[ANS] ANS-180 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-180

In this edition:

* AMSAT Shares Update on Fox-Plus CubeSat Design, Adapter Issues, and
Integration Work

* AMSAT South Africa to Host 2025 Virtual Symposium on 68 Years of Amateur
Radio Progress

* AMSAT Seeks Additional Volunteers for Moon Day at Dallas Frontiers of
Flight Museum

* SpaceX Transporter-14 Rideshare Delivers Small Sats, Reentry Tech, and
Memorial Ashes

* Axiom-4 Reaches Orbit After Delays With Multinational Crew Bound for Space
Station

* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for June 27, 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-180 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 29

________________________________
AMSAT Shares Update on Fox-Plus CubeSat Design, Adapter Issues, and
Integration Work


During Hamvention 2025, AMSAT’s Mike Moore presented the latest
developments in the Fox-Plus program. Mike Moore, K4MVM, AMSAT Systems
Engineer/Project Lead began his status review by saying, “I’ve been
involved with the AMSAT Fox CubeSat program for the last year and a half.
It’s a continuation of the Fox series of satellites. We're improving on the
series with the Fox-Plus CubeSat, modernizing it and, where we can do so,
reducing costs.”


AMSAT’s Fox Plus project is proceeding towards being ready for a launch of
a 1U CubeSat (Fox-Plus-A) with a V/u linear transponder. The term “1U”
refers to the standard size CubeSat, also known as a nanosat, measuring
10x10x10 centimeters, weighing up to 2 kilograms.


The Fox-Plus Amateur Radio CubeSat series will add to the success of the
original Fox series of AMSAT 1U CubeSats. The big push is to have Fox-Plus
units ready to fly experimental payloads on short notice.


AMSAT is purchasing components from ISIS (Innovative Solutions In Space),
formed in 2006, with offices in The Netherlands. They provide components,
particularly for CubeSats and small satellites. The company offers
“building blocks” such as spacecraft structures, solar panels, antennas,
transceivers, attitude control systems, and on-board computers as well as
satellite launcher units and services.


Mike continued, “To expedite development of Fox-Plus, AMSAT has selected
Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) components. This includes the ISIS CubeSat
spacecraft frame, electrical power system, solar panels. We’re integrating
those components with our AMSAT Linear Transponder Module (LTM).


“AMSAT’s LTM is a composed of the Legacy Internal Housekeeping Unit
(LIHU), the Improved Command Receiver (ICR), receiver/transmitter (RXTX). The
AMSAT Fox-Plus LTM module is shown within the dotted line rectangle, upper
right in the system overview,” He said.


[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-Plus-System-Overview-LTM-Highlighted.png]

Moore explained, “We’ve been tasked to fit the COTS modules from ISIS,
spacecraft frame, Electrical Power System (EPS) and solar panels with our
AMSAT boards into the ISIS frame. That’s mechanical challenge. The ISIS
frame and PCBs are not the same dimensions as AMSAT’s standard ME-113 PCB.
The AMSAT ME-113 is used in legacy units as well as GOLF and other LTM
applications.” The AMSAT-Fox Documentation, referenced below, provides
details on Fox components.


[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-ME113-vs-ISIS-Hole-Pattern-Diagram.png]

“The diagram above shows the ISIS hole pattern and board dimensions
compared to the ME-113 holes and dimensions. The Fox ME-113 board dimensions
are offset just enough to make it a real problem. If they were offset by a
bit more the problem might be simpler. It’s possible we could just offset
our PCB connectors. That's not possible, making this a mechanical engineering
design challenge.


[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-Plus-PCB-Mechanical-Adapter-Design.png]

“We have adapters to do this; one design is in the photo above. Our
Mechanical & Structural Engineer is Andrew Robinson, KA3WDW.


[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-Plus-ME113-Half-Cards-and-CSKB-Setup.png]

Mike continued, “The electrical adapter, is above on the right. The photo
shows the PCBs while on my work bench. They're half cards. It's the ME-113
cut in half. I have the PC104 or in ISIS terms, the CubeSat Kit Bus (CSKB) on
the left.


