AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-221
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor-
mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space
including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur
Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building,
launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio
satellites.
The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur
Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor at amsat.org.
In this edition:
* AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Ballots Due by 15 September
* July/August 2015 AMSAT Journal Sent to the Print Shop
* SPROUT Deployable Membrane – Request for Telemetry
* Frequencies Announced for Nayif-1 CubeSat
* UK radio ham’s ISS contact in the press
* Work continues on ESEO FUNcube-4
* Scout ISS ham radio contact video
* Last Call for Papers: ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
* Satellite Frequency Co-ordination Announcement from IARU Region 1
* Chinese Amateur Radio Satellites Set to Launch in Early September
* Do not Digipeat via PCSAT in IARU Region 1
* Planned DX Activity Via Satellite
* AMSAT Events
* ARISS News
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-221.01
ANS-221 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 221.01
>From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE August 9, 2015
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-221.01
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AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Ballots Due by 15 September
Ballots were mailed to AMSAT-NA members in good standing by 15 JULY
2015, and
must be returned to the AMSAT-NA office by 15 SEP 2015 in order to be
counted.
Those sent outside North America were sent by air mail. Your completed
ballot
should be returned as promptly as possible, and those from outside North
America preferably by air mail or other expedited means.
This year there are eight candidates:
Barry Baines, WD4ASW
Jerry Buxton, N0JY
Steve Coy, K8UD
Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
Mark Hammond, N8MH
EMike McCardel, KC8YLD
Bob McGwier, N4HY
Bruce Paige, KK5DO
The four candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be seated as
voting Board Members with two year terms. The two candidates receiving the
next highest number of votes will be non-voting Alternate Board Members
with
terms of one year. Please vote for no more than four candidates.
Please take the time to review the candidate statements that accompany the
ballot and determine who you wish to see on the Board. Election of Board
members is both an obligation as well as an opportunity by our
membership to
help shape the future direction of AMSAT-NA.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]
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July/August 2015 AMSAT Journal Sent to the Print Shop
The July/August 2015 AMSAT Journal is complete and has been sent to the
print shop. The Journal is sent six times a year to all members as one of
AMSAT's membership benefits.
In this issue you will find:
+ AMSAT Announcements
+ Apogee View
by Barry Baines, WD4ASW
+ AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-DL, and Virginia Tech Announce Potential
Phase-3E Opportunity
+ AMSAT 2015 Field Day Results
by Bruce Paige, KK5DO
+ A Field Day 2015 Experience
by George Carr, WA5KBH and Hector Martinez, CO6CBF/W5CBF
+ AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Ballots in the Mail
by Alan Biddle, WA4SCA
+ Engineering Update July/August 2015
by Jerry Buxton, N0JY
+ AMSAT at Dayton 2015
by Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF
+ Orbital Debrief - July/August 2015
by Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
+ ARISS Announces New Challenge Coin
+ Israel's Duchifat-1 Cubesat Open for Users
by Shamai Opfer, 4Z1WS and David Greenberg, 4X1DG
+ Investigation of the International Arms Export Control Act of 1976
by Elizabeth Garbee, KC0OTR
+ A Quick Satellite Rover Trip
by Kevin Manzer, N4UFO
+ 2015 AMSAT Symposium at Dayton Announcement
+ AMSAT Help Wanted Ads
The Journal is always looking for your articles about your station, antenna
topics, operating events and photos, technical articles suitable for amateur
radio in space, software applications, software defined radio. To help you
get started we have a web page "How to Write for the AMSAT Journal" posted
at: http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=1709. The editors are available to help
get you from idea into print.
A big round of thanks goes to our contributors for this issue. The editors
do a lot of work behind the scenes to get each issue ready. Thanks to
Bernhard, VA6MBJ; Douglas, KA2UPW/5; James, K3JPH; Joe, KB6IGK; Red, KC4LE.
[ANS thanks the AMSAT Journal Team for the above information]
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SPROUT Deployable Membrane – Request for Telemetry
Students at Nihon University in Japan are requesting the assistance of radio
amateurs in collecting telemetry from the SPROUT satellite which has
deployed
an inflatable membrane structure.
The SPROUT JQ1YGZ Team say:
We’d like to show to everyone about SPROUT, and we’d like to ask receiving
cooperation to everyone.
SPROUT was launched at May 24, 2014 from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.
