[sarex] Reminder: SAREX Reflector to close 1 November

[Alan]

SAREX Reflector to be Closed 1 November 2015

At the request of the ARISS US Team, AMSAT-NA Vice President for Human
Spaceflight Frank Bauer, KA3HDO has announced that the SAREX reflector will
be closed 1 November 2015, and its functions folded into the AMSAT-BB list.
Frank explained that at one time operations from the Space Shuttle and the
ISS were considered as sufficiently different from other satellite
operations as to need separate forums for their respective interest
communities.

More recently, changes in the human spaceflight operations, the new
generation of satellites, and the interests of the general AMSAT community
have removed the reasons for this distinction. Frank explained that "The
AMSAT membership, in general, has embraced all vehicles with amateur radio
on-board that are operating in space on equal ground. They enjoy the SSTV
events on ISS as well as a quick QSO on AO-7". He went on to note that "This
past year my team has noticed that those on AMSAT-BB have missed out on some
ARISS significant events. These include school contacts in their area that
were only posted on SAREX." Moving all discussions to a common list will
insure that ISS announcements as well as operational information will be
available in one place.

What does this mean to the current subscribers? If you are subscribed to
both SAREX and AMSAT-BB, there is no need to take any action. You will cease
to receive new postings on the SAREX list 1 November 2015. The SAREX
archives will continue to be available for historical purposes. If you are
not subscribed to AMSAT-BB and wish to continue to receive human spaceflight
announcements, please go to http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo and
subscribe to AMSAT-BB. Your existing SAREX subscription will not be
automatically carried over since not everyone will wish to do so.

[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]