XPost: rec.radio.info

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-070

In this edition:

* SpaceX's Transporter-10 Successfully Launches Over Fifty Satellites
* Vostochny Spaceport Sends Meteor-M2-4 Weather Satellite Into Orbit
* NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Launches to International Space Station
* GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers March 2024 Rankings
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 8, 2024
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information se rvice 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 digit
al Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on https://www.amsat.org<https://www.amsat.org/> publishes ne
ws 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 Bulletin
s via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postor ius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

ANS-070 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

To: All RADIO AMATEURS

From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation

712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002

DATE 2024 Mar 10

________________________________
SpaceX's Transporter-10 Successfully Launches Over Fifty Satellites

SpaceX successfully executed its tenth Transporter rideshare mission, showc asing the continued high demand for satellite deployment services. The flaw less launch took place at Vandenberg Space Force Base, on March 4th at 5:05
p.m. EST, where a Falcon 9 rocket carried 53 small satellites into orbit. While this success underscores the persistent need for such services from s atellite developers, it also brings attention to emerging challenges in mai ntaining space situational awareness.

Among the diverse payloads was SONATE-2, a 6U+ CubeSat developed by the Uni versity of Wuerzburg in Germany. This satellite serves as a technology demo nstration for artificial intelligence hardware, software, and machine learn
ing techniques, coupled with an educational component through the DLR Schoo
l Lab. SONATE-2's amateur payload includes a VHF transceiver and an AI payl
oad with optical sensors, providing regular SSTV downlinks, an APRS digipea ter, and CW beacon.

The mission aims to engage students in aerospace and computer science engin eering programs, offering practical skills and participation in satellite o perations. SONATE-2 reported successful operation, with over 1000 telemetry
frames downloaded in the first day post-launch, indicating a safe and stab
le state of the satellite. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpaceX-Transpor ter-10-Stack.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/0 3/SpaceX-Transporter-10-Stack.jpg>
The SpaceX Transporter-10 Payload Stack. Annotations by https://twitter.com /GewoonLukas_ [Credit: SpaceX]

However, the CroCube mission faced a slight setback, with the first Croatia
n satellite now scheduled for launch on Transporter-11 in June 2024. This d ecision, prompted by tightened technical conditions set by Exolaunch and Sp aceX, aims to ensure project criteria are met, minimizing risks. CroCube, a
1U CubeSat designed for amateur radio and Earth surface imaging, sees this
delay as an opportunity to focus on key activities, including ground stati
on completion, mission promotion, educational events, and finalizing the fi nancial structure.

The Transporter-10 mission also witnessed the deployment of various payload
s from different companies, showcasing innovation in satellite inspection, proximity operations, and technology testing. Notable deployments include S pire's Lemur CubeSats, Iceye's radar mapping satellites, and Satellogic's i maging satellite. Lynk Global, in the process of going public, launched two
satellites to fund its direct-to-device constellation development. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sonate-2_Satell ite.png]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sonate- 2_Satellite.png>
SONATE-2 is Equipped with Amateur Radio SSTV, Digipeater, and CW Beacon. [C redit: University of Würzburg]

Startups such as Unseenlabs, Loft Orbital, Atomos Space, True Anomaly, Quan
tum Space, and Sidus Space seized the opportunity, deploying their first sa tellites. This diverse array of payloads highlights the industry's commitme
nt to pushing boundaries in space exploration. Another notable payload, Met haneSAT, developed by Ball Aerospace for the Environmental Defense Fund, ai
ms to track global methane emissions with high-resolution precision, contri buting to environmental monitoring efforts.

Despite the success of Transporter-10, challenges in space situational awar eness have surfaced. Owen Marshall of LeoLabs highlighted a degradation in cataloging objects after launch, particularly in rideshare missions where t
he median catalog time can exceed two weeks. This delay poses risks to sate llite operators' communication capabilities, emphasizing the need for enhan
ced tracking capabilities in the era of growing satellite deployments.

As the space industry evolves, addressing these challenges becomes crucial
to ensure the sustainability and safety of activities in Earth's orbit. The
success of SpaceX's Transporter-10 mission underscores the industry's vita lity, but the spotlight on emerging challenges signals the need for continu
al innovation and collaboration to navigate the complexities of our expandi
ng presence in space.

