO2AC or VO2AAA.
Depending on weather and timing of passes, you might catch them on FM
satellites as they make their way from FO93 to GO-11, passing through
FO92, GO02, GO13, GO12, and GO22 along the way, but no promises. They
will also make the reverse trek on January 27.
Big Bend National Park (DL88) March 16-17, 2020
Ron AD0DX, Doug N6UA, and Josh W3ARD will operate from Big Bend
National Park to put grid DL88 on the air. Details will be added here
as they come available, but you are more than welcome to keep an eye
on their individual Twitter feeds: https://twitter.com/ad0dx,
https://twitter.com/dtabor, and https://twitter.com/W3ARDstroke5
Please submit any additions or corrections to ke4al (at) amsat.org
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP - User Services, for the
above information]
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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/
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ www.zarya.info (@Zarya_Info) reports that on Dec 18 at ~01:00 UTC,
the Meteor M2-2 meteorological satellite collided with an item of
space debris and entered a tumble. This event reduced orbit SMA by 1
km and height from 813 x 815 km to 811 x 814 km. The satellite is now
stabilized and communicating. Damage is being assessed.
+ Mike Thomas, KB8BMY, has made a video for those of you wanting to
take the next step to Linear Ham Radio Satellites. He shows how he put
his station together: My Linear Satellite Setup / KB8BMY / How to Set
Up a Portable Linear Station:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrQ14Cs9ia4&feature=youtu.be
+ Satellite antennas don't need to be very high, but tower safety is
always a good topic for amateurs: https://zerofalls.org/
+ Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin #1445 listed these two satellite activations:
7X, ALGERIA. Members of the "Association des Radio Amateurs Tunisiens"
(ARAT) are traveling to Algeria to conduct a joint Low Bands DX-
pedition with five members of the "Amateurs Radio Algeriens" (ARA)
between December 28th and January 2nd (2020). The team is led by Afif/
7X2RO and Ash/3V8SS/KF5EYY, and will also includes Ahmed/3V1B/KG5OUE
(22 years), Marwa/3V8CB (24 years, YL), Mohamed/7X3TL (27 years),
Mohamed/7X5FG, Redha/7X5QB and Abdelghani/7X2TT/M0NPT. The operators
will be focusing on working as many stations as possible on 160 and 80
meters as well as the other HF bands and Satellites. Modes will be CW/
SSB/FT8. QSL via 7X2RO and LoTW.
There will be ClubLog Live Streaming. For more details on how to help
and/or LF skeds, E-mail Ash at: ash.kf5eyy at gmail.com
Your financial support will be used to cover youngsters' costs.
VO2, CANADA (Zone 2). Operators Chris/VE3FU (VO2AC), Frank/VO1HP and
Dave/VE9CB (VO2AAA) will be active as VO2AC during the 2020 CQWW 160M
CW Contest (January 24-26th) from the Point Amour Lighthouse, the
tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada, on the south coast of the rare
Labrador (LB) multiplier. Point Amour is located in the southeast part
of CQ Zone 2, and has a salt water path from NE clockwise through SW.
The team will be putting in a serious Multi-Op/High-Power effort as
VO2AC. Expect some pre contest activity as VO2AC, VO1HP/VO2 and VO2AAA
on 160m as they get their wire vertical array and beverage working;
they will especially be looking for JA/Asia on CW and FT8. If time
permits, they may also be active before the contest on 80m, 60m, 40m
and the FM satellites (AO-85, AO-91 and AO-92) from Grid GO11.
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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 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio In Space,
This week's ANS Editor,
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
Friday, December 27, 2019
Jonathan's Space Report, No. 773
Jonathan's Space Report
No. 773 2019 Dec 27 Somerville, MA
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International Space Station
---------------------------
Expedition 61 continues.
Progress MS-13 docked with the Pirs module at 1038 UTC Dec 9.
On Dec 12 Dextre was used to remove the HISUI payload from Dragon
CRS-19's trunk and hand it to the JEM-RMS arm, which installed it on
Kibo Exposed Facility EFU 8. On Dec 13 Dextre removed the new Li-ion
battery from the trunk and stored it on the Dextre EOTP. On Aug 16, the
flight support equipment (FSE) adapter from the BCDU removed earlier
this year from ESP3 was moved from ESP3 to the EOTP, and the new battery
replaced it there at ESP3 Site 6.
Starliner
---------
On Dec 20 ULA launched flight AV-080, the first Atlas V N22, from Cape
Canaveral, The N22 has two solid boosters, a dual engine Centaur with
two RL10-A4-1 engines (the first DEC to fly since 2004) and carries the
Boeing CST-100 Starliner spaceship, flying on its Orbital Flight Test
(OFT) without a crew. The mission was to test launch and landing and
to rendezvous and dock with ISS, delivering 272 kg of cargo and
carrying an instrumented anthropomorphic test dummy (ATD) dubbed 'Rosie',
AV-080's Centaur reached its targeted 73 x 181 km x 51.6 deg orbit.
Boeing Space's Starliner, vehicle SC3, separated at 1150 UTC. Starliner
set its master event timer reading data from the launch vehicle, but
apparently because of a software (interface) mistake the value was read
into the Boeing vehicle from an incorrect location in the ULA vehicle's
memory, resulting in an 11 hour offset. Starliner was meant to fire its
Aerojet Rocketdyne OMAC thrusters at 1207 UTC to raise its orbit, but
due to the software timing error this did not occur. After comms
problems possibly related to a TDRS handover, a contingency RCS burn was
finally commanded by the ground, possibly at around 1216 UTC, which
raised perigee by an unknown (to me) amount. Further RCS burns at
unknown times over the next half hour or so raised perigee further and
placed Starliner in a 180 x 221 km x 51.6 deg orbit.
