AMSAT News Service
ANS-116
April 26, 2026

In this edition:

* AMSAT Update from 2026 CubeSat Developers Workshop Available Online
* AMSAT-HB Announces Results of 2026 HB9RG Trophy Distance Competition
* Rocket Lab Launches Eight JAXA Satellites on Kakushin Rising Mission
* KrakenRF Discovery Drive Rotator Campaign Exceeds $314k Funding Goal
* Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for April 24, 2026
* 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 n
ews related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities o
f a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest
in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and dig ital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in S pace 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/

________________________________
AMSAT Update Presented at 2026 CubeSat Developers Workshop Available Online

An update presented by AMSAT President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, at the 2026
CubeSat Developers Workshop is now available for viewing on YouTube. The p resentation provides an overview of AMSAT's current satellite development p rograms and future mission plans, along with its ongoing efforts to support
amateur radio in space. The recorded session offers those unable to attend
the workshop an opportunity to review AMSAT's activities within the broade
r small satellite community.

The CubeSat Developers Workshop, held April 14-16, 2026, at California Poly technic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, is an annual three -day conference focused on small satellite development. Now in its 23rd yea
r, the workshop brings together participants from academia, industry, and g overnment to share knowledge, research, and practical experience in CubeSat
missions, with an emphasis on hands-on learning and collaboration. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026_CDW_AMSAT_ Glasbrenner_Presentation-1024x576.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-c ontent/uploads/2026/04/2026_CDW_AMSAT_Glasbrenner_Presentation.jpg>
Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, answers questions during an AMSAT update at CubeSa
t Developers Workshop 2026. [Credit: CubeSat Developers Workshop<https://ww w.youtube.com/@cubesat5793>]

During his presentation, Glasbrenner provided an overview of AMSAT's missio
n as a volunteer, educational organization dedicated to building and operat
ing amateur radio satellites. He noted the organization's long history dati
ng back to 1969 and highlighted the continued operation of early satellites
such as AO-7, which remains functional more than five decades after launch
when illuminated by the sun.

Glasbrenner then outlined AMSAT's current satellite development efforts, fo cusing on the GOLF-TEE mission, a 3U CubeSat expected to be completed later
this year or early next year. The satellite is designed to carry a 30 kHz linear transponder for amateur communications, along with a 10 GHz high-spe
ed experimental downlink and improved three-axis attitude control. He also described the follow-on Fox-Plus series of CubeSats, which incorporate a mi
x of commercial hardware and AMSAT-developed radio payloads.

Additional work includes AMSAT's development of linear transponder modules
and other payloads designed for integration into university CubeSat mission
s. These systems allow partner institutions to use the hardware for mission
communications while also providing access to amateur radio operators when
not in use. Glasbrenner also highlighted educational initiatives such as t
he CubeSat Simulator and youth outreach programs aimed at expanding student
participation in amateur satellite operations.

The full presentation can be viewed on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/ live/p5GHRMOr8tk<https://www.youtube.com/live/p5GHRMOr8tk?ta36>

[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA<https://x.com/glasbrenner>, AMSAT Presi dent, and the CubeSat Developers Workshop<https://www.cubesatdw.org/> for t
he above information]

________________________________
AMSAT-HB Announces Results of 2026 HB9RG Trophy Distance Competition

AMSAT-HB has released the results of the 2026 HB9RG Trophy Distance competi tion, held during the first two weeks of March to honor the legacy of Hans Rudolf Lauber, HB9RG, a pioneer in VHF and UHF communications and early sat ellite experimentation. The event challenges operators to achieve the great
est possible distances using amateur satellites in Earth orbit. Unlike trad itional contests, scoring is based on the sum of each participant's ten lon gest satellite QSOs rather than the total number of contacts. This format e mphasizes technical skill, station optimization, and operating strategy. Th
e results shown in the table reflect the combined distance of those ten lon gest contacts for each operator. The 2026 competition drew participants fro
m multiple countries across three operating categories.

