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From: I0OJJ @ I0OJJ.ITA.EU (Gustavo)
To: AMSAT @ WW
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From: "Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ) via ANS" <ans@amsat.org
Subject: [ANS] ANS-152 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2025 20:11:31 EDT
Reply-To: "Mitch Ahrenstorff (AD0HJ)" <mahrenstorff@amsat.org>
To: space@ww
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-152
In this edition:
* Welcome SO-125! AMSAT-EA¡¯s HADES-ICM Joins the OSCAR Fleet
* Your Voice, Your Board: Nominate Now for 2025 AMSAT Election
* Another Batch of CubeSatSim Kits Available Soon in AMSAT Store
* SpaceX Starship Ninth Flight Yields Data, Misses Reentry Goals
* Japanese Private Lander Resilience Nears Lunar Touchdown
* GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers June 2025 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 30, 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-152 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 01
________________________________
Welcome SO-125! AMSAT-EA¡¯s HADES-ICM Joins the OSCAR Fleet
AMSAT-EA¡¯s HADES-ICM satellite, a 1.5U PocketQube carrying an
SDR-based FM and digital repeater payload for amateur radio use, was
launched on March 14, 2025, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket during SpaceX¡¯s
Transporter-13 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Following deployment from the ION-SCV-017 Orbital Transfer Vehicle
(OTV) on March 31, the satellite has been undergoing commissioning. The
FM repeater is expected to be activated in June-initially on weekends,
with plans to eventually transition to full-time (24/7) operation, as
is currently the case with AMSAT-EA¡¯s earlier HADES-R mission.
HADES-ICM also hosts an experimental payload from the University of
Manchester¡¯s Smart IR/Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC),
designed to test a very low-power active radiator under space
conditions. Data from this experiment will be publicly transmitted via
telemetry packets.
The satellite carries an FM and digital repeater payload, built on an
improved SDR-based platform capable of transmitting up to 0.25W when
battery conditions allow. This makes it accessible to stations using
handheld antennas like the Arrow antenna. The coordinated uplink
frequency is 145.875 MHz, and the downlink is 436.666 MHz. The repeater
operates with an open squelch and does not require a subtone. The
satellite has been cataloged with NORAD ID 63492.
At the request of AMSAT-EA, AMSAT hereby designates HADES-ICM as SO-125
(Spain-OSCAR 125). We congratulate AMSAT-EA, thank them for their
continued contributions to the amateur satellite community, and wish
them success with this and future missions!
[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA<https://x.com/glasbrenner>, AMSAT
VP Operations / OSCAR Number Administrator for the above information]
________________________________
Your Voice, Your Board: Nominate Now for 2025 AMSAT Election
AMSAT has officially opened the nomination period for its 2025 Board of
Directors election, which will take place during the third quarter of
the year.
Four director positions are set to expire in 2025. The current board
members whose seats are up for election are:
* Barry Baines, WD4ASW
* Jerry Buxton, N0JY
* Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
* Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO
In addition to these four full Director roles, up to two Alternate
Directors may also be elected to serve one-year terms.
To nominate a candidate, a written submission is required. Nominations
must include the nominee¡¯s name, call sign, and contact information,
along with the same details for either five AMSAT members in good
standing or one Member Society endorsing the candidate.
Nominations should be directed to the AMSAT Secretary:
Douglas Tabor, N6UA
1133 Verlan Way
Cheyenne, WY 82009
Per AMSAT¡¯s bylaws, all nominations must follow the format specified
by the Secretary. Doug Tabor has indicated that nominations will be
accepted in both hard copy (via postal mail) and digital formats
(including email or scanned documents). However, fax submissions are
not permitted.
Email nominations should be sent to: dtabor [at] amsat [dot] org
All nomination petitions must be received by the Secretary no later
than June 15th. After the submission deadline, the Secretary will
confirm the eligibility of each candidate and the supporting members or
societies, with final notification to candidates provided by the end of
June.
[ANS thanks Doug Tabor, N6UA<https://x.com/dtabor>, AMSAT Secretary,
for the above information]
________________________________
Another Batch of CubeSatSim Kits Available Soon in AMSAT Store
A new batch of CubeSatSim Kits will be available for purchase in the
AMSAT Store (https://www.amsat.org/product/cubesatsim-kit) on Thursday,
June 5th, at 7 pm US Eastern time. Priced at $550 with shipping
included for U.S. addresses, the CubeSatSim Kit offers a hands-on
learning experience with no soldering and some assembly, making it
ideal for both educational use and public demonstrations.