There are 3 main missions in SPROUT.
·Deployment demonstration of inflatable membrane structure.
·Demonstration of attitude determination and control technology for several
kilogram class nano-satellite.
·Upbringing of human resources of a space sector
For more information
http://sat.aero.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp/sprout-e/
Please see this website.
This time, we made a deployment demonstration of inflatable membrane
structure. But it’s necessary to get a deal of data to get information on a
satellite, and it takes time to get one of data only my satellite
communication
ground station.
So when everybody of amsat would do reception cooperation, information on a
satellite can be got quickly.
We’d like to request reception cooperation of everybody of “AMSAT� for
study promotion.
If you wouldn’t mind, please reception cooperation. Please inform the
following mail address of your question and a reception report –
Best regards
SPROUT JQ1YGZ Team on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008270115808
SPROUT transmits on 437.525 MHz FM 1k2 AFSK AX.25
http://www.dk3wn.info/sat/afu/sat_sprout.shtml
SPROUT SSTV activation
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/05/31/sprou...talker-active/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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Frequencies Announced for Nayif-1 CubeSat
Nayif-1 is an educational single CubeSat project with the goal of
providing an
actual space project for Emirati University students. Additionally it is
intended to enthuse and educate young people about radio, space physics and
electronics.
The 1U CubeSat is a collaboration between the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space
Center
and the American University of Sharjah both in the United Arab Emirates.
The spacecraft will only require simple ground station antennas and an SDR
dongle receiver. This will make it uncomplicated for schools and colleges to
use with their students.
It is anticipated Nayif-1 will be launched into an elliptical, sun
synchronous, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) about 400 by 750 km. In such an orbit the
satellite passes over the Emirates at least twice a day. This would
allow the
morning passes to be used for educational purposes and the evening
passes for
Amateur Radio communications.
The student team will develop and operate a special ground station for this
spacecraft. They will also be developing a unique “Dashboard� to display the
received telemetry data and greetings messages in Arabic.
Nayif-1 will incorporate a novel autonomous attitude determination and
control
system. This will be the first flight of this system. Additionally it will
carry a UHF to VHF linear transponder (FUNcube-5) that will have up to
0.5 watt
output and which can be used by Radio Amateurs worldwide for SSB and CW
communications.
A launch is planned for late 2015 on a SpaceX Falcoln 9.
IARU coordinated frequencies for NAYIF-1:
• 145.940 MHz 1200 bps BPSK FUNcube beacon
• 500 mW inverting SSB/CW linear transponder
– 435.045-435.015 MHz Uplink
– 145.960-145.990 MHz Downlink
Follow Nayif-1 on Twitter
https://twitter.com/Nayifone
Nayif-1
http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/communications/nayif-1/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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UK radio ham’s ISS contact in the press
Adrian Lane 2E0SDR got some great newspaper publicity for the hobby when he
made an amateur radio contact with an astronaut on the International Space
Station.
The story was published in the Thursday, August 6, 2015 edition of many UK
national daily newspapers including The Sun, The Times, Telegraph,
Independent,
Daily Mail, Daily Express and Mirror. The Thursday edition of the BBC
Radio 4
Today show also featured the story at 8:09:46am. To hear it fast forward to
2:09:46 in this recording:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0643x5z#play
During Thursday evening the story featured on the TV news station CNN.
On Friday, August 7, Adrian was interviewed about the contact on the BBC TV
Victoria Derbyshire programme. Watch the interview at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33816779
The astronaut Adrian talked to was Kjell Lindgren who holds the amateur
radio
callsign KO5MOS. Kjell was operating the ISS amateur radio station in
the ESA
Columbus module using the callsign NA1SS. There is another ISS amateur radio
station in the Russian Service module which uses the callsign RS0ISS.
The online version of the Daily Mail story features a video interview with
Adrian 2E0SDR
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-ham-contacts-
International-Space-Station-GARDEN-SHED.html
CNN Story – Ham radio and the ISS broadcast 1930 GMT Aug 6, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=35&v=XNs_b73Oiac
Read the Telegraph story at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...461/Radio-ham-
talks-to-space-station-from-garden-shed.html
Read the Mirror newspaper story at
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...husiast-dials-
international-6199955
The Sun newspaper story is behind a paywall at
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...for-a-ham.html
The Register story: HAM IN SPAAAAAACE
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08...tronaut_from_g
arden_shed_in_gloucestershire/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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Work continues on ESEO FUNcube-4
AMSAT-UK members have been busy this week working on the FUNcube-4 amateur
radio payload for the new European Student Earth Orbiter (ESEO)
satellite. On
Friday, August 7, 2015 they tested the transponder and it seems to work
fine.
