Chun Wang | AMSAT-UK

Rabea Rogge LB9NJ / KD3AID – Photo credit DLR

A SpaceX rocket carrying radio amateur Rabea Rogge LB9NJ / KD3AID and three other astronauts launched from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on April 1 at 0146 GMT on the Fram2 mission. It is the first polar-orbit human spaceflight mission to explore Earth.

During the mission Rabea will be transmitting amateur radio Robot 36 Slow Scan TV (SSTV) images on 437.550 MHz (+/- 10 kHz Doppler shift) starting April 2. Operation will be 36 seconds on and 36 seconds off.

The images are transmitted as part of a competition for students. Please do not post your SSTV images on Social Media or share with others until 72 hours after the completion of the Fram2 mission.

ARISS will provide special commemorative certificates for those who upload their Fram2 SSTV images to the ARISS SSTV Gallery. Certificates will be delivered after the completion of the Fram2 mission.

If possible record all your passes. You can always generate an image later with the recording. Particularly if you have an issue with your audio into your SSTV software.

There are several challenges in receiving the images, the low transmit power, variations of antenna orientation, and a short, 3-day mission duration, with only a limited time assigned for the SSTV operation. Are you up for the challenge? 📡

Watch a recording made by Robbie Ei2iP of the amateur radio downlink during the contact on April 1 at 0728 GMT between Fram2 astronaut Rabea Rogge LB9NJ / KD3AID and students at the Technical University Berlin (note unexpected frequency change).