Category 1, designed for portable handheld stations using whip or telescopi
c antennas, had a single participant, DF2ET, who achieved a total distance
of 8,920.65 kilometers (5,542.43 miles). The operator recorded a maximum si ngle contact of 1,843.41 kilometers (1,145.19 miles) between grid JO31 and KN56. In Category 2, which includes portable and more capable stations, KE9
AJ placed first with a total distance of 71,581.90 kilometers (44,472.62 mi les), followed by VU3YFD and VA3VGR. The longest single contact in this cat egory measured 7,480.98 kilometers (4,648.52 miles) between KE9AJ in EL99 a
nd F4AZF in JN39 via AO-7. KE9AJ also recorded the highest average distance
at 7,158 kilometers (4,447.30 miles). Category 2 drew ten participants fro
m seven countries.
Category
Rank
Call
Distance (kilometers)
Distance (miles)
Portable Whip/Telescope
1
DF2ET
8920.65
5542.43
Portable Stations
1
KE9AJ
71581.90
44472.62
2
VU3YFD
42783.01
26584.98
3
VA3VGR
39565.91
24584.35
4
M5JFS
33729.30
20957.59
5
ER1KW
24384.47
15152.51
6
YC8RPK
20475.35
12722.06
7
YD9IPB
17098.10
10624.07
8
DG7RO
13330.27
8282.03
9
DF2ET
11818.67
7343.52
10
R2SCN
3562.93
2213.98
Fixed Stations
1
PA3GAN
66405.74
41262.68
2
DL4KCA
38062.50
23650.48
3
F0GOW
35609.15
22126.03
4
F6KRK
28737.33
17856.45
5
F1EFW
28356.55
17619.88

In Category 3 for fixed stations, PA3GAN placed first with a total distance
of 66,405.74 kilometers (41,262.68 miles), followed by DL4KCA and F0GOW. T
he longest single contact reached 7,177.64 kilometers (4,459.41 miles) betw
een PA3GAN in JO21 and KE9AJ in EL99 via AO-7. Five participants from three
countries competed in this category. Results demonstrate the performance a dvantage of fixed stations while still requiring strong operating skill. Th
e category showed consistent long-distance capability across multiple opera tors. Results highlight that both portable and fixed stations can achieve s trong performance when combined with effective operating strategy.

Across all categories, the results highlight the continued importance of li near transponder satellites such as AO-7, FO-29, and RS-44 for long-distanc
e QSOs. These platforms enabled many of the longest contacts recorded durin
g the event. Operators demonstrated strong understanding of satellite passe
s, polarization effects, and station configuration. The competition also re inforced the value of portable operation in achieving unique grid combinati ons. Overall participation reflects a technically engaged satellite communi
ty. The HB9RG Trophy remains a meaningful tribute to early satellite commun ication achievements while encouraging continued innovation and participati
on in amateur satellite operations.

Official 2026 HB9RG Trophy Results: https://www.amsat-hb.org/hb9rg_trophy/h b9rg_trophy_2026/result_2026

[ANS thanks AMSAT-HB<https://www.amsat-hb.org/> for the above information]

________________________________
Written by experienced AMSAT satellite operators, Getting Started With Amat
eur
Satellites is a complete guide to working amateur satellites, covering trac king, antennas,
radio selection, and step-by-step operation for FM, SSB, and digital modes.

[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AMSAT_Store_AMS AT_Book_Hard_Copy_1200px_650px.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/product/getting-s tarted-with-amateur-satellites-hard-copy/>
Join or renew your AMSAT membership and download a free PDF copy for a limi
ted time
https://www.amsat.org/membership-specials/
Or purchase the digital download or printed copy from the AMSAT Store https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-books-and-dvds/ ________________________________
Rocket Lab Launches Eight JAXA Satellites on Kakushin Rising Mission

Rocket Lab successfully launched eight satellites for Japan late Wednesday night as part of its Kakushin Rising mission, supporting the Japan Aerospac
e Exploration Agency's Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Progra
m. Liftoff occurred at 11:09 PM EDT Wednesday, April 22 (0309 UTC Thursday,
April 23) from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. The mission c arried a diverse set of small satellites designed to test new technologies
and expand capabilities in low Earth orbit. The launch continues Rocket Lab
's steady cadence of dedicated smallsat missions.

The Electron rocket deployed all eight spacecraft into low Earth orbit at a
n altitude of approximately 336 miles (540 kilometers). Deployment occurred
less than one hour after liftoff, in line with mission expectations. Rocke
t Lab confirmed successful separation of all payloads shortly after the eve
nt. The mission marked the 79th launch of the Electron launch vehicle.