[ANS thanks Jeff Foust, SpaceNews, for the above information]

________________________________
Vostochny Spaceport Sends Meteor-M2-4 Weather Satellite Into Orbit

On February 29, 2024, the Vostochny spaceport witnessed the successful laun
ch of a Soyuz-2-1b rocket, inaugurating the first mission of the year from
this spaceport. On board was the Meteor-M2-4 weather spacecraft, a notable addition to the Meteor-M series, alongside several secondary payloads, incl uding an Iranian micro-satellite dedicated to Earth observation.

Developed by the Moscow-based VNIIEM Corporation, Meteor-M2-4, weighing nea
rly three tons, boasts advanced instruments designed for comprehensive moni toring of global weather patterns, the ozone layer, ocean surface temperatu
re, and ice conditions. Recognized for its military applications by the Rus sian space agency, Roscosmos, this mission marked a significant stride in s pace exploration.

Meteor-M2-4 encountered delays in its journey, originally slated for a Dece mber 26, 2023 launch. However, due to multiple rescheduling, the liftoff fi nally took place on February 29, 2024. The spacecraft, delivered to the lau
nch site on December 28, 2023, underwent meticulous preparations, including
fueling and integration with the launch vehicle, ultimately culminating in
a successful liftoff. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SZ2.1b-MeteorM2 -4-Encapsulation-scaled.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/upl oads/2024/03/SZ2.1b-MeteorM2-4-Encapsulation-scaled.jpg>
Meteor-M 2-4 Satellite / Secondary Payloads Encapsulated in Payload Fairing
[Credit: Roscosmos]

Following the standard ascent profile for Meteor satellites, the launch tra jectory headed northwest over eastern Russia, reaching a near-polar orbit w
ith an inclination of approximately 98.57 degrees. The fairing protecting t
he payload separated during the second stage operation, with subsequent sta
ge separations carefully planned for safe impact zones in the Amur Region a
nd the Sakha Republic.

The Fregat upper stage took charge of the final payload deployment, executi
ng precise maneuvers over the Arctic and Antarctica. Approximately 59 minut
es and 46 seconds after liftoff, the Meteor-M2-4 satellite was successfully
released, accomplishing its primary mission. The Fregat then proceeded to deploy the secondary payloads into their designated orbits. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Meteor-M2-4_Dav id_Trolinger_N5ZKK.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/ 2024/03/Meteor-M2-4_David_Trolinger_N5ZKK.jpg>
Meteor M2-4 Image Decoded Using a Raspberry Pi 5 and SatDump by N5ZKK [Cred
it: David Trolinger]

The Russian Meteor M2-4 satellite commenced transmitting weather images wit
hin the first day in orbit. Known for their accessibility to amateur users,
Meteor M satellites operate around 137 MHz, making them receivable with a RTL-SDR dongle and suitable satellite antennas. The satellite also transmit
s in the L-band, enabling reception with a 60cm or larger dish and motorize
d or hand tracking. Unlike previous satellites in the series, M2-4 experien
ced a smooth launch and deployment, with reports indicating excellent signa
l strength and clear image reception in both VHF and L-band frequencies. Tw o-Line Elements (TLE's) and the SatDump decoding software (https://github.c om/SatDump/SatDump) have been updated to support Meteor M2-4, simplifying a ccess for enthusiasts through Github updates.

Space historian Jonathan McDowell shared valuable insights into the flight,
detailing each Fregat maneuver and its impact on the satellite cluster. Wh
ile the majority of the secondary payloads adhered to the expected orbits, anomalies in the deployment of some SITRO satellites prompted further inves tigation. The launch of Meteor-M2-4 and its accompanying payloads stands as
a noteworthy accomplishment for Russia's space program, contributing signi ficantly to global endeavors in weather monitoring, Earth observation, and satellite technology development.

[ANS thanks Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com and RTL-SDR.com for the above information]

________________________________
The 2024 Coins Are Here Now!
Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus. Join<https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> the AMSAT Presi dent's Club today!

[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-Coin-Both_ 586-300x148.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/>

________________________________
NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Launches to International Space Station

After overcoming multiple delays in the past few weeks, a diverse team of a stronauts lifted off into orbit late on a Sunday evening. NASA's SpaceX Cre
w-8 mission achieved a flawless launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Ke nnedy Space Center in Florida at 10:53 p.m. EST on March 3rd, propelling fo
ur astronauts toward the International Space Station (ISS).

