Jul 27 2012

NHK TV Video of Amateur Radio CubeSat FITSAT-1 (NIWAKA)

An English language NHK TV news story covers the amateur radio CubeSat FITSAT-1 also known as NIWAKA which launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 21.

Takushi Tanaka JA6AVG and FITSAT

Takushi Tanaka JA6AVG and FITSAT

FITSAT-1 has multiple downlinks, CW on 437.250 MHz, AX.25 on 437.445 MHz and a 4 watt high speed data transmitter on 5840 MHz capable of sending a 640 by 480 pixel VGA JPEG image in 6 seconds.

In addition it carries high power LEDs that will be driven with 100W pulses to produce extremely bright flashes. These, it is hoped, will be observable by the unaided eye or with small binoculars. Both the 5840 MHz and optical downlinks have a high power consumption so they may only be activated when in range of the ground station in Japan. It use a neodymium magnet for attitude control.

The CubeSat will remain on the ISS until September when it will be deployed by Japanese astronaut and radio amateur Akihiko Hoshide KE5DNI using the ISS Kibo robot arm.

FITSAT-1 (NIWAKA) is mounted in a JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) with the amateur radio TechEdSat and F-1 CubeSats. In a second deployment pod are WeWish and a scientific 2U CubeSat Raiko. The CubeSats will be deployed into a 400 km orbit and should have a lifetime of 3 or 4 months before re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere and burning up.

In this video NHK interviews Takushi Tanaka JA6AVG and students from the Fukuoka Institute of Technology (FIT) about the project.

Watch NHK – Tiny Satellites, Big Possibilities

FITSAT-1 information, pictures and deployment movie http://www.fit.ac.jp/~tanaka/fitsat.shtml

Kibo Robot Arm http://kibo.jaxa.jp/en/about/kibo/rms/

FITSAT-1 plans to use LED’s to signal in Morse code

Jul 26 2012

ISS Columbus Module VHF Radio Discussed at ARISS Meeting

International Space Station

In the July 17 ARISS meeting Kenneth Ransom N5VHO reported that his group is in the final stages of preparing the certification for flight of the replacement hardware for the degraded Ericsson VHF [145 MHz] radio.

The Ericsson rig is part of the second ISS amateur radio station that is located in the Columbus module.

The team had hoped for a launch of the equipment on flight 33-S [Dec. 5], but it may be launched on flight 49-P [Nov. 1], which is a month sooner than 33-S. The team is endeavoring to finish the certification in time for this earlier flight option. The degraded Ericsson VHF radio may be returned on flight 32-S in October. The team is very interested in trying to determine what the problem has been with this radio.

Read the minutes of the July 17 ARISS meeting at http://ariss.rac.ca/arisstel2012-07-17.htm

Jul 26 2012

OSSI CubeSat to Launch in December

Funds for the OSSI CubeSat have been raised by selling T-shirts

The amateur radio CubeSat OSSI is planned to launch in December according to an Antara News article. [UPDATE rocket launch has been delayed and may now be April 2013]

The article describes how Korean artist Hojun Song DS1SBO developed his own home made satellite and says radio operators will be able to communicate with the satellite. If all goes well, it will repeat a message in Morse code using its LED lights at a set time and location.

The DIY satellite OSSI is planned to launch on a Soyuz-2-1b from the Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan in December with the Bion-M 1 and Dove 2 satellites. (The Dove 2 CubeSat will transmit images on a 2.4 GHz downlink). The satellites will be placed into an orbit with an apogee of 575 km, perigee of 290 km and inclination of 64.9 degrees. They are expected to remain in orbit for about a year before burning up on re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.

The OSSI uplink is in the 145 MHz band and the downlink in the 435 MHz band.

Read the Antara News story Homemade Korean satellite to go boldly into space
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/83628/homemade-korean-satellite-to-go-boldly-into-space

Read the Telegraph newspaper article South Korean artist set to launch homemade satellite http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/southkorea/9428047/South-Korean-artist-set-to-launch-homemade-satellite.html

Daily Mail newspaper Watch out, Nasa! Korean launches $500 satellite built from scavenged parts – and could kick off a DIY space race http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2179151/DIY-space-race-South-Korean-artist-launches-500-satellite-built-scavenged-parts.html

The Times of India Artist makes satellite at home in just $500 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/personal-tech/computing/Artist-makes-satellite-at-home-in-just-500/articleshow/15162830.cms

BBC TV report South Korean artist has high hopes for his homemade satellite http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19007475

Open Source Satellite Initiative (OSSI) http://opensat.cc/

OSSI CubeSat – Ground Station Video http://www.uk.amsat.org/7218

OSSI Art CubeSat to Launch in August http://www.uk.amsat.org/6993

Korean artist Hojun Song DS1SBO creator of the OSSI CubeSat

Jul 26 2012

Sir Arthur Clarke Awards – Nominations Sought

Arthurs 2011 Winners – Image Credit British Interplanetary Society

The British Interplanetary Society are seeking nominations for this years Sir Arthur Clarke Awards.

In recognition of notable or outstanding contributions made to all space activities, the Sir Arthur Clarke Awards have been presented annually since 2005.  In the past the Award Ceremony has been an integral part of the UK Space Conference, but as the Conference is now held every other year, to avoid conflicting with the Farnborough Air Show, it has been decided to go ahead with this year’s “Arthurs” Awards to provide complete continuity.  The Award Ceremony will take place at a lunch in the House of Lords in October.

Though primarily designed to reward UK teams and individuals for their achievements over the past year, 2011-2012, the Awards will include International and Lifetime Achievement categories.

Further information and online nomination form at
http://www.bis-space.com/2012/07/25/6282/sir-arthur-clarke-awards-nominations-open

British Interplanetary Society http://www.bis-space.com/

Jul 25 2012

Video of TV News Report on ISS Contact

Engineers of the future talk to the International Space Station using Amateur Radio

YNN (channel 9) reports on an “out of this world” amateur radio contact between campers attending RIT’s Everyday Engineering Program in Rochester and astronaut Sunita Williams KD5PLB

Sunita was operating the Kenwood TM-D700 ham radio station located in the International Space Station’s Service Module using the callsign NA1SS on 145.800 MHz. The Everyday Engineering Program station at the Rochester Institute of Technology had the callsign W2RIT.

The Women in Engineering Program at Rochester Institute of Technology (WE@RIT) is dedicated to increasing the representation of women engineers and women leaders within the engineering profession. Founded in 2003, WE@RIT strives towards achieving gender parity within the Kate Gleason College of Engineering and hosts a comprehensive series of pre-engineering outreach, recruitment, and community building programs in support of this vision.
http://www.rit.edu/http://www.rit.edu/

Watch RIT on TV News: Chat with International Space Station
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDvQnA4WTxI

Jul 24 2012

Working the ISS

Wendy Quinn W1DY explains how to go about hearing and talking to the International Space Station (ISS).

The video shows the ISS frequencies used in most of the world, uplink 144.490 MHz, downlink 145.800 MHz, however, in IARU Region 1 (Europe/Africa) the uplink is 145.200 MHz. So just tune to 145.800 MHz and activate the standard -600 kHz repeater shift.

Watch ISS

The current location of the ISS and the status of its amateur radio stations can be found at http://www.issfanclub.com/

Listening to the International Space Station http://www.uk.amsat.org/3491