“That's on the board on the left-hand side of the photo. The Power
Integrated Unit (PIU) board from ISIS is connected to it. The photo shows
just wires right now, but later there will be a ribbon cable over to our
stacking bus which is our QXH electrical bus, a very small 60-pin connector.
It connects all cards together.


[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fox-Plus-Structure-With-LTM-PIU-and-Adapters.png]

The diagram above shows the Fox-Plus CubeSat and the mechanical adapters. The
LTM is in the middle. On the bottom is the Power Battery Pack (PBP) and the
top board is the CubeSat Power Integrated Unit (PIU). It consists of three
subsystems which derive electrical energy from the solar panels and the
energy stored in the PBP.


“We're also considering using spacers instead of using the entire card area
dimensions for mechanical adapters. Spacers are small units with two side by
side holes. One hole would go to the ISIS board, the other would to the
ME-113 board.


“I've now got preliminary schematics of the adapter card done. We're about
ready to go to production on that to get PCBs made. That has the power and
signal components on it, all the power for the satellite and two I2C buses,
(Inter-Integrated Circuit, a two-wire, serial communication protocol that
allows multiple devices to communicate with each other on a single bus).


“There's a problem on the ICR card version 1.2 and we’re taking care of
that. Also, there's Universal Asynchronous Receive/Transmit (UART)
interconnect problem as well as some other odds and ends on which we’re
working,” Moore added.


There are innumerable details encountered during CubeSat research,
development, test, and evaluation (RDTE).


Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Vice President of Engineering for AMSAT is a key member
of the Fox Engineering Team dating back to the beginning of the program in
2011. In his “AMSAT Fox-1 Systems Engineering Documentation” June, 2018
paper, The Fox program introduced this engineering process for AMSAT. See
references at end of document.


“Engineering documentation is provided at each stage of development. An
archive of this documentation is online, backed-up and version controlled.
When an AMSAT satellite has been completed this archive of traceable
documentation serves as the basis for planning and executing future satellite
programs. It is updated to apply the lessons learned about what went well and
what did not.”


Documentation is part of organizational memory (OM), also known as
institutional memory or corporate memory. OM is the accumulated body of data,
information, and knowledge created in the course of an organization's
existence, excellent proof of internal learning and education and potentially
a reference tool for use by external organizations.


Concluding his portion of the AMSAT Forum Mike said, “Burns Fisher is
AMSAT’s software guru. Burns is working with Patrick Thomas, KB8DGC, AMSAT
System Engineer and PACSAT Liaison, getting Patrick up to speed to do
Fox-Plus flight software.”


Other dedicated volunteers on the Fox-Plus Engineering Team include Andrew
Robinson, KA3WDW, Mechanical & Structural Engineer, and Leandra MacLennan,
AF1R, Electrical Engineer, Hardware Development. Contributions from various
universities and other organizations were essential too.


[ANS thanks Mike Moore, K4MVM, AMSAT Systems Engineer/Project Lead for the
above information]


________________________________
AMSAT South Africa to Host 2025 Virtual Symposium on 68 Years of Amateur
Radio Progress


AMSAT South Africa has announced that the 2025 Space Symposium will take
place on Saturday, 2 August 2025, from 08:00 UTC to 14:00 UTC, and has issued
a call for papers. The theme of this year’s event is “Embracing 68 Years
of Space Science and Innovation in Amateur Radio.”


Papers are invited on all aspects of space science and communication that
impact or enhance the amateur radio experience — from technical
developments to operational practices. Presentations will be approximately 30
minutes, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session. Proposal submissions in
Microsoft Word format should be emailed to admin [at] amsatsa [dot] org [dot]
za by 7 July 2025.


To maximize global participation, the symposium will be held online via the
Webex platform. Attendance is free for members of all AMSAT organisations and
national societies, with registration opening on 9 July 2025.


[ANS thanks AMSAT South Africa<https://www.amsatsa.org.za/>, for the above
information]


________________________________
AMSAT Seeks Additional Volunteers for Moon Day at Dallas Frontiers of Flight
Museum


The 2025 Moon Day, a space-themed public STEM event, will take place on
Saturday, July 19 at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field in Dallas.
Held each year close to the date of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the event
features hands-on science exhibits and activities for all ages. Moon Day runs
from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CDT, with setup beginning at 8:00 a.m. CDT.


