amsat-na

AMSAT-NA Elects Officers, Discusses Ongoing and Future Satellite Projects

Posted on by VA3DBJ

AMSAT-NA President Robert Bankston, KE4AL, told the 2021 AMSAT Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO, Memorial Space Symposium on October 30 that the organization is looking ahead to future satellite missions but will “go commercial” in order to keep enough satellites in space. Bankston, who was re-elected at a virtual Board meeting on October 29, said AMSAT is in solid financial position and donations are “healthy.” Bankston said membership numbers are holding strong, with more than 4,000 members in 76 countries, and that recent administrative modernization has reduced overhead costs by more than 30%.

Vice President-Development Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, noted that, despite AMSAT’s solid financial standing, additional funds are needed to design, build, and launch satellites. Consequently, AMSAT is ramping up its grant-writing efforts, applying for grants from philanthropic organizations and corporate sponsors.

Bankston said AMSAT’s strategic plan prioritizes putting satellites into high-Earth orbits. He also summarized the GOLF (Greater Orbit, Larger Footprint) initiative as part of its plan to reach higher orbits. AMSAT will not be giving up on low-Earth satellites (FM CubeSats), however. “FM satellites are very important and can serve as a stepping stone to more sophisticated spacecraft,” Bankston said. AO-91 and AO-92 are “living on borrowed time,” so new initiatives are in order.

Bankston said purchasing commercial satellites can shorten the development time. AMSAT plans to purchase a v/U 1U FM CubeSat, powered by four lithium-ion cells, but the Board said 90% of funding would have to be obtained from external sources. This would not be a permanent approach, however.

Bankston said the organization will be seeking additional volunteers to put its plans into action. “Any expansion of the strategic plan will need more volunteers,” Bankston said, adding that current volunteers “are pretty much at full bandwidth.”

Vice President-Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, reviewed satellite projects in the pipeline. These include providing a linear transponder module to the University of Maine for its MESAT1, set to launch in 2022.

The GOLF-TEE (Technology Evaluation Environment) CubeSat is under construction and has been added to a launch manifest tentatively for summer of 2022. Supply chain issues are impacting construction. GOLF-1 is planned for delivery 1 year after the completion of GOLF-TEE.

Bankston mentioned new regulations that will govern satellite launches in the future. The Orbital Debris Assessment Regulations (ODAR) complicate the design and licensing of the GOLF 3U platforms, however.

A new AMSAT award program was announced to recognize the contribution of rover stations to the world of grid hunting. The award is called the Reverse VUCC Award — or VUCC/r. Earning it could be tough. Rather than contacting a set number of grids per band, the goal is to make contacts from a set number of grids per band. AMSAT took over the issuance of this award from the Central States VHF Society in September. The number of grids coincides with the ARRL award.

Also: As of November 1, FM contacts will no longer be accepted toward the Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award. A consensus of AMSAT Board members expressed concern over the demands being placed on the limited availability of FM satellite repeaters. The Barbee Award requires the submission of 1,000 satellite contacts via OSCAR-6 or later satellites. Endorsements are available.

The AMSAT Board also heard reports from officers and representatives. The 2021 AMSAT Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO, Memorial Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting is available on AMSAT’s YouTube channel. 

ARISS-USA is Created From ARISS International

Posted on by VA3DBJ

In late May, the USA team of the ARISS International working group became an incorporated non-profit entity in the state of Maryland, officially becoming ARISS-USA. This move allows ARISS-USA to work as an independent organization, soliciting grants and donations. They will continue promoting amateur radio and STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts, and math within educational organizations and inspire, engage and educate our next generation of space enthusiasts. 
 
ARISS-USA will maintain its collaborative work with ARISS International as well as with US sponsors, partners, and interest groups. The main goal of ARISS-USA remains as connecting educational groups with opportunities to interact with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). ARISS-USA will expand its human spaceflight opportunities with the space agencies, beyond low Earth orbit, starting with lunar opportunities including the Lunar Gateway. ARISS-USA will continue to review and accept proposals for ISS contacts and expand its other educational opportunities to increase interest in space sciences and radio communications.
 
Becoming an independent organization has been discussed for quite some time. ARISS-USA lead Frank Bauer, KA3HDO said “The scope and reach of what ARISS accomplishes each year has grown significantly since its humble beginnings in 1996. Our working group status made it cumbersome to establish partnerships, sign agreements and solicit grants. These can only be done as an established organization.”  Bauer further elaborated, “The ARISS-USA team remains deeply indebted to our working group partners—ARRL and AMSAT, who enabled the birth of ARISS—and our steadfast sponsors, NASA Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) and the ISS National Lab (INL).” ARISS-USA aims to keep earning high regards from all these partners and sponsors.    
 
While ARISS-USA is now an incorporated non-profit entity, we are in the process of applying for tax exemption as a Section 501 (c) (3) charitable, scientific or educational organization. Until that status is approved by the USA Internal Revenue Service, donations made directly to ARISS-USA will not be tax deductible for taxpayers in the USA. Those wanting to make a tax deductible donation for the benefit of ARISS-USA can, in the meantime, continue to make donations to ARISS sponsor AMSAT-NA through the ARISS website at: www.ariss.org.
 
As ARISS-USA begins a new era as a human spaceflight amateur radio organization, it acknowledges those who were so instrumental in the formation of human spaceflight amateur radio. These include Vic Clark, W4KFC and Dave Sumner, K1ZZ from the ARRL; Bill Tynan, W3XO and Tom Clark, W3IO from AMSAT; Roy Neal, K6DUE a major guide for SAREX and ARISS; and NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL.  Also remembered is Pam Mountjoy, NASA education, who had the vision to develop the ARISS working group as a single amateur radio focus into the space agencies. All of these giants’ shoulders are what ARISS-USA rests upon.