Tag Archives: ISS

Feb 15 2014

Brazilian students talk to Space Station using Amateur Radio

ARISS PV8DX students at Escola Estadual 'Gonçalves Dias'

ARISS PV8DX students at Escola Estadual ‘Gonçalves Dias’

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) school contact took place at 17:24 UT on Thursday, February 13, 2014.

International_Space_StationStudents at Escola Estadual ‘Gonçalves Dias’, Boa Vista, Brazil, using the station of Paulo PV8DX, were able to talk to astronaut Michael Hopkins KF5LJG who was using the callsign OR4ISS. The contact lasted about 9 minutes and took place in English on 145.800 MHz FM.

The school, founded in 1977, works in two shifts, morning and afternoon with a total of 800 students. The school has a specialty program dedicated to Computer Science and related areas – students in this area were directly involved in the ARISS event. These same students were involved in the development of questions and related studies. The school has 70 teachers and 30 administrative support staff.

International Space Station ISS 2011The students asked these questions:

1. Why did you decide to be an astronaut?
2. How long can a person live in space?
3. How do you communicate with your family?
4. After the mission, what are the most critical physical and psychological effects on your body and mind?
5. If someone is critically injured on the ISS, what would you do with  them?
6. In case of illness, how is aid provided?
7. What kind of research are you doing on the ISS?
8. Do you feel disoriented when you return home?
9. Given the incredible committment to become an astronaut, do you ever doubt your choice?
10. How do you bathe on the ISS?
International Space Station ISS with shuttle Endeavour 2011-05-2311. What is the most interesting thing you have seen in Space?
12. Is oxygen recycled continually on the ISS or do supply vehicles bring up new oxygen?
13. What is a typical day like on the ISS?
14. Since there are people from different countries on the ISS, what is the language spoken on the Station and what kind of food do you eat?

A recording of part of the contact made by PY2TNA can be heard here .

Michael Hopkins KF5LJG / OR4ISS

Michael Hopkins KF5LJG / OR4ISS

Media coverage can be seen at

http://g1.globo.com/rr/roraima/noticia/2014/02/estudantes-de-rr-fazem-contato-com-astronauta-em-estacao-espacial.html

http://g1.globo.com/rr/roraima/jornal-de-roraima/videos/t/edicoes/v/estudantes-roraimenses-tem-contato-com-astronauta-por-meio-de-projeto-da-nasa/3147827/

http://www.rr.gov.br/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12994:no-espaco-comunicacao-entre-estudantes-de-roraima-e-astronauta-americano-foi-um-sucesso&catid=198:2014fevereiro&Itemid=210

Sign up for the SAREX maillist at http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station http://www.ariss.org/

Feb 11 2014

CubeSats deployed from International Space Station

The first of the Planet Lab Dove CubeSats were deployed from the ISS on February 11, 2014 about 0831 UT

The first of the Planet Lab Dove CubeSats were deployed from the ISS on February 11, 2014 about 0831 UT

On Tuesday, February 11, 2014 astronaut Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA successfully deployed the first of the 33 CubeSats that were launched from the Wallops Flight Facility, VA to the International Space Station (ISS) in the Cygnus freighter on January 9.

The first two of the Flock-1 constellation of 28 Dove 3U CubeSats developed by Planet Labs were deployed at about 0831 UT Feb 11 into a 409 x 418 km orbit with another two Dove CubeSats deployed at 1241 UT.

ISS Kibo Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)

ISS Kibo Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)

Eight NanoRacks deployers are installed on the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP). Each deployer has a capacity of 6U and so can hold up to six 1U CubeSats or two 3U CubeSats. They are carried by Japanese Experiment Module-Remote Manipulator System (JEM-RMS).

Two 3U CubeSats can be deployed every one to two orbits to prevent collisions. For Flock-1 two deployments took place each day.

