[amsat-bb] ANS Special Bulletin ANS-116.01 AMSAT-NA Opportunity for Rideshare to Geostationary Orbit

Sun Apr 26 18:09:02 UTC 2015

The answer is almost surely no because we will not be able to easily steer
the interlink antennas and close the link.  Much more likely is a common
ground station link.  This is TBD after we know we can make the minimum of
paying for the launch and get the SDR in "testable" but not final form.  On
the latter we have just under two years from now, on the former we have one
year.

AMSAT-NA and VT will work this out.  We are not overwhelmed by this
prospect but we are being cautious in our public statements even as we
clearly understand the excitement and joy and clamor for information.
Welcome to the new situation.  We've found access to launches where we are
going to have to keep our mouths shut and our eyes open and our powder
dry.  I am expecting that soon enough we will be doing things like saying

"We have acquired a launch for XXX and ooops, by the way, here are the
TLE".  It is not ideal, but better than the zero significant launches since
1991!

Bob

On Sat, Apr 25, 2015 at 6:42 PM, Bill <bill at hsmicrowave.com> wrote:

> Hi Bob,
>
> Nice work to you and your team. Fingers are crossed.
>
> Question:- Any chance equipment and frequencies can be worked out to allow
> a satellite to satellite link to the upcoming Qatar Es’hail 2 geostationary
> satellite. Just thinking out loud not knowing the planned geostationary
> location. The news release didn't mention (unless I missed it) what
> size/volume might be available.
>
> Regards...Bill - N6GHz
>
> On 4/25/2015 3:20 PM, Robert McGwier wrote:
>
>> We agree completely Stefan our trigger here is short and we are going to
>> have to rely on the donated SDR from Rincon Research Corp and work we have
>> already done in the past. We have twelve months until testing, then a year
>> to perfect.
>>
>> Best 73s,
>> Bob
>>
>>
>> On Saturday, April 25, 2015, Stefan Wagener <wageners at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>  Here is a link to the AMSAT-DL approach. Maybe an opportunity for new
>>> synergies and cooperation between the two organizations especially on
>>> frequencies, ground-station development etc. The more similarities the
>>> better for the community in terms of access and cost for equipment etc.
>>> (basic economies of scale)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.amsat-dl.org/index.php/news-mainmenu-97/237-es-hail-2-satellite-amsat-payload
>>>
>>> 73, Stefan, VE4NSA
>>>
>>> On Sat, Apr 25, 2015 at 10:02 AM, Doug - k4GKJ <k4gkj at embarqmail.com
>>> <javascript:;>> wrote:
>>>
>>>  This is great! Love the idea. I would only hope the bird can handle
>>>> multiple qso's simultaneously..... Something like this will certainly
>>>>
>>> stay
>>>
>>>> busy..... Especially for emergency operations.....
>>>> A big 'thank you' to those involved here!
>>>>
>>>> Doug
>>>> K4GKJ
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Doug Bennight - K4GKJ
>>>> 528-5772
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -------- Original message --------
>>>> From: JoAnne Maenpaa <k9jkm at comcast.net <javascript:;>>
>>>> Date: 04/25/2015  10:10 AM  (GMT-05:00)
>>>> To: AMSAT-BB at amsat.org <javascript:;>
>>>> Subject: [amsat-bb] ANS Special Bulletin ANS-116.01 AMSAT-NA Opportunity
>>>> for
>>>>          Rideshare to Geostationary Orbit
>>>>
>>>> SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-116.01
>>>> ANS-116 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin
>>>>
>>>> AMSAT News Service Bulletin 116.01
>>>>  From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
>>>> April 25, 2015
>>>> To All RADIO AMATEURS
>>>> BID: $ANS-116.01
>>>>
>>>> AMSAT-NA Opportunity for Rideshare to Geostationary Orbit
>>>>
>>>> AMSAT is excited to announce that we have accepted an opportunity to
>>>> participate in a potential rideshare as a hosted payload on a
>>>>
>>> geostationary
>>>
>>>> satellite planned for launch in 2017. An amateur radio payload,
>>>> operating
>>>> in
>>>> the Amateur Satellite Service, will fly on a spacecraft which Millennium
>>>> Space Systems (MSS) of El Segundo, CA is contracted to design, launch,
>>>>
>>> and
>>>
>>>> operate for the US government based on their Aquila M8 Series Satellite
>>>> Structure.
>>>>
>>>> A meeting to discuss this potential rideshare took place on April 13 at
>>>> Millennium Space Systems that included Dr. Bob McGwier, N4HY; Franklin
>>>> Antonio, N6NKF, co-founder of Qualcomm; Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT Vice
>>>> President of Engineering and member of the board for AMSAT-NA; Dr. Tom
>>>> Clark, K3IO, Director and President Emeritus of AMSAT-NA; Phil Karn,
>>>>
>>> KA9Q;
>>>
>>>> and Michelle Thompson, W5NYV.
>>>>
>>>> Hosting the meeting for MSS were Stan Dubyn as founder and chairman of
>>>>
>>> MSS,
>>>
>>>> Vince Deno as president of MSS, Jeff Ward, K8KA, of MSS as VP for
>>>> Product
>>>> Development, formerly with SSTL and University of Surrey Space Center,
>>>>
>>> and
>>>
>>>> Ryan Lawrence of MSS as Project Manager on the spacecraft mission.
>>>> Attending
>>>> by telephone were Dr. Jonathan Black, Associate Research Director of
>>>> Hume
>>>> Center for Aerospace Systems and Associate Professor of Aerospace and