The CubeSatSim Kit includes:
* Fully assembled and tested PCBs (Main, Solar, and Battery Boards)
* Raspberry Pi Zero 2 with a Pi Camera and fully programmed micro-SD
card, along with a fully programmed Raspberry Pi Pico WH
* AMSAT logo Remove Before Flight tag switch
* 3D printed frame, nylon screws, and nuts, with a mini screwdriver
included for assembly
* Metal standoffs, stacking headers, and JST jumpers for stacking the
PCBs and Pi Zero 2
* 10 solar panels with pre-soldered JST connectors and mounting tape
* BME280 sensor (pressure, temperature, altitude, humidity) and
MPU6050IMU/gyro pre-soldered
* Two 6¡È SMA coax cables and two SMA antennas
The kit also comes with an instruction sheet, parts inventory, and
links to online instructions. Assembly time is estimated to be under
two hours, with scissors and the provided mini screwdriver.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/CubeSatSim-KitKit-Parts-with-Labels.png]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/CubeSatSim-KitKit-Parts-with-Labels.png>
Limited quantities of the CubeSatSim Kit will soon be available for
purchase from the AMSAT Store. [Credit: Alan Johnston, KU2Y]
The v2.0 CubeSatSim features improvements over v1.2, such as an FM
transceiver, Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller, and RF command and control
using DTMF or APRS packets. It can also be modified to function as a 500mW
high altitude balloon payload.
For those interested in creating their own CubeSatSim, v2.0 blank PCB
sets are available at the AMSAT Store for $35. These require additional
components, which can be purchased for approximately $400 using the
provided Bill of Materials.
Additional resources include:
* Kit Instructions https://cubesatsim.org/kit
* Kit Videos https://cubesatsim.org/kit-videos
* Discussion Forum
https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/discussions
* Quick Start Guide https://cubesatsim.org/qsg
For more information or to borrow a loaner CubeSat Simulator, contact
Alan Johnston, AMSAT VP Educational Relations, at ku2y [at]
arrl.net<http://arrl.net>.
How to Order Kits will be sold exclusively on the AMSAT Store website.
Only U.S. shipping addresses are eligible; orders with non-U.S.
addresses will be refunded and closed.
About CubeSatSim
CubeSatSim is a low-cost satellite emulator powered by solar panels and
batteries. It transmits UHF radio telemetry and can be expanded with
additional sensors and modules, making it ideal for educational and public
demonstrations.
[ANS thanks Alan Johnston, KU2Y, AMSAT Vice President Educational
Relations for the above information]
________________________________
SpaceX Starship Ninth Flight Yields Data, Misses Reentry Goals
SpaceX achieved partial success Tuesday with the ninth test flight of
its massive Starship rocket, overcoming prior engine shutdown problems
but discovering new issues during the vehicle¡¯s return from space.
Launched from the company¡¯s Starbase facility in South Texas, the
rocket reached space and achieved full engine cutoff for the first time
using its current Block 2 design. However, the upper stage lost control
during coast and reentry phases, tumbling and eventually disintegrating
over the Indian Ocean.
The early stages of the mission went according to plan. All 33 Raptor
engines on the Super Heavy booster ignited successfully, pushing the
rocket skyward with twice the thrust of the Saturn V. After separation,
the Starship upper stage ignited its own engines and reached a
near-orbital trajectory. Elon Musk confirmed on X that the main engines
completed their full burn and that the heat shield tiles remained
intact during ascent-both major improvements over previous tests.