During the period before the burn, the timer error meant that Starliner
was in an incorrect software state and used up too much propellant
controlling its attitude. This precluded the planned rendezvous with
ISS. Later on Dec 20 Starliner raised its orbit to around 250 km and
tested extension and retraction of its docking apparatus as well as
other systems tests. SC3 then returned on Dec 22, landing at about
106.420W 32.952N near the runway at White Sands Space Harbor, New
Mexico.
The flight did demonstrate the basic design of the vehicle including its
life support system and its ability to safely return to Earth; I do not
expect the omitted rendezvous or the software issues to create major
delays to the programme or to require a further uncrewed test flight.
Starliner consists of the following components, with very approximate guesstimated masses:
Height Dia Mass
Crew Module 2.2m 4.5m 8.3t? - about 6.4t dry without crew/cargo
Service Module 2.5m 4.5m 3.3t? (dry) - Jettisoned during end of mission, after deorbit burn
SM propellant - - 2.3t?
-----------------------------------
Total at Cen sep 13.9t?
Ascent cover 0.3m 1.7m 0.1t? - Jettisoned suborbital, before Centaur ignition
Aeroskirt 1.8m 4.5m 1.0t? - Jettisoned suborbital, 20s after Centaur ignition
-----------------------------------
Total at launch 15.0t?
The SM has 20 6kN OMAC thrusters for orbit adjust (plus 4 x 180 kN abort engines and 28 RCS thrusters).
The CM includes a 750 kg base heat shield, a 150 kg forward heat shield, and two 34 kg drogue chutes,
as well as about 90 kg of hydrazine, all of which are jettisoned in the atmosphere prior to landing.
Landing mass is about 7200 kg including crew and cargo. Starliner is built in Boeing's facility
at the C3PF (former OPF3) at Kennedy Space Center; spacecraft development is carried out there
(and possibly at the new Boeing Space headquarters in Titusville) and mission control is at a Boeing
control room in the mission control building at NASA-JSC/Houston.
Here is the approximate timeline of the mission as far as I can estimate it for now:
(times UTC, as always) - I expect a number of these details to change as better info becomes
available.
Dec 20 1136:43 Launch by Atlas V/N22 from SLC41
1141:12 Atlas cutoff
1141:18 Atlas separation
1141:24 Starliner ascent cover jettisoned
1141:28 Centaur AV-080 main engine burn 1
1141:48 Starliner aeroskirt jettisoned
1148:37 AV-080 shutdown, reach 73 x 181 km x 51.6 deg orbit
1151:37 Starliner separates from AV-080
1202 AV-080 propellant `blowdown'
1207:38 Planned Starliner OMAC orbit insertion burn does not occur
Excessive attitude control thruster use
1215? Commanded RCS burn performs initial orbit insertion
Initial orbit UNKNOWN; burn start time UNKNOWN
1234 AV-080 Centaur reentered and hits ocean SW of Australia
1300? Further RCS burn(s); reach 180 x 221 km x 51.6 deg orbt.
Burn start time UNKNOWN.
2200? OMAC burn 1, 20 m/s?, to approx 214 x 242 km x 51.6 deg orbit
2235? OMAC burn 2, 20 m/s?, to 241 x 265 km x 51.6 deg orbit.
[Times of these burns are highly uncertain]
Dec 22 1223:47 Starliner OMAC deorbit, 150 m/s , 55 s burn; E of New Zealand
1224:42 Deorbit burn cutoff, orbit about -230 x 246 x 51.6
1225:59 Service Module jettison
1241:42 Entry interface, 120 km, 7.5 km/s over equatorial Pacific
1242? Service Module destructive reentry over equatorial Pacific
1253? Forward heat shield (FHS) separation at 3 km alt.
1253:06 Main parachutes deploy
1254:00? Base Heat Shield sep
1254:40? Airbags inflate
1257 Base Heat Shield impact
1257:55 CM landing at White Sands Space Harbor 106.420W 32.952N
1302:48 Forward heat shield touchdown
Starliner SC1 was used for the pad abort test; SC2 will fly the CFT crewed flight next year;
then SC3 will fly again on the PCM-1 mission to ISS. For that flight SC3 will have the name `Calypso',
chosen by mission commander Suni Williams. SC2 has not yet been named; and it's not clear
whether SC3 will retain the same name for later flights or if they'll get new names under
each new commander.
Glonass
-------
The Glonass M-59 navigation satellite, Kosmos-2544, was launched from Plesetsk on Dec 11.
PSLV-C48
---------
India's PSLV-C48 flight launched RISAT-2BR1, a 628 kg X-band synthetic aperture radar satellite.
Also aboard were some secondary payloads:
- the 100-kg-class Izanagi (QPS-SAR-1), a 3.6m-dia-antenna radar satellite from QPS Labs of Fukuoka, Japan;
- the 22 kg 12U Cubesat 1HOPSAT from Hera Systems of San Jose;
- the 3U Duchifat 3 from Herzliya Science Center, Israel
- four SpireGlobal Lemur-2 satellites;
- a 3U satellite, Tyvak-0092 (possibly also called COMMTRAIL), built by Tyvak for an unnamed Italian company
for search-and-rescue applications;
- a 6U satellite, Tyvak-0129, or Pathfinder Demo Test 1, a mission built by Tyvak for NASA-Ames to test
a Busek electrospray thruster.
Beidou
-------
Beidou 52/53 were launched on Dec 16; they are CAST-built medium orbit Beidou 3 satellites M19 and M20.
The previous Beidou double launch, Beidou 50/51, were Shanghai-built satellites M21 and M22 in the Beidou-3
system, and not M19/20 as I wrote in JSR 772.
JCSAT
-----
On Dec 17 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral. The first stage landed on the OCISLY droneshop.
The second stage placed the JCSAT-18/Kacific-1 satellite in a subsynchronous transfer orbit.
The satellite is jointly owned by Sky Perfect JSAT of Tokyo, which operates its Ku-band payload,
and Kacific Broadband Satellite of Singapore, which has a Ka-band payload aboard.
CSG/CHEOPS
----------
On Dec 18 Arianespace launched a Soyuz ST-A/Fregat from the Centre Spatial Guyanais to place several
satellites in sun-synchronous orbit.
The Soyuz third stage reached a -3189 x 608 km x 92.0 deg suborbital trajectory; the Fregat stage
then fired to reach a 625 x 649 km x 97.8 deg orbit and deployed CSG-1, its primary payload, at 0917 UTC.
CSG-1, the first COSMO-Skymed Second Generation satellite, is an X-band
radar satellite for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defense built by Thales Alenia/Torino.
Fregat's second burn reached a 443 x 622 km x 98.0 deg orbit; the ASAP-S upper adapter (on which CSG-1 was
mounted) was jettisoned. The third burn was to 445 x 829 km, followed by a fourth burn to 696 x 708 km
for the deploy of CHEOPS at 1119 UTC.
CHEOPS is ESA's Characterizing Exoplanets Satellite. The 273 kg satellite has a 0.3m aperture
telescope and will measure the radii of known super-Earth and mini-Neptune exoplanets using transit photometry.
The PI is Willy Benz (U. Bern).
Fregat burn 5 and 6 went to 468 x 703 km and then to 509 x 527 km, following which three cubesats
were deployed at 1305 UTC:
ANGELS is a 12U cubesat built by Toulouse company Hemeria for the French space agency CNES.
It carries a new version of the long-running ARGOS system which relays data from meteorological buoys.
EyeSat is a 3U cubesat built by student interns at CNES/Toulouse, and carries the IRIS space telescope
to study zodiacal light.
OPS-SAT s a 3U cubesat built by TU Graz for ESA, with an advanced flight computer to act as a testbed
for mission operations software.
Fregat's final burn put it on a -112 x 522 km trajectory; it reentered over the south Pacific at 1509 UTC.
CBERS-4A
--------
The final China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite, CBERS-4A, was launched by CZ-4B on Dec 20.
Chang Zheng 4B s/n Y44 was launched from Taiyuan at 0322:29 UTC Dec 20.
At T+11m39s the third stage finished its burn and entered a 615 x 635 km
sun-synchronous orbit with an equator crossng at 10:30 local time.
At T+13:18 the primary payload, the 1980 kg CBERS-4A China-Brazil Earth
resources satellite, separated and became object 4489, 2019-093A.
The CBERS satellites are part of the larger Chinese ZiYuan series,
and so this is probably also ZY-1 04A. It was built by CAST/Beijing.
CBERS-4A was mounted on an adapter covering the remaining
payloads. The adapter separated into orbit at T+13:53.
It is probably 2.0m high 2.9m dia.
Next the Tianqin-1 satellite separated, at T+14:28. Tianqin-1 is a small
(35 kg) technology development satellite for China's
gravitational-wave-astronomy programme. The satellite was built by
DFH Satellite Co. for Zhongshan Daxue (Sun Yat-sen University) and
Huahzhong U. of Science and Technology. It also carries the CAS-6A
amateur radio payload.
At T+15:05 three further satellites separated:
Tianyan-02, Yuheng and Shuntian.
Tianyan-02 is also called Xingshidai-8; it is a 6U cubesat built by
Weina Xingkong Keji (MinoSpace) for Gouxing Yuhang Keji (ADA Space) of
Chengdu. It is also called "Kehuan shijie hao AI weixing" (SciFi World
AI satellite) and is dedicated to the science fiction community. SF
writers including Cixin Liu were invited to the launch. The satellite
apparently has a low resolution Earth video imager.
Yuheng and Shuntian were developed by the National University
of Defense Technology in Changsha in collaboration with
the Deya Innovation Research Institute of Foshan, in the Guangzhou
region. They are prototype internet distribution satellites.
It is unclear how big these sats are but I suspect they are 50-100 kg class.
At T+15:47 the final four payloads separated:
ETRSS-1, FloripaSat, Weilai-1R and Tianyan-01.
ETRSS-1 is a 70 kg remote sensing satellite and was built by DFH
Satellite for the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute in
Addis Ababa. It is Ethiopia's first satellite.
FloripaSat is a 1U cubesat from the Universidade Federal de Santa
Catarina, in the Brazilian city of Florianopolis.
Weilai-1R is also known as BDS-AGR-1 and Guozhi henghao nianjing
zhongyuan jinshui 1, and is a 65 kg imaging satellite for GZH-NHK BDS
AGR Co. Ltd (Guozhi heng Beidou hao nianjing Agricultural Technology
Co.) of Zhengzhou in Henan province.
