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From: "Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ) via ANS" <ans@amsat.org
Subject: [ANS] ANS-180 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2025 20:10:12 EDT
Reply-To: "Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ)" <mahrenstorff@amsat.org>
To: space@ww
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-180
In this edition:
* AMSAT Shares Update on Fox-Plus CubeSat Design, Adapter Issues, and
Integration Work
* AMSAT South Africa to Host 2025 Virtual Symposium on 68 Years of
Amateur Radio Progress
* AMSAT Seeks Additional Volunteers for Moon Day at Dallas Frontiers of
Flight Museum
* SpaceX Transporter-14 Rideshare Delivers Small Sats, Reentry Tech,
and Memorial Ashes
* Axiom-4 Reaches Orbit After Delays With Multinational Crew Bound for
Space Station
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 27, 2025
* ARISS News
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and
information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.
ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports
on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who
share an active interest in designing, building, launching and
communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.
The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio
in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at]
amsat.org<http://amsat.org>
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service
Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see:
https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/
ANS-180 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
To: All RADIO AMATEURS
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002
DATE 2025 Jun 29
________________________________
AMSAT Shares Update on Fox-Plus CubeSat Design, Adapter Issues, and
Integration Work
During Hamvention 2025, AMSATâ€Ös Mike Moore presented the latest
developments in the Fox-Plus program. Mike Moore, K4MVM, AMSAT Systems
Engineer/Project Lead began his status review by saying, “Iâ€Öve been
involved with the AMSAT Fox CubeSat program for the last year and a
half. Itâ€Ös a continuation of the Fox series of satellites. We're
improving on the series with the Fox-Plus CubeSat, modernizing it and,
where we can do so, reducing costs.â€
AMSATâ€Ös Fox Plus project is proceeding towards being ready for a launch
of a 1U CubeSat (Fox-Plus-A) with a V/u linear transponder. The term
“1U†refers to the standard size CubeSat, also known as a nanosat,
measuring 10x10x10 centimeters, weighing up to 2 kilograms.
The Fox-Plus Amateur Radio CubeSat series will add to the success of
the original Fox series of AMSAT 1U CubeSats. The big push is to have
Fox-Plus units ready to fly experimental payloads on short notice.
AMSAT is purchasing components from ISIS (Innovative Solutions In
Space), formed in 2006, with offices in The Netherlands. They provide
components, particularly for CubeSats and small satellites. The company
offers “building blocks†such as spacecraft structures, solar panels,
antennas, transceivers, attitude control systems, and on-board
computers as well as satellite launcher units and services.
Mike continued, “To expedite development of Fox-Plus, AMSAT has
selected Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) components. This includes the
ISIS CubeSat spacecraft frame, electrical power system, solar panels.
Weâ€Öre integrating those components with our AMSAT Linear Transponder
Module (LTM).
“AMSATâ€Ös LTM is a composed of the Legacy Internal Housekeeping Unit
(LIHU), the Improved Command Receiver (ICR), receiver/transmitter
(RXTX). The AMSAT Fox-Plus LTM module is shown within the dotted line
rectangle, upper right in the system overview,†He said.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-Plus-System-Overview-LTM-Highlighted.png]
Moore explained, “Weâ€Öve been tasked to fit the COTS modules from ISIS,
spacecraft frame, Electrical Power System (EPS) and solar panels with
our AMSAT boards into the ISIS frame. Thatâ€Ös mechanical challenge. The
ISIS frame and PCBs are not the same dimensions as AMSATâ€Ös standard
ME-113 PCB. The AMSAT ME-113 is used in legacy units as well as GOLF
and other LTM applications.†The AMSAT-Fox Documentation, referenced
below, provides details on Fox components.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-ME113-vs-ISIS-Hole-Pattern-Diagram.png]
“The diagram above shows the ISIS hole pattern and board dimensions
compared to the ME-113 holes and dimensions. The Fox ME-113 board
dimensions are offset just enough to make it a real problem. If they
were offset by a bit more the problem might be simpler. Itâ€Ös possible
we could just offset our PCB connectors. That's not possible, making
this a mechanical engineering design challenge.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-Plus-PCB-Mechanical-Adapter-Design.png]
“We have adapters to do this; one design is in the photo above. Our
Mechanical & Structural Engineer is Andrew Robinson, KA3WDW.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-Plus-ME113-Half-Cards-and-CSKB-Setup.png]
Mike continued, “The electrical adapter, is above on the right. The
photo shows the PCBs while on my work bench. They're half cards. It's
the ME-113 cut in half. I have the PC104 or in ISIS terms, the CubeSat
Kit Bus (CSKB) on the left.
“That's on the board on the left-hand side of the photo. The Power
Integrated Unit (PIU) board from ISIS is connected to it. The photo
shows just wires right now, but later there will be a ribbon cable over
to our stacking bus which is our QXH electrical bus, a very small
60-pin connector. It connects all cards together.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-Plus-Structure-With-LTM-PIU-and-Adapters.png]
The diagram above shows the Fox-Plus CubeSat and the mechanical
adapters. The LTM is in the middle. On the bottom is the Power Battery
Pack (PBP) and the top board is the CubeSat Power Integrated Unit
(PIU). It consists of three subsystems which derive electrical energy
from the solar panels and the energy stored in the PBP.
“We're also considering using spacers instead of using the entire card
area dimensions for mechanical adapters. Spacers are small units with
two side by side holes. One hole would go to the ISIS board, the other
would to the ME-113 board.
“I've now got preliminary schematics of the adapter card done. We're
about ready to go to production on that to get PCBs made. That has the
power and signal components on it, all the power for the satellite and
two I2C buses, (Inter-Integrated Circuit, a two-wire, serial
communication protocol that allows multiple devices to communicate with
each other on a single bus).
“There's a problem on the ICR card version 1.2 and weâ€Öre taking care of
that. Also, there's Universal Asynchronous Receive/Transmit (UART)
interconnect problem as well as some other odds and ends on which weâ€Öre
working,†Moore added.
There are innumerable details encountered during CubeSat research,
development, test, and evaluation (RDTE).
Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Vice President of Engineering for AMSAT is a key
member of the Fox Engineering Team dating back to the beginning of the
program in 2011. In his “AMSAT Fox-1 Systems Engineering Documentationâ€
June, 2018 paper, The Fox program introduced this engineering process
for AMSAT. See references at end of document.
“Engineering documentation is provided at each stage of development. An
archive of this documentation is online, backed-up and version
controlled. When an AMSAT satellite has been completed this archive of
traceable documentation serves as the basis for planning and executing
future satellite programs. It is updated to apply the lessons learned
about what went well and what did not.â€
Documentation is part of organizational memory (OM), also known as
institutional memory or corporate memory. OM is the accumulated body of
data, information, and knowledge created in the course of an
organization's existence, excellent proof of internal learning and
education and potentially a reference tool for use by external
organizations.
Concluding his portion of the AMSAT Forum Mike said, “Burns Fisher is
AMSATâ€Ös software guru. Burns is working with Patrick Thomas, KB8DGC,
AMSAT System Engineer and PACSAT Liaison, getting Patrick up to speed
to do Fox-Plus flight software.â€
Other dedicated volunteers on the Fox-Plus Engineering Team include
Andrew Robinson, KA3WDW, Mechanical & Structural Engineer, and Leandra
MacLennan, AF1R, Electrical Engineer, Hardware Development.
Contributions from various universities and other organizations were
essential too.
[ANS thanks Mike Moore, K4MVM, AMSAT Systems Engineer/Project Lead for
the above information]
________________________________
AMSAT South Africa to Host 2025 Virtual Symposium on 68 Years of
Amateur Radio Progress
AMSAT South Africa has announced that the 2025 Space Symposium will
take place on Saturday, 2 August 2025, from 08:00 UTC to 14:00 UTC, and
has issued a call for papers. The theme of this yearâ€Ös event is
“Embracing 68 Years of Space Science and Innovation in Amateur Radio.â€
Papers are invited on all aspects of space science and communication
that impact or enhance the amateur radio experience â€ö from technical
developments to operational practices. Presentations will be
approximately 30 minutes, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session. Proposal
submissions in Microsoft Word format should be emailed to admin [at]
amsatsa [dot] org [dot] za by 7 July 2025.
To maximize global participation, the symposium will be held online via
the Webex platform. Attendance is free for members of all AMSAT
organisations and national societies, with registration opening on 9
July 2025.
[ANS thanks AMSAT South Africa<https://www.amsatsa.org.za/>, for the
above information]
________________________________
AMSAT Seeks Additional Volunteers for Moon Day at Dallas Frontiers of
Flight Museum
The 2025 Moon Day, a space-themed public STEM event, will take place on
Saturday, July 19 at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field in
Dallas. Held each year close to the date of the Apollo 11 moon landing,
the event features hands-on science exhibits and activities for all
ages. Moon Day runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CDT, with setup
beginning at 8:00 a.m. CDT.
AMSAT will once again be represented at the event by AMSAT Ambassador
Thomas Schuessler, N5HYP, along with several North Texas satellite
enthusiasts. They will engage with the public â€ö including many young
people â€ö on topics such as satellite orbits, the International Space
Station, and amateur radio in space. Exhibits will include the AMSAT
Fox CubeSat engineering model and the CubeSat Simulator, and the team
hopes to demonstrate a few live satellite passes during the day.
Tom is seeking additional AMSAT volunteers from the North Texas area to
help staff the exhibit table. The AMSAT booth will be located next to
the Dallas Amateur Radio Club exhibit, providing opportunities for
great conversations with fellow hams as well as curious families.
Volunteers receive free museum admission and lunch. Anyone interested
in helping for part or the entire day is encouraged to email Tom at
n5hyp [at] arrl [dot] net.
More information about the event is available at:
https://flightmuseum.com/events/moonday
[ANS thanks Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, AMSAT Ambassador, for the above
information]
________________________________
The 2025 AMSAT Presidentâ€Ös Club Coins Have Just Arrived!
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-PC-Coin-2-Sided-Color-Web-300x148.jpg]
Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.
Join<https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> the AMSAT
Presidentâ€Ös Club today!
________________________________
SpaceX Transporter-14 Rideshare Delivers Small Sats, Reentry Tech, and
Memorial Ashes
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in
California on June 23 at 5:25 p.m. EDT (2125 UTC), carrying 70 payloads
for a diverse range of customers. The mission, known as Transporter 14,
is the latest in SpaceXâ€Ös dedicated rideshare program, which provides
cost-effective launch services for small satellites and experimental
spacecraft.
Among the payloads was a special memorial capsule containing cremated
human remains and DNA samples. The Exploration Companyâ€Ös new Nyx
reusable spacecraft is flying this commemorative mission in cooperation
with Celestis, a company specializing in space burials. If all goes
according to plan, Nyx will circle Earth two or three times before
being recovered, carrying remains and DNA from about 150 people.
The launch also delivered an array of microsats, cubesats, and reentry
capsules. One notable payload is Varda Spaceâ€Ös fourth reentry capsule,
which aims to support the companyâ€Ös effort to manufacture
pharmaceuticals and other high-value goods in microgravity and return
them to Earth for commercial use. Transporter 14 continues SpaceXâ€Ös
trend of supporting in-space manufacturing demonstrations and
technology development.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SpaceX_Transporter-14_Payload_Stack_Labeled-832x1024.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SpaceX_Transporter-14_Payload_Stack_Labeled.jpg>
SpaceXâ€Ös Transporter‑14 mission recently deployed 70 small satellites
into orbit. [Credit: SpaceX<https://x.com/SpaceX> /
@GewoonLukas<https://x.com/GewoonLukas_>]
Two amateur radio satellites also hitched a ride. PARUS-T2, a 3U
CubeSat developed by the Taiwan Space Agency with support from National
Formosa University, carries a cross-band voice repeater and APRS
digipeater. It provides voice communications on uplink 145.980 MHz (67
Hz tone) and downlink 435.250 MHz, along with APRS packet services on
145.825 MHz. Students and amateur operators worldwide will have access
to the satelliteâ€Ös unencrypted telemetry and educational outreach
tools.
Indonesiaâ€Ös RIDU-Sat 1 also joined the manifest. This 1U CubeSat,
managed by the Republic of Indonesia Defense University, uses amateur
radio frequencies for educational training and communications. It
features a VHF APRS payload on 145.825 MHz and a telemetry beacon on
145.925 MHz, designed to support student learning and community
engagement in satellite operations.
As with many previous Falcon 9 flights, reusability was on display. The
rocketâ€Ös first stage landed successfully on the drone ship Of Course I
Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean about 8.5 minutes after liftoff. It
marked the 26th flight and landing for this booster, edging closer to
SpaceXâ€Ös reuse record of 28 flights. Meanwhile, the upper stage will
spend nearly two hours deploying the payloads into precise orbits,
continuing a mission series that began with Transporter 1â€Ös
record-setting 143-satellite launch in 2021.
Read the full article at:
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-launches-human-remains-reentry-capsule-and-more-on-transporter-14-rideshare-mission
[ANS thanks Mike Wall<https://x.com/michaeldwall>,
Space.com<https://www.space.com/>, and the IARU<https://iaru.amsat-uk.org/>,
for the above information]
________________________________
Axiom-4 Reaches Orbit After Delays with Multinational Crew Bound for Space
Station
SpaceX successfully launched Axiom Spaceâ€Ös fourth private astronaut
mission to the International Space Station (ISS) early June 25,
following a series of technical and scheduling delays. The mission,
known as Ax-4, lifted off aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex
39A at NASAâ€Ös Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:31 a.m. Eastern
(0631 UTC). Nearly 10 minutes later, the Crew Dragon capsule separated
from the rocketâ€Ös second stage in low Earth orbit.
The rocketâ€Ös reusable first stage completed a precise landing at Cape
Canaveralâ€Ös Landing Zone 1. After a particularly long orbital chase â€ö
28 hours between launch and rendezvous â€ö the crewâ€Ös Dragon spacecraft
docked with the space station Thursday morning at 6:31 a.m. Eastern
(1031 UTC), where it will remain for approximately two weeks. The
mission adds to SpaceXâ€Ös growing resume of crewed flights to the
orbital outpost, further expanding the role of commercial providers in
human spaceflight.
Commanding Ax-4 is Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut making her
fifth journey to space. She previously flew on three long-duration NASA
missions and commanded Axiomâ€Ös Ax-2 mission in 2023. The rest of the
crew includes Shubhanshu Shukla of India as pilot, and mission
specialists SÅ‚awosz UznaÅäski-WiÅ›niewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of
Hungary. All three are only the second individuals from their
respective countries to reach orbit. UznaÅäski-WiÅ›niewskiâ€Ös flight is
supported by the European Space Agency.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Axiom-4_Prelaunch_Falcon9_Dragon_Pad39A-1024x576.png]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Axiom-4_Prelaunch_Falcon9_Dragon_Pad39A.png>
Axiom Spaceâ€Ös fourth private mission to the ISS counts down to launch
atop a Falcon 9 at Kennedy Space Center. [Credit: Axiom
Space<https://x.com/Axiom_Space>]
The mission experienced multiple delays since its original spring
schedule. In February, NASA and SpaceX swapped the originally assigned
Crew Dragon capsule, Endurance, for a newer vehicle to keep the Crew-10
launch on track. That decision pushed Ax-4 into late May, with further
postponements in early June due to weather and a liquid oxygen leak in
the Falcon 9 booster. Additional delays followed after NASA detected a
potential air leak in the ISSâ€Ös Russian-built Zvezda module, prompting
further investigation before approving the launch.
With clearance granted on June 23, the mission moved forward. The Ax-4
crew will conduct about 60 scientific experiments during their stayâ€öthe
most of any Axiom mission to date. This includes joint research efforts
between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), with
Shukla collaborating alongside NASA astronauts aboard the station.
Ax-4 also marks the first flight of the fifth and final Crew Dragon
spacecraft built by SpaceX. In line with tradition, the crew named the
new spacecraft upon reaching orbit. Commander Whitson revealed its
nameâ€öGraceâ€öas it separated from the rocket. “Grace is more than a
name,†she said. “It reflects the elegance with which we move through
space against the backdrop of Earth… an act of goodwill for the benefit
of every human everywhere.â€
Read the full article at:
https://spacenews.com/fourth-axiom-space-private-astronaut-mission-launched-to-iss
[ANS thanks Jeff Foust<https://x.com/jeff_foust>,
SpaceNews.com<https://spacenews.com/>, for the above information]
________________________________
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/AMSAT-SDR-Gen2-GNU-Radio-Based-Transverter.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/AMSAT-SDR-Gen2-GNU-Radio-Based-Transverter.jpg>
________________________________
Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 27, 2025
Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or
keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard
mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking
programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur
satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of
the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after
reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More
information may be found at
https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/.
NOTICE: In an effort to minimize confusion between sources of two line
element sets, AMSAT is adopting the convention of listing the
USSF/NORAD Satellite Catalog name first, followed by any secondary name
or names in parentheses. For example, "POEM 4 (BGS ARPIT)" was added
recently where "POEM 4" is the name that appears in the US Space Force
Satellite Catalog, and "BGS ARPIT" is the name best known within the
amateur satellite community. Expect name changes for affected
satellites in the coming weeks as this change is fully implemented.
This week there are no additions or deletions to the AMSAT TLE
distribution.
[ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital
Elements<https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/> page for the
above information]
________________________________
ARISS NEWS
Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between
amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with
astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The
downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.
There are no upcoming ARISS contacts to report while schools are on
summer recess. Scheduling is expected to resume as educational
institutions return to session.
Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream
or run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we
at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always
check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.
The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} &
437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to
do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the
crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.
The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down).
As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS
radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.
Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own
orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the
listed time.
The latest information on the operation mode can be found at
https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html
The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at
https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team
mentors for the above information]
________________________________
AMSAT Ambassador Activities
AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating
through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club
meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.
AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says,
“Think a 75-minute presentation on “working the easy satellites†would
be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at
k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!â€
Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+
presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences.
Scheduled Events
Olmos Preschool Mid-Year Space Camp – July 3rd, 2025
TI3IES Ignacio, AMSAT and AMSAT-TI Ambassador, will be giving a
presentation and demonstration of amateur satellite communications at
Olmos Preschool in Curridabat, San José, Costa Rica, on Thursday, July
3rd. The event is part of the schoolâ€Ös mid-year camp, which runs for
two weeks with a space-themed focus. The presentation is specially
designed for preschool-aged children, who have been learning about
planets, stars, and spacecraft. This engaging session will introduce
them to satellite communications in a fun and age-appropriate way.
Ignacio will be representing AMSAT and AMSAT-TI as part of their
ongoing outreach to inspire young learners through space and amateur
radio.
Rochester Amateur Radio Association Hamfest 2025 – June 21st, 2025
Barnard Fire Department Park
410 Maiden Lane
Rochester, NY 14616
https://rochesterham.org/hamfest.htm
KB2YSI
Northeast HamXposition (HamX) & New England ARRL Convention - August
21st thru 24th, 2025
Best Western Royal Plaza & Trade Center
181 Boston Post Road West
Marlborough, MA 01752
http://www.HamX.org
W1EME, WD4ASW, WB1FJ
Greater Louisville Hamfest - September 6th, 2025
Paroquet Springs Conference Centre
395 Paroquet Springs Drive
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
https://louisvillehamfest.wixsite.com/louisvillehamfest
W4FCL
43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting - October
16th thru 19th, 2025
Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North
1515 North 44th Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85008
https://www.amsat.org/2025-symposium/
Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide
presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites,
and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions,
maker faires, and other events.
For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/
[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for
the above information]
________________________________
AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available
Yes, These are the Real Thing!
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Keytag1D-300x155.jpg]<https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_car_flag-256716714380264543>
Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a Fox-Plus Satellite
Includes First Class Postage (Sorry - U.S. Addresses Only)
Order Today at
https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain<https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain/>
________________________________
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ On June 23, 2025, United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched
its Atlas V rocket carrying Amazonâ€Ös second batch of 27 Project Kuiper
satellites into low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral. This mission,
dubbed Kuiper 2, was the second production batch toward Amazonâ€Ös plan
for a 3,200+ satellite constellation providing global internet service.
The launch followed a previous scrub due to a nitrogen purge issue and
lifted off at 6:54 a.m. EDT (1054 UTC) after a smooth countdown and
favorable weather. Amazon faces an FCC deadline to have half its
first-generation constellation operational by July 2026 and has secured
launches with multiple providers including ULA, SpaceX, Blue Origin,
and Arianespace. With six more Atlas V launches booked and many Vulcan,
Ariane 6, New Glenn, and Falcon 9 flights planned, Amazon aims to
accelerate deployment to meet regulatory requirements. This second
successful launch brings the total number of Kuiper satellites on orbit
to 54, underscoring Amazonâ€Ös push to establish a steady launch cadence.
(ANS thanks Spaceflight Now<https://spaceflightnow.com/> for the above
information)
+ A new study has revealed that the May 2024 Gannon Solar Storm caused
GPS signals to be off by up to 230 feet (70 meters), severely impacting
farmers who lost over $500 million USD due to malfunctioning GPS-guided
machinery during peak planting season. The storm, the most powerful in
20 years, created widespread ionospheric turbulence that distorted GPS
signals for up to two days and produced stunning auroras visible as far
south as Mexico and Spain. Boston University researchers used a network
of fixed GPS receivers originally intended for tectonic studies to
measure the disturbances, uncovering a massive "wall of ionospheric
plasma" that threw off positioning data across North America. This GPS
disruption affected not only agriculture but also aviation, exceeding
the safety margin for altitude precision during landings. Experts warn
that this storm was mild compared to a potential Carrington-level
event, which could cause even more severe global consequences.
Scientists suggest that real-time ionospheric monitoring and AI-based
signal correction could help mitigate such risks in future storms. (ANS
thanks Space.com<https://www.space.com/> for the above information)
+ NASAâ€Ös ESCAPADE mission, originally set to launch on the first flight
of Blue Originâ€Ös New Glenn, is now tentatively scheduled for the
rocketâ€Ös second flight sometime between summer 2025 and spring 2026.
The change was prompted by delays in New Glennâ€Ös development, which
caused ESCAPADE to miss its original October 2024 launch window. NASAâ€Ös
FY 2026 budget proposal confirmed the revised plan, citing a new launch
readiness date in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025. ESCAPADE, a
pair of Mars-bound smallsats, remains committed to New Glenn, despite
no recent updates from Blue Origin on the rocketâ€Ös second launch
timeline. NASA continues to work with Blue Origin to finalize a date,
while still targeting arrival at Mars by September 2027 using a revised
flight path. Though Blue Origin previously suggested a spring launch
and hinted at possible alternate payloads, no firm details have been
released as of yet. (ANS thanks SpaceNews<https://spacenews.com/> for
the above information)
+ Mexico's president has threatened legal action over debris from a
recent SpaceX rocket explosion near the U.S.-Mexico border. President
Sheinbaum said the government is investigating potential violations of
international law due to environmental contamination. The explosion
occurred during a ground test of a SpaceX Starship at its Starbase
facility in Texas, sending a large fireball into the sky. Mexican
officials are now conducting a comprehensive environmental review
focused on the nearby state of Tamaulipas. This comes after the U.S.
FAA approved an increase in annual Starship launches from five to 25,
despite warnings from conservation groups about threats to wildlife.
Sheinbaum emphasized that any resulting lawsuit would be based on
scientific findings and legal analysis. If filed, the lawsuit would
follow another recent case in which Mexico sued Google over the
labeling of the Gulf of Mexico. (ANS thanks Phys.org<https://phys.org/>
for the above information)
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73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
This week's ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ
mahrenstorff [at] amsat.org<https://www.amsat.org>
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