More testing and characterisation will follow over the next few days.
This is the third mission within the European Space Agency’s Education
Satellite Programme. The satellite, which has a mass of 40 kg and measures
33x33x63 cm, is planned to launch into a Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The spacecraft will carry a 1260/145 MHz FM transponder and 145 MHz 1200 bps
BPSK telemetry beacon to provide a telemetry downlink that can be easily
received by schools and colleges for educational outreach purposes. The data
will be displayed in an attractive format and provide stimulation and
encouragement for students to become interested in all STEM subjects in a
unique way.
The target audience is primarily students at both primary and secondary
levels
and the project includes the development of a simple and cheap “ground
station�
operating on VHF frequencies in the Amateur Satellite Service. This
station is
an omni-directional antenna feeding a FUNcube DonglePRO+ SDR receiver which
will receive the signals direct from the satellite and transfer the data to
specially developed graphical software running on any Windows laptop.
2015 International Space Colloquium Presentations Playlist
https://www.youtube.com/user/AMSATUK/playlists
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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Scout ISS ham radio contact video
Scouts at the 23rd World Scout Jamboree at Bunkyo-ku in Japan had an
amateur
radio contact with the International Space Station.
The contact on July 31, 2015 was between 8N23WSJ and NA1SS operated by
astronaut Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS from the ISS Columbus module.
Watch Radio scouting with the ISS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGhQ8OamfTY
ARISS 23rd World Scout Jamboree contact
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/201...event_0308.htm
23rd World Scout Jamboree
http://www.23wsj.jp/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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Last Call for Papers: ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
ARRL/TAPR are soliciting technical papers for presentation at the 34th
Annual
ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference, to be held October 9-11 in
Chicago, Illinois. Papers will also be published in the Conference
Proceedings.
You do not have to attend the conference to have your paper included in the
Proceedings. The submission deadline is August 17, 2015.
E-mail your submission to Maty Weinberg at ARRL Headquarters at
>
Please to do not send zip files as these will be rejected by our e-mail
server.
[ANS thanks Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and the ARRL for the above information]
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Satellite Frequency Co-ordination Announcement from IARU Region 1
The following announcement has been released by the IARU International
Secretariat:
For some years, IARU has sought, through its group of volunteer satellite
coordinators, to assign appropriate frequencies to be used by space
satellites
operating in the amateur bands. These efforts have generally been
successful,
allowing satellites to operate without undue interference to each other
and to
other services using the bands in question. The IARU role in coordination of
frequencies is supported by ITU.
IARU is aware of a few satellites already operating in amateur bands
which are
causing difficulties in parts of the world as the frequencies they use
do not
appear to accord to existing band plans. IARU has now become aware of
plans to
launch a series of satellites where the frequencies proposed appear to
conflict
with existing IARU band plans in some parts of the world. IARU is
investigating
how this has arisen, and is discussing the issues with the parties involved.
We will make a further statement as soon as possible.
http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/88-...-co-ordination
[ANS thanks Trevor, M5AKA for the above information]
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Chinese Amateur Radio Satellites Set to Launch in Early September
China’s Amateur Satellite Group CAMSAT said this week that nine satellites
carrying Amateur Radio payloads have been delivered to the Taiyuan Satellite
Launch Center in Central China. CAMSAT CEO Alan Kung, BA1DU, said they’re
expected to launch between September 7 and 9. All are part of the CAS-3
series
of satellites. Four of the microsatellites and two of the CubeSats
included in
the launch have been designated as the XW-2 (Hope-2) amateur satellite
system
(XW-2A through XW-2F), although Kung also refers to them using their initial
CAS-3A through CAS-3F nomenclature. The other three satellites — a
CubeSat, a
nanosatellite, and a picosatellite, carry the designations CAS-3G
through CAS-
3I, respectively. CAMSAT announced earlier this year that the launch
date would
be postponed from mid-July until early September.
“Each satellite of the CAS-3 series will work independently, and they
are made
by different organizations,� Kung told ARRL.