But soon after engine cutoff, SpaceX aborted a planned payload door
test to deploy simulated Starlink satellites when the door failed to
open. Minutes later, engineers reported a loss of tank pressure in the
Starship¡¯s attitude control system, causing the rocket to enter a slow
spin. This compromised SpaceX¡¯s ability to restart an engine for
orbital maneuvering and made a controlled reentry impossible,
eliminating the opportunity to gather key data on new heat shield tile
configurations.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SpaceX-Starship-Flight-9-Liftoff-1024x576.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SpaceX-Starship-Flight-9-Liftoff.jpg>
Starship Flight 9, a megarocket as tall as a 38-story building, lifts
off from Starbase, Texas. [Credit: SpaceX<https://x.com/SpaceX> /
X<https://x.com/>]
The mission ended with the vehicle tumbling into the atmosphere and
breaking apart during reentry. Despite the premature conclusion, SpaceX
officials noted that they collected valuable data on a number of new
systems. The company has been working to improve the durability of heat
shield tiles, which are critical to the Starship¡¯s goal of rapid
reuse. Tuesday¡¯s flight included multiple experimental tile designs
and attachment methods that engineers are eager to analyze, even with
the limited reentry data available.
There was also progress on the Super Heavy booster. For the first time,
SpaceX reused a booster from a previous flight, testing modifications
aimed at improving fuel efficiency and failure recovery during landing
burns. Although the booster exploded near the end of its descent rather
than splashing down intact, it flew well through much of its return.
SpaceX believes data from this flight will inform future attempts to
catch returning boosters with launch pad arms.
The latest setback underscores the challenge of developing a fully
reusable heavy-lift rocket capable of missions to the Moon and Mars.
SpaceX began 2025 with ambitious goals for up to 25 test flights, but
that timeline now appears unlikely. However, Musk indicated that the
next three Starships could launch within weeks of each other.
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing the flight,
and engineers are analyzing telemetry to confirm whether new issues or
previously known problems led to the vehicle¡¯s demise. As SpaceX
prepares for its next test, company officials remain cautiously
optimistic.
Read the full article at:
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/spacex-may-have-solved-one-problem-only-to-find-more-on-latest-starship-flight/
[ANS thanks the Stephen Clark<https://x.com/StephenClark1>, 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
President¡¯s Club today!
________________________________
Japanese Private Lander Resilience Nears Lunar Touchdown
Japan¡¯s ispace is aiming for a June 5 landing attempt with its
Resilience lunar lander, now orbiting the moon. The spacecraft is
targeting Mare Frigoris, a volcanic plain in the moon¡¯s northern
hemisphere. If the landing succeeds, it would mark the first moon
touchdown by a private Japanese company and only the second lunar
landing for Japan overall.
Resilience launched on January 15 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket,
sharing the ride with Firefly Aerospace¡¯s Blue Ghost lander. Blue
Ghost landed successfully on March 2, while Resilience took a longer,
energy-efficient route to the moon, entering orbit on May 6. The
mission follows ispace¡¯s earlier attempt in 2023, which failed during
descent after the lander misjudged the rim of a crater.
On May 22, ispace released a photo taken by Resilience showing the
moon¡¯s south polar region. The image, posted on social media, reveals
a rugged cratered surface and drew attention for an optical illusion in
which the craters can appear as raised bumps. While Resilience will
land far from the south pole, the photo demonstrated the spacecraft¡¯s
ability to capture detailed lunar imagery.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ispace-Resilience-Moon-Photo-1024x750.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ispace-Resilience-Moon-Photo-scaled.jpg>
Resilience captured a photo of the lunar south pole from orbit ahead of
its scheduled June 5 landing. [Credit:
ispace<https://x.com/ispace_inc>]
The mission carries five payloads, including a small rover named
Tenacious developed by ispace¡¯s European division. The rover is tasked
with collecting lunar soil under a NASA contract awarded in 2020. It
also carries a small artwork titled Moonhouse, created by Swedish
artist Mikael Genberg and mounted to the rover¡¯s front bumper.
Resilience joins a growing list of privately developed missions
targeting the lunar surface. It follows earlier commercial efforts like
Firefly¡¯s Blue Ghost and Intuitive Machines¡¯ Odysseus, which landed
in early 2024. These missions contribute to broader scientific and
technical goals for lunar exploration.
In addition to demonstrating landing capabilities, Resilience will test
technologies designed for future ispace missions, including navigation,
communications, and thermal control systems. Data from the lander and
its payloads will inform development of ispace¡¯s next-generation
landers, which are intended for satellite servicing and lunar cargo
delivery.
Read the full article at:
https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/private-japanese-moon-probe-snaps-photo-of-lunar-south-pole-ahead-of-june-5-landing
[ANS thanks the Mike Wall<https://x.com/MichaelDWall>,
Space.com<https://www.space.com/>, for the above information]
________________________________
GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers June 2025 Rankings
The June 2025 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in
satellite operations, as determined by
@GridMasterMap<https://x.com/GridMasterMap> on Twitter, has been
released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC
entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a
minimum number of QSOs logged on the
gridmaster.fr<https://gridmaster.fr/> website have been validated by a
third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of
activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW
satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr<https://gridmaster.fr/> in
order to provide more accurate data.
Updated: 2025-05-30
1 ND9M 26 KX9X 51 EB1AO 76 N4UFO 2 NJ7H 27 ON4AUC 52 AC0RA 77 PT2AP 3
JA9KRO 28 KG5CCI 53 W7WGC 78 AA8CH 4 UT1FG 29 N5BO 54 XE1ET 79 PT9BM 5
N5UC 30 K8BL 55 N6DNM 80 VE1VOX 6 DL6AP 31 KE4AL 56 EA4NF 81 FG8OJ 7
OE3SEU 32 KB5FHK 57 SM3NRY 82 YU0W 8 DP0POL 33 PA3GAN 58 DF2ET 83 N6UTC
9 F5VMJ 34 F4BKV 59 LU4JVE 84 AF5CC 10 K5ZM 35 VE3HLS 60 AA5PK 85
KI7UXT 11 WI7P 36 KI0KB 61 KI7QEK 86 JM1CAX 12 LU5ILA 37 JO2ASQ 62
SP5XSD 87 KJ7NDY 13 N6UA 38 KI7UNJ 63 F4DXV 88 PS8BR 14 HA3FOK 39
LA9XGA 64 DL4EA 89 N4DCW 15 N9IP 40 BA1PK 65 AD7DB 90 WA9JBQ 16 WY7AA
41 VA3VGR 66 VE1CWJ 91 KB2YSI 17 W5PFG 42 N7AGF 67 KE9AJ 92 K0FFY 18
AK8CW 43 VK5DG 68 BG7QIW 93 VE3GOP 19 DL2GRC 44 XE3DX 69 N8RO 94 N0TEL
20 AD0DX 45 JL3RNZ 70 VA7LM 95 KG4AKV 21 N4AKV 46 PR8KW 71 W8LR 96
DK9JC 22 AD0HJ 47 KE0WPA 72 KM4LAO 97 W8MTB 23 WD9EWK 48 KE0PBR 73
M1DDD 98 CU2ZG 24 ND0C 49 K7TAB 74 W1AW 99 K6VHF 25 DJ8MS 50 JK2XXK 75
HB9GWJ 100 VE7PTN
[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap<https://x.com/GridMasterMap> 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 May 30, 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.
+ Recently Completed
Royal Moroccan Air Academy, Marrakech, Morocco, direct via CN8ERA
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Nichole Ayers KJ5GWI
The ARISS mentor was IN3GHZ
Contact was successful: Wed 2025-05-28 12:55:36 UTC
Yonezawa 5th Junior High School, Yonezawa, Japan, direct via 8N7Y5JH
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Takaya Onishi KF5LKS
The ARISS mentor was 7M3TJZ
Contact was successful: Thu 2025-05-29 09:23:02 UTC
Watch the livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/sxpw07oNZSg
Atkarsk, Saratov region, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign was RS¨ªISS
The scheduled crewmember was Sergey Ryzhikov
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful: Thu 2025-05-29 13:55 UTC
Starominskiy District, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign was RS¨ªISS
The scheduled crewmember was Kirill Peskov
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful: Sat 2025-05-31 10:35 UTC
+ Upcoming Contacts
Technical University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, direct via EI1ISS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Takaya Onishi KF5LKS
The ARISS mentor is EI8BP
Contact is go for: Wed 2025-06-04 12:07:37 UTC
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)!¡±
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
Rochester Amateur Radio Association Hamfest 2025 - June 21st, 2025
Barnard Fire Department Park
410 Maiden Lane
Rochester, NY 14616
KB2YSI
https://rochesterham.org/hamfest.htm
Greater Louisville Hamfest - September 6th, 2025
Paroquet Springs Conference Centre
395 Paroquet Springs Drive
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
W4FCL
https://louisvillehamfest.wixsite.com/louisvillehamfest
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
+ Congratulations are in order for John, AB5SS, who has earned
GridMaster Award #72 for completing satellite contacts in all 488
Maidenhead grid squares across the contiguous United States. The
GridMaster Award is one of the highest honors in amateur satellite
operations, recognizing exceptional dedication and achievement. First
created by the Star Comm Group in 2014 and supported by Damon Runion,
WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, the award is now managed by AMSAT for
the benefit of the entire community. To date, only a small number of
operators have reached this milestone, highlighting the rarity and
significance of the accomplishment. Earning GridMaster status requires
years of persistence, careful tracking, and often the support of
skilled satellite rovers. More information on the GridMaster Award,
including how to apply, is available at
https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/. (ANS thanks Bruce Paige,
KK5DO<https://x.com/kk5do>, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for
the above information)
+ Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, is featured in the June 2025 QST ¡°Member
Spotlight¡± for his outstanding contributions to amateur radio
satellite operations and AMSAT. A lifelong space enthusiast, Tom was
encouraged by the late Keith Pugh, W5IU (SK), to explore satellites and
began operating in 2010 using an Icom IC-W32A and Arrow Antenna. He
quickly became hooked and joined AMSAT, later serving as an AMSAT
Ambassador, giving presentations at clubs, hamfests, and virtual events
like the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. Tom also hosts two AMSAT-focused
nets in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, helping build local interest in
satellite communications. One of his proudest moments was a spontaneous
QSO with astronaut Woody Hoburg, KB3HTZ, aboard the ISS in 2023. His
passion and outreach have made him a key figure in promoting AMSAT and
inspiring others to discover the excitement of working satellites. (ANS
thanks Barry Baines, WD4ASW, AMSAT Board of Directors, for the above
information)
+ The European Space Agency¡¯s ACES mission has launched the most
precise atomic clock ever sent to space, with the goal of improving how
we measure elevation on Earth. This effort addresses real-world issues
like the infamous misalignment of a German-Swiss bridge caused by
differing sea level baselines. ACES was installed on the International
Space Station¡¯s Columbus module on April 25, 2025, using the
station¡¯s robotic arm. By linking ACES to the most accurate
ground-based clocks, scientists can compare how time ticks across the
planet-since time passes more slowly in stronger gravity, this allows
geodesists to map Earth¡¯s gravitational field with centimeter-level
precision. The clock network will eventually make elevation
measurements more accurate worldwide, including in poorly surveyed
regions like Africa and South America. Though ACES is just a first
step, it paves the way for a future system of even more precise
space-based clocks that could revolutionize infrastructure planning,
sea level monitoring, and geophysical research. (ANS thanks Sophia
Chen<https://x.com/sophurky>, MIT Technology
Review<https://www.technologyreview.com/>, for the above information)
+ Starfish Space is preparing to launch its second mission, Otter Pup
2, on SpaceX¡¯s upcoming Transporter-14 rideshare flight, where it will
attempt to dock with a D-Orbit ION satellite already aboard the same
launch. Unlike traditional spacecraft, Otter Pup 2 uses an
electrostatic capture mechanism, allowing it to dock with unmodified
satellites by attaching to flat panels. The mission aims to demonstrate
rendezvous and docking technologies that will support future servicing
missions, such as life extension and orbital debris inspection, for
both commercial and government clients. A similar effort in 2023 failed
due to a malfunction in the launch partner's vehicle, though Otter Pup
was still able to approach a different target. This mission will more
realistically simulate the challenges of space servicing, with Otter
Pup 2 traveling long distances before performing proximity operations
and multiple dockings. Starfish hopes to prove that its technology is
safe, flexible, and viable, building confidence in satellite servicing
amid growing demand and regulatory interest. (ANS thanks Jeff
Foust<https://x.com/jeff_foust>, SpaceNews<https://spacenews.com/>, for
the above information)
________________________________
Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:
* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
* Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at
one-half the standard yearly rate.
* Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half-time status
shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6
post-secondary years in this status.
* Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.
Contact info [at] amsat.org<https://www.amsat.org> for additional
membership information.
73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
This week's ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, AD¨ªHJ
mahrenstorff [at] amsat.org<https://www.amsat.org>
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