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WG3K > ANS 13.04.25 05:40z 11 Lines 5569 Bytes #13 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS096.9
Read: GUEST
Subj: Satellite Shorts From All Over
Path: SR8BBS<SR4BBX<DB0RES<DB0ERF<DK0WUE<PI8ZTM<GB7RJJ<VK5LEX<W0ARP<K5DAT<
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Sent: 250406/0320Z 15957@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
+ Didn't get enough SSTV last week? The International Space Station will be transmitting special Slow Scan Television (SSTV) images to celebrate Cosmonautics Day, which honors Yuri Gagarin's historic first spaceflight on April 12, 1961. The SSTV event is organized by ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International 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 these images using a VHF radio or SDR, along with SSTV decoding software such as MMSSTV, RX-SSTV, or Robot36. This is a great opportunity for amateur radio operators and space fans alike to collect commemorative images directly from orbit. Be sure to check ISS pass times for your location so you don't miss the transmissions. (ANS thanks ARISShttps://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 Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After a three-hour, two-orbit journey, they are scheduled to dock at the station's Prichal module at approximately 09:03 UTC and join the Expedition 72/73 crew. This marks the first spaceflight for Kim and Zubritsky, and the third for Ryzhikov, with the mission lasting about eight months. They will work alongside international astronauts and cosmonauts to advance scientific research aboard the ISS. NASA will provide live coverage of the launch, docking, and hatch opening events on NASA+, including hatch opening at approximately 11:20 UTC. This mission continues the ISS's legacy as a vital platform for long-duration spaceflight research, supporting NASA's broader goals, including the Artemis campaign and future missions to Mars. (ANS thanks NASAhttps://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 receive its echo, marking only the second amateur Earth-Venus-Earth (EVE) bounce ever achieved. The first amateur EVE was accomplished in 2009 by AMSAT-DL using the 20-meter radio telescope at the Bochum Observatory. During this recent experiment, Venus was at its closest approach to Earth-about 42 million kilometers away-allowing for a 280-second round-trip signal travel time. The team transmitted a 278-second tone at 1299.5 MHz and repeated the cycle four times, with both Dwingeloo and the more sensitive Stockert telescope successfully receiving the echoes. Signal analysis, including Doppler corrections and frequency binning, showed detections with up to 9.2 sigma significance 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 2026, with support from organizations like the Deep Space Exploration Society, Open Research Institute, and many dedicated volunteers. (ANS thanks Dwingeloo Radio Telescope (CAMRAS)https://www.camras.nl/en/ for the above information)
+ NASA's Parker Solar Probe has completed its second daring flyby of the sun, 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. The spacecraft operated autonomously during the approach, using four specialized instruments to study the sun's outer atmosphere. This mission marks another historic milestone in solar science, as Parker continues to rewrite what we know about our star and helps scientists better predict space weather. The spacecraft's extreme performance is made possible by cutting-edge technologies, including a heat shield, self-cooling solar arrays, and autonomous systems. In recognition of these innovations, the Parker Solar Probe team-comprising NASA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, and over 40 partners-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 expected to make another close approach in June, continuing its groundbreaking journey into uncharted solar territory. (ANS thanks Space.comhttps://www.space.com/ for the above information)
+ NASA and Boeing are working together to prepare the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for its next crewed flight, which is expected in late 2025 or early 2026. This follows the spacecraft's first crewed mission, which experienced a propulsion system failure that extended an eight-day mission to a nine-month stay for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who later returned via SpaceX's Dragon capsule. In response, teams are conducting extensive testing and analysis, including propulsion system evaluations at White Sands Test Facility to address overheating issues and helium leaks. Over 70% of the anomalies from the previous mission have been resolved, but major propulsion issues remain under review into 2025. Boeing's ongoing work on Starliner, which has cost over $2 billion, is part of NASA's broader strategy to maintain flexible and safe access to space through commercial partnerships. If testing proceeds as planned, Starliner's next mission could support either crew or cargo transport to the International Space Station. (ANS thanks Reutershttps://www.reuters.com/ and NASAhttps://www.nasa.gov/ for the above information)
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