Tianyan-01 is also called Yizheng 1. It was built by Weina/Minospace for
the Zhongxing kongjian yaogan (jiangsu) weixing jishu fuwu YG (China
satellite space remote sensing (Jiangsu) satellite technology services
co. ltd.), based in Yizheng, Jiangsu province. The 72 kg satellite
carries a high resolution imager.
At T+25 min the third stage restarted for a depletion burn which lowered
its orbit to 447 x 620 km.
Elektro-L
---------
On Dec 24 Russia's Elektro-L No. 3 weather satellite was placed in geosynchronous
orbit by a Proton-M with the now-rarely-used Energiya Blok DM-03 upper stage.
Gonets
------
On Dec 26 Russia launched the last Khrunichev Rokot vehicle, based on the
UR-100N missile with a Briz-KM upper stage. The rocket put three Gonets-M
communications satellites in a 1500 km orbit. A passive 17 kg Blits-M
laser reflector ball was also placed in orbit.
Parker
------
The Parker Solar Probe passed 3008 km from Venus on Dec 26 at 1815
UTC, its second Venus flyby. Parker was within Venus' Hill sphere from
Dec 26 0605 to Dec 27 0626 UTC. Once back in solar orbit its perhelion will be only
0.130 AU, compared to 0.166 AU before the flyby. Perihelion 4 is on Jan 29.
Table of Recent Orbital Launches
----------------------------------
Date UT Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission INTL. Catalog Perigee Apogee Incl Notes
Dec 5 1729 Dragon CRS-19 Falcon 9 Canaveral SLC40 Cargo 83A S44821 203 x 378 x 51.7
Dec 6 0800? Kosmos-2543? Kosmos-2542, LEO Inspector 79D S44835 368 x 858 x 97.9
Dec 6 0818 ALE-2 ) Electron Mahia LC1 Tech 84A S44824 397 x 415 x 97.0
NOOR 1A ) Com 84D S44827 348 x 403 x 97.0
NOOR 1B ) Com 84E S44828 348 x 403 x 97.0
SMOG-P ) Sigint 84J S44832 348 x 403 x 97.0
TRSI-Sat ) Tech 84G S44830 348 x 403 x 97.0
FossaSat-1) Tech 84F S44829 348 x 403 x 97.0
ATL-1 ) Sigint/Tech 84H S44831 348 x 403 x 97.0
Dec 6 0934 Progress MS-13 Soyuz-2-1A Baykonur LC31 Cargo 85A S44833 186 x 219 x 51.6
Dec 7 0255 Jilin-1 Gaofen 02B Kuaizhou-1A Taiyuan Imaging 86B S44837 531 x 544 x 97.5
Dec 7 0852 HEDE-2A ) Kuaizhou-1A Taiyuan Comms 87 S44839 495 x 511 x 97.4
HEDE-2B ) Comms 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Tianqi-4A ) Comms 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Tianqi-4B ) Comms 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Tianyi-16 ) Imaging 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Tianyi-17 ) Imaging 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Dec 11 0854 Kosmos-2544 Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat Plesetsk LC43/3 Nav 88A S44850 19125 x 19150 x 64.8
Dec 11 0955 RISAT-2BR1) PSLV-QL Satish Dhawan Radar 89A S44852 564 x 574 x 37.0
Izanagi ) Radar 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
1HOPSAT ) Imaging 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Duchifat-3) Tech 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Tyvak-0092) SaR 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Tyval-0129) Tech 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Lemur-2-Unnamed) AIS/Met 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Lemur-2-Unnamed) AIS/Met 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Lemur-2-Unnamed) AIS/Met 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Lemur-2-Unnamed) AIS/Met 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Dec 16 0722 Beidou DW 52 ) Chang Zheng 3B/YZ1 Xichang LC3 Nav 90A S44864 21528 x 22192 x 55.0
Beidou DW 53 ) Nav 90B S44865 21528 x 22192 x 55.0
Dec 17 0010 JCSAT-18/Kacific-1 Falcon 9 Canaveral SLC40 Comms 91A S44868 272 x 20319 x 26.9
Dec 18 0854 CSG 1 ) Soyuz ST-A/Fregat CSG ELS Radar 92A S44873 622 x 623 x 97.8
CHEOPS ) Astronomy 92B S44874 698 x 709 x 98.2
ANGELS ) Comms 92D?S44876 508 x 527 x 97.4
EyeSat ) Astronomy 92E?S44877 508 x 527 x 97.4
OPS-SAT ) Tech 92F?S44878 508 x 527 x 97.4
Dec 20 0322 CBERS-4A ) Chang Zheng 4B Taiyuan Imaging 93A S44879 615 x 635 x 98.0
ETRSS-1 ) Imaging 93
Tianqin-1 ) Sci/Tech 93
BDSAGR-1 ) Imaging 93
Yuheng ) Comms 93
Shuntian ) Comms 93
Yizheng 1 ) Imaging 93
Xingshidai 8 ) Imaging 93
Dec 20 1136 Starliner OFT Atlas V N22 Canaveral LC41 Spaceship 94A S44900 180 x 221 x 51.6
Dec 24 1203 Elektro-L No. 3 Proton-M/DM-03 Baykonur LC81/24 Weather 95A S44903 35372 x 35571 x 0.6
Dec 26 2312 Gonets-M No. 24 Rokot Plesetsk LC133/3 Comms 96A S44905 1500 x 1508 x 82.5
Gonets-M No. 25 Comms 96B S44906 1500 x 1508 x 82.5
Gonets-M No. 26 Comms 96C S44907 1500 x 1508 x 82.5
Table of Recent Suborbital Launches
-----------------------------------
On Dec 12 the US DoD's Strategic Capabilities Office and Northrop
Grumman launched what was reported to be a development test for a new
IRBM. The rocket flew from Vandenberg's Test Pad 1 west to the Pacific,
apparently to a range of about 1200 km (and not 3000 km which the US
defines as the lower end of IRBM range). Pictures suggest it was a
single-stage Castor 4B with an MBRV-class reentry vehicle, probably
surplus from the missile defense targets program. The Castor 4B solid
motor is thought to no longer be in production; I conclude this was
likely largely a propaganda exercise rather than actually representing a
new capability.