Marking the eighth collaboration between NASA and SpaceX for crew rotations
, the Crew-8 mission embarked on a scientific journey to the ISS. The Crew-
8 team is led by Commander Matthew Dominick, KCØTOR, Pilot Michael Barrat
t, KD5MIJ, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, and Flight Engineer Al exander Grebenkin, RZ3DSE. Dominick, a first-time astronaut, will serve as
a mission specialist during Expedition 70/71. Barratt, with two spaceflight
s under his belt, brings valuable experience to the mission. Epps, NASA's f irst-time astronaut selected in 2009, plays a crucial role in monitoring th
e spacecraft during dynamic flight phases. Grebenkin, on his inaugural spac
e mission, serves as a flight engineer during Expeditions 70/71. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpaceX_Crew-8_F alcon_9.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Spa ceX_Crew-8_Falcon_9.jpg>
Members of NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Standing in Front of a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rock
et [Credit: SpaceX]

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulated NASA and SpaceX, stating, "On
this eighth crew rotation mission, we are once again showing the strength o
f our commercial partnerships and American ingenuity that will propel us fu rther in the cosmos." The crew's mission aboard the ISS involves conducting
over 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to support spac
e exploration and benefit humanity on Earth.

The Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, autonomously docked with the forwar
d port of the station's Harmony module under the vigilant watch of SpaceX a
nd NASA mission control centers in Hawthorne, California, and Houston, Texa
s. The successful docking occurred on Tuesday, March 5th, at 2:28 a.m. EST
over the central North Atlantic.

Crew-8's arrival at the ISS expands the existing Expedition 70 crew, compri sing astronauts from NASA, ESA, JAXA, and Roscosmos. With the temporary add ition of Crew-8 members, the ISS will briefly host eleven individuals until
the return of Crew-7 members a few days later. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpaceX_Crew-8_A rrive_ISS.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/S paceX_Crew-8_Arrive_ISS.jpg>
Current Crew of International Space Station until Crew-7 Departs on March 1
0 [Credit: NASA TV]

Beyond the space environment, Crew-8 aims to conduct various scientific exp eriments to advance human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and address ch allenges faced by humanity on Earth. These experiments include studies on b rain organoids to understand neurodegenerative disorders, the effects of mi crogravity on plant growth, and shifts in body fluids during spaceflight.

The ISS continues to serve as a crucial platform for research and developme
nt, with NASA's commitment to maximizing its utility. Research conducted on board not only benefits life on Earth but also lays the groundwork for futu
re missions, such as NASA's Artemis program, aimed at returning humans to t
he Moon and beyond.

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]

________________________________
GridMasterMap Satellite Top 100 Rovers March 2024 Rankings

The March 2024 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in satel lite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap<https://twitter.com/GridMa sterMap> on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the nu mber of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those g rids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr<http://grid master.fr/> website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do n
ot directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators ar
e encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster. fr<https://gridmaster.fr/> in order to provide more accurate data.

Updated: 2024-03-06
1
ND9M
26
N5BO
51
SP5XSD
76
N4AKV
2
NJ7H
27
K8BL
52
AD7DB
77
DF2ET
3
JA9KRO
28
LU5ILA
53
F4DXV
78
YU0W
4
N5UC
29
KE4AL
54
JL3RNZ
79
DL4EA
5
UT1FG
30
DL2GRC
55
KE9AJ
80
KJ7NDY
6
OE3SEU
31
VE3HLS
56
KI7QEK
81
N4DCW
7
WI7P
32
KB5FHK
57
N8RO
82
WA9JBQ
8
DL6AP
33
KI7UNJ
58
XE1ET
83
N0TEL
9
HA3FOK
34
LA9XGA
59
VE1CWJ
84
VE3GOP
10
N6UA
35
F4BKV
60
KM4LAO
85
KI0KB
11
K5ZM
36
N7AGF
61
PA3GAN
86
KB2YSI
12
N9IP
37
JO2ASQ
62
N4UFO
87
JM1CAX
13
WY7AA
38
XE3DX
63
SM3NRY
88
CU2ZG
14
W5PFG
39
K7TAB
64
W1AW
89
K0FFY
15
AD0DX
40
KE0PBR
65
VA7LM
90
KG4AKV
16
AK8CW
41
KE0WPA
66
VA3VGR
91
HB9GWJ
17
DP0POL
42
PR8KW
67
PT2AP
92
W8MTB
18
WD9EWK
43
AC0RA
68
M1DDD
93
VE7PTN
19
AD0HJ
44
N6DNM
69
AA8CH
94
DK9JC
20
ON4AUC
45
EB1AO
70
LU4JVE
95
AF5CC
21
KG5CCI
46
JK2XXK
71
VE1VOX
96
K6VHF
22
KX9X
47
W7WGC
72
FG8OJ
97
VE6WK
23
ND0C
48
EA4NF
73
PT9BM
98
N6UTC
24
F5VMJ
49
VK5DG
74
KI7UXT
99
PT9ST
25
DJ8MS
50
AA5PK
75
W8LR
100
VO2AC

[ANS thanks @GridMasterMap for the above information]

________________________________
Need new satellite antennas?
Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the AMSAT Store!<https://amsat.org/product-cat egory/hardware/>
When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Kee ping Amateur Radio in Space.