The XW-2 series satellites are equipped with substantially identical Amateur
Radio payloads — a U/V mode linear transponder, a CW telemetry beacon and an
AX.25 19.2k/9.6k baud GMSK telemetry downlink, CAMSAT said in May. Each
Amateur
Radio complement has the same technical characteristics, but will operate on
different 70 centimeter uplink and 2 meter downlink frequencies. XW-2A
through
XW-2F have identical quarter-wavelength deployable monopole whip
antennas made
of steel tape.
CAMSAT worked with three entities to complete the other three
satellites: CAS-
3G (DCBB), a 2U CubeSat being built by Shenzhen HIT Satellite Ltd of
China for
educational purposes; CAS-3H (LilacSat-2), a Harbin Institute of
Technology of
China microsatellite for science experiments and Amateur Radio, and
CAS-3I (NDT-
Phone Sat), a National University of Defense Technology of China
picosatellite
for carrying out technical experiments. CAS-3G and CAS-3I will downlink
digital
telemetry on amateur frequencies, while CAS-3H will carry a U/V FM
transponder
and APRS. Details on all satellites are attached (see "Downloads," below).
Kung said a Long March-6 rocket will carry the XW-2 and CAS-3 satellites
into
orbit along with 11 other satellites.
http://www.arrl.org/news/chinese-ama...-to-launch-in-
early-september
[ANS thanks the ARRL, CAMSAT CEO Alan Kung, BA1DU, and IARU for the above
information]
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Do not Digipeat via PCSAT in IARU Region 1
As has been reported in the RSGB News, the PCSAT spacecraft was launched
some
fourteen years ago and has, due to an on-board power system issue,
started to
transmit APRS on 144.390 MHz
Although this is the correct frequency for APRS operation in IARU Region
2, it
is not compatible with our Region 1 bandplan which has this part of the band
designated for weak signal and particularly Meteor Scatter operation.
The orbit of this spacecraft means that sometimes it is in full sunlight
and,
at other times, it is eclipsed for a major percentage of the orbit. As
the on-
board batteries have lost their ability to hold a charge, the problem
can only
occur when it is in sunlight.
Various methods of mitigate this problem are presently under active
consideration but in the meantime it is important that no amateur in
Region 1
should attempt to digipeat through this spacecraft. Additionally those
amateurs
on the east coast of the American continent are also requested not to
attempt
to activate the spacecraft when it can be “seen� from Europe.
At IARU level, further work is being undertaken to reduce the risk from
future
spacecraft potentially causing similar problems. Such problems could result
from developers not following the globally agreed bandplans for amateur
satellite operations. In particular the IARU Satellite Coordinator has been
requested to make urgent contact with the team responsible for XW-2(CAS-3)
mission of nine satellites from China. Some of the proposed frequencies
do not
respect the internationally agreed Region 1 Bandplan for 2 metres.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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Planned DX Activity Via Satellite
HH, HAITI. Doug, KD8CAO, son of K8YSE (OPDX Webmaster), will be active
as HH8/KD8CAO from Jacmel (FK38rf) between August 15-22nd. He is there
on a "Medical Mission Trip" with his XYL. Activity will be mainly on the
satellites (SSB/FM), with a possibility of some HF activity (QRP). His
activity on the satellite will be on FO29, AO7, AO73 and SO50. As this
was being written, Doug was thinking of using/taking his FT-817 (this
could change). QSL via KD8CAO and LoTW.
T47, CUBA (LH Op). Members of the Camaguey Contest Crew got special
permission to operate as T47LH during the ILLW from the Colon Light-
house at Sabinal Key, Cuba. A crew of 5 hams (CO7RR, CO7SF, CO7FR, CO7DS
and CO7WT) will be active from mid-day August 14th to mid-day August 16th.
Operations are planned on all HF bands (60m is pending approval) and
Satellite via SO-50 passes during the ILLW. For more info and details,
see the QRZ.com page for T47LH. QSL route is TBD.
V7, MARSHALL ISLANDS. A group of JA operators will be active from Majuro
Island (OC-029) between September 24-28th. Operators are YL Mami/JP3AYQ
(V73YL) and her husband Sanny/JJ3CIG (V73H), Team Leader Takio/JH3QFL
(V73A), Co-Leader Keizo "Kay"/JH3AZC (V7EME) and Hiro/JR3GWZ (V73GW).