Date UT Payload/Flt Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission Apogee/km Target
Nov 26 0743 ICI 5 Terrer Imp.Malemute Svalbard Ionosphere 253 Arctic
Nov 28 Topol-E RV Topol' Kapustin Yar Reentry test 1000? Balkhash
Nov 28 0759 RV DPRK MLRS Ryonpo Test 97 Sea of Japan
Nov 28 0759 RV DPRK MLRS Ryonpo Test 97 Sea of Japan
Nov 30 1350 Agni 3 RV Agni 3 Kalam Island Test 500? Indian O.
Dec 10 0930 CHI Black Brant IX Svalbard Ionosphere 360 Arctic
Dec 11 1753 New Shepard NS12 New Shepard West Texas Test 105 West Texas
Dec 12 1630 IRBM Test Castor 4B? Vandenberg TP-01 Test 500? Pacific
-------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Jonathan McDowell | |
| Somerville MA 02143 | inter : planet4589 at gmail |
| USA | twitter: @planet4589 |
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No. 773 2019 Dec 27 Somerville, MA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Space Station
---------------------------
Expedition 61 continues.
Progress MS-13 docked with the Pirs module at 1038 UTC Dec 9.
On Dec 12 Dextre was used to remove the HISUI payload from Dragon
CRS-19's trunk and hand it to the JEM-RMS arm, which installed it on
Kibo Exposed Facility EFU 8. On Dec 13 Dextre removed the new Li-ion
battery from the trunk and stored it on the Dextre EOTP. On Aug 16, the
flight support equipment (FSE) adapter from the BCDU removed earlier
this year from ESP3 was moved from ESP3 to the EOTP, and the new battery
replaced it there at ESP3 Site 6.
Starliner
---------
On Dec 20 ULA launched flight AV-080, the first Atlas V N22, from Cape
Canaveral, The N22 has two solid boosters, a dual engine Centaur with
two RL10-A4-1 engines (the first DEC to fly since 2004) and carries the
Boeing CST-100 Starliner spaceship, flying on its Orbital Flight Test
(OFT) without a crew. The mission was to test launch and landing and
to rendezvous and dock with ISS, delivering 272 kg of cargo and
carrying an instrumented anthropomorphic test dummy (ATD) dubbed 'Rosie',
AV-080's Centaur reached its targeted 73 x 181 km x 51.6 deg orbit.
Boeing Space's Starliner, vehicle SC3, separated at 1150 UTC. Starliner
set its master event timer reading data from the launch vehicle, but
apparently because of a software (interface) mistake the value was read
into the Boeing vehicle from an incorrect location in the ULA vehicle's
memory, resulting in an 11 hour offset. Starliner was meant to fire its
Aerojet Rocketdyne OMAC thrusters at 1207 UTC to raise its orbit, but
due to the software timing error this did not occur. After comms
problems possibly related to a TDRS handover, a contingency RCS burn was
finally commanded by the ground, possibly at around 1216 UTC, which
raised perigee by an unknown (to me) amount. Further RCS burns at
unknown times over the next half hour or so raised perigee further and
placed Starliner in a 180 x 221 km x 51.6 deg orbit.
During the period before the burn, the timer error meant that Starliner
was in an incorrect software state and used up too much propellant
controlling its attitude. This precluded the planned rendezvous with
ISS. Later on Dec 20 Starliner raised its orbit to around 250 km and
tested extension and retraction of its docking apparatus as well as
other systems tests. SC3 then returned on Dec 22, landing at about
106.420W 32.952N near the runway at White Sands Space Harbor, New
Mexico.
The flight did demonstrate the basic design of the vehicle including its
life support system and its ability to safely return to Earth; I do not
expect the omitted rendezvous or the software issues to create major
delays to the programme or to require a further uncrewed test flight.
Starliner consists of the following components, with very approximate guesstimated masses:
Height Dia Mass
Crew Module 2.2m 4.5m 8.3t? - about 6.4t dry without crew/cargo
Service Module 2.5m 4.5m 3.3t? (dry) - Jettisoned during end of mission, after deorbit burn
SM propellant - - 2.3t?
-----------------------------------
Total at Cen sep 13.9t?
Ascent cover 0.3m 1.7m 0.1t? - Jettisoned suborbital, before Centaur ignition
Aeroskirt 1.8m 4.5m 1.0t? - Jettisoned suborbital, 20s after Centaur ignition
-----------------------------------
Total at launch 15.0t?
The SM has 20 6kN OMAC thrusters for orbit adjust (plus 4 x 180 kN abort engines and 28 RCS thrusters).
The CM includes a 750 kg base heat shield, a 150 kg forward heat shield, and two 34 kg drogue chutes,
as well as about 90 kg of hydrazine, all of which are jettisoned in the atmosphere prior to landing.