>>>>
>>> Ocean
>>>
>>>> Engineering and Dr. Michael Parker, KT7D, founder of RINCON Research
>>>>
>>> Corp.
>>>
>>>> Following the meeting, Dr. Bob McGwier, N4HY, Director of Research at
>>>> the
>>>> Hume Center for National Security and Technology of Virginia Tech, and
>>>> former director and former VP Engineering of AMSAT, described this as an
>>>> opportunity to go forward with "AMSAT-Eagle" which, in the 2006-2008
>>>> timeframe, evolved into a microwave payload to be flown to geostationary
>>>> orbit as a hosted payload. It would have provided digital communications
>>>>
>>> to
>>>
>>>> small terminals on the ground and a linear bent pipe transponder had it
>>>> flown. This failed to go forward in part due to lack of an affordable
>>>> flight
>>>> opportunity.
>>>>
>>>> McGwier outlined the next steps toward developing this mission:
>>>>
>>>> 1) To organize an effort at Virginia Tech to make a firm proposal
>>>>     to MSS and its US government sponsor, and organize an effort
>>>>     to raise sufficient funds to pay for development of the mission.
>>>>
>>>> 2) Enable Dr. Jonathan Black to lead the construction project at
>>>>     Virginia Tech in the Space at VT Center. Sonya Rowe, KK4NLO, Project
>>>>     Manager at the Hume Center will be the project manager.
>>>>
>>>> 3) Work for development of a low-cost microwave ground station for
>>>>     amateur radio still needs to be determined.
>>>>
>>>> 4) Dr. Michael Parker, KT7D, will  solicit the cooperation of the
>>>>     Rincon Research Corp. for development of the software radio
>>>>     technology for this payload.
>>>>
>>>> The AMSAT Board of Directors has accepted the invitation to participate
>>>>
>>> in
>>>
>>>> this potential rideshare payload opportunity. AMSAT expects to be
>>>>
>>> involved
>>>
>>>> in the development of the ground station and the payload RF development,
>>>> and
>>>> will serve as the amateur radio (hosted) payload operator once the
>>>> satellite
>>>> has been launched.
>>>>
>>>> McGwier summarized, "The launch is currently scheduled for 2017 and the
>>>> payload must be delivered for testing and integration by Spring of 2016.
>>>>
>>> It
>>>
>>>> is an ambitious schedule and all involved will have to gain and maintain
>>>>
>>> a
>>>
>>>> serious level of commitment to that which they agree to undertake."
>>>> AMSAT
>>>> President, Barry Baines, WD4ASW, said, "The AMSAT leadership is excited
>>>>
>>> to
>>>
>>>> fly a Phase-IV geostationary amateur satellite payload. This is an
>>>>
>>> evolving
>>>
>>>> development as we collaborate with the VT Hume Center with a project
>>>> that
>>>> provides technical challenges to create a new amateur radio capability
>>>> in
>>>> space that will provide a variety of benefits not only for amateurs but
>>>> also
>>>> for emergency communications and STEM educational outreach."
>>>>
>>>> The transponder is expected to support a wide range of voice, digital,
>>>>
>>> and
>>>
>>>> experimental advanced communications technologies. A decision is
>>>> expected
>>>> soon specifying the microwave uplink and downlink bands.
>>>>
>>>> Additional information on the Aquila M8 Series Satellite can be viewed
>>>> on-line:
>>>> http://www.millennium-space.com/
>>>> http://www.millennium-space.com/platforms#aquila
>>>>
>>>> AMSAT has posted a photo of the GEO opportunity team with the Millennium
>>>> Aquila satellite at: http://www.amsat.org.
>>>>
>>>> [ANS thanks Bob McGwier, N4HY and AMSAT-NA for the above information]
>>>>
>>>> /EX
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org <javascript:;>. AMSAT-NA makes this open
>>>>
>>> forum available
>>>
>>>> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
>>>>
>>> Opinions
>>>
>>>> expressed
>>>> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
>>>> AMSAT-NA.
>>>> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
>>>>
>>> program!
>>>
>>>> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org <javascript:;>. AMSAT-NA makes this open
>>>>
>>> forum available
>>>
>>>> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
>>>>
>>> Opinions
>>>
>>>> expressed
>>>> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
>>>> AMSAT-NA.
>>>> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
>>>>
>>> program!
>>>
>>>> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>>>>
>>>>  _______________________________________________
>>> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org <javascript:;>. AMSAT-NA makes this open
>>> forum available
>>> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
>>> Opinions
>>> expressed
>>> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
>>> AMSAT-NA.
>>> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
>>> program!
>>> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>>>
>>>
>>
> --
> High Sierra Microwave
> Camino, CA 95709
> (530) 409-9782
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
> expressed
> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
> AMSAT-NA.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>

-- 
Bob McGwier
Co-Founder and Technical Director, Federated Wireless, LLC
Research Professor Virginia Tech
Senior Member IEEE, Facebook: N4HYBob, ARS: N4HY
Faculty Advisor Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Assn. (K4KDJ)