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[ans] ANS-239 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletin
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 239.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 26, 2012
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-239.01
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AMSAT 2012 Space Symposium On-Line Registration Opens
AMSAT announces that the registration for the 2012 AMSAT Space =
Symposium, to be held on Friday, October 26th through Sunday, =
October 28th is now open on-line. A mail-in option is also
available those preferring this approach.
See the AMSAT Web Store to complete your on-line registration:
http://store.amsat.org/catalog/ - then click on the "AMSAT 2012 =
Symposium" item in the top left box on your web browser.
Downloadable paper registration forms in MS-Word format and =
PDF format are available on the 2012 Symposium page: =
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/symposium/2012/index.php
Prices for the Symposium are:
+ Symposium Registration including Proceedings
o Through September 23, 2012: $ 45.00
o Starting September 24, 2012: $ 50.00
o At the Door: $ 55.00
+ Saturday Evening Banquet $ 45.00
+ Sunday Morning Area Coordinators=92 Breakfast $ 15.00
+ Monday (Oct 29) bus trip to KSC and entrance ticket $ 100.00
The Symposium weekend will feature:
+ Space Symposium with Amateur Satellite Presentations
+ Operating Techniques, News, & Plans from the Amateur Satellite World
+ Board of Directors Meeting open to AMSAT members
+ Meet Board Members and Officers
+ Annual General Membership Meeting
+ Annual Banquet-Keynote Speaker and Door Prizes
The Symposium Hotel is the Holiday Inn at Orlando-International =
Airport is located one mile from the Orlando International Airport =
(MCO). The AMSAT discount rate is $99 + taxes per night. The reser-
vation block code used when calling the hotel directly is AMT.
The hotel telephone number is 407-851-6400. The Symposium Committee =
recommends you make reservations by calling the hotel directly rather
than through the Web. Cutoff date for reservations is Oct 6, 2012. =
The direct link to the hotel web page is: =
http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/orlando/mcoap/hoteldetail =
The hotel offers free Internet connection and free airport shuttle. =
When you arrive at the Orlando Airport call 407-709-5310 to request =
the shuttle.
The Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the closest to the Sympos-
ium and is served by most major air carriers. The hotel address is: =
5750 T.G. Lee Blvd =96 Orlando, FL 32822. A map link is included on =
the hotel web page.
[ANS thanks the 2012 Symposium Committee for the above information]
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AMSAT 2012 Space Symposium Second Call for Papers
Symposium Proceedings Editor, Dan Schultz, N8FGV issued the second =
Call For Papers for the 2012 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium =
to be held in Orlando, Florida on the weekend of October 26-28, 2012. =
Proposals for papers, symposium presentations and poster presenta-
tions are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite
community:
+ Papers for publication in the Proceedings
+ Symposium Presentations
+ Poster Presentations
+ Equipment and Operating Demonstrations
Dan requests a tentative title of your presentation as soon as poss-
ible, with final copy to be submitted by October 1 for inclusion in =
the printed proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan =
Schultz, N8FGV, at n8fgv@amsat.org
The Symposium Committee still has prime slots available on the speak-
er's schedule. The AMSAT Symposium depends on YOU to make it happen, =
without speakers there is no Symposium. =
Please consider doing a presentation, even if you have never done =
so in the past. We are especially interested in papers and present-
ations involving our educational partnerships with K-12 and univer-
sity level classrooms. Education is quickly becoming critical for =
our future rides to space.
[ANS thanks 2012 Symposium Proceedings Editor Dan Schultz, N8FGV for
the above information]
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Rooms Still Available for AMSAT-UK Colloquium
AMSAT-UK Hon Sec Jim List, G3WGM says, "There are still rooms avail-
able at the hotel at which the AMSAT-UK Colloquium will be held on =
September 14, 15 and 16. The location of the Colloquium is at the =
Holiday Inn, Guildford, Surry, UK. TO BE SURE OF A ROOM AT THE HOTEL =
YOU SHOULD BOOK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID DISSAPPOINTMENT!"
The Colloquium is a truly international event and will include:
+ New this year will be guided tours of the new SSTL satellite cons-
truction facility, the Kepler Building, including a view of the =
clean rooms. This facility has been open less than a year, and is =
hugely impressive! Numbers on the tours are limited and strictly =
first come first served basis. Detailed timings to follow.
+ Presentations by experts from AMSAT-SA, AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-DL on =
their current spacecraft projects.
+ CubeSat presentations on UKube-1, STRaND-1, STRaND-2 and, of =
course the FUNcube-1 project.
+ We will be including an exclusive roundup of a number of new live =
and potential spacecraft projects that are under investigation =
and/or development.
+ Additionally a number of presentations are planned covering new =
communications techniques and similar futuristic topics.
+ Plus all the usual networking opportunities, the gala dinner and =
auction/raffle, plus the opportunity to operate the sophisticated =
groundstation in the GB4FUN mobile demonstration module.
Exclusive New Product Launch at AMSAT-UK Colloquium
---------------------------------------------------
AMSAT-UK are delighted to announce that Howard Long, G6LVB, will be =
present at the Colloquium this year and will be launching a new "FUN-
cube Dongle PRO-PLUS" during his presentation. =
Full technical details have been embargoed until his talk and we are =
not permitted to steal his thunder by releasing further details of =
this new product in advance. Attendees at the Colloquium will there-
fore be the first to learn about Howard's latest development which =
will further advance the applications for SDR devices.
Further details are at: http://www.uk.amsat.org/9565#more-9565 - and
at - http://www.uk.amsat.org/colloquium/twelve.
You can book online using PayPal or Credit Card at:
http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/catalog/browse =
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK Hon Sec Jim List, G3WGM and Trevor, M5AKA for =
the above information]
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Successful ARISS Contacts With Australia and Japan
An ARISS contact was held with students at the Kangaroo Inn Area =
School in Kangaroo Inn, South Australia on Tuesday, August 14 via =
station W6SRJ in California. ISS astronaut Sunita Williams, KD5PLB =
participated in the session, answering over 20 questions posed by =
the students. Nearly 90 visitors attended the event, including local =
politician Mitch Williams and his wife, the ABC (Australian Broad-
casting Corporation) radio network, WIN 8 regional TV and represent-
atives from three newspapers. The contact complemented a science =
curriculum covering space and space exploration.
On Thursday, August 16, an ARISS contact was held between students =
attending Wada Elementary School in Nagawa Town, Japan and Akihiko =
Hoshide, KE5DNI, aboard the Space Station, which highlighted a com-
prehensive education plan covering space, astronomy and radio com-
munications. The event drew an audience of approximately 120 students =
and guests and garnered extensive media coverage including six tele-
vision stations and five newspapers.
US East Coast ARISS Contact September 1
---------------------------------------
An ARISS contact with the National Electronics Museum, Linthicum, =
Maryland is planned for Saturday, September 1 at 15:09:11 UTC. This
42=B0 elevation pass with a direct contact via K3CUJ should be heard
along the US East Coast on the 145.800 MHz downlink.
[ANS thanks Carol Jackson, KB3LKI, and Charlie Sufana, AJ9N for the =
above information]
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South Africa University CubeSat With HF Beacon to Launch in November
South African Radio League, SARL News reports that a new CubeSat de-
signed and built by students at the Cape Peninsular University of =
Technology in Bellville will be launched towards the end of November.
Known by its engineering name ZACube-1, the satellite will be shipped =
in the next few weeks to Holland where it will be integrated with two =
other CubeSats in the launch carrier before being shipped for inte-
grating with the DNEPR rocket, joining up to 18 other amateur radio
satellites on this launch. (See: http://www.uk.amsat.org/7717)
ZACube-1 carries a HF transmitter operating on 14.099 MHz which will =
be used for characterization of Hermanus Magnetic Observatory=92s Dual =
Auroral Radar Network antenna at SANAE base in Antarctica.
Also aboard ZACube-1 will be a small camera and a telemetry transmit-
ter. Monitor this link at SARL for the audio of an interview with the
satellite's project leader:
http://www.amateurradio.org.za/Amateur%20Radio%20TODAY.htm
SA AMSAT has also posted detailed news at:
http://tinyurl.com/ZACube
The IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel list these =
frequencies: =
+ Beacon 14.099 MHz =
+ Uplink 145.860 MHz
+ Downlink 437.345 MHz.
[ANS thanks SA AMSAT, SARL, and AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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Mars Landing Received Signals Recording Posted On-Line
An interesting article posted at UniverseToday.com tells more of =
the technical details of the Entry, Descent, Landing (EDL) phase =
when the Curiosity Mars Rover landed on Mars. The article also =
provides a link to the X-band radio signals received during land-
ing.
With a 14 minute radio delay because of the distance between Earth =
and Mars, how did the JPL team know what was happening on Mars?
UniverseToday describes the signaling process between Mars and =
Earth: (http://tinyurl.com/MarsEDLTones - universetoday.com)
The Mars Science Lander sent out different tones for each event =
that happened, and 128 distinct tones indicated when steps in the =
process were activated; one sound indicated the parachute deployed, =
while another signaled that the vehicle was in powered flight, and =
still another that the Sky Crane had been activated. These sounds =
were a series of basic, special individual radio tones.
They were simple tones, transmitted in X-band, comparable to sema-
phore codes, rather than full telemetry. The Deep Space Network =
listened for these direct-to-Earth transmissions. However, Earth =
went out of view of the spacecraft, "setting" below the Martian hor-
izon, partway through the descent, so the X-band tones were not =
available for confirming the final steps in descent and landing. =
By then, the bent-pipe relay of telemetry via the Odyssey space-
craft had begun.
Also listening was the Mars Express spacecraft. It recorded about 20 =
minutes of the rover=92s transmissions and tones. ESA engineers have =
now put together an audio reproduction, compressing the 20 minutes =
into about 19 seconds of audio that humans can hear that are a "faith-
ful reproduction of the =91sound=92 of the NASA mission=92s arrival at Mars =
and its seven-minute plunge to the Red Planet=92s surface," the Europ-
ean Space Agency team wrote. You can listen to the audio on this link:
http://blogs.esa.int/mex/files/2012/08/Audio_MELACOM_B_MSL_EDL.mp3
[ANS thanks UniverseToday.com for the above information]
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Check Your Keps - ISS Orbit Successfully Readjusted
Space-Travel.com reported on August 22that Europe's ATV-3 unmanned =
supply spacecraft has raised the International Space Station's orbit =
to about 261 miles.
The successful orbital readjustment follows a failed attempt August
15 when the ATV-3's engines shut down prematurely because of an in-
crease in temperature on one of the units, leaving the ISS short of =
its intended orbital height, RIA Novosti reported.
The orbit adjustment Wednesday was done in two stages, with the =
ATV-3 engines firing for 348 seconds to lift the orbit to 257 miles =
followed by another burn four hours later that brought the space =
station to its final altitude.
The maneuver was to prepare for the return to earth of Russia's =
Soyuz TMA-04M manned spacecraft on September 17 and the docking of =
the Soyuz TMA-06M manned spacecraft with the ISS on October 15.
Original news item published at:
http://tinyurl.com/ISS-Reboost (www.space-travel.com)
[ANS thanks Spece-Travel.com for the above information]
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Help Wanted: AMSAT News Service Rotating Editor Positions Available
The AMSAT News Service (ANS) is responsible for researching, writing, =
editing, and publishing the weekly amateur satellite news bulletins. =
After the passing of Dee, NB2F, we currently have a two editors who =
take a turn weekly to publish the bulletins. With the addition of a =
volunteer, or two, this would generally involve taking a turn about =
every 3 to 4 weeks.
At present we a looking for interested satellite enthusiasts to join =
the ANS editorial team. Professional writing/editing experience is =
NOT a requirement. Your interest and enthusiasm in following and =
reporting on amateur radio in space will get you started! The ANS =
Editor team helps each other by rounding up items of interest. Plus =
we receive submitted items for publication ... so you won't be left
all alone!
If you can commit to working on the bulletins for a week on a rotat-
ing basis please reply via e-mail to AMSAT News Service Editor =
JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM via k9jkm@amsat.org.
[ANS thanks AMSAT Vice-President User Services, Gould Smith, WA4SXM
for the above information]
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NASA Announces SpaceX Cargo Missions to ISS Begin in October
=
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced =
Thursday [August 23, 2012] new milestones in the nation's commercial =
space initiatives from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. =
The latest advances made by NASA's commercial space partners pave =
the way for the first contracted flight of cargo to the International =
Space Station (ISS) this fall and mark progress toward a launch of =
astronauts from U.S. soil in the next 5 years.
Bolden announced Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has complet-
ed its Space Act Agreement with NASA for Commercial Orbital Transpor-
tation Services (COTS). SpaceX is scheduled to launch the first of =
its 12 contracted cargo flights to the space station from Cape Cana-
veral in October, under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services Program.
Through the COTS program, NASA provides investments to stimulate the =
American commercial space industry. As part of its COTS partnership, =
SpaceX became the first commercial company to resupply the space =
station in May, successfully launching its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon =
spacecraft to the orbiting complex. During the historic mission, the =
Dragon was captured by astronauts using the station's robot arm, un-
loaded and safely returned to Earth carrying experiments conducted =
aboard ISS. Later this winter, Orbital Sciences Corp. plans to carry =
out its first test flight under COTS.
The full NASA press release can be found on-line at:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/crew-cargo-milestones.html
[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ AMSAT joins all of the spacefaring people of Earth in remembering
a hero for mankind on the passing on August 25 of Neil Armstrong, =
the first man to walk on the Moon. Armstrong was 82.
+ AMSAT has received the sad news of the passing QST Managing Edi-
tor Joel P. Kleinman, N1BKE, of Meriden, Connecticut. Joel died =
from injuries received during a house fire. He was 64. Kleinman =
was responsible for the coordination, organization, control and =
completion of all aspects of QST's editorial content each month. =
Kleinman's wife Jayne survived the fire, but is currently in the =
intensive care unit of a local hospital. The ARRL is collecting =
condolence messages to forward on to Joel's family. If you would =
like send a message, please email it to: news@arrl.org.
+ Members of the Grupo DX Caracas announced their YW5B DXpedition to
La Blanquilla Island (SA-037) between August 21-27. Activity will =
be on 160-2 meters using CW, SSB, FM, Satellites and the Digital =
modes. QSL Manager is DM4TI with instructions on his QRZ.com page. =
(Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1075)
+ A video about the amateur radio F-1 CubeSat that is due to be =
deployed from the International Space Station in September by =
Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide KE5DNI using the ISS Kibo =
robot arm can be viewed on the AMSAT-UK web at: =
http://www.uk.amsat.org/9746
It was broadcast on the Vietnamese TV station VTC2 and features =
interviews with Thu Trong Vu XV9AA, Hong Thai Pham and Pham Quang =
Hung along with a graphics clip showing the proposed deployment of =
the CubeSat. Part of the interview is held on the roof of the FPT =
university and shows the antenna array that will be used to command =
the F-1 CubeSat.
+ Scouts from all over the United States came to this year's Space =
Jam 6 sponsored by Crew 272 and Troop 17 where a ARISS contact =
with the ISS was held. Scouts talked with Japanese (JAXA) Astro-
naut Akihiko Hoshide KE5DNI using the WB9SA Satellite Communica-
tions Ham Radio Station on August 5, 2012. Watch on-line at:
http://tinyurl.com/SpaceJam6-ARISS-Contact (www.southgatearc.org)
+ Photos from Mars keep coming in. An HD quality video of Curiosity's
descent was assembled from full-resolution 1600=D71200 frames from
the MARDI descent imager. It also shows the best views yet of the =
heat shield impact on the surface of Mars:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=3Dplayer_embedded&v=3DgZX5GRPnd4U
+ Add this to your wish list - a personal Unmanned Aerial Vehicle =
(UAV) is now available. The drone in this video one uses a 2.4 GHz =
WiFi connection to an iPhone or iPad: =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=3Dplayer_embedded&v=3DIkvGvaNnMJM
http://tinyurl.com/Personal-UAV (Southgate ARC)
+ Watch a video by KB3TQO posted on Southgate that shows a simple =
way to launch amateur radio antennas into the trees, really high.
He demonstrates his homemade, bicycle pump powered, air cannon at: =
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/august2012/antenna_cannon_video.htm
+ The team from Mars Express put this great video together which =
shows what Mars looks like from above, during an elliptical orbit. =
They created it using 600 individual still images captured by the =
Visual Monitoring Camera (VMC), and it shows the view from a visit-
ing spacecraft=92s slow descent from high above the planet, then =
speeds up during closest approach, and then slows down again as =
the orbital distance increases. Orbit Mars via your browser at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=3Dplayer_embedded&v=3Dv06EmDQcsy0
+ The next Hudson Valley Satcom net date is Thursday, August 30, at
8 PM EDT (UTC-4 UTC) on the 146.97 MHz MBARC Repeater (PL 100). =
An echolink connection is available on the N2EYH-L node. More =
information at: http://www.hvsatcom.org. (Stu, WA2BSS)
+ NASA announced that for its 50th anniversary celebration it will =
be opening its gates for =91virtual tours=92 through a partnership =
with Google Maps and its Street View feature. With over 6,000 =
panoramic images of the space center you are only a click away =
at: http://tinyurl.com/SpaceCenterStreetView (maps.google.com)
+ Do you want to live on Mars time? There=92s an App for that now.
Read the article at http://tinyurl.com/MarsTimeApp to decide which
one is right for you. (UniverseToday)
+ Photos showing the deployment of the small Russian Sfera satellite =
from the Space Station by Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, =
Expedition 32 commander, during this week's EVA can be seen at:
http://www.onorbit.com/node/4890.
[ANS thanks everyone 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. And with that, please keep in mind the August 16 - 17 =
temperatures measured by NASA=92s Curiosity rover reported that ground
temperature ranged between minus 131.8=B0 F to +37=B0 F; air temperature =
in Gale Crater ranged between minus 103=B0 F and +28=B0 F. That=92s what =
being 50% farther from the sun than Earth will do for you.
73,
This week's ANS Editor,
JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM
K9JKM at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
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