NASA Seeks Academic Partners for Smallsat Technology Collaboration

Image NASA - Franklin image credit to Paul D. Stewart

Image NASA – Franklin image credit to Paul D. Stewart

NASA is seeking small spacecraft technology project proposals from U.S. colleges and universities that would like to collaborate with agency researchers.

Small spacecraft, or smallsats, represent a growing field of space research and operations in which universities often have led the way in technology development. Smallsats, some of which are as small as a four-inch cube, are not expected to replace conventional spacecraft, but sometimes can provide an alternative to larger, more costly spacecraft. Smallsats can serve as platforms for rapid technology testing or specialized scientific research and exploration not otherwise possible. Smallsats also can be developed relatively quickly and inexpensively, and can share a ride to orbit with larger spacecraft.

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Final IARU-R1 Vienna 2013 Papers Released

AMSAT-UK_Bevelled_LogoThe final set of VHF/UHF/uW papers for the IARU Region 1 Interim meeting in Vienna, April 20-21, have been released.

They include a number of papers related to Amateur-Satellite Service allocations:
• VIE13_C5_03 Increased Amateur‐Satellite Service 144MHz Usage
• VIE13_C5_05 Recommendations for DATV Transmission
• VIE13_C5_24 Region 1 Satellite Coordinator Report
• VIE13_C5_27 New Narrow‐Band working frequencies in the 2300–2450 MHz band
• VIE13_C5_32 2400MHz Amateur Satellites

Download the papers here.

Discussion on the papers can be found on the RSGB C5 Yahoo Group at
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ukc5discussion/

Video – NextGen CubeSat Project – 2010 Dayton Hamvention

NextGen CubeSat Project, a presentation prepared by Alex Harvilchuck N3NP and presented by Dr. Charles Westgate WC2R during the AMSAT Forum at the 2010 Dayton Hamvention.

Watch NextGen CubeSat Project

See other AMSAT-NA videos at http://www.youtube.com/AMSATNA

G100RSGB on Amateur Radio Satellites

FRARS_HQClive G7SVI reports that G100RSGB should be active on the amateur radio satellites on Thursday, April 4.

The Flight Refueling Amateur Radio Society will be hosting the RSGB Centenary Call G100RSGB from their club house at Merley, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3DA and should be active from 1.8 – 440 MHz including the amateur satellite frequencies.

These are the passes on Thursday high enough for them to attempt some contacts (times GMT):

VO-52 08:32 – 08:42
AO-7 08:58 – 09:13
FO-29 10:03 – 10:21
FO-29 11:48 – 12:05
AO-7 12:37 – 12:51
AO-7 14:25 – 14:44
AO-7 16:16 – 16:37
VO-52 17:54 – 18:06

They will post alerts at http://www.rsgb.org/aboutrsgb/rsgbcentenary2013/?id=alerts-and-spots

Flight Refueling Amateur Radio Society http://www.frars.org.uk/

Cuban radio ham looking for UK satellite contacts

Hector Martinez CO6CBF - 640

Hector Martinez CO6CBF

Hector, CO6CBF is looking for stations in the West of the UK on the amateur radio satellite FO-29.

Currently FO-29 is in apogee and has a big footprint which allow mutual visibility during a couple of minutes between Cuba and UK. I can work the satellite until LOS and sometimes below the horizon towards the UK.

Cubans cannot operate on AO-7 mode B due to a 432 MHz restriction in our country, so FO-29 is our only chance to try intercontinental contacts on satellites.

Please, I will appreciate any information about any station who is there and wants to try.

Thanks in advance!

Hector, CO6CBF EL92sd
Email: co6cbf at frcuba.co.cu

FO-29 information https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/fuji-oscar-29-jas-2/

DynaCube to explore the South Atlantic Anomaly

DynaCube Project Team leaders (L-R) Rick Botha, Jean-Paul Appel, Esabe Brink, Yoshlyn Naidoo ZS6YOG, Motheo Motlhabane, Yolandi Young - Image Credit Denel Dynamics

DynaCube Project Team leaders (L-R) Rick Botha, Jean-Paul Appel, Esabe Brink, Yoshlyn Naidoo ZS6YOG, Motheo Motlhabane, Yolandi Young – Image credit Denel Dynamics

The Southern African Amateur Radio Satellite Association (SA AMSAT) report that after launch DynaCube, a one-unit CubeSat being constructed by Interns at the Denel Dynamics Engineering Academy, will be exploring the South Atlantic Anomaly during orbits over the area.

It is hoped the Cubesat will launch in late 2013 or 2104. SA AMSAT say the cost of a launch for this 1U CubeSat could be as high as 1,300,000 Rand (£92,000 or $140,000).

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