Landing mass is about 7200 kg including crew and cargo. Starliner is built in Boeing's facility
at the C3PF (former OPF3) at Kennedy Space Center; spacecraft development is carried out there
(and possibly at the new Boeing Space headquarters in Titusville) and mission control is at a Boeing
control room in the mission control building at NASA-JSC/Houston.
Here is the approximate timeline of the mission as far as I can estimate it for now:
(times UTC, as always) - I expect a number of these details to change as better info becomes
available.
Dec 20 1136:43 Launch by Atlas V/N22 from SLC41
1141:12 Atlas cutoff
1141:18 Atlas separation
1141:24 Starliner ascent cover jettisoned
1141:28 Centaur AV-080 main engine burn 1
1141:48 Starliner aeroskirt jettisoned
1148:37 AV-080 shutdown, reach 73 x 181 km x 51.6 deg orbit
1151:37 Starliner separates from AV-080
1202 AV-080 propellant `blowdown'
1207:38 Planned Starliner OMAC orbit insertion burn does not occur
Excessive attitude control thruster use
1215? Commanded RCS burn performs initial orbit insertion
Initial orbit UNKNOWN; burn start time UNKNOWN
1234 AV-080 Centaur reentered and hits ocean SW of Australia
1300? Further RCS burn(s); reach 180 x 221 km x 51.6 deg orbt.
Burn start time UNKNOWN.
2200? OMAC burn 1, 20 m/s?, to approx 214 x 242 km x 51.6 deg orbit
2235? OMAC burn 2, 20 m/s?, to 241 x 265 km x 51.6 deg orbit.
[Times of these burns are highly uncertain]
Dec 22 1223:47 Starliner OMAC deorbit, 150 m/s , 55 s burn; E of New Zealand
1224:42 Deorbit burn cutoff, orbit about -230 x 246 x 51.6
1225:59 Service Module jettison
1241:42 Entry interface, 120 km, 7.5 km/s over equatorial Pacific
1242? Service Module destructive reentry over equatorial Pacific
1253? Forward heat shield (FHS) separation at 3 km alt.
1253:06 Main parachutes deploy
1254:00? Base Heat Shield sep
1254:40? Airbags inflate
1257 Base Heat Shield impact
1257:55 CM landing at White Sands Space Harbor 106.420W 32.952N
1302:48 Forward heat shield touchdown
Starliner SC1 was used for the pad abort test; SC2 will fly the CFT crewed flight next year;
then SC3 will fly again on the PCM-1 mission to ISS. For that flight SC3 will have the name `Calypso',
chosen by mission commander Suni Williams. SC2 has not yet been named; and it's not clear
whether SC3 will retain the same name for later flights or if they'll get new names under
each new commander.
Glonass
-------
The Glonass M-59 navigation satellite, Kosmos-2544, was launched from Plesetsk on Dec 11.
PSLV-C48
---------
India's PSLV-C48 flight launched RISAT-2BR1, a 628 kg X-band synthetic aperture radar satellite.
Also aboard were some secondary payloads:
- the 100-kg-class Izanagi (QPS-SAR-1), a 3.6m-dia-antenna radar satellite from QPS Labs of Fukuoka, Japan;
- the 22 kg 12U Cubesat 1HOPSAT from Hera Systems of San Jose;
- the 3U Duchifat 3 from Herzliya Science Center, Israel
- four SpireGlobal Lemur-2 satellites;
- a 3U satellite, Tyvak-0092 (possibly also called COMMTRAIL), built by Tyvak for an unnamed Italian company
for search-and-rescue applications;
- a 6U satellite, Tyvak-0129, or Pathfinder Demo Test 1, a mission built by Tyvak for NASA-Ames to test
a Busek electrospray thruster.
Beidou
-------
Beidou 52/53 were launched on Dec 16; they are CAST-built medium orbit Beidou 3 satellites M19 and M20.
The previous Beidou double launch, Beidou 50/51, were Shanghai-built satellites M21 and M22 in the Beidou-3
system, and not M19/20 as I wrote in JSR 772.
JCSAT
-----
On Dec 17 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral. The first stage landed on the OCISLY droneshop.
The second stage placed the JCSAT-18/Kacific-1 satellite in a subsynchronous transfer orbit.
The satellite is jointly owned by Sky Perfect JSAT of Tokyo, which operates its Ku-band payload,
and Kacific Broadband Satellite of Singapore, which has a Ka-band payload aboard.
CSG/CHEOPS
----------
On Dec 18 Arianespace launched a Soyuz ST-A/Fregat from the Centre Spatial Guyanais to place several
satellites in sun-synchronous orbit.
The Soyuz third stage reached a -3189 x 608 km x 92.0 deg suborbital trajectory; the Fregat stage
then fired to reach a 625 x 649 km x 97.8 deg orbit and deployed CSG-1, its primary payload, at 0917 UTC.
CSG-1, the first COSMO-Skymed Second Generation satellite, is an X-band
radar satellite for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defense built by Thales Alenia/Torino.
Fregat's second burn reached a 443 x 622 km x 98.0 deg orbit; the ASAP-S upper adapter (on which CSG-1 was
mounted) was jettisoned. The third burn was to 445 x 829 km, followed by a fourth burn to 696 x 708 km
for the deploy of CHEOPS at 1119 UTC.
CHEOPS is ESA's Characterizing Exoplanets Satellite. The 273 kg satellite has a 0.3m aperture
telescope and will measure the radii of known super-Earth and mini-Neptune exoplanets using transit photometry.
The PI is Willy Benz (U. Bern).
Fregat burn 5 and 6 went to 468 x 703 km and then to 509 x 527 km, following which three cubesats
were deployed at 1305 UTC:
ANGELS is a 12U cubesat built by Toulouse company Hemeria for the French space agency CNES.
It carries a new version of the long-running ARGOS system which relays data from meteorological buoys.
EyeSat is a 3U cubesat built by student interns at CNES/Toulouse, and carries the IRIS space telescope
to study zodiacal light.
OPS-SAT s a 3U cubesat built by TU Graz for ESA, with an advanced flight computer to act as a testbed
for mission operations software.
Fregat's final burn put it on a -112 x 522 km trajectory; it reentered over the south Pacific at 1509 UTC.
CBERS-4A
--------
The final China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite, CBERS-4A, was launched by CZ-4B on Dec 20.
Chang Zheng 4B s/n Y44 was launched from Taiyuan at 0322:29 UTC Dec 20.
At T+11m39s the third stage finished its burn and entered a 615 x 635 km
sun-synchronous orbit with an equator crossng at 10:30 local time.
At T+13:18 the primary payload, the 1980 kg CBERS-4A China-Brazil Earth
resources satellite, separated and became object 4489, 2019-093A.
The CBERS satellites are part of the larger Chinese ZiYuan series,
and so this is probably also ZY-1 04A. It was built by CAST/Beijing.
CBERS-4A was mounted on an adapter covering the remaining
payloads. The adapter separated into orbit at T+13:53.
It is probably 2.0m high 2.9m dia.
Next the Tianqin-1 satellite separated, at T+14:28. Tianqin-1 is a small
(35 kg) technology development satellite for China's
gravitational-wave-astronomy programme. The satellite was built by
DFH Satellite Co. for Zhongshan Daxue (Sun Yat-sen University) and
Huahzhong U. of Science and Technology. It also carries the CAS-6A
amateur radio payload.
At T+15:05 three further satellites separated:
Tianyan-02, Yuheng and Shuntian.
Tianyan-02 is also called Xingshidai-8; it is a 6U cubesat built by
Weina Xingkong Keji (MinoSpace) for Gouxing Yuhang Keji (ADA Space) of
Chengdu. It is also called "Kehuan shijie hao AI weixing" (SciFi World
AI satellite) and is dedicated to the science fiction community. SF
writers including Cixin Liu were invited to the launch. The satellite
apparently has a low resolution Earth video imager.
Yuheng and Shuntian were developed by the National University
of Defense Technology in Changsha in collaboration with
the Deya Innovation Research Institute of Foshan, in the Guangzhou
region. They are prototype internet distribution satellites.
It is unclear how big these sats are but I suspect they are 50-100 kg class.
At T+15:47 the final four payloads separated:
ETRSS-1, FloripaSat, Weilai-1R and Tianyan-01.
ETRSS-1 is a 70 kg remote sensing satellite and was built by DFH
Satellite for the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute in
Addis Ababa. It is Ethiopia's first satellite.
FloripaSat is a 1U cubesat from the Universidade Federal de Santa
Catarina, in the Brazilian city of Florianopolis.
Weilai-1R is also known as BDS-AGR-1 and Guozhi henghao nianjing
zhongyuan jinshui 1, and is a 65 kg imaging satellite for GZH-NHK BDS
AGR Co. Ltd (Guozhi heng Beidou hao nianjing Agricultural Technology
Co.) of Zhengzhou in Henan province.
Tianyan-01 is also called Yizheng 1. It was built by Weina/Minospace for
the Zhongxing kongjian yaogan (jiangsu) weixing jishu fuwu YG (China
satellite space remote sensing (Jiangsu) satellite technology services
co. ltd.), based in Yizheng, Jiangsu province. The 72 kg satellite
carries a high resolution imager.
At T+25 min the third stage restarted for a depletion burn which lowered
its orbit to 447 x 620 km.
Elektro-L
---------
On Dec 24 Russia's Elektro-L No. 3 weather satellite was placed in geosynchronous
orbit by a Proton-M with the now-rarely-used Energiya Blok DM-03 upper stage.
Gonets
------
On Dec 26 Russia launched the last Khrunichev Rokot vehicle, based on the
UR-100N missile with a Briz-KM upper stage. The rocket put three Gonets-M
communications satellites in a 1500 km orbit. A passive 17 kg Blits-M
laser reflector ball was also placed in orbit.
Parker
------
The Parker Solar Probe passed 3008 km from Venus on Dec 26 at 1815
UTC, its second Venus flyby. Parker was within Venus' Hill sphere from
Dec 26 0605 to Dec 27 0626 UTC. Once back in solar orbit its perhelion will be only
