New Station Crew Continues Preparations for Launch as Expedition 60 Enjoys Off Day

New Station Crew Continues Preparations for Launch as Expedition 60 Enjoys Off Day

In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 61 crew member Jessica Meir of NASA runs through procedures Sept. 11 aboard the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft during an initial Soyuz vehicle fit check. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov
In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 61 crew member Jessica Meir of NASA runs through procedures Sept. 11 aboard the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft during an initial Soyuz vehicle fit check. Credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

The crew of Expedition 60, consisting of Commander Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos; NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Andrew Morgan and Nick Hague; ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano; and cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, took much-needed respite during an off-duty day aboard the International Space Station. Tomorrow, investigations furthering scientific research in support of crew health and extended travels to destinations deeper in the solar system will resume.

On Earth, the Expedition 61 prime crew of cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, along with spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, are at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, finalizing pre-launch training and preparations for their launch on Sept. 25 aboard a Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft. Yesterday, they ran through procedures and completed the necessary fit check, spacesuits donned, within the Soyuz vehicle. Today, they took part in ceremonial activities, such as raising the flags of Russia, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates, along with backup crew members Tom Marshburn of NASA, Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos and spaceflight participant Sultan Al-Neyadi of the United Arab Emirates.

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Catherine Williams

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IARU Region 3 approves new 15m satellite allocation

IARU Region 3 approves new 15m satellite allocation

The IARU Region 3 Directors meeting was held in Tokyo September 2-3. A modified interim Region 3 bandplan was approved which included an Amateur-Satellite Service allocation in the 15m band.

The Chairman of IARU Region 3 directors, Wisnu Widjaja YBØAZ and the directors Ken Yamamoto, JA1CJP, Peter Young, VK3MV, Don Wallace, ZL2TLL, Jakkree Hantongkom, HS1FVL, Mohd. Aris bin Bernawi, 9M2IR met in Tokyo for their annual Directors’ meeting at the conference room of JARL. They were assisted by the IARU Region 3 Secretary Shizuo Endo JE1MUI. They were joined by IARU President Tim Ellam VE6SH and Region 2 President Reinaldo Leandro YV5AM.

The directors reviewed progress on tasks directed and identified at the last Directors’ meeting and the Regional Conference that were held in Seoul, Korea in September 2018.

The finance situation of the region was noted to be healthy and well within budgets set earlier.

Reports were received from the Chairman, Directors and the Secretary. They mainly reported subjects on the responsibilities allocated to each of them.

Reports were also received from the Region 3 committee chairmen and coordinators. Those include reports related to Monitoring System, Bandplan Committee, EMC, Disaster Communications, ARDF activities in some societies and Award manager.

Reports including an oral report were also received from the IARU president and Regions 1 & 2 secretary. Their reports include issues such as current situations on agenda items concerned the amateur services towards WRC (World Radiocommunication Conference)-19, administrative issues and activities in their own areas.

It was noted that some IARU Region 3 societies are no longer active and the Directors are looking at a way to involve the amateurs in these countries in IARU activities.

Other important issues to our Region were also discussed. Those include the revision of Newsletter guideline and use of social media in IARU Region 3, new structure of IARU Region 3 website and Region 3 YOTA (Youth On The Air) program.

It was recognized that usage of a social media in addition to the newsletter is useful to enable a better communication with the IARU Region 3 member societies and their members. Furthermore, it is also recognized that societies are encouraged to provide information which is included in a Region 3 newsletter and monitoring system newsletter.

It was decided that an IARU Region 3 YOTA activity will take place in Pattaya, Thailand in October 2020.

The modified interim Region 3 bandplan proposed by the Region 3 Bandplan Committee was approved. A notable change was addition of a satellite portion in 15m Band as agreed at the last Region 3 Conference.

It was agreed to make a necessary action to extend the MOU (Memorandum of understanding) with APT (Asia-Pacific Telecommunity) which is to be expired in coming December.

The Chairman, Wisnu Widjaja YBØAZ and a Director, Ken Yamamoto JA1CJP will be present at the next Administrative Council meeting and the Region 2 Conference which will be held in Lima, Peru from September 28 to October 4, 2019.

It was agreed that the next directors meeting be tentatively fixed for the 1st to 3rd of October 2020 in Thailand.

Source IARU Region 3 https://iaru-r3.org/topics/pressreleases

Download the interim IARU Region 3 bandplan
http://www.iaru-r3.org/newsite/wp-content/files/R3-004%20IARU%20Region%203%20Bandplan%20rev.2.pdf

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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AMSAT-LU PicoBalloons travel the around the globe

AMSAT-LU PicoBalloons travel the around the globe

AMSAT-LU Picoballoon PayloadAMSAT-LU Picoballoon Payload

The WSPR Picoballoon on 14.0956 USB released August 31 is about to complete its first circumnavigation of the globe after traveling 33,000 km in 12 days.

AMSAT-LU appreciate any WSPR stations that help to receive it, AMSAT-LU will recognize with a certificate to stations that capture its 25 mW beacon.

Trajectory at http://lu7aa.org.ar/wspr.asp
(slow access but with lot of information)

Info: http://amsat.org.ar?f=buoy

WSPR program at http://amsat.org.ar/wspr.exe

Also the APRS PicoBalloon (145.825 via Sat 1W) will be returning this Friday to S.America
http://aprs.fi?call=lu7aa-11

73, LU7AA, AMSAT Argentina

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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Decoding Human Biology at Top of Task List for Station Residents

Decoding Human Biology at Top of Task List for Station Residents

Expedition 60 Flight Engineer Christina Koch of NASA playfully demonstrates how fluids behave in the weightless environment of microgravity aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA
Expedition 60 Flight Engineer Christina Koch of NASA playfully demonstrates how fluids behave in the weightless environment of microgravity aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Expedition 60 is the midst of a busy week aboard the International Space Station, even with yesterday’s launch scrub of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) HTV-8 “Kounotori” cargo vehicle. While JAXA teams are meeting to discuss a forward plan and assess launch opportunities, mission operations and scientific investigations are moving forward in orbit.   

Half the crew —NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Andrew Morgan ESA (European Space Agency) crewmate Luca Parmitano— spent part of their day reviewing spacewalk procedures and training for an upcoming series of spacewalks to upgrade batteries during a maintenance activity for the outpost. 

Morgan also assisted NASA astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos with additional work in support of Fluid Shifts, again evaluating a Chibis Lower Body Negative Pressure suit as a potential countermeasure for explorers having trouble maintaining adequate blood pressure during phases of egress and landing. 

Koch, meanwhile, performed necessary maintenance for the Rodent Research-17 experiment, temporarily relocating the rodent occupants to clean out the habitats and restock them with new food bars. This investigation evaluates the physiological, cellular and molecular effects of microgravity, testing the theory that the cosmic environment can accelerate aging. As researchers gain a better understanding of immune, bone and muscle disease processes, new therapies in space and on Earth can beneficially result. 

Parmitano rounded out the busy day by performing a self-guided ultrasound for the ground team in support of the Vascular Echo study, which examines changes in blood vessels and the heart in astronauts. It’s been observed that Expedition crew members return to Earth with stiffer arteries than they had before going into space. This experiment will provide insight into potential countermeasures to maintain crew health and improve quality of life for everyone … including those of us on Earth.

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Catherine Williams

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