Archive - Jun 2010
June 28th
ARISSat-1 Assembly and Testing Making Progress
Lou McFadin, W5DID reported that ARISSat-1 is currently undergoing assembly and testing procedures in Orlando, Florida. In preparation for delivery of the ARISSat-1 flight unit to Russia in July continuous operation testing of flight components was started and has gone well.
The next milestone includes completing thermal vacuum testing followed by vibration testing at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia prior to shipping the flight version of ARISSat-1 to Russia for the ride up to the ISS on a supply mission.
The ARRISat-1 Guided Tour video produced at Dayton Hamvention 2010 and the latest photos and information can be viewed on-line at: http://arissat1.org/
ARISS-Built AIS Antenna Reports Good Performance On-Orbit
SpaceDaily.com reported this week that ESA's Columbus module maritime Automatic Identification System (AIS)aboard the International Space Station was switched on. The AIS antenna, mounted externally on the Columbus module, was fabricated by AMSAT and ARISS member Lou McFadin, W5DID and the US ARISS team. The team has also fabricated a nearly-identical twin amateur band antenna for ARISS. The ARISS antenna will be used when the Ericsson amateur radio gear is activated in early 2011.
ESA reported receiving more than 90,000 Class A AIS messages during a 14 hour test between 1900 GMT on 2 June and 0900 GMT on 3 June. This generated a global view of maritime traffic as the ISS orbit crosses all major shipping lanes.
Space Shuttle Launch Seen From Jet Fighter
It's an amazing scene: A NASA space shuttle rocketing into space while U.S. Air Force pilots watch from their airborne F-15E Strike Eagle jet fighter. The stunning snapshot was taken May 14 as NASA's shuttle Atlantis soared into orbit on its final scheduled mission.
Air Force Capt. John Peltier took the photograph from a separate aircraft. In the photo, Lt. Col. Gabriel Green and Capt. Zachary Bartoe patrol the airspace around NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., in the foreground while Atlantis streaks spaceward, leaving a white exhaust plume in its wake.
ISS Radio Report
ARISS Status June 28, 2010
Topics in this report:
1. Upcoming School Contacts
2. Japanese Club Talks to ISS via ARISS Contact
3. ARISS Web Page Links to DLN Module
4. ARISSat Safety Review to be Held
5. AMSAT Covers ARISS Antennas
1. Upcoming School Contacts
Summer camp "Astronauts in Forest," Perugia, Italy has been scheduled for an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Friday, July 2 at 19:50 UTC via telebridge station ON4ISS in Belgium. The camp teaches youth why it is necessary to study and protect the environment. It explains that space research is very important for the future of our planet and younger generations and it also initiates the children in the use of scientific instruments.