Activity will be on the HF bands, 6 meters, satellite, EME, CW, SSB
and RTTY. Radios are a FT857 and FT847. Their antennas will be a homebrew
3 element full size beam (3 bands) and a SpiderBeam antenna (5 band).
They will also have a Elecraft 500w amp to use. QSL all operators via
their home callsigns. ADDED NOTES:
* YL Mami, JP3AYQ, states (on QRZ.com), that her activity will be holiday
style (she like to scuba dive) on the HF bands using CW (be patient),
SSB and the Digital mode (RTTY). Suggested frequencies are the IOTA
frequencies, such as 14260, 14040, 21260 and 21040 kHz. QSL via JP3AYQ,
direct, by the Bureau or LoTW. Log will be uploaded to LoTW and ClubLog.
She does have a Blog page at: http://jp3ayq.269g.net
* Sanny, JJ3CIG/KH0YA, states (on QRZ.com), that he plans to operate on
the JT65 mode. QSL via his home callsign, direct or by eQSL.
[ANS thanks Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin #1225 for the above information]
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AMSAT Events
Information about AMSAT activities at other important events around
the country. Examples of these events are radio club meetings where
AMSAT Area Coordinators give presentations, demonstrations of working
amateur satellites, and hamfests with an AMSAT presence (a table with
AMSAT literature and merchandise, sometimes also with presentations,
forums, and/or demonstrations).
*Saturday, 15 August 2015 – Arctic Amateur Radio Club Hamfest in
Fairbanks AK
*Sunday, 16 August 2015 – demonstration at Chena Hot Springs AK
*Saturday and Sunday, 22-23 August 2015 – Boxboro Hamfest and ARRL
New England Convention in Boxborough MA
*Saturday and Sunday, 5-6 September - ARRL Roanoke Division Convention
Shelby, NC Hamfest, AMSAT Forum scheduled for Saturday
*Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 16-18 2015, AMSAT Symposium in
Dayton OH (Dayton Crown Plaza)
*Saturday, 7 November 2015 – Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club Hamfest in
Marana AZ
*Saturday, 5 December 2015 – Superstition Superfest 2015 in Mesa AZ
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]
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ARISS News
Successful Contacts
Maroochydore State School, Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia, telebridge
via LU1CGB
The ISS callsign scheduled was NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut was Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS
Contact was successful: Thu 2015-08-06 10:10:26 UTC 59 deg
The Maroochydore ISS contact was a success with all 10 questions
answered in
detail by Kjell. There were good signals right through the entire contact.
The principal Stuard Maish just had enough time to thank Kjell before LOS.
Space Jam 9, Rantoul, IL, telebridge via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign was scheduled to be OR4ISS
The astronaut was Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS
Contact was successful: Sat 2015-08-08 16:58:02 UTC 33 deg
Space Jam 9 just had a successful contact. All 24 questions got asked
and we
did get 24 answers. The last 3 or 4 were pretty noisy but he was
there. There
was no notice any signal dropouts and the signal seemed pretty steady
throughout.
Space Jam 9 has about 1000 scouts there for the weekend. The contact
was held
outside so all could see. Space Jam 9 did their annual balloon launch, they
told me it went to 101000 feet and traveled about 40 miles. They had a
beacon
going and a cross band repeater. The electronics were recovered just fine.
Greetings to all stations from the participants and volunteers of Space
Jam 9
in Rantoul, Illinois. Though primarily a weekend Scouting and STEM
education
event, we are open to all interested youth. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
from
24 states have come together in an educational and fun format to learn more
about the life skills that will prepare them for the increasingly complex
technological future. Training is our theme this year. While it is well
known that Scouting teaches pioneering skills like camping and wilderness
survival, the new pioneers and wilderness are in outer space and we are
working hard at 44 technology oriented Merit Badges and activities, plus
some
fun things like the Duct Tape Merit Badge. Talking to the astronauts on
the
ISS is an unforgettable part of the experience at Space Jam and that's
next on
our list. We will not know for many years whether one of these youths
becomes an astronaut themselves but it is certain that they are all part of
tomorrow's leaders.
ESA Space Camp, Külsheim, Gemany
A telebridge contact with students at ESA Space Camp, Külsheim, Gemany, was
successful Mon 2015-08-03 10:43:44 UTC 75 deg. The interview was conducted
via W6SRJ with astronaut Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS, who answered 21
questions for
students.