Deployment summary, all times UT, possible object numbers in brackets
0831 Feb 11 – Flock-1-1, Flock-1-2 (39512, 39515)
1241 Feb 11 – Flock-1-3, Flock-1-4  (39516, 39517)
0235 Feb 12 – Flock-1-5, Flock-1-6 deployment fails
???? Feb 12 – Flock-1-7, Flock-1-8 deployment fails ?
0830 Feb 12 – Flock-1-9, Flock-1-10 (39518, 39519)
0820 Feb 13 – Flock-1-5, Flock-1-6 (39520, 39521)
0415 Feb 14 – Flock-1-11, Flock-1-12
1146 Feb 14 – Flock-1-13, Flock-1-14
0700 Feb 15 – Flock-1-7, Flock-1-8
1055 Feb 15 – Flock-1-15, Flock-1-16 (39531, 39532)

The deployment pods were then returned to the airlock to be loaded with the final batch of CubeSats.

Planet Labs CubeSat Constellation

Planet Labs CubeSat Constellation

In addition to the 28 Planet Labs CubeSats there are four amateur radio CubeSats – LituanicaSat-1, LitSat-1, ArduSat-2, UAPSat-1 – and the 915 MHz SkyCube.

Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

Graphic of Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat deployment

LituanicaSat-1 carries a 145/435 MHz FM transponder while LitSat-1 is thought to carry a 435/145  MHz linear transponder for SSB/CW communications.

The IARU coordinated frequencies are listed as:

LituanicaSAT-1
• FM Transponder Uplink 145.950 MHz Downlink 435.180 MHz
• AX25 Uplink 145.850 MHz AX25 Downlink 437.550 MHz
• CW Beacon 437.275 MHz
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Lituanicasat1

Planet Labs Dove CubeSats emerging from NanoRacks deployer February 11, 2014

Planet Labs Dove CubeSats emerging from NanoRacks deployer February 11, 2014

LitSat-1
• SSB Transponder Uplink 435.180 MHz Downlink 145.950 MHz
• AX25 Uplink 437.550 MHz Downlink 145.850 MHz
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/palydovas

ArduSat-2
•  9k6 MSK CCSDS data format downlink 437.? MHz
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/575960623/ardusat-your-arduino-experiment-in-space

UAPSAT
• AX.25 Packet Radio uplink 145.980 MHz downlink 437.385 MHz

Two Planet Labs Dove CubeSats deployed from the ISS February 11, 2014

Two Planet Labs Dove CubeSats deployed from the ISS February 11, 2014

Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA https://twitter.com/Astro_Wakata

NanoRacks https://twitter.com/nanoracks/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nanoracks

Close-up of Planet Labs Dove CubeSats leaving NanoRacks deployer February 11, 2014

Close-up of Planet Labs Dove CubeSats leaving NanoRacks deployer February 11, 2014

Planet Labs https://twitter.com/planetlabs

A Dove in Space https://twitter.com/adoveinspace

Southern Stars https://twitter.com/south_stars

Video of NanoRacks interview: Deploying CubeSats from the Space Station
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/31/video-deploying-cubesats-from-the-space-station/

CubeSats deployments are streamed live at http://m.ustream.tv/channel/live-iss-stream

Jonathan’s Space Report (JSR) has been covering robotic and human spaceflight activity for 25 years
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/09/a-quarter-century-of-jonathans-space-report/
Twitter http://twitter.com/planet4589

Astronaut Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA prepares NanoRacks CubeSat Deployers

Astronaut Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA prepares NanoRacks CubeSat Deployers

Feb 7 2014

ISS Ham Video commissioning postponed

Front panel of the HamTV transmitter

Front panel of the HamTV transmitter

ESA have postponed the International Space Station (ISS) Ham Video Commissioning until March 8.

Possible dates for the four Commissioning steps are March 8 (step 1),
March 9 (step 2), and March 16 (step 3).
Step 3 could be turned into step 4.
These dates are all on the weekend.

With this agenda, we have just 1 week of blank transmissions.

The agenda is still to be finalized.

73,
Gaston Bertels, ON4WF
ARISS Europe Chair

ISS Ham Video Commissioning – Blank Transmissions
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/26/iss-ham-video-commissioning-blank-transmissions/

Feb 7 2014

Ham radio CubeSat deployment postponed

Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA installs ISS CubeSat Deployer

Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA installs ISS CubeSat Deployer

The deployment of amateur radio CubeSats from the International Space Station (ISS) planned for Thursday, February 6 has been postponed.

Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

NASA say:

Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA spent his morning working in the Japanese Kibo module to install a deployer mechanism that will be used in concert with the Kibo robotic arm to “launch” the first set of NanoRacks CubeSats. Wakata, who ran into some difficulty last week installing an electronics box that would help control the deployment of the mini-satellites, successfully installed that box after troubleshooting an alignment issue.  The deployment of the first batch of CubeSats, which had originally been scheduled for this week before being postponed following last week’s installation issue, has been postponed further to make sure that the CubeSats do not fall into the intended orbit of the Global Precipitation Measurement satellite launching later this month. The exact date of the CubeSat deployment is still being evaluated.

NASA http://www.nasa.gov/content/crew-conducts-science-begins-unloading-russian-cargo-craft/

Video: Deploying CubeSats from the Space Station
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/31/video-deploying-cubesats-from-the-space-station/

ISS CubeSats https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/04/ham-radio-cubesats-to-deploy-thursday/

Feb 4 2014

Ham radio CubeSats to deploy Thursday

Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA installs ISS CubeSat Deployer

Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA installs ISS CubeSat Deployer

Several amateur radio CubeSats will be deployed from the International Space Station on Thursday, February 6, 2014.

LY2013SAT QSL card received by Andy Thomas G0SFJOn Thursday, January 9 at 1807 UT an Antares rocket launched the Cygnus freighter carrying a cargo of CubeSats to the International Space Station. Since then the CubeSats have been stored on the ISS awaiting deployment using the Japanese Kibo Robot Arm.

The first of these CubeSats LituanicaSat-1, LitSat-1, ArduSat-2, UAPSat-1 and the 915 MHz SkyCube should be deployed on Thursday, February 6, 2014. They will be followed later in the month by twenty eight commercial 3U CubeSats from Planet Labs.

LituanicaSat-1 carries a 145/435 MHz FM transponder while LitSat-1 is thought to carry a 435/145  MHz linear transponder for SSB/CW communications.

Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

The IARU coordinated frequencies are listed as:

LituanicaSAT-1
• FM Transponder Uplink 145.950 MHz Downlink 435.180 MHz
• AX25 Uplink 145.850 MHz AX25 Downlink 437.550 MHz
• CW Beacon 437.275 MHz
https://www.facebook.com/Lituanicasat1

LitSat-1
• SSB Transponder Uplink 435.180 MHz Downlink 145.950 MHz
• AX25 Uplink 437.550 MHz Downlink 145.850 MHz
https://www.facebook.com/palydovas

ArduSat-2
•  9k6 MSK CCSDS data format downlink 437.? MHz
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/575960623/ardusat-your-arduino-experiment-in-space

UAPSAT
• AX.25 Packet Radio uplink 145.980 MHz downlink 437.385 MHz
http://www.uap.edu.pe/

Video: Deploying CubeSats from the Space Station
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/31/video-deploying-cubesats-from-the-space-station/

Details of other amateur radio satellites due to launch this month are at
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/01/japanese-amateur-radio-satellite-depoyments/

Jan 31 2014

Video: Deploying CubeSats from the Space Station

LituanicaSAT-1

LituanicaSAT-1

Four amateur radio CubeSats, LituanicaSat-1, LitSat-1, ArduSat-2 and UAPSat-1 are on the International Space Station (ISS) awaiting deployment currently planned for February 6, 2014.

Additionally there is SkyCube-1 which transmits on 915 MHz which is an amateur band in many countries and a license exempt allocation elsewhere.

In this video NASA PAO Officer Amiko Kauderer talks to Michael Johnson, NanoRacks Chief Technology Officer, about the installation of the CubeSat deployer in the Japanese Experiment Module Airlock. The installation work is in preparation for the upcoming deployment of several tiny satellites.

Watch Space Station Live: Deploying Cubesats from the Station