May 30 2013

Amateur Radio CubeBug-2 hopes for November 2013 Yasny Dnepr launch

CubeBug-1

CubeBug-1

CubeBug-2 is the second technology demonstration mission for a new 2U CubeSat platform design (mechanics, hardware and software) intended to be released as Open Source and Open Hardware for its use in Amateur projects, University projects and Research labs.

This project is sponsored by the Argentinian Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation. As payload on this second mission, some custom designed components will be tested: an antenna, solar panels, and an on-board computer, a camera, a GPS transceiver and a software defined radio based on COTS components.

CubeBug-2 is expected to be launched as part of a group of CubeSats in a DNEPR rocket launch planned for November 2013 from Yasny.

The satellite will be periodically transmitting AX.25 packets for the Amateur radio community to receive, and after the technology demonstration part of the mission is over, the satellite will enter a mode that will include a Digipeater, science data downloads from the payload (including images and recordings from the SDR, if possible).

Proposing to use 1k2/9k6 FSK/GMSK AX25 on UHF with an AstroDev L1 transceiver.

Its predecessor CubeBug-1 launched on a CZ-2D rocket from the Jiuquan Space Center on April 26, 2013 at 0413 UT.

CubeBug website http://1.cubebug.org/

IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Status http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru

May 29 2013

CUSAT Pulse Plasma Thruster Satellites

CUSat - Image credit Cornell University

CUSat – Image credit Cornell University

CUSAT is planning a SpaceX launch along with Cassiope and Dande, from Vandenberg into a 1500 by 325 km 80 degree inclination orbit. The satellite has a 2 watt packet radio transmitter and carries Pulse Plasma Thrusters (PPT) which can raise or lower the orbit.

Built by students at Cornell University CUSat-1/2 is a 45 kg space vehicle consisting of two functionally identical satellites that will launch together and separate in orbit. Image and positioning data will be downlinked using AX25 packet radio on 437 MHz. Cross linking between the two parts will also take place on 437 MHz.

Using centimeter accuracy carrier-phase differential GPS, the two satellites will perform autonomous relative navigation. One satellite will capture imagery of the other satellite and send these images to a ground station on Earth for the reconstruction of a 3-D model of the partner satellite.

Watch CUSat Spacecraft Mission

After launch and Launch Vehicle separation, the satellite will enter its initialization state. During initialize, the satellite will begin a self-check process to detect any malfunctioning systems. The satellite will then use Carrier-phase Differential GPS data to converge on an attitude estimate. CDGPS is a new technique for performing centimeter-level accurate position determination.

Once the attitude estimate for the satellite is determined, the satellite will use its on-board cameras to take images of the Earth, Moon, bright stars, and the ISON comet (C/2012 S1) which will be reaching perihelion in November 2013. If the team are able to take pictures bright stars, then they should be able to determine the attitude of the satellite to help verify the CDGPS estimate of the attitude. The satellite will then telemeter down mission data to the Ground Segment. This data consists of images, GPS data, Telemetry, and Command and Data Handling logs. The satellite maneuvers so that the antenna is always pointed towards the Ground Segment during data transfer.

After all the necessary pictures are taken, the CUSat team will perform test maneuvers using the pulse plasma thrusters. First, they will tilt the spin angular momentum. They do not want to change the magnitude, only the direction of this vector. Secondly, they will raise and lower our orbit of the satellite. In order to raise or lower the orbit, CUSat needs to fire its PPT thrusters in the direction, or against the direction of its velocity, respectively.

The frequencies are:
• CUSat-1   437.405 MHz
• CUSat-2   437.485 MHz
• Cross link 437.305 MHz

For more details see http://cusat.cornell.edu/docs/IARU/

CUSat http://cusat.cornell.edu/

IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Status http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru

May 29 2013

UK Amateur Radio Consultations

AMSAT-UK_Bevelled_LogoThe UK regulator Ofcom has published information on consultations affecting the Amateur and Amateur Satellite Services.

Ofcom is planning a number of policy initiatives in the next few months that will have a direct effect on amateur radio in the UK. If you want to keep up to date, you can sign up for updates on the Ofcom website at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/subscribe/select_list.htm

Public Sector Spectrum Release is part of a commitment by government to release 500 MHz of public sector spectrum by 2020. As part of these plans, the Ministry of Defence is looking at releasing 40 MHz of spectrum between 2350 and 2390 MHz and an additional 150 MHz of spectrum above 3410 MHz for new civil uses. These changes will have implications for amateur allocations (notably TV repeaters) in the release bands and may also have an impact on uses in the adjacent bands from 2310 to 2350 MHz; 2390 to 2400 MHz and 3400 to 3410 MHz.

Earlier this year Ofcom invited a group of Amateur TV repeater users to Baldock to participate in testing to determine what the impact might be in the adjacent bands. Ofcom plans to publish a consultation for amateurs about any potential changes within the next month. This will be followed later this year by a statement giving amateurs reasonable notice of any licence changes necessary. Ofcom then aims to issue a full consultation in due course.

Ofcom is also to consult on the release of three tranches of spectrum in Band 1, Low Band and Mid Band respectively. One proposal is that 1 MHz of Mid-Band (146 to 147 MHz, so adjacent to the existing allocation in the 2m band) could be allocated to Amateur Radio. The consultation will be published at the end of May 2013. It will be aimed at all mobile users, including business radio, maritime, PMSE as well as amateurs.

Finally, Ofcom wants to review the terms and conditions of the amateur licence. The current form of the licence has been around for seven years now and Ofcom is keen to ensure that it continues to meet its regulatory needs as well as the needs of licensees. The licence needs to be updated anyway to reflect the changes in allocations agreed at WRC12. That process is at an early stage and the consultation will be published early next year.

All of these consultations will result in changes to the amateur licence. To minimise disruption to licensees, Ofcom intends to effect all of the changes at the same time, probably in summer 2014.

Source http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radiocommunication-licences/amateur-radio/licensing-updates/arc/

May 29 2013

IARU position on nanosatellites and picosatellites Resolution 757

IARU_LogoDuring a teleconference in mid-May, the IARU Administrative Council authorized the distribution of a paper which sets forth the IARU positions on the agenda items that will be considered during the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2015. The agenda items that impact amateur radio and amateur-satellite services including the IARU position on each of those agenda items have been published in the IARU E Newsletter for May 29, 2013.

Agenda Item 9.1.8 – Regulatory aspects for nanosatellites and picosatellites (Resolution 757 (WRC-12))

Resolution 757 calls for the results of studies of the procedures for notifying space networks that presently apply to nanosatellites and picosatellites to be reported to WRC-15. Because of the possible implications of these studies for the amateur and amateur-satellite services, the IARU is following the progress of these studies attentively. Nanosatellites and picosatellites that are properly licensed in the amateur-satellite service and are operated consistent with the purposes of the amateur and amateur-satellite services as defined in Nos. 1.56 and 1.57 may utilize the provisions of Resolution 642.

Nano and picosatellite (CubeSat) resolution at WRC-12

Continue reading →

May 26 2013

The American University in Cairo AUC CubeSat

The American University in Cairo AUC CubeSat is building a CubeSat which aims to provide surface imaging.

Watch AUC CubeSat

AUC CubeSat http://spaceresearch.wix.com/discover#!__auc-cubesat

AUC CubeSat on Twitter https://twitter.com/AUC_CubeSat

AUC CubeSat cake images
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.521513907910144.1073741840.334031043325099&type=3

May 26 2013

Italian radio ham in quarantine prior to launch to ISS

Abby Harrison with astronaut Luca Parmitano KF5KDP who is in quarantine - Credit Astronaut Abby

Abby Harrison with astronaut Luca Parmitano KF5KDP who is in quarantine – Credit Astronaut Abby

15-year-old Abby Harrison is in Baikonur, Kazakhstan to watch the launch of her mentor, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano KF5KDP, on a Soyuz TMA-09M to the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, May 28 at 2031 UT. She again met Luca but this time he was in quarantine prior to the launch.

Abby Harrison

Abby Harrison

Abby intends to be an astronaut and has set herself the goal of being the first person to reach Mars. She used her social media prowess to spearhead a successful RocketHub crowdfunding campaign, raising more than $30,000 to help pay for the trip.

Flying with Luca KF5KDP to the ISS will be Karen Nyberg and Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI, all three will stay on the ISS until mid-November.

NASA TV coverage of the launch will begin on May 28 at 1930 UT, and will include video of all pre-launch activities that day leading to the crew boarding its spacecraft. Watch the launch at NASA TV http://www.nasa.gov/ntv or at the Center for Operation of Space Ground-Based Infrastructure http://www.tsenki.com/en/broadcast/broadcast/live1.php

A list of astronauts who are also licensed radio amateurs can be seen at http://www.w5rrr.org/astros.html

Luca Parmitano KF5KDP on Twitter https://twitter.com/astro_luca

Karen Nyberg on Twitter https://twitter.com/AstroKarenN/

BBC News: US Teenager’s Space Ambitions
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/05/21/us-teenagers-space-ambitions/

High School Student’s RocketHub Project
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/05/11/high-school-students-rockethub-project/

Further information on “Astronaut Abby” at