AMSAT will once again be represented at the event by AMSAT Ambassador Thomas
Schuessler, N5HYP, along with several North Texas satellite enthusiasts. They
will engage with the public — including many young people — on topics
such as satellite orbits, the International Space Station, and amateur radio
in space. Exhibits will include the AMSAT Fox CubeSat engineering model and
the CubeSat Simulator, and the team hopes to demonstrate a few live satellite
passes during the day.


Tom is seeking additional AMSAT volunteers from the North Texas area to help
staff the exhibit table. The AMSAT booth will be located next to the Dallas
Amateur Radio Club exhibit, providing opportunities for great conversations
with fellow hams as well as curious families. Volunteers receive free museum
admission and lunch. Anyone interested in helping for part or the entire day
is encouraged to email Tom at n5hyp [at] arrl [dot] net.


More information about the event is available at:
https://flightmuseum.com/events/moonday


[ANS thanks Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, AMSAT Ambassador, 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!

________________________________
SpaceX Transporter-14 Rideshare Delivers Small Sats, Reentry Tech, and
Memorial Ashes


A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in
California on June 23 at 5:25 p.m. EDT (2125 UTC), carrying 70 payloads for a
diverse range of customers. The mission, known as Transporter 14, is the
latest in SpaceX’s dedicated rideshare program, which provides
cost-effective launch services for small satellites and experimental
spacecraft.


Among the payloads was a special memorial capsule containing cremated human
remains and DNA samples. The Exploration Company’s new Nyx reusable
spacecraft is flying this commemorative mission in cooperation with Celestis,
a company specializing in space burials. If all goes according to plan, Nyx
will circle Earth two or three times before being recovered, carrying remains
and DNA from about 150 people.


The launch also delivered an array of microsats, cubesats, and reentry
capsules. One notable payload is Varda Space’s fourth reentry capsule,
which aims to support the company’s effort to manufacture pharmaceuticals
and other high-value goods in microgravity and return them to Earth for
commercial use. Transporter 14 continues SpaceX’s trend of supporting
in-space manufacturing demonstrations and technology development.

[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SpaceX_Transporter-14_Payload_Stack_Labeled-832x1024.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SpaceX_Transporter-14_Payload_Stack_Labeled.jpg>
SpaceX’s Transporter‑14 mission recently deployed 70 small satellites
into orbit. [Credit: SpaceX<https://x.com/SpaceX> /
@GewoonLukas<https://x.com/GewoonLukas_>]


Two amateur radio satellites also hitched a ride. PARUS-T2, a 3U CubeSat
developed by the Taiwan Space Agency with support from National Formosa
University, carries a cross-band voice repeater and APRS digipeater. It
provides voice communications on uplink 145.980 MHz (67 Hz tone) and downlink
435.250 MHz, along with APRS packet services on 145.825 MHz. Students and
amateur operators worldwide will have access to the satellite’s unencrypted
telemetry and educational outreach tools.


Indonesia’s RIDU-Sat 1 also joined the manifest. This 1U CubeSat, managed
by the Republic of Indonesia Defense University, uses amateur radio
frequencies for educational training and communications. It features a VHF
APRS payload on 145.825 MHz and a telemetry beacon on 145.925 MHz, designed
to support student learning and community engagement in satellite operations.

As with many previous Falcon 9 flights, reusability was on display. The
rocket’s first stage landed successfully on the drone ship Of Course I
Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean about 8.5 minutes after liftoff. It
marked the 26th flight and landing for this booster, edging closer to
SpaceX’s reuse record of 28 flights. Meanwhile, the upper stage will spend
nearly two hours deploying the payloads into precise orbits, continuing a
mission series that began with Transporter 1’s record-setting 143-satellite
launch in 2021.