[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/cm/LEO-Pack1-300x298.pn g]<https://www.amsat.org/product/m2-leo-pack-antenna-system/>

________________________________
Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for March 8, 2024

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 u pdates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. Elements in the
TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to ad
d or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or m
ore frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More informati
on may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources.

CUBEL-1 NORAD Cat ID 49017 Decayed from orbit on or about 06 February 2024

[ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information]

________________________________
ARISS NEWS

Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amat eurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts
and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink freque
ncy on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.

ARISS Celebration at Kennedy Space Center Interview with Randy Berger WAØ
D

ARISS-USA Director of Engineering, Randy Berger, WAØD, recently spoke to
ARISS fan Michael Randazzo, KO4PDI. They covered Ham Radio gear on the ISS
and more. See the interview at Michael's YouTube channel: https://www.youtu be.com/watch?vÿdW_mhbUew

+ Recently Completed Contacts

"IES Pedro Simón" Abril High School, Alcaraz, Spain, telebridge via K6DUE
The ISS callsign was NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember was Loral O'Hara KI5TOM
The ARISS mentor was IKØUSO
Contact successful: Mon 2024-03-04 11:21:02 UTC
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?vÿgk4YZT5w4

+ Upcoming Contacts

No upcoming contacts scheduled

As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios
are turned off as part of the safety protocol.

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 pi
ck up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeat
er. So give a listen, you just never know.

The Service Module radio is currently misconfigured. SSTV radio is currentl
y stowed.

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orb ital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ar iss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html<https://gridmaster.fr/>

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 f
or the above information]

________________________________
Upcoming Satellite Operations

PJ2, CURACAO: Andreas, DK5ON, is going to pay a visit to Curacao from March
11 to 27. QRV as PJ2/DK5ON on 80-6m, maybe also on 160m and via satellites
, on CW, SSB, FT4/8. QSL via DK5ON (d/B), ClubLog OQRS, LoTW. Thanks to DX
NL DARC DX Newsletter March 6, 2024 (http://www.darcdxhf.de<http://www.darc dxhf.de/>).

NOIRMOUTIER ISLAND SAT DXPEDITION 2024
F4DXV Jérôme (@F4DXV<https://twitter.com/F4DXV>) and EA4NF Philippe (@E A4NF_SAT<https://twitter.com/EA4NF_SAT>) announced that they will be activa ting Noirmoutier Island EU-064 IN86 from April 1 to 4, 2024 with the speci
al callsign TM4J
This International DXpedition is the 1st 100% SAT from this French island:
GEO (QO-100) MEO (GREENCUBE IO-117) LEO (FM+SSB)
Updates available on @TM4J_SAT<https://twitter.com/TM4J_SAT>

A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their
grid square activations on https://hams.at<https://hams.at/>. By visiting
the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the op erators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you
have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particul
ar rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming s atellite passes that are accessible from your location.

[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above info rmation]

________________________________
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests,
conventions, maker faires, and other events.

AMSAT-Francophone Seventh Amateur Radio Space Meeting
Saturday March 16th - Sunday March 17th
Electrolab Hackerspace à Nanterre
52 Rue Paul Lescop
92000 Nanterre, France
https://site.amsat-f.org/

JAMSAT Symposium 2024
Saturday March 23rd - Sunday March 24th
Hotel Binario Saga Arashiyama
3-4 Hiromichicho, Saga Tenryuji, Ukyo Ward
Sagano, Kyoto, Japan
https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p$46

2024 CubeSat Developer's Workshop
Tuesday April 23rd - Thursday April 25th
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA
https://www.cubesatdw.org/

Dayton Hamvention 2024
Friday May 17th - Sunday May 19th
Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center
120 Fairground Road
Xenia, OH 45385
https://hamvention.org<https://hamvention.org/>

________________________________
Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store<https://ww w.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radi
o in Space

[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AMSAT-Car-Flag- e1705691761784-300x235.png]<https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>

________________________________
Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Congratulations to both Eddy Schebesta, OE3SEU, and Paulo Bauer Jorge, F5 VMJ, for their outstanding achievements in providing satellite contacts! Ed
dy has achieved an impressive 132 grid squares, earning him the AMSAT VUCC/
r Award #13, while Paulo has excelled with contacts from 102 grid squares, earning him AMSAT VUCC/r Award #14. The Reverse VUCC or VUCC/r Award, origi nally introduced by the Central States VHF Society and now carried on by AM SAT, recognizes the dedication of satellite rovers like Eddy and Paulo. For
more information about this prestigious award, you can visit the AMSAT web site at https://www.amsat.org/reverse-vucc-or-vucc-r-award. Keep on roving,
Eddy and Paulo, and continue to inspire others in the AMSAT community with
your remarkable achievements! (ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Direct
or of Contests and Awards for the above information)

+ NASA will broadcast live coverage of SpaceX Crew-7's return to Earth from
the International Space Station on March 10. The coverage will commence wi
th a change-of-command ceremony at 11:55 a.m. EDT. Astronauts Jasmin Moghbe
li, Andreas Mogensen, Satoshi Furukawa, and Konstantin Borisov will conclud
e their nearly six-month science mission. Weather permitting, the SpaceX Dr agon spacecraft is set to undock on March 11 at 11:05 a.m., with splashdown
targeted for as early as 5:35 a.m. on March 12 off the Florida coast. The
live coverage will be available on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, an
d the agency's website, featuring farewell remarks, hatch closure, undockin
g, and splashdown events, as well as a media teleconference on March 12 wit
h key participants. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information)

+ SpaceX is aiming for the third test flight of its Starship rocket on Marc
h 14, as announced through a post on the X platform. The Starship vehicle c omprises a stainless-steel reusable upper stage, also known as Starship, an
d a Super Heavy first-stage booster, standing over 400 feet tall together.
A recent critical fueling test at the Starbase facility in Texas involved p umping over 10 million pounds of liquid methane and liquid oxygen into the rocket. The upcoming launch follows two previous test flights in April 2023
and November 2023, where Starship faced issues like failure to separate fr
om the first-stage booster and a subsequent explosion of the Super Heavy. A fter the second test, the FAA identified seventeen corrective actions, all
of which SpaceX claims to have completed, addressing issues related to leak
reduction, fire protection, and propellant vent operations. The Starship a
nd Super Heavy, designed for full reusability, are pivotal for NASA's Artem
is 3 mission to land astronauts on the moon by 2026. (ANS thanks Brett Ting ley, Space.com, for the above information)

+ NASA has identified a growing air leak on the International Space Station
(ISS) located at the end of the Russian service module. The leak, situated
in Russia's Zvezda service module, initially released one pound of air per
day but accelerated to over two pounds daily in early February. Despite th
e increased rate, NASA assures that it does not currently jeopardize the sa fety of the ISS crew or impact the station's operations. Collaboration betw
een the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada is underway to add ress the situation. Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, confirms ongoing m onitoring and asserts that there is no immediate threat to the crew or the station itself. The leak is in a three-foot-long area and has prompted prec autionary measures, including sealing off the affected vestibule to mitigat
e further air loss from the rest of the space station. (ANS thanks Will Sul livan, Smithsonian Magazine, for the above information)

+ The inaugural components for Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket have reached th
e port of Pariacabo in Kourou, French Guiana, transported by the container ship, Canopée. Manufactured across Europe, the central core arrived on Ca nopée, which uses sails to reduce emissions and save up to 30% on fuel du
ring its 10-day, 7,000 km journey. The rocket's stages were produced in var ious European locations, with the main engine and stage integrated in Les M ureaux, France, and the upper stage and insulation in Bremen, Germany. Foll owing transport, the components were offloaded and taken to the Ariane 6 as sembly building, a few kilometers away, where they will undergo integration
before liftoff. The boosters, already at Europe's Spaceport, are P120C sol
id propulsion boosters similar to those used for the Vega-C rocket. The cen tral core will be assembled horizontally and then transported to the launch pad, where it will be erected, followed by the addition of boosters and the
upper stage, with the goal of a summer launch for Flight Model-1. (ANS tha
nks the European Space Agency 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 shal
l 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<http://amsat.org/> for additional membership in formation.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week's ANS Editor, Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ
ad0hj [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org/>








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