The European Space Agency (ESA )Space Camp 2015 was held in the Germany at
a sport and activity centre Aktiv-Welt in Külsheim, which is situated
on the
beautiful landscape of Baden-Württemberg. The camp will run from Sunday 26
July to Saturday 8 August 2015.
165 children aged 8 to 17 years old will be participating in this annual
space
camp from every ESA establishment in Europe where their parents are working.
The children will learn in the spirit of international cooperation and team
work where the camp theme of “ My planet, beyond Earth�, will be take these
young explorers on a continuing journey around our planet and beyond. The
children will be participating in a range of physical and cultural
activities
as well as a full space education program.
Apart from the science element, the children will learn how to work as
part of
a team, to be respectful of different cultures and embrace and
appreciate the
various talents each child brings to a group. Good training for any ‘first
contacts’ that the future may bring! Learning through active
participation will
be paramount as with every camp - as well as having FUN!
Beyond Earth – as last year, the children will continue to ‘reach for the
stars’ with new and innovative activities involving rocket design and
launches
as well as making observations of the night sky using telescopes. With
such an
environment as in Külsheim, we hope to explore more of the sky in relatively
low light pollution.
The children will be expected to communicate activities in a range of ways
from designing and drawing to building models. It is hoped that the
spirit of
fun and collaboration with such an international group of young children
will
enable them to learn new things as well as share information which will help
each other be better acquainted with the space environment their
families work
in.
The audio file can be downloaded from the internet at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/eb1y6ke2lg...final.mp3?dl=0
Upcoming ARISS Contacts
Fleurance Astronomy Festival, France, telebridge via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled astronaut is TBD
Contact is a go for: Fri 2015-08-14 19:42:01 UTC 46 deg
Fleurance is a small town located in the South-West of France near
Toulouse,
in the Gers department, with about 7,000 inhabitants. One of the main
specialties of this city is the French gastronomy, and especially everything
made from duck (e.g. french foie gras, duck magret) and melon. In terms of
beverages, Gers is the home region of Armagnac (french alcohol made from
white
wine), Floc de Gascogne (made from Armagnac and grape must) and
Pousse-Rapiére
(made from Armagnac and a kind of Champagne).
Since 1991, the French Astronomy Festival takes place in August in
Fleurance
where more than 10,000 people attend this summer event, the largest
European
festival on astronomy and space topics. More than 50 international
researchers
as well as astronauts are welcomed and give lectures to everyone coming
to the
festival over the week. Since 2006, Astro-jeunes, a kids festival, is
organized during the same week, and welcomes more than 200 children per
day to
unveil them the mysteries of our universe and space conquest history. A
dozen
of children from this festival and the Fleurance high-school "Hubert
Reeves"
(sponsor of the Festival) have prepared this contact both with their
physics
and English teachers.
Watch
http://www.ariss.org/upcoming-contacts.html
for information about upcoming contacts as they are scheduled.
[ANS thanks ARISS, and Charlie, AJ9N for the above information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
* Live Broadcast of Space Launch System RS-25 Engine Test Firing
The Space Launch System, or SLS, Liquid Engines Office is conducting a
series of tests for its RS-25 engine. The seven-test series began in January
2015 and will conclude in September 2015. On Aug. 13, 2015, at 4:30 p.m.
EDT, a 550-second test will be conducted at Stennis Space Center near Bay
St. Louis, Mississippi.
The seven-test series will provide critical data on the new engine
controller unit and will show how the RS-25 will perform. New ablative
insulation and heaters also will be tested during the series.
NASA's SLS will help send humans to deep space destinations like an asteroid
and Mars. SLS is an advanced, heavy-lift launch vehicle that will provide an
entirely new capability for science and human exploration beyond Earth's
orbit. The SLS will give the nation a means to reach beyond our current
limits and open new doors of discovery from the unique vantage point of
space.
The test will be carried live on NASA TV beginning at 4 p.m. EDT and will be
streamed at http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html. Please make
plans to watch and hear the rumble as NASA continues on its Journey to Mars.
To learn more about the Space Launch System, visit
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/
[ANS thanks NASA Education Express Message -- Aug. 6, 2015 for the above
information]
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/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining
donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT
Office.
Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership
at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students
enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.
73,
This week's ANS Editor,
Joe Spier, K6WAO
k6wao at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans