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From: "Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ) via ANS" <ans@amsat.org
Subject: [ANS] ANS-096 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2025 20:08:31 EDT
Reply-To: "Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ)" <mahrenstorff@amsat.org>
To: space@ww
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-096
In this edition:
* Fram2 Mission Blends Polar Orbit, Amateur Radio, and Private Spaceflight
* Spectrum's Fiery Debut Marks Bold First Step for Isar Aerospace
* LuGRE Demonstrates Viability of GPS Navigation on the Moon
* VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standings for April 2025
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for April 4, 2025
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information se
rvice 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 digita
l Amateur Radio satellites.
The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in S
pace 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 Bulletin
s via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postor
ius/lists/ans.amsat.org/
ANS-096 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 Apr 06
________________________________
Fram2 Mission Blends Polar Orbit, Amateur Radio, and Private Spaceflight
SpaceX launched the Fram2 private astronaut mission on Monday, March 31st,
marking a new chapter in commercial spaceflight. The Crew Dragon spacecraft
Resilience carried four private astronauts into a polar orbit-making it th
e first crewed mission to fly directly over both the North and South Poles.
After three and a half days in orbit, the spacecraft splashed down safely
in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Friday, April 4th.
One of the mission's standout features was Fram2Ham, an amateur radio initi
ative led by mission pilot Rabea Rogge (LB9NJ/KD3AID), a robotics researche
r from Germany. On April 1st, just hours after reaching orbit, Rogge conduc
ted the first amateur radio contact ever made from a Crew Dragon spacecraft
. Speaking on 437.550 MHz, she answered questions from students at Technisc
he Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) during a live-streamed session focused
on STEM topics.
The mission also featured slow-scan television (SSTV) transmissions sent by
Rogge using an ICOM IC-705 transceiver. Amateur radio operators around the
world tuned in and successfully decoded images sent from orbit. The images
were submitted to an online gallery maintained by ARISS (Amateur Radio on
the International Space Station), with over 1,100 general entries and more
than 110 from student STEM teams submitted during the mission.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fram2-SpaceX-Dr
agon-Rabea-Rogge-Jannicke-Mikkelsen.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp
-content/uploads/2025/04/Fram2-SpaceX-Dragon-Rabea-Rogge-Jannicke-Mikkelsen
.jpg>
Framonauts Rabea Rogge and Jannicke Mikkelsen pictured inside Crew Dragon R
esilience. [Credit: SpaceX<https://x.com/SpaceX> / Fram2<https://x.com/fram
onauts>]
The Fram2Ham experiment demonstrated that meaningful amateur radio operatio
ns can be carried out from commercial crew vehicles using compact, battery-
powered equipment. ARISS called the effort a breakthrough for ham radio in
human spaceflight, noting that the success of Fram2Ham opens the door to fu
ture communications experiments aboard non-governmental orbital missions an
d commercial space stations.
Fram2 also included operational tests with future exploration goals in mind
. Following splashdown, the astronauts exited the spacecraft without extern
al help to simulate autonomous egress procedures that may be necessary on l
unar or Martian surfaces. The hands-on, self-directed nature of the Fram2Ha
m project paralleled this emphasis on independence, with Rogge managing tra
nsmissions without ground crew assistance.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fram2-Mission-E
arth-View-from-Dragon-Cuploa-1024x541.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/
wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fram2-Mission-Earth-View-from-Dragon-Cuploa.jpg>
The Fram2 crew shared stunning views of Earth from the SpaceX Dragon capsul
e in videos posted on X<https://x.com/>. [Credit: Framonaut Chun Wang<https
://x.com/satofishi>]
The mission saw strong participation from the amateur radio community. The
Live OSCAR Status Page on the AMSAT web site received a record 496 receptio
n reports during the mission, more observations than any other spacecraft i
n a 4-day period since the page's inception. Although several operators att
empted to receive signals during the reentry phase, none succeeded, as the
capsule entered a plasma blackout. Still, engagement across the amateur rad
io world was described as historic.
Fram2 was organized and funded by Chun Wang, a Malta-based cryptocurrency e
ntrepreneur originally from China, who also served as the mission commander
. He was joined by Rogge, Norwegian cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen as v
ehicle commander, and Australian polar explorer Eric Philips as mission spe
cialist and medical officer. The team conducted 22 research experiments in
orbit, including medical imaging, materials testing, and biological studies
.
As the first crewed mission to reach a 90-degree orbital inclination, Fram2
provided rare views of polar auroras and remote Arctic landscapes. For Wan
g, the mission fulfilled a childhood curiosity about the polar regions; for
the broader space community, it demonstrated how private spaceflight can c
ombine scientific research, technical innovation, and public outreach-inclu
ding a successful amateur radio experiment that brought signals from orbit
to Earthbound listeners around the globe.
[ANS thanks SpaceNews<https://spacenews.com/>, ARISS<https://x.com/ARISS_In
tl>, and Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, for the above information]
________________________________
Spectrum's Fiery Debut Marks Bold First Step for Isar Aerospace
The inaugural flight of Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket ended just 40 seco
nds after liftoff on Sunday, March 30th, with the vehicle crashing into the
sea off Norway's Andøya Spaceport. The rocket, intended to be the first
orbital-class launcher developed by a private European company, lost contro
l shortly after takeoff and triggered its flight termination system before
plummeting into the Arctic waters in a fiery explosion.
Isar Aerospace officials acknowledged the failure but emphasized the value
of the flight. "Today, we know twice as much about our launch system as yes
terday before launch," said Daniel Metzler, Isar's co-founder and CEO. The
company released multiple replays of the short flight, including a drone-ca
ptured video, underscoring a level of transparency uncommon in the space la
unch industry. Metzler praised the team's achievement, framing the test as
a crucial step forward in a long-term development process.
The Spectrum rocket lifted off at 1030 UTC, generating over 150,000 pounds
of thrust from its nine engines fueled by liquid propane and liquid oxygen.
Trouble emerged about 15 seconds into the flight as the rocket began to os
cillate and tumble, eventually flipping upside-down. With the rocket's prop
ellant tanks still nearly full, its impact created a massive fireball visib
le from the snowy Andøya landscape. No injuries were reported, and the la
unch pad remained intact.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Isar-Aerospace-
Spectrum-Initial-Launch-Attempt-1024x576.png]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpre
ss/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Isar-Aerospace-Spectrum-Initial-Launch-Attemp
t.png>
Isar Aerospace's first Spectrum rocket climbs away from Andøya Spaceport
in Norway. [Credit: Isar Aerospace<https://isaraerospace.com/>/NASASpacefli
ght.com<https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/>]
The mission carried no commercial payload, a deliberate decision given the
anticipated risk. The goal was to gather performance data during Spectrum's
first powered flight. Officials at Isar Aerospace had long signaled that r
eaching orbit on the first attempt was unlikely. By preserving the launch s
ite and capturing valuable telemetry, the company achieved what it describe
d as a successful test despite the dramatic conclusion.
Founded in 2018, Isar Aerospace has raised over 400 million euros in privat
e and institutional funding, making it the most well-capitalized among Euro
pe's emerging private launch companies. Supporters include the European Spa
ce Agency, Germany's government, and the NATO Innovation Fund. ESA director
general Josef Aschbacher praised the flight as a vital learning opportunit
y, while German vice chancellor Robert Habeck hailed the launch as evidence
of Europe's growing technological independence.
Isar is already building its next two rockets and plans to iterate quickly,
following a strategy modeled after SpaceX's fast-paced test-and-repair cyc
le. While the loss of the first Spectrum rocket marks a setback, company of
ficials maintain that success lies not in perfection but in progress. "We'r
e super happy," Metzler said. "Now it's time to analyze all data, learn, it
erate, and be back on the launch pad as soon as possible."
"We're super happy," Metzler said in a press call after Sunday's flight. "I
t's a time for people to be proud of, and for Europe, frankly, also to be p
roud of."
[ANS thanks the Stephen Clark, Ars Technica<https://arstechnica.com/>, for
the above information]
________________________________
The 2025 AMSAT President's 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 Presi
dent's Club today!
________________________________
LuGRE Demonstrates Viability of GPS Navigation on the Moon
NASA and the Italian Space Agency have achieved a historic milestone with t
he successful conclusion of the Blue Ghost mission, which delivered the Lun
ar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) to the Moon. LuGRE became the first tec
hnology demonstration to acquire and track Earth-based navigation signals f
rom the lunar surface, proving that Global Navigation Satellite System (GNS
S) signals-including GPS and Galileo-can be used to support autonomous navi
gation on the Moon.
The ability to receive and process GNSS signals approximately 225,000 miles
from Earth opens new possibilities for future lunar and deep space mission
s. By reducing reliance on Earth-based tracking, missions like NASA's Artem
is program could benefit from real-time, onboard navigation systems similar
to those used on Earth.
LuGRE was delivered by Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander, which touched
down on the Moon on March 2nd. Science operations began shortly after land
ing, and by 2 a.m. EST on March 3rd, the LuGRE payload had successfully acq
uired and tracked GNSS signals from the Moon's surface, achieving a navigat
ion fix and marking a first in space exploration.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NASA-Succesfull
y-Aquires-GNSS-on-Moon-1024x576.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-con
tent/uploads/2025/04/NASA-Succesfully-Aquires-GNSS-on-Moon.jpg>
Artist's illustration of the three main GNSS records set by the LuGRE paylo
ad on Blue Ghost. [Credit: NASA<https://www.nasa.gov/>/Dave Ryan]
The Blue Ghost mission operated for 14 days, completing its objectives befo
re the onset of lunar night. During that time, LuGRE functioned in near-con
tinuous mode, gathering valuable data and demonstrating the viability of GN
SS-based navigation on the Moon. The mission also marked a milestone for th
e Italian Space Agency, as LuGRE was its first hardware to operate successf
ully on the lunar surface.
In addition to its surface accomplishments, LuGRE set multiple records duri
ng its journey. On January 21st, it acquired GNSS signals at a record-break
ing altitude of 209,900 miles from Earth-surpassing the previous high set b
y NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission. The payload later received sign
als from 243,000 miles away in lunar orbit on February 20th, confirming tha
t GNSS signals can be used not only on the Moon but throughout cislunar spa
ce.
LuGRE was developed through a partnership involving NASA's Goddard Space Fl
ight Center, the Italian Space Agency, Italian industry partner Qascom, and
Politecnico di Torino. The mission's success demonstrates the growing pote
ntial of Earth-based navigation systems to support autonomous space explora
tion well beyond Earth orbit.
[ANS thanks the Katherine Schauer, NASA<https://www.nasa.gov/>, for the abo
ve information]
________________________________
VUCC & DXCC Satellite Standings for April 2025
VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for March 01, 2025 to April
01, 2025
Callsign
03/01/2025
04/01/2025
K8DP
1737
1738
W8LR
897
900
E70A
504
796
WD9EWK (DM43)
737
774
IK7FMQ
651
701
F6EQD
420
629
KO9A
524
545
JE1LFX
216
506
JI5USJ
425
450
N4QWF
325
336
WD9EWK (DM23)
200
207
WD9EWK (DM31)
200
206
VK3EHG
New
130
KB4YKC
New
100
KT8O
New
100
KT8O is first VUCC Satellite holder from EN71. Congratulations to the new V
UCC Satellite holders!
DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for March 01, 2025 to April
01, 2025
Callsign
03/01/2025
04/01/2025
DL2GRC
160
184
I3BUI
167
169
ZS1LS
160
168
AB9V
156
158
HB9RYZ
155
157
PE1L
151
154
EA6VQ
147
151
PA7RA
144
147
YO2RR
142
145
SP3AU
140
144
HB9GWJ
137
141
K8DP
125
129
E70A
New
125
CU3AN
115
120
IK8YSS
New
111
G4BWP
105
110
JJ1BMB
101
110
EA3BS
New
106
SV1HEP
New
106
SV1HEP is first DXCC Satellite holder from KM18. Congratulations to the new
DXCC Satellite holders!
[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, 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 April 4, 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 u
pdates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin fi
les 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 elem
ent sets, AMSAT is adopting the convention of listing the USSF/NORAD Satell
ite Catalog name first, followed by any secondary name or names in parenthe
ses. 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 AR
PIT" 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.
The following satellites have been added to this week's AMSAT TLE distribut
ion:
JINJUSat 1B NORAD Cat ID 63210 Downlink 435.185 MHz
NUSHSAT 1 NORAD Cat ID 63211 Downlink 436.200 MHz
DRAGON Fram2 NORAD Cat ID 63427 Downlink 437.550 MHz
Please note that the elements provided for "DRAGON Fram2" are provided by t
he US Space Force, while "Fram2Ham" are derived from state vectors provided
by SpaceX and converted to TLE by ARISS. AMSAT TLE for "Fram2Ham" continue
to use the provisional object number 90000. There is no practical differen
ce between the element sets for Amateur Radio use. Hats off to SpaceX for a
precision orbital injection, the inclination of this polar orbit is 90.00
degrees.
[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 amat
eurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts
and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink freque
ncy on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.
+ Recently Completed
Sayama Technical High School, Sayama, Japan, direct via JA1YUT
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Takaya Onishi KF5LKS
The ARISS mentor was 7M3TJZ
Contact was successful: 2025-04-02 09:07:21 UTC
Watch the Livestream at: https://space.sayama.jp/
Congratulations to the Sayama Technical High School students!
Université de Namur, Namur, Belgium, telebridge via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Don Pettit KD5MDT
The ARISS mentor was ON6TI
Contact was successful: 2025-04-02 15:11:17 UTC
Watch the Livestream at: https://www.youtube.com/live/MGHDLglTDAs
Congratulations to the Université de Namur students!
City of St. Petersburg School, St. Petersburg, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember was Aleksey Ovchinin
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful: 2025-04-03 12:45 UTC
Congratulations to the City of St. Petersburg School students!
Ufa City School, Ufa, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember was Ivan Vagner
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful: 2025-04-04 10:25 UTC
Congratulations to the Ufa City School students!
+ Upcoming Contacts
Lyceum No. 23 of Kaliningrad City, Kaliningrad, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is TBD
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for Mon 2025-04-07 11:10 UTC
Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or r
un 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://l
ive.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.
ARISS outage upcoming on Monday/Tuesday. ARISS radios on the International
Space Station will power off in support of Soyuz docking.
Schedule: Radios turned off Monday April 07 about 16:45 UTC | 12:45 PM ET /
Radios back on Tuesday April 08 about 16:45 UTC | 12:45 PM ET.
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 pi
ck up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeat
er. 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 orb
ital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.
The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ar
iss.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 f
or the above information]
________________________________
Upcoming Satellite Operations
None currently posted.
A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their
grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you g
ain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsibl
e for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability
to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a giv
en pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes th
at are accessible from your location.
[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM<https://x.com/k5zm_>, AMSAT rover page manage
r, 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 Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, reports:
I will be giving a couple of local presentations on getting started with sa
tellites in the Dallas/Fort Worth Texas area this month.
Thursday, April 10th, by Zoom to the Metrocrest Amateur Radio Society (MARS
), at 7PM. More information on their meetings can be found at https://www.k
b5a.org/ .
Monday, April 28th, 7PM for the Denton County Amateur Radio Association (DC
ARA), In-person presentation. Details on the calendar at https://dcara.net/
club-calendar/ .
Also, I do want to remind AMSAT members in the Metroplex, that we run two A
MSAT nets weekly. DFW AMSAT-East on Tuesdays at 8PM CT (Except for the firs
t Tuesday) on the 146.88 W5FC Dallas Amateur Radio Club repeater, PL 110.9.
Also available on Echolink W5FC-R, node 37247 and on Allstar, search W5FC
node 555178.
Every Wednesday night at 9PM CT, on the Arlington Amateur Radio Club K5SLD
147.14 for DFW AMSAT-West.
Hope you can make one of these presentations, or join in on the nets, espec
ially if you live in the area.
Brainerd MN Area Hamfest - April 12th, 2025
Brainerd National Guard Armory
1115 Wright Street
Brainerd, MN 56401
https://brainerdham.org/
AD0HJ, KE0PBR
Dayton Hamvention - May 16th thru 18th, 2025
Greene County Fair and Expo Center
210 Fairground Road
Xenia, OH 45385
https://hamvention.org/
[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL<https://x.com/kyharleyfan>, Director - AMSAT A
mbassador 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-300x15
5.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-key
chain<https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain/>
________________________________
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Didn't get enough SSTV last week? The International Space Station will be
transmitting special Slow Scan Television (SSTV) images to celebrate Cosmo
nautics Day, which honors Yuri Gagarin's historic first spaceflight on Apri
l 12, 1961. The SSTV event is organized by ARISS (Amateur Radio on the Inte
rnational Space Station) and will run from April 11 through the weekend. A
total of 12 images will be broadcast in PD120 mode on the standard downlink
frequency of 145.800 MHz FM. Enthusiasts around the world can receive thes
e images using a VHF radio or SDR, along with SSTV decoding software such a
s MMSSTV, RX-SSTV, or Robot36. This is a great opportunity for amateur radi
o operators and space fans alike to collect commemorative images directly f
rom orbit. Be sure to check ISS pass times for your location so you don't m
iss the transmissions. (ANS thanks ARISS<https://x.com/ARISS_Intl> for the
above information)
+ NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov
and Alexey Zubritsky, will launch aboard the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft to the
International Space Station on Tuesday, April 8th, at 05:47 UTC from the B
aikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After a three-hour, two-orbit journey, th
ey are scheduled to dock at the station's Prichal module at approximately 0
9:03 UTC and join the Expedition 72/73 crew. This marks the first spaceflig
ht for Kim and Zubritsky, and the third for Ryzhikov, with the mission last
ing about eight months. They will work alongside international astronauts a
nd cosmonauts to advance scientific research aboard the ISS. NASA will prov
ide live coverage of the launch, docking, and hatch opening events on NASA+
, including hatch opening at approximately 11:20 UTC. This mission continue
s the ISS's legacy as a vital platform for long-duration spaceflight resear
ch, supporting NASA's broader goals, including the Artemis campaign and fut
ure missions to Mars. (ANS thanks NASA<https://www.nasa.gov/> for the above
information)
+ On March 22, 2025, a team of amateur radio astronomers used the historic
Dwingeloo telescope to successfully bounce a radio signal off Venus and rec
eive its echo, marking only the second amateur Earth-Venus-Earth (EVE) boun
ce ever achieved. The first amateur EVE was accomplished in 2009 by AMSAT-D
L using the 20-meter radio telescope at the Bochum Observatory. During this
recent experiment, Venus was at its closest approach to Earth-about 42 mil
lion kilometers away-allowing for a 280-second round-trip signal travel tim
e. The team transmitted a 278-second tone at 1299.5 MHz and repeated the cy
cle four times, with both Dwingeloo and the more sensitive Stockert telesco
pe successfully receiving the echoes. Signal analysis, including Doppler co
rrections and frequency binning, showed detections with up to 9.2 sigma sig
nificance when combining data from both sites. Although a transmitter issue
cut short plans for more complex signal testing, the team looks forward to
continuing the experiment during the next Venus conjunction in October 202
6, with support from organizations like the Deep Space Exploration Society,
Open Research Institute, and many dedicated volunteers. (ANS thanks Dwinge
loo Radio Telescope (CAMRAS)<https://www.camras.nl/en/> for the above infor
mation)
+ NASA's Parker Solar Probe has completed its second daring flyby of the su
n, coming within 3.8 million miles of its surface at speeds nearing 430,000
mph, while collecting valuable data on solar wind and the sun's corona. Th
e spacecraft operated autonomously during the approach, using four speciali
zed instruments to study the sun's outer atmosphere. This mission marks ano
ther historic milestone in solar science, as Parker continues to rewrite wh
at we know about our star and helps scientists better predict space weather
. The spacecraft's extreme performance is made possible by cutting-edge tec
hnologies, including a heat shield, self-cooling solar arrays, and autonomo
us systems. In recognition of these innovations, the Parker Solar Probe tea
m-comprising NASA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, and over 40 partn
ers-was awarded the prestigious 2024 Robert J. Collier Trophy. Launched in
2018 and managed under NASA's Living With a Star program, the probe is expe
cted to make another close approach in June, continuing its groundbreaking
journey into uncharted solar territory. (ANS thanks Space.com<https://www.s
pace.com/> for the above information)
+ NASA and Boeing are working together to prepare the CST-100 Starliner spa
cecraft for its next crewed flight, which is expected in late 2025 or early
2026. This follows the spacecraft's first crewed mission, which experience
d a propulsion system failure that extended an eight-day mission to a nine-
month stay for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who later return
ed via SpaceX's Dragon capsule. In response, teams are conducting extensive
testing and analysis, including propulsion system evaluations at White San
ds Test Facility to address overheating issues and helium leaks. Over 70% o
f the anomalies from the previous mission have been resolved, but major pro
pulsion issues remain under review into 2025. Boeing's ongoing work on Star
liner, which has cost over $2 billion, is part of NASA's broader strategy t
o maintain flexible and safe access to space through commercial partnership
s. If testing proceeds as planned, Starliner's next mission could support e
ither crew or cargo transport to the International Space Station. (ANS than
ks Reuters<https://www.reuters.com/> and NASA<https://www.nasa.gov/> for th
e above information)
________________________________
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p information.
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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