0.130 AU, compared to 0.166 AU before the flyby. Perihelion 4 is on Jan 29.
Table of Recent Orbital Launches
----------------------------------
Date UT Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission INTL. Catalog Perigee Apogee Incl Notes
Dec 5 1729 Dragon CRS-19 Falcon 9 Canaveral SLC40 Cargo 83A S44821 203 x 378 x 51.7
Dec 6 0800? Kosmos-2543? Kosmos-2542, LEO Inspector 79D S44835 368 x 858 x 97.9
Dec 6 0818 ALE-2 ) Electron Mahia LC1 Tech 84A S44824 397 x 415 x 97.0
NOOR 1A ) Com 84D S44827 348 x 403 x 97.0
NOOR 1B ) Com 84E S44828 348 x 403 x 97.0
SMOG-P ) Sigint 84J S44832 348 x 403 x 97.0
TRSI-Sat ) Tech 84G S44830 348 x 403 x 97.0
FossaSat-1) Tech 84F S44829 348 x 403 x 97.0
ATL-1 ) Sigint/Tech 84H S44831 348 x 403 x 97.0
Dec 6 0934 Progress MS-13 Soyuz-2-1A Baykonur LC31 Cargo 85A S44833 186 x 219 x 51.6
Dec 7 0255 Jilin-1 Gaofen 02B Kuaizhou-1A Taiyuan Imaging 86B S44837 531 x 544 x 97.5
Dec 7 0852 HEDE-2A ) Kuaizhou-1A Taiyuan Comms 87 S44839 495 x 511 x 97.4
HEDE-2B ) Comms 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Tianqi-4A ) Comms 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Tianqi-4B ) Comms 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Tianyi-16 ) Imaging 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Tianyi-17 ) Imaging 87 495 x 511 x 97.4
Dec 11 0854 Kosmos-2544 Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat Plesetsk LC43/3 Nav 88A S44850 19125 x 19150 x 64.8
Dec 11 0955 RISAT-2BR1) PSLV-QL Satish Dhawan Radar 89A S44852 564 x 574 x 37.0
Izanagi ) Radar 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
1HOPSAT ) Imaging 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Duchifat-3) Tech 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Tyvak-0092) SaR 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Tyval-0129) Tech 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Lemur-2-Unnamed) AIS/Met 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Lemur-2-Unnamed) AIS/Met 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Lemur-2-Unnamed) AIS/Met 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Lemur-2-Unnamed) AIS/Met 89 568 x 579 x 37.0
Dec 16 0722 Beidou DW 52 ) Chang Zheng 3B/YZ1 Xichang LC3 Nav 90A S44864 21528 x 22192 x 55.0
Beidou DW 53 ) Nav 90B S44865 21528 x 22192 x 55.0
Dec 17 0010 JCSAT-18/Kacific-1 Falcon 9 Canaveral SLC40 Comms 91A S44868 272 x 20319 x 26.9
Dec 18 0854 CSG 1 ) Soyuz ST-A/Fregat CSG ELS Radar 92A S44873 622 x 623 x 97.8
CHEOPS ) Astronomy 92B S44874 698 x 709 x 98.2
ANGELS ) Comms 92D?S44876 508 x 527 x 97.4
EyeSat ) Astronomy 92E?S44877 508 x 527 x 97.4
OPS-SAT ) Tech 92F?S44878 508 x 527 x 97.4
Dec 20 0322 CBERS-4A ) Chang Zheng 4B Taiyuan Imaging 93A S44879 615 x 635 x 98.0
ETRSS-1 ) Imaging 93
Tianqin-1 ) Sci/Tech 93
BDSAGR-1 ) Imaging 93
Yuheng ) Comms 93
Shuntian ) Comms 93
Yizheng 1 ) Imaging 93
Xingshidai 8 ) Imaging 93
Dec 20 1136 Starliner OFT Atlas V N22 Canaveral LC41 Spaceship 94A S44900 180 x 221 x 51.6
Dec 24 1203 Elektro-L No. 3 Proton-M/DM-03 Baykonur LC81/24 Weather 95A S44903 35372 x 35571 x 0.6
Dec 26 2312 Gonets-M No. 24 Rokot Plesetsk LC133/3 Comms 96A S44905 1500 x 1508 x 82.5
Gonets-M No. 25 Comms 96B S44906 1500 x 1508 x 82.5
Gonets-M No. 26 Comms 96C S44907 1500 x 1508 x 82.5
Table of Recent Suborbital Launches
-----------------------------------
On Dec 12 the US DoD's Strategic Capabilities Office and Northrop
Grumman launched what was reported to be a development test for a new
IRBM. The rocket flew from Vandenberg's Test Pad 1 west to the Pacific,
apparently to a range of about 1200 km (and not 3000 km which the US
defines as the lower end of IRBM range). Pictures suggest it was a
single-stage Castor 4B with an MBRV-class reentry vehicle, probably
surplus from the missile defense targets program. The Castor 4B solid
motor is thought to no longer be in production; I conclude this was
likely largely a propaganda exercise rather than actually representing a
new capability.
Date UT Payload/Flt Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission Apogee/km Target
Nov 26 0743 ICI 5 Terrer Imp.Malemute Svalbard Ionosphere 253 Arctic
Nov 28 Topol-E RV Topol' Kapustin Yar Reentry test 1000? Balkhash
Nov 28 0759 RV DPRK MLRS Ryonpo Test 97 Sea of Japan
Nov 28 0759 RV DPRK MLRS Ryonpo Test 97 Sea of Japan
Nov 30 1350 Agni 3 RV Agni 3 Kalam Island Test 500? Indian O.
Dec 10 0930 CHI Black Brant IX Svalbard Ionosphere 360 Arctic
Dec 11 1753 New Shepard NS12 New Shepard West Texas Test 105 West Texas
Dec 12 1630 IRBM Test Castor 4B? Vandenberg TP-01 Test 500? Pacific
-------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Jonathan McDowell | |
| Somerville MA 02143 | inter : planet4589 at gmail |
| USA | twitter: @planet4589 |
| |
| JSR: https://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html |
| Back issues: https://www.planet4589.org/space/jsr/back |
| Subscribe/unsub: https://www.planet4589.org/mailman/listinfo/jsr |
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