Read the full article at:
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-launches-human-remains-reentry-capsule-and-more-on-transporter-14-rideshare-mission

[ANS thanks Mike Wall<https://x.com/michaeldwall>,
Space.com<https://www.space.com/>, and the IARU<https://iaru.amsat-uk.org/>,
for the above information]


________________________________
Axiom-4 Reaches Orbit After Delays with Multinational Crew Bound for Space
Station


SpaceX successfully launched Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission
to the International Space Station (ISS) early June 25, following a series of
technical and scheduling delays. The mission, known as Ax-4, lifted off
aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space
Center in Florida at 2:31 a.m. Eastern (0631 UTC). Nearly 10 minutes later,
the Crew Dragon capsule separated from the rocket’s second stage in low
Earth orbit.


The rocket’s reusable first stage completed a precise landing at Cape
Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. After a particularly long orbital chase — 28
hours between launch and rendezvous — the crew’s Dragon spacecraft docked
with the space station Thursday morning at 6:31 a.m. Eastern (1031 UTC),
where it will remain for approximately two weeks. The mission adds to
SpaceX’s growing resume of crewed flights to the orbital outpost, further
expanding the role of commercial providers in human spaceflight.


Commanding Ax-4 is Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut making her fifth
journey to space. She previously flew on three long-duration NASA missions
and commanded Axiom’s Ax-2 mission in 2023. The rest of the crew includes
Shubhanshu Shukla of India as pilot, and mission specialists Sławosz
Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. All three are only
the second individuals from their respective countries to reach orbit.
Uznański-Wiśniewski’s flight is supported by the European Space Agency.

[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Axiom-4_Prelaunch_Falcon9_Dragon_Pad39A-1024x576.png]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Axiom-4_Prelaunch_Falcon9_Dragon_Pad39A.png>
Axiom Space’s fourth private mission to the ISS counts down to launch atop
a Falcon 9 at Kennedy Space Center. [Credit: Axiom
Space<https://x.com/Axiom_Space>]


The mission experienced multiple delays since its original spring schedule.
In February, NASA and SpaceX swapped the originally assigned Crew Dragon
capsule, Endurance, for a newer vehicle to keep the Crew-10 launch on track.
That decision pushed Ax-4 into late May, with further postponements in early
June due to weather and a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 booster.
Additional delays followed after NASA detected a potential air leak in the
ISS’s Russian-built Zvezda module, prompting further investigation before
approving the launch.


With clearance granted on June 23, the mission moved forward. The Ax-4 crew
will conduct about 60 scientific experiments during their stay—the most of
any Axiom mission to date. This includes joint research efforts between NASA
and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), with Shukla collaborating
alongside NASA astronauts aboard the station.


Ax-4 also marks the first flight of the fifth and final Crew Dragon
spacecraft built by SpaceX. In line with tradition, the crew named the new
spacecraft upon reaching orbit. Commander Whitson revealed its
name—Grace—as it separated from the rocket. “Grace is more than a
name,” she said. “It reflects the elegance with which we move through
space against the backdrop of Earth… an act of goodwill for the benefit of
every human everywhere.”


Read the full article at:
https://spacenews.com/fourth-axiom-space-private-astronaut-mission-launched-to-iss

[ANS thanks Jeff Foust<https://x.com/jeff_foust>,
SpaceNews.com<https://spacenews.com/>, 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 June 27, 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.


There are no upcoming ARISS contacts to report while schools are on summer
recess. Scheduling is expected to resume as educational institutions return
to session.


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

Olmos Preschool Mid-Year Space Camp – July 3rd, 2025
TI3IES Ignacio, AMSAT and AMSAT-TI Ambassador, will be giving a presentation
and demonstration of amateur satellite communications at Olmos Preschool in
Curridabat, San José, Costa Rica, on Thursday, July 3rd. The event is part
of the school’s mid-year camp, which runs for two weeks with a space-themed
focus. The presentation is specially designed for preschool-aged children,
who have been learning about planets, stars, and spacecraft. This engaging
session will introduce them to satellite communications in a fun and
age-appropriate way. Ignacio will be representing AMSAT and AMSAT-TI as part
of their ongoing outreach to inspire young learners through space and amateur
radio.


