The ARRL Foundation has granted an additional $2000 toward the cost of constructing and installing Amateur Radio antennas and equipment on the International Space Station's Columbus module, set to launch later this year. Columbus will house an additional Amateur Radio station, including the first digital Amateur Radio TV (DATV) station in space as well as a ham radio transponder. Funding to finish and install ham radio antennas on the European Space Agency (ESA)-built laboratory module has been uncertain, however. Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Vice Chairman Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, says donations from various sources covered a payment of 9000 Euros (approximately $12,000) in March. A second payment is due this fall. The ARRL Foundation earlier contributed $5000 to the project. Other donations have come from AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-UK, among other organizations, as well as from many individual donors. The yet-to-be-built Columbus Amateur Radio gear will make it possible for ARISS to establish wideband and video operations for the first time and allow continuous transponder operation. AMSAT-Belgium has set up a bank account to receive additional donations for the Columbus project. Details are on the ARISS-EU Columbus Web page (if you have a PayPal account you can easily make a donation by clicking the "Donate" button in the left column).

Houston had an 84 degree pass tonight. Nojoy. **sigh** Maybe next time?

Space Day 2007 at the National Air and Space Museum
Saturday, May 05 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Throughout the National Mall building
Admission: Free

Space Day 2007 will be another action-packed day of astronaut appearances, hands-on activities, book signings, tours, and special stories for children, all surrounded by the world's most famous space artifacts.

Especially exciting will be a sneak peek at the much-anticipated successor to the space shuttle, the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. This Lockheed Martin-designed spacecraft of the future will be on view in the shadow of one of the most historic spacecraft of the past - the Apollo 11 command module, Columbia.

Hi I'm new to the club, only joined today. Just wanted to share my experience with everyone. Last Night at around 9pm I went out to our back garden and looked up at the sky to see if any stars were visible yet.
My breath was taken away at the sight of what looked like a huge star, I knew it couldnt be Sirius, it was too big.. I went to get my husband who, upon seeing the bright object in the sky, was convinced it was the International Space Station.
He went on the web to visit a tracking site he'd found a while ago. When he saw the position of The I.S.S. he knew, that the bright star was definatelt the I.S.S.

ARISS bridge contact between the ISS and the school in Salt Creek Australia on 12 April 2007

Audio File: 

QSO_2007_04_11_220326.mp3