AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-360

ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation ANS reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:

ans-editor@amsat org

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

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360 01 ARISS 10th Anniversary

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360 01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 26, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-360 01

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360 02 SA AMSAT Announces Two Cubesat Projects

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360 02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 26, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-360 02

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[ANS thanks SA AMSAT for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360 03 New South Africa Space Agency Promises Support for Amateur Satellites

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360 03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 26, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-360 03

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

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

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

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

[ANS thanks SARL for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360 04 First Winner Picked in AMSAT PayPal Fund raiser Drive

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360 04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 26, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-360 04

First Winner Picked in AMSAT PayPal Fund raiser Drive

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

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

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

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

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

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

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360 05 SO-67 Repeater Temporarily Suspended

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360 05 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 26, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-360 05

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

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

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

[ANS thanks Johann, ZR1CBC for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360 06 Satellite Shorts From All Over

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360 06 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 26, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-360 06

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

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

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

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

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

• Luciano Fabricio, PY5LF, has produced a video showing reception of the two Amateur Radio FASTRAC satellites, Sara Lily and Emma on 145 825 and 437 345MHz FM: http://tinyurl com/34d58y5 (SouthGate)

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

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

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

• Update your ISS keps Russia's Mission Control raised the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, December 22 by raising it 4 2 kilometers (2 6 miles) The readjustment is necessary to ensure the best conditions for the docking of Russia's Progress M-09M space freighter and the U S Discovery's final mission to the ISS

[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-360 07 ARISS Status - 20 December 2010

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 360 07 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 26, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-360 07

1. Upcoming Contacts

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

1. Astronaut Training Status

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

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

/EX

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

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

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