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.
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
Private Spacefarer Sarah Brightman Undergoes Medical Tests
The Space Adventures agency has confirmed that Phantom of the Opera star Sarah Brightman has signed an agreement with the Russian Space Agency and secured herself a space trip in 2015.
Brightman will become the next private spacefarer to the ISS following Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte who traveled into space in 2009.
Private Spacefarer Sarah Brightman Undergoes Medical Tests
The Space Adventures agency has confirmed that Phantom of the Opera star Sarah Brightman has signed an agreement with the Russian Space Agency and secured herself a space trip in 2015.
Brightman will become the next private spacefarer to the ISS following Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte who traveled into space in 2009.
Clyde Space have released pictures showing the progress of UKube-1 as they prepare the satellite for a Soyuz launch planned for March 2013.
UKube-1 is the UK Space Agency’s first CubeSat and plans to carry an amateur radio 435/145 MHz linear transponder developed by AMSAT-UK.
Last year as part of the UKube-1 project and a student project at Cornell, the deployable solar panels were on a zero-G flight.
The UK Space Agency will be running a Cubesat Community Workshop in January. Registration for the workshop is now open. This is a free event and is open to all, hosted by the Open University, Milton Keynes, on 22 January 2013. Please note that space is limited and places will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.
The event will be an opportunity for the UK Space Agency to provide the cubesat community with an update on its pilot cubesat mission UKube-1, due for launch in early 2013, and to discuss the overall philosophy and timing for the proposed UKube-2 programme. Attendees will have the opportunity to provide input on the future direction of a proposed rolling national programme of cubesat missions.
Parallel breakout sessions will be held as detailed in the downloadable programme. These themes have been selected in response to the common issues raised by members of the community. The findings from each session will feed into a concluding discussion in which follow up actions will be identified.
To confirm attendance, please email ryan.king@ukspaceagency.bis.gsi.gov.uk indicating which breakout session you would prefer to attend, by the 21st December. One of the stated aims of the workshop is to encourage more potential cubesat users to engage with the programme, therefore please share the news.
Download the proposed programme. (PDF, 17 Kb)
AMSAT-UK 
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