[ans] ANS-323 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Lee McLamb <kt4tz@cfl.rr.com>
Date: 2017-11-19 20:48 GMT+08:00
Subject: [ans] ANS-323 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
To: ans@amsat.org

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-323

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:

* RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched, Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91)
* ESA Announcement for CubeSat Team Concurrent Engineering Workshop
* Australian Amateurs do first HamTV Telebridge outside of Europe
* UPDATE – Polish Amateur Radio Union Award for ARISS SSTV Reception
* December 20 Launch for HA-1 CubeSat with FM transponder and SSTV
* HamSCI Announces Workshop – Posts Survey
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-323.01
ANS-323 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 323.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE November 19, 2017
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-323.01

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched, Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91)

The Delta II rocket carrying RadFxSat (Fox-1B) launched at 09:47:36
UTC on November 18, 2017 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Following a picture-perfect launch, RadFxSat was deployed at 11:09
UTC. Then the wait began. At 12:12 UTC, the AMSAT Engineering team,
watching ZR6AIC’s WebSDR waterfall, saw the characteristic “Fox Tail”
of the Fox-1 series FM transmitter, confirming that the satellite was
alive and transmitting over South Africa. Shortly after 12:34 UTC, the
first telemetry was received and uploaded to AMSAT servers by Maurizio
Balducci, IV3RYQ, in Cervignano del Friuli, Italy. Initial telemetry
confirmed that the satellite was healthy.

After confirmation of signal reception, OSCAR Number Administrator
Bill Tynan, W3XO, sent an email to the AMSAT Board of Directors
designating the satellite AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91). Bill’s email stated:

“RadFxSat (Fox-1B) was launched successfully at 09:47 UTC today
November 18, 2017 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and has
been received by several amateur stations.

RadFxSat (Fox-1B), a 1U CubeSat, is a joint mission of AMSAT and the
Institute for Space and Defense Electronics at Vanderbilt University.
The Vanderbilt package is intended to measure the effects of radiation
on electronic components, including demonstration of an on-orbit
platform for space qualification of components as well as to validate
and improve computer models for predicting radiation tolerance
of semiconductors.

AMSAT constructed the remainder of the satellite including the
spaceframe, on-board computer and power system. The amateur radio
package is similar to that currently on orbit on AO-85 with an uplink
on 435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz.
Experiment telemetry will be downlinked via the DUV subaudible
telemetry stream, which can be decoded using the FoxTelem software.

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) was sent aloft as a secondary payload on the United
Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II rocket that transported the JPSS-1
satellite to orbit. RadFxSat (Fox-1B) is one of five CubeSats making
up this NASA Educational Launch of Nanosatellites
(ELaNa) XIV mission, riding as secondary payloads aboard the JPSS-1
mission.

Since RadFxSat (Fox-1B) has met all of the qualifications necessary to
receive an OSCAR number, I, by the authority vested in me by the AMSAT
President, do hereby confer on this satellite the designation
AMSAT-OSCAR 91 or AO-91. I join amateur radio operators in the U.S.
and around the world in wishing AO-91 a long and successful life in
both its amateur and scientific missions.

I, along with the rest of the amateur community, congratulate all of
the volunteers who worked so diligently to construct, test and prepare
for launch the newest amateur radio satellite.

William A. (Bill) Tynan, W3XO
AMSAT-NA OSCAR Number Administrator”

AMSAT Engineering reminds stations that the satellite will not be
available for general use until the on-orbit checkouts are complete.
Please continue to submit telemetry to assist the Engineering team in
completing the commissioning process.

[ANS thanks Paul, N8HM, for the above information]

———————————————————————

ESA Announcement for CubeSat Team Concurrent Engineering Workshop

Dreaming of flying a satellite into space but not sure how? Wonder
no more! The ESA Education Office and ESA’s Systems and Concurrent
Engineering Section have the perfect workshop for you. We are currently
looking for university students who would like to participate in ESA
Academy’s first Concurrent Engineering Workshop dedicated to CubeSats.
The 4-day workshop will be organised between 16 and 19 January 2018 at
the Training and Learning Centre in ESEC, Belgium.

In concurrent design, all stages of a satellite design take place simul-
taneously, through the direct collaboration of engineers and scientists
from different disciplines in a dedicated and specially equipped facility.

The “CubeSats Concurrent Engineering Workshop” will introduce student
teams to the concurrent design of a CubeSat mission. The workshop can help
to better prepare those universities that are planning to embark on a Cube-
Sat project or are at the early stages of one. Teams wishing to participate
do not need to be at an advanced stage in their CubeSat project. They can
be at a conceptual and/or preliminary phase of their CubeSat design.

The deadline for applications is 4 December 2017, 23:59 CET.

Application requirements, program overview, and more information can be
found on-line at: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-316-ESA-Workshop
(http://www.esa.int)

[ANS thanks the European Space Agency for the above information]

———————————————————————

Australian Amateurs do first HamTV Telebridge outside of Europe

Led by Shane, VK4KHZ in Queensland who handled the audio on 2m. and video for a
telebridge contact between the ISS and 3 Italian schools on 11 Nov. Four
stations across Australia joined together to “chain” the live video coming down
from the ISS on 2.4 Ghz.

As the ISS approached Australia from the west Martin VK6MJ in West Australia was
the first to receive the video signal down from Paolo, IZ0JPA and held the
signal till Joe VK5EI in Adelaide picked it up then onto Tony VK5ZAI in Kingston
SE South Australia finally as the ISS headed N-E over Queensland Shane picked up
the video signal in Glenden while he was handling the audio for the linkup.

The video from the 4 Australian hams was streamed live to the BATC site in GB.
where it was patched together to form one long video transmission so the public
could watch as Paolo answered the Italian students questions.

The URL for the British Amateur Radio Club is: https://ariss.batc.tv/hamtv/

[ANS thanks Tony, VK5ZAI, for the above information]

———————————————————————

UPDATE – Polish Amateur Radio Union Award for ARISS SSTV Reception

UPDATE November 5 – Armand SP3QFE advises that the deadline to apply
for your ARISS SSTV Reception Award has been extended to December 30,
2017 at 23:59 UTC. (see below for text of Armand’s original bulletin
for details of the award).

Armand, SP3QFE reported the Polish Amateur Radio Union (PZK),
in cooperation with ARISS and S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space
Corporation ENERGIA, offer an electronic Award to Amateurs who
received and decoded at least one SSTV series 7 image during
the 20th Anniversary of ARISS commemorative 2017 a Slow Scan
Television (SSTV) event from the ISS between July20 and July 24.

The SSTV pictures transmitted during this event were series #7
of 12 of images covering the history of Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) over the last 20 years.

To apply for the award first upload your image(s) to the ARISS
SSTV Gallery at:
http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php

The Award rules and a link to the on-line application form are
on-line at: http://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/ The deadline to apply
is September 30, 2017 at 23:59 UTC.

Note: If you have already uploaded images to the ARISS SSTV
Gallery you do not need to re-submit the image and only need to
complete the application form.

[ANS thanks Armand, SP3QFE for the above information]

———————————————————————

December 20 Launch for HA-1 CubeSat with FM transponder and SSTV

The IARU has announced frequency coordination has been completed for
HA-1, a 2U CubeSat developed by the Teenagers Amateur Radio Center of
Activity in Huaian, China. HA-1 is planned for launch on December 20.

HA-1 will be mainly used for teenagers in Huaian to carry out activities
related with amateur radio and aerospace science education. The cubesat
is equipped with amateur radio repeater and SSTV(Slow Scan Television)
component, which is to validate still image transmission in narrowband
voice channel.

There is an SSTV beacon, which puts Date/Time/Location information/temp-
erature etc on a SSTV picture. Amateurs worldwide can also use HA-1 to
test SSTV via the cubesat.

Uplink: 145.930 MHz FM
Downlink: 436.950 MHz FM
Telemetry: 437.350 MHz 9k6 BPSK

[ANS thanks the IARU for the above information]

———————————————————————

HamSCI Announces Workshop – Posts Survey

HamSCI – the Amateur Radio citizen science initiative – has announced a
2-day workshop February 23-24 at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)
in Newark. HamSCI’s Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, has posted a survey to
gauge interest and potential attendance.

“We are inviting all hams and scientists interested in ham radio science,”
Frissell said. “This aim of this workshop is to foster collaborations
between the ham radio and the space science and space weather research
communities through presentations, discussions, and demonstrations. This
year’s meeting will focus on solar eclipse analysis, ham radio data sources
and databases, and the development of a ‘personal space weather station.'”

Full details and access to the survey are available on-line:
http://tinyurl.com/ANS-316-HamSCI-Workshop (arrl.org)

[ANS thanks the ARRL and HamSCI for the above information]

———————————————————————

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Amateur-Satellite Service mentioned in article by @IARU_President Tim Ellam
VE6SH about International Amateur Radio Union #IARU and CCIR/ITU-R. Download
PDF of latest #ITU News Magazine 04/2017 (see page 55):
http://www.itu.int/en/itunews/Pages/default.aspx
(via AMSAT-UK)

+ Jose, PW8PM, posted a YouTube video of his satellite operation from
The four-corner grid square at FH88/89/98/99 on November 12. Jose
worked several stations in South and North America via AO-7 Mode B.
The direct YouTube link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5IfFbb48qk

+ Damon, WA4HFN, says interest is growing in the satellite operating awards
offered by the Squirt-The-Birds Group. This week Damon says congratulations
are due to Adrian Liggins, VA3NNA, for earning Got Grids? #18. These awards
are free and we at Squirt the Birds support AMSAT NA.
Go to www.squirtthebirds.com for more info.

+ Amateur-Satellite Service mentioned in article by @IARU_President Tim Ellam
VE6SH about International Amateur Radio Union #IARU and CCIR/ITU-R. Download
PDF of latest #ITU News Magazine 04/2017 (see page 55):
http://www.itu.int/en/itunews/Pages/default.aspx
(via AMSAT-UK)

/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,
Lee McLamb, KT4TZ
kt4tz at amsat dot org

_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans

+++++
AMSAT-NA

+++++
view from local website:

Wow! Astronaut Captures Incredible View of ‘Fireball’ Meteor from Space (Video)

Wow! Astronaut Captures Incredible View of ‘Fireball’ Meteor from Space (Video)

Share Video

While filming an incredible view of Earth from space, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) inadvertently captured a fireball on camera as it whizzed into the atmosphere off the coast of South Africa, above the Atlantic Ocean.

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Paolo Nespoli shot the video on Nov. 5 as the ISS flew from a spot over the southern Atlantic Ocean toward Kazakhstan, orbiting about 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth. To spot the meteor in the image, look toward the top-right corner of the video.

With three meteor showers raining down on Earth this month, it’s tough to say exactly which meteor shower this fireball belongs to. It may have come from the Taurid meteor shower, which peaked a few days later, on Nov. 10. It could also be an early Leonid — that meteor shower peaks this weekend, but it has been active all month long. And the Orionid meteor shower peaked in late October, but it will remain active through the end of November. [5 Amazing Fireballs Caught on Video]

A screenshot from Paolo Nespoli's video of a meteoroid shows a fireball zipping through the atmosphere on Nov. 5, 2017. A red circle indicates the location of the fireball.

A screenshot from Paolo Nespoli’s video of a meteoroid shows a fireball zipping through the atmosphere on Nov. 5, 2017. A red circle indicates the location of the fireball.

Credit: ESA/NASA/Space.com

Meteors are pieces of space rock — usually debris from comets or asteroids — that enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds. Friction with the atmosphere produces heat that vaporizes the meteors, causing them to light up in the sky like “shooting stars.” Sometimes, the meteors can splatter when they hit the atmosphere, causing a bright flash of light known as a fireball.

“Indeed it looks like a bright meteor, or fireball,” Detlef Koschny, co-manager of the near-Earth object (NEO) segment of ESA’s Space Situational Awareness program, said in a statement. “One can see the fireball illuminating the clouds from above, so it must have been close to them — and close to the Earth’s limb. It also seems to show a little tail.”

Though it certainly looks like a fireball, Koschny said there are other possibilities, such as a re-entering piece of orbiting space debris.

Rüdiger Jehn, another co-manager of ESA’s NEO program, calculated that the object seemed to be moving “much faster than typical,” entering the atmosphere at 40 kilometers per second, or about 89,500 mph. According to Jehn, that’s twice as fast as a typical meteor, “but still in the observable range between 11 and 72 km/s” (approximately 24,600 to 161,000 mph).

Also visible in Nespoli’s time-lapse video are plenty of clouds and thunderstorms, with blue flashes of lightning scattered across the view. A faint, yellow-orange airglow can be seen above the horizon. This faint emission of light comes from sodium atoms in the so-called sodium layer of the atmosphere, which is located 50 to 65 miles (80 to 105 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.

Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @SpacedotcomFacebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

[ans] ANS Special Bulletin RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Lee McLamb <kt4tz@cfl.rr.com>
Date: 2017-11-18 23:02 GMT+08:00
Subject: [ans] ANS Special Bulletin RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched
To: ans@amsat.org

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-322.01
RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched, Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91)

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 322.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE November 18, 2017
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-322.01

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched, Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91)

The Delta II rocket carrying RadFxSat (Fox-1B) launched at 09:47:36
UTC on November 18, 2017 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Following a picture-perfect launch, RadFxSat was deployed at 11:09
UTC. Then the wait began. At 12:12 UTC, the AMSAT Engineering team,
watching ZR6AIC’s WebSDR waterfall, saw the characteristic “Fox Tail”
of the Fox-1 series FM transmitter, confirming that the satellite was
alive and transmitting over South Africa. Shortly after 12:34 UTC, the
first telemetry was received and uploaded to AMSAT servers by Maurizio
Balducci, IV3RYQ, in Cervignano del Friuli, Italy. Initial telemetry
confirmed that the satellite was healthy.

After confirmation of signal reception, OSCAR Number Administrator
Bill Tynan, W3XO, sent an email to the AMSAT Board of Directors
designating the satellite AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91). Bill’s email stated:

“RadFxSat (Fox-1B) was launched successfully at 09:47 UTC today
November 18, 2017 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and has
been received by several amateur stations.

RadFxSat (Fox-1B), a 1U CubeSat, is a joint mission of AMSAT and the
Institute for Space and Defense Electronics at Vanderbilt University.
The Vanderbilt package is intended to measure the effects of radiation
on electronic components, including demonstration of an on-orbit
platform for space qualification of components as well as to validate
and improve computer models for predicting radiation tolerance
of semiconductors.

AMSAT constructed the remainder of the satellite including the
spaceframe, on-board computer and power system. The amateur radio
package is similar to that currently on orbit on AO-85 with an uplink
on 435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz.
Experiment telemetry will be downlinked via the DUV subaudible
telemetry stream, which can be decoded using the FoxTelem software.

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) was sent aloft as a secondary payload on the United
Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II rocket that will transport the Joint
Polar Satellite System (JPSS)-1 mission. RadFxSat (Fox-1B) is one of
four CubeSats making up this NASA Educational Launch of Nanosatellites
(ELaNa) XIV mission, riding as secondary payloads aboard the JPSS-1
mission.

Since RadFxSat (Fox-1B) has met all of the qualifications necessary to
receive an OSCAR number, I, by the authority vested in me by the AMSAT
President, do hereby confer on this satellite the designation
AMSAT-OSCAR 91 or AO-91. I join amateur radio operators in the U.S.
and around the world in wishing AO-91 a long and successful life in
both its amateur and scientific missions.

I, along with the rest of the amateur community, congratulate all of
the volunteers who worked so diligently to construct, test and prepare
for launch the newest amateur radio satellite.

William A. (Bill) Tynan, W3XO
AMSAT-NA OSCAR Number Administrator”

AMSAT Engineering reminds stations that the satellite will not be
available for general use until the on-orbit checkouts are complete.
Please continue to submit telemetry to assist the Engineering team in
completing the commissioning process.

[ANS thanks Paul, N8HM, for the above information]

/EX

_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans