• ARRL Satellite Bulletin

    From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN/TBOLT to All on Wed Nov 8 16:21:09 2017
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS012
    ARLS012 RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Delayed; AMSAT Asks for Patience
    During Commissioning

    ZCZC AS12
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 012 ARLS012
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT November 8, 2017
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS012
    ARLS012 RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Delayed; AMSAT Asks for Patience
    During Commissioning

    The launch of the Delta II vehicle carrying RadFxSat (Fox-1B) and
    other payloads has been delayed, due to a faulty battery on the
    booster, United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced on November 6. The
    launch now is scheduled for no earlier than Tuesday, November 14.
    RadFxSat is one of four CubeSats making up the NASA ELaNa XIV
    mission, riding as secondary payloads aboard the Joint Polar
    Satellite System (JPSS)-1 mission, which will launch from Vandenberg
    Air Force Base, California.

    RadFxSat is a partnership with Vanderbilt University's Institute for
    Space and Defense Electronics (ISDE) and hosts four payloads for the
    study of radiation effects on commercial off-the-shelf components.
    It will carry a Fox-1 style FM U/V repeater with an uplink on
    435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz. Satellite
    and experiment telemetry will be downlinked via the DUV subaudible
    telemetry stream, which can be decoded using FoxTelem software
    available from,
    https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/ .

    AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, N0JY, said
    RadFxSat/Fox-1B will automatically come up in beacon mode,
    transmitting a beacon and voice ID ("RadFxSat Safe Mode") every 2
    minutes, starting about 50 minutes after deployment. He said AMSAT
    command stations will want to see voltage and current data to
    determine that the spacecraft is healthy and to conduct various
    tests before opening it up for general use.

    Telemetry should begin about 55 minutes after deployment. "[F]or the
    next 72-96 hours at least, as we look for successful startup, watch
    the general health and function as the satellite begins to acclimate
    to space, and perform the on orbit checkout," Buxton said. Ground
    stations are invited to continue uploading received telemetry for
    the life of the satellite.

    Those using FoxTelem to capture telemetry are asked to check "Upload
    to Server" in the software's settings and make sure that ground
    station parameters are provided. "You can help AMSAT and everyone
    waiting to get on the air with RadFxSat tremendously, by capturing
    RadFxSat telemetry," Buxton said.

    In the initial beacon mode, the transmitter is limited to 10 seconds
    "on" time, followed by a 2-minute "off" cycle. "If we are seeing
    good data from user telemetry data, it is likely when it comes over
    the US for the first good pass, we will command it from beacon mode
    to normal safe mode, which then puts RadFxSat in full, but still
    safe mode, operation and transmits a full two frames of telemetry,"
    Buxton said.

    Buxton called on the satellite community to be "polite and patient"
    as RadFxSat is commissioned.

    "The on-orbit check-out procedure is similar to Fox-1A/AO-85 and
    could be completed in as little as a few days, if we have the
    cooperation of the users," he said. "It is very important - not to
    mention just plain good amateur operating practice - to refrain from
    using the transponder uplink, so we can do the on-orbit tests,
    including when we turn on transponder mode for testing. I can't
    stress enough, the importance of this cooperation, not just for us
    but for all users, simply having a little patience so we can conduct
    the tests as quickly and accurately as possible."

    Buxton said AMSAT would "make it broadly known" when the transponder
    is available for general use. "If you hear someone on the
    transponder, please don't assume that it is open for general use,"
    he said. "Check the AMSAT website, Facebook, Twitter, to be sure
    you're not accidentally jumping in and unwittingly interfering with
    the commissioning process."
    NNNN
    /EX


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    ■ Synchronet ■ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN/TBOLT to All on Wed Nov 15 19:15:27 2017
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS013
    ARLS013 RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Scrubbed Again, but More Foxes are
    on the Way!

    ZCZC AS13
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 013 ARLS013
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT November 15, 2017
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS013
    ARLS013 RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Scrubbed Again, but More Foxes are
    on the Way!

    The launch of the already-delayed United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta
    II rocket that will transport the RadFxSat (Fox-1B) CubeSat carrying
    an AMSAT Amateur Radio payload and other payloads into orbit was
    scrubbed on November 14, with just over 15 minutes to liftoff.

    "The launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying the
    JPSS-1 mission for NASA and NOAA was scrubbed today, due to a range
    safety hold and high upper-level winds," ULA said in a tweet. "The
    team is working to establish a new launch opportunity." ULA said
    weather balloons found that upper-level wind conditions "are red for
    the launch window, causing today's attempt to be scrubbed."

    The launch was postponed on November 6 due to a faulty battery on
    the booster. RadFxSat is one of four CubeSats making up the NASA
    Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) XIV mission, riding as
    secondary payloads aboard the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)-1
    mission, set to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

    RadFxSat is a partnership with Vanderbilt University's Institute for
    Space and Defense Electronics (ISDE) and hosts four payloads for the
    study of radiation effects on commercial off-the-shelf components.
    It will carry a Fox-1 style FM U/V repeater with an uplink on
    435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz. Satellite
    and experiment telemetry will be downlinked via the DUV subaudible
    telemetry stream, which can be decoded using FoxTelem software.

    To keep up with launch updates, call the ULA launch hotline, (877)
    852-4321, via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, with #DeltaII and
    #JPSS1.

    Meanwhile, progress continues on getting future Fox payloads into
    space. On November 6, AMSAT Vice-President Engineering Jerry Buxton,
    N0JY, delivered Fox-1D to Spaceflight, Inc in Seattle, where it was
    integrated into its Innovative Solutions in Space QuadPack for
    delivery to India. Fox-1D will launch on the next ISRO Polar
    Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) flight, scheduled to take place by
    the end of December.

    In addition to the Fox-1 U/V FM transponder, Fox-1D will carry
    several university experiments, including a MEMS gyro from
    Pennsylvania State University-Erie, a camera from Virginia Tech, and
    the University of Iowa's High Energy Radiation CubeSat Instrument
    (HERCI) radiation mapping experiment.

    Fox-1D also carries the AMSAT "L-Band Downshifter," which gives the
    option of utilizing a 1.2 GHz uplink for the FM transponder.

    The NASA ELaNa XX mission that will carry RadFxSat-2 (Fox-1E) into
    orbit will take place no earlier than the end of next March, AMSAT
    reported recently. The ELaNa XX mission will carry 12 CubeSats
    constructed by NASA and by several universities around the US. That
    mission will be launched by Virgin Galactic on its LauncherOne air
    launch to orbit system from Mojave, California. Like RadFxSat
    (Fox-1B), RadFxSat-2 is a partnership opportunity between Vanderbilt University's ISED and AMSAT and will carry a similar radiation
    effects experiment, studying new FinFET technology.

    RadFxSat-2 will be the fifth Fox-1 satellite built by AMSAT. Fox-1A,
    now AMSAT-OSCAR 85 (AO-85), was launched on October 8, 2015 and is
    fully operational, providing science data from its onboard
    experiments and FM transponder service for the Amateur Radio
    community. Fox-1Cliff and Fox-1D are scheduled to launch soon.

    The RadFxSat-2 spacecraft bus will be built on the Fox-1 series but
    will feature a linear transponder upgrade to replace the standard FM transponder used in Fox-1A through Fox-1D. In addition, the uplink
    and down-link bands will be reversed from the previous Fox
    satellites in a Mode V/U (J). The downlink will feature a 1200 bps
    BPSK telemetry channel to carry the Vanderbilt science data in
    addition to a 30-kHz wide transponder for Amateur Radio use.
    NNNN
    /EX


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    ■ Synchronet ■ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN/TBOLT to All on Fri Nov 17 13:20:24 2017
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS014
    ARLS014 RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Reset for November 18

    ZCZC AS14
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 014 ARLS014
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT November 16, 2017
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS014
    ARLS014 RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Reset for November 18

    The twice-delayed launch of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta
    II rocket that will transport the AMSAT RadFxSat (Fox-1B) CubeSat
    carrying an Amateur Radio payload and other payloads into orbit now
    is set for Saturday, November 18, at 0947 UTC. The Joint Polar
    Satellite System (JPSS)-1 mission launch from Vandenberg Air Force
    Base, California, had to be postponed on November 14, ''due to a
    range safety hold and high upper-level winds,'' ULA said in a tweet.
    The launch had to be put off on November 6 due to a faulty battery
    on the booster. AMSAT will blog on the launch in real time on launch
    day at, https://www.amsat.org/radfxsat-fox-1b-launch-live-blog/, and
    NASA-TV will cover the event.

    RadFxSat 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.

    RadFxSat is a partnership with Vanderbilt University's Institute for
    Space and Defense Electronics (ISDE) and hosts four payloads for the
    study of radiation effects on commercial off-the-shelf components.
    It will carry a Fox-1 style FM U/V repeater with an uplink on
    435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz. Satellite
    and experiment telemetry will be downlinked via the DUV subaudible
    telemetry stream, which can be decoded using FoxTelem software.

    AMSAT will have more information on the launch and its early
    operations, and it will post the first telemetry reception. More
    launch updates are available from ULA via Facebook, Twitter, or
    Instagram, with hashtags #DeltaII and #JPSS1.
    NNNN
    /EX

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    ■ Synchronet ■ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN/TBOLT to All on Mon Nov 20 15:57:39 2017
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS015
    ARLS015 RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched Successfully, Designated AO-91

    ZCZC AS15
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 015 ARLS015
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT November 20, 2017
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS015
    ARLS015 RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched Successfully, Designated AO-91

    The latest CubeSat in the Fox series - RadFxSat (Fox-1B) - launched
    November 18 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Delta
    II vehicle lifted off at 0948 UTC.

    "Following a picture-perfect launch, RadFxSat was deployed at 1109
    UTC," AMSAT reported. "Then the wait began. At 1212 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 1234 UTC, the first telemetry was received and
    uploaded to AMSAT servers by Maurizio Balducci, IV3RYQ, in Italy.
    Initial telemetry confirmed that the satellite was healthy."

    In the wake of the successful launch, deployment, and reception,
    OSCAR Number Administrator Bill Tynan, W3XO, designated the new
    satellite as AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91).

    AMSAT Engineering reminds stations that the satellite will not be
    available for general use until the on-orbit checkouts are complete.
    AMSAT asks listeners to submit telemetry from RadFxSat (Fox-1B) to
    assist the Engineering team in completing the commissioning process.
    Experiment telemetry is downlinked via the DUV sub-audible telemetry
    stream, which can be decoded using FoxTelem software, available
    online at,
    https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/ .
    NNNN
    /EX

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    ■ Synchronet ■ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN to All on Tue Sep 29 17:35:06 2020
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS006
    ARLS006 Slow-Scan Television Transmissions from ISS Planned

    ZCZC AS06
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 006 ARLS006
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT September 29, 2020
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS006
    ARLS006 Slow-Scan Television Transmissions from ISS Planned

    A Moscow Aviation Institute MAI-75 slow-scan television (SSTV)
    experiment event is planned for Wednesday, September 30, from 1305
    UTC to 1845 UTC, and Thursday, October 1, from 1230 UTC to 1745 UTC.
    SSTV signals will be transmitted on 145.800 MHz, plus/minus Doppler
    shift.

    The expected mode will be PD 120, and the call sign will be RS0ISS.
    Received images of reasonable quality may be posted on the ARISS
    SSTV Gallery at, https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ .
    NNNN
    /EX
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
    ■ Synchronet ■ Eye of The Hurricane BBS - hurrican.synchro.net
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN to All on Tue Sep 29 17:35:31 2020
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS007
    ARLS007 Chinese Amateur Radio Satellite Launches Delayed

    ZCZC AS07
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 007 ARLS007
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT September 29, 2020
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS007
    ARLS007 Chinese Amateur Radio Satellite Launches Delayed

    CAMSAT says the CAS-7A launch has been postponed until next May, and
    CAS-5A until next June.

    "Because of COVID-19, many things have been delayed," CAMSAT's Alan
    Kung, BA1DU, told ARRL. He said an announcement would be made closer
    to the announced launches.

    CAMSAT said last spring that CAS-7A would launch in mid-September;
    the launch has been postponed multiple times since first announced.
    CAS-5A was predicted to launch in October. Both satellites will
    carry two transponders that include HF, in a configuration similar
    to that of the Russian RS satellites decades ago.

    CAS-7A will be placed into a sun-synchronous orbit with an
    inclination of 98 degrees at 500 kilometers above Earth. The
    transponders will have a bandwidth of 30 kHz. According to the IARU
    amateur satellite frequency coordination page, the HF/HF linear
    transponder will uplink on 15 meters - 21.245 to 21.275 MHz, and
    downlink on 10 meters - 29.435 to 29.465 MHz. A CW beacon will
    transmit on 29.425 MHz. The HF/UHF transponder will uplink at
    21.3125 to 21.3275 MHz, and downlink at 435.3575 to 435.3725 MHz. A
    CW beacon for that transponder will transmit on 435.430 MHz.

    The CAS-5A nanosatellite, with a 6U form factor, carries two HF
    transponders and two VHF/UHF transponders. While in orbit, it will
    deploy the tiny CAS-5B femtosatellite, which will weigh just 0.5
    kilogram.

    The array of CAS-5A linear transponders will include HF/HF, HF/UHF,
    and VHF/UHF with 30-kHz passbands (except 15 kHz for the HF/UHF
    transponder).

    CAS-5A will include CW telemetry beacons on HF and UHF. The HF CW
    beacon will be at 29.465 MHz, and a UHF telemetry beacon will be at
    435.57 MHz. Other beacons include the HF/HF transponder beacon at
    29.490 MHz; the HF/UHF transponder beacon at 435.505 MHz, and the
    VHF/UHF transponder beacon at 435.540 MHz.

    Telemetry will be transmitted at 435.650 MHz. The V/U linear
    transponder will uplink at 145.820 MHz; the V/U FM transponder will
    uplink at 145.925 MHz. Terrestrial stations will access the
    transponders at 21.385 - 21.415 MHz.
    NNNN
    /EX
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
    ■ Synchronet ■ Eye of The Hurricane BBS - hurrican.synchro.net
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN to All on Tue Oct 6 08:50:12 2020
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS008
    ARLS008 An ARISS Slow-Scan TV Event from the ISS is Scheduled

    ZCZC AS08
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 008 ARLS008
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT October 5, 2020
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS008

    ARLS008 An ARISS Slow-Scan TV Event from the ISS is Scheduled

    An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
    slow-scan television (SSTV) event from the ISS is set to begin on
    October 4 at 1400 UTC for setup and operation, continuing until
    October 8 at 1915 UTC. Dates and times are subject to change, due to
    ISS operational adjustments. Images will be downlinked at 145.800
    MHz +/- 3 kHz for Doppler shift. The expected SSTV mode is PD 120.

    The main theme of this collection of images will be satellites.
    Radio enthusiasts participating in the event can post and view
    images on the ARISS SSTV Gallery at, https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ .

    After your image is posted, you can acquire a special award by
    visiting https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/ and following directions for
    submitting a digital copy of your received image.
    NNNN
    /EX
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
    ■ Synchronet ■ Eye of The Hurricane BBS - hurrican.synchro.net
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN to All on Wed Oct 14 17:06:29 2020
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS009
    ARLS009 ARRL Comments in Orbital Debris Mitigation Proceeding

    ZCZC AS09
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 009 ARLS009
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT October 14, 2020
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS009
    ARLS009 ARRL Comments in Orbital Debris Mitigation Proceeding

    In comments to the FCC, ARRL targeted two specific areas of concern
    regarding a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) in IB
    Docket 18-313 - mitigation of orbital debris in the new space age.

    In an earlier phase of the proceeding, ARRL filed comments and met
    with FCC staff to discuss the proposed rules. In comments filed on
    October 9, ARRL focused on the areas of indemnification and maneuverability/propulsion. Indemnification places the liability for
    any possible damage from a satellite on an individual or entity.
    ARRL reiterated its assertion that, as a practical matter, an
    indemnification requirement "would seriously impair the ability of
    amateur and university experimenters to launch and operate
    satellites under US auspices" due to the potential liability and
    high insurance cost.

    The FNPRM can be found online in PDF format at, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-54A1.pdf .

    ARRL's comments cited a letter from University Small Satellite
    Researchers, submitted on behalf of 24 named professors last April,
    contending that the requirement "would effectively preclude a large
    proportion of academic SmallSat missions because public universities
    typically cannot legally enter into indemnification arrangements."

    ARRL argued that if the FCC does adopt an indemnification
    requirement, it should allow either the owner or the licensee of an
    amateur space station to provide indemnification. In the Amateur
    Satellite Service a licensee can only be an individual. An
    individual licensee is unlikely to accept liability for a satellite,
    but a satellite owner might. In its own comments, AMSAT similarly
    asked for language that would allow satellite owners as well as
    licensees to indemnify the US for the operation of an amateur radio
    satellite.

    The FCC proposal also would require that all space stations deployed
    in low-Earth orbits higher than 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) be
    able to maneuver with the use of some sort of onboard propulsion
    system. ARRL urged adoption of an exception for "a limited number of
    amateur and similar experimental satellites" that are below a
    specified size and mass and either standalone spacecraft or in a
    constellation of no more than four or five individual satellites.
    ARRL suggested a size limit of 36 x 24 x 12 centimeters and 12
    kilograms in mass.

    "This would accommodate the types of small satellites most often
    used for experimental purposes by radio amateurs," ARRL told the
    FCC. "Such satellites are small in number [and] have limited to no
    capacity to implement maneuverability using current technology due
    to their small size," yet provide valuable platforms for
    experimentation and student experience.

    Alternatively, ARRL asked the FCC to consider increasing the
    400-kilometer low-Earth orbit limit, since satellites placed into
    orbit from the ISS and from ISS service vehicles "often are in
    higher orbits but share the same characteristics as those that orbit
    below 400 kilometers." Doing so would help to preserve the
    educational and experimental benefit of such satellites, ARRL said,
    provided "such vehicles are shown to pose no risk to the
    International Space Station and will return to Earth within the
    specified time limit."

    In concluding its remarks, ARRL asked for "reasonable
    accommodation," given the public benefit of the Amateur Satellite
    Service, rather than lumping small experimenters and researchers
    with large corporate entities planning to launch thousands of
    satellites.
    NNNN
    /EX
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
    ■ Synchronet ■ Eye of The Hurricane BBS - hurrican.synchro.net
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN to All on Wed Nov 4 17:10:42 2020
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS010
    ARLS010 Neutron-1 CubeSat Scheduled for Deployment on November 5;
    Other Sats Pending

    ZCZC AS10
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 010 ARLS010
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT November 4, 2020
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS010
    ARLS010 Neutron-1 CubeSat Scheduled for Deployment on November 5;
    Other Sats Pending

    The 3-U Neutron-1 CubeSat is scheduled for deployment from the
    International Space Station (ISS) on November 5 at 10:40 UTC. For
    the satellite's first month and during its commissioning phase, the
    Neutron-1 beacon will transmit 1,200 bps BPSK telemetry every 60
    seconds on 435.300 MHz. Developed by the Hawaii Space Flight
    Laboratory (HSFL) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM), the
    satellite's payload includes a VU FM amateur radio repeater during
    available times and according to the spacecraft's power budget. The
    Neutron-1 science mission is spelled out in a formal paper,
    Neutron-1 Mission: Low Earth Orbit Neutron Flux Detection and COSMOS
    Mission Operations Technology Demonstration.

    More information can be found online at,
    https://www.hsfl.hawaii.edu/ .

    HSFL operates and maintains a satellite UHF, VHF, and L/S-band
    amateur radio ground station at Kauai Community College.

    The primary mission of Neutron-1 is to measure low-energy neutron
    flux in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The science payload, a small neutron
    detector developed by Arizona State University, will focus on
    measurements of low-energy secondary neutrons - a component of the
    LEO neutron environment.

    A number of other amateur radio satellites are expected to launch or
    be deployed in the next few months. AMSAT's RadFxSat-2 (Fox-1E) is
    expected to go into orbit by year's end on Virgin Orbit's
    LauncherOne vehicle. RadFxSat-2 carries a 30 kHz wide VU linear
    transponder.

    The Tevel Mission - a series of eight Israeli 1U CubeSats, each
    carrying a UV FM transponder - is expected to launch from India on a
    SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in December. Also from the Herzliya Science
    Center is a 3U CubeSat called Tausat-1, which is scheduled to launch
    on a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) ISS resupply mission
    in February for subsequent deployment. Tausat-1 carries an FM
    transponder.

    AMSAT-Spain (AMSAT-EA) reports that its PocketQubes, EASAT-2, and
    HADES, have been integrated for launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in
    December, while GENESIS-L and GENESIS-N have been integrated for
    launch on Firefly's Alpha rocket.
    NNNN
    /EX
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
    ■ Synchronet ■ Eye of The Hurricane BBS - hurrican.synchro.net
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN to All on Tue Jan 12 17:36:34 2021
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS001
    ARLS001 AMSAT/Vanderbilt RadFXSat-2/Fox 1E Set to Launch

    ZCZC AS01
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 001 ARLS001
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT January 12, 2021
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS001
    ARLS001 AMSAT/Vanderbilt RadFXSat-2/Fox 1E Set to Launch

    Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne is a go for launch on Wednesday, January
    13, at 1500 UTC, carrying the AMSAT/Vanderbilt RadFXSat-2/Fox-1E
    CubeSat into space.

    The LauncherOne vehicle will carry 10 other satellites.
    RadFXSat-2/Fox-1E carries an inverting linear transponder, with
    uplink at 145.860 MHz - 145.890 MHz, and downlink at 435.760 MHz -
    435.790 MHz.

    Telemetry will downlink on 435.750 MHz. More information is on the
    Space Launch Now website at, https://spacelaunchnow.me/launch/launcherone-launch-demo-2/ .
    NNNN
    /EX
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
    ■ Synchronet ■ Eye of The Hurricane BBS - hurrican.synchro.net
  • From Daryl Stout@HURRICAN to All on Fri Jan 29 11:24:34 2021
    SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS002
    ARLS002 RadFxSat-2 Satellite Signals Detected, AMSAT Engineering
    Continues to Assess Status

    ZCZC AS02
    QST de W1AW
    Space Bulletin 002 ARLS002
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington, CT January 29, 2021
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPACE ARL ARLS002
    ARLS002 RadFxSat-2 Satellite Signals Detected, AMSAT Engineering
    Continues to Assess Status

    AMSAT reports that it's continuing to assess the status of the
    RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E amateur radio CubeSat after a ham in Nevada
    reported hearing his CW signal weakly via the spacecraft's
    transponder on January 27. AMSAT Engineering and Operations was able
    to confirm the reports from Brad Schumacher, W5SAT, and determined
    that RadFxSat-2 is partially functioning, although signals are
    extremely weak.

    "We also appreciate those who joined in determining whether they
    could detect their own or other signals in recent passes today,"
    AMSAT said in a January 28 bulletin. "Please do not attempt to
    transmit through the transponder until further notice. This is very
    important to the next steps we are taking now."

    The next crucial step in evaluating the condition of RadFxSat-2 is
    to determine whether or not the 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon is
    operating and, if possible, to copy telemetry from the beacon. AMSAT
    continues to ask that those with 70-centimeter receive capability
    listen on the beacon frequency of 435.750 MHz, +/- Doppler, upper
    sideband (USB). Use FoxTelem to capture any telemetry, and set
    FoxTelem to "Upload to Server" so that AMSAT will receive the
    telemetry data.

    Recordings are welcome, with a detailed description, at,
    foxtelem@amsat.us .

    FoxTelem can be found at, https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/ .

    AMSAT stressed that keeping the RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E transponder
    clear "is essential to putting all power and attention to the beacon telemetry." Available data suggest that RadFxSat-2 is OBJECT M from
    the Virgin Orbit LauncherOne launch, NORAD ID 47320, international
    designation 21-002M.

    "We thank the amateur satellite community for their perseverance and
    assistance while the AMSAT Engineering and Operations teams work to
    understand and resolve the situation with RadFxSat-2," AMSAT said.
    NNNN
    /EX
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
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