Dec 12 2012

FITSAT-1 Successfully Flashes Morse Code from Space

(C) Tsuyoshi Watanabe Ebina City, Kanagawa Japan 1:24:23-1:24:25JST, 12 Dec 2012
Takahashi e160, Diameter short focus telescope 16cm (F=530mm, F3.3)
Nikon D800E, ISO12800, 2 seconds exposure

A test of the FITSAT-1 LED optical beacon that took place on December 11 GMT over Japan was successful.

On December 13 at 22:10:30 GMT FITSAT-1 will be using its optical LED beacon to flash a message in Morse Code over the British Isles and Europe which, cloud permitting, should be visible using binoculars. Further information is at http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=11815

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Dec 12 2012

APRS High Altitude Balloon Flight in Vietnam

The FSpace team of young engineers and students at the FPT University have successfully launched and recovered a High Altitude Balloon that carried an amateur radio APRS payload on 145.980 MHz.

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Dec 11 2012

Alaska Research CubeSat (ARC-1)

The Alaska Research CubeSat (ARC-1) will be the first satellite designed, built, tested, and operated by students from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).

This satellite is designed as both an educational tool and a platform to facilitate rapid development of scientific and technology demonstration missions at UAF. Successful implementation of this development platform will demonstrate the ability of UAF students to compete for future Low Earth Orbit (LEO) research opportunities.

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Dec 11 2012

DYNACUBE – Denel Dynamics Interns make good progress

DynaCube – Picture by Keith Campbell

The SARL report that three members of the DynaCube CubeSat team have now got their amateur radio licenses and more will be taking the exam in May.

The 2012 Interns from the Denel Dynamics Engineering Academy of Learning have made good progress with their DynaCube Satellite project. The Interns are all engineers who last year graduated from various universities in South Africa and spend a year working on a project before they are assigned to various departments in the company.

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Dec 9 2012

FITSAT-1 LEDs to Flash Morse Code over USA and Europe

Artistic impression of FITSAT-1 signaling in Morse code

On December 12-13 FITSAT-1 will be using its optical LED beacon to flash a message in Morse Code over the USA and the British Isles/Europe which should be visible using binoculars.

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Dec 8 2012

Government delays response to Reform of the Outer Space Act 1986 consultation

A statement on the UK Space Agency (UKSA) site says:

Due to the range of views received during the Reform of the Outer Space Act 1986 consultation the Government response has been delayed.

We hope to be in a position to publish it during the first half of 2013.

Further details will be posted in due course.

The Outer Space Act covers all UK satellites irrespective of size, from tiny low cost educational CubeSats up to large commercial £500 million satellites.

The key aspects of the consultation are the proposals to waive the capped liability and insurance requirement for in-orbit operation of any satellite that meets the criteria of a CubeSat and to remove the requirement for unlimited indemnity from satellite operators.

The existing Outer Space Act imposes heavy additional costs (>£50,000 per annum) on those wishing to launch small educational CubeSats. The additional costs act as a major deterrent and to-date no such UK CubeSat has been launched.

Reform of the Outer Space Act 1986: Consultation http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=8783