Rochester Amateur Radio Association Hamfest 2025 – June 21st, 2025
Barnard Fire Department Park
410 Maiden Lane
Rochester, NY 14616
https://rochesterham.org/hamfest.htm
KB2YSI

Northeast HamXposition (HamX) & New England ARRL Convention - August 21st
thru 24th, 2025

Best Western Royal Plaza & Trade Center
181 Boston Post Road West
Marlborough, MA 01752
http://www.HamX.org
W1EME, WD4ASW, WB1FJ

Greater Louisville Hamfest - September 6th, 2025
Paroquet Springs Conference Centre
395 Paroquet Springs Drive
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
https://louisvillehamfest.wixsite.com/louisvillehamfest
W4FCL

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

+ On June 23, 2025, United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched its
Atlas V rocket carrying Amazon’s second batch of 27 Project Kuiper
satellites into low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral. This mission, dubbed
Kuiper 2, was the second production batch toward Amazon’s plan for a 3,200+
satellite constellation providing global internet service. The launch
followed a previous scrub due to a nitrogen purge issue and lifted off at
6:54 a.m. EDT (1054 UTC) after a smooth countdown and favorable weather.
Amazon faces an FCC deadline to have half its first-generation constellation
operational by July 2026 and has secured launches with multiple providers
including ULA, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Arianespace. With six more Atlas V
launches booked and many Vulcan, Ariane 6, New Glenn, and Falcon 9 flights
planned, Amazon aims to accelerate deployment to meet regulatory
requirements. This second successful launch brings the total number of Kuiper
satellites on orbit to 54, underscoring Amazon’s push to establish a steady
launch cadence. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now<https://spaceflightnow.com/> for
the above information)


+ A new study has revealed that the May 2024 Gannon Solar Storm caused GPS
signals to be off by up to 230 feet (70 meters), severely impacting farmers
who lost over $500 million USD due to malfunctioning GPS-guided machinery
during peak planting season. The storm, the most powerful in 20 years,
created widespread ionospheric turbulence that distorted GPS signals for up
to two days and produced stunning auroras visible as far south as Mexico and
Spain. Boston University researchers used a network of fixed GPS receivers
originally intended for tectonic studies to measure the disturbances,
uncovering a massive "wall of ionospheric plasma" that threw off positioning
data across North America. This GPS disruption affected not only agriculture
but also aviation, exceeding the safety margin for altitude precision during
landings. Experts warn that this storm was mild compared to a potential
Carrington-level event, which could cause even more severe global
consequences. Scientists suggest that real-time ionospheric monitoring and
AI-based signal correction could help mitigate such risks in future storms.
(ANS thanks Space.com<https://www.space.com/> for the above information)


+ NASA’s ESCAPADE mission, originally set to launch on the first flight of
Blue Origin’s New Glenn, is now tentatively scheduled for the rocket’s
second flight sometime between summer 2025 and spring 2026. The change was
prompted by delays in New Glenn’s development, which caused ESCAPADE to
miss its original October 2024 launch window. NASA’s FY 2026 budget
proposal confirmed the revised plan, citing a new launch readiness date in
the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025. ESCAPADE, a pair of Mars-bound
smallsats, remains committed to New Glenn, despite no recent updates from
Blue Origin on the rocket’s second launch timeline. NASA continues to work
with Blue Origin to finalize a date, while still targeting arrival at Mars by
September 2027 using a revised flight path. Though Blue Origin previously
suggested a spring launch and hinted at possible alternate payloads, no firm
details have been released as of yet. (ANS thanks
SpaceNews<https://spacenews.com/> for the above information)


+ Mexico's president has threatened legal action over debris from a recent
SpaceX rocket explosion near the U.S.-Mexico border. President Sheinbaum said
the government is investigating potential violations of international law due
to environmental contamination. The explosion occurred during a ground test
of a SpaceX Starship at its Starbase facility in Texas, sending a large
fireball into the sky. Mexican officials are now conducting a comprehensive
environmental review focused on the nearby state of Tamaulipas. This comes
after the U.S. FAA approved an increase in annual Starship launches from five
to 25, despite warnings from conservation groups about threats to wildlife.
Sheinbaum emphasized that any resulting lawsuit would be based on scientific
findings and legal analysis. If filed, the lawsuit would follow another
recent case in which Mexico sued Google over the labeling of the Gulf of
Mexico. (ANS thanks Phys.org<https://phys.org/> 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, ADØHJ
mahrenstorff [at] amsat.org<https://www.amsat.org>