Kakushin Rising represents the second of two contracted launches for JAXA's
technology demonstration program. The first mission, RAISE and Shine, laun ched in December 2025 and carried the RAISE-4 satellite to orbit. Together,
the missions highlight Japan's continued investment in rapid, cost-effecti
ve access to space for experimental payloads. These efforts support the dev elopment of new satellite technologies and operational concepts. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/RocketLab_Elect ron_Kakushin_Rising-1024x768.jpg]
Electron rocket undergoes propellant loading ahead of the Kakushin Rising m ission for JAXA in New Zealand. [Credit: Rocket Lab<https://x.com/RocketLab

]

The eight satellites on this mission include MAGNARO-II, KOSEN-2R, WASEDA-S AT-ZERO-II, FSI-SAT2, OrigamiSat-2, ARICA-2, Mono-Nikko, and PRELUDE. The p ayloads range from educational CubeSats to advanced technology demonstrator
s, including systems for remote sensing, communications, and deployable str uctures. One satellite features an antenna that can expand to many times it
s stowed size using origami-inspired techniques. These missions provide val uable on-orbit validation for emerging technologies.

Several of the satellites are IARU-coordinated, including MAGNARO-II, KOSEN -2R, WASEDA-SAT-ZERO-II, and ARICA-2, with amateur radio downlinks in the V
HF and UHF bands. Early reports from the SatNOGS network indicate that mult iple satellites are already transmitting, with CW beacon signals received f
rom MAGNARO-II, ARICA-2, WASEDA-SAT-ZERO-II, FSI-SAT2, and OrigamiSat-2 wit
hin hours of launch. These initial receptions confirm successful early oper ations and provide immediate opportunities for amateur radio operators to m onitor and decode signals.

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket, a 59 foot tall (18 meters) launch vehicle, is
designed to provide responsive and dedicated access to space for small pay loads. The company continues to support commercial, government, and researc
h missions with frequent launches. Rocket Lab also operates a suborbital va riant known as HASTE for hypersonic testing applications. The Kakushin Risi
ng mission further demonstrates the growing role of small launch providers
in enabling international space missions.

Read the full Space.com article at: https://www.space.com/space-exploration /launches-spacecraft/rocket-lab-launch-eight-japanese-satellites-kakushin-r ising-mission

Follow satellite observations and tracking reports for the Kakushin Rising mission on the Libre Space Community: https://community.libre.space/t/kakus hin-rising-mission-jaxa-rideshare-electron-2026-04-23-03-09-utc/14593

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

________________________________
KrakenRF Discovery Drive Rotator Campaign Exceeds $314k Funding Goal

KrakenRF's Discovery Drive motorized azimuth/elevation antenna rotator crow dfunding campaign has concluded successfully on Crowd Supply. The project r aised $334,282, exceeding its $314,550 goal and reaching 106 percent fundin
g with support from 254 backers.

Discovery Drive is designed as a turnkey solution for satellite tracking us
ing directional antennas such as dishes and Yagis. The unit arrives fully a ssembled and weatherproof, eliminating the need for mechanical assembly or custom controller integration. Setup consists of mounting the rotator to a mast or tripod, applying 12 V power, connecting via Wi-Fi or USB, and align
ing the system to true north.

The rotator supports a range of satellite operations, including polar-orbit
ing weather satellites such as METEOR-M2, MetOp, and FengYun, as well as Cu beSat and amateur radio satellite tracking. KrakenRF also highlighted addit ional experimental applications, including hydrogen line radio astronomy us
ing compatible dish systems and software such as Stellarium. [https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/KrakenRF_Discov eryDrive_DiscoveryDish-1024x683.jpg]<https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-con tent/uploads/2026/04/KrakenRF_DiscoveryDrive_DiscoveryDish.jpg>
KrakenRF Discovery Drive azimuth/elevation rotator shown with Discovery Dis
h for automated tracking. [Credit: KrakenRF<https://www.krakenrf.com/>]

During the campaign, KrakenRF shared multiple updates detailing development
progress, software compatibility, and community testing, including video d emonstrations of the system tracking weather satellites and operating with directional antennas such as handheld Yagis.

Discovery Drive integrates with commonly used satellite tracking software t hrough a rotctl-compatible network interface, allowing automatic control fr
om applications such as SatDump, GPredict, and Look4Sat. It also supports U
SB serial control using the EasyComm II protocol via Hamlib, while a browse r-based web interface provides direct manual control and system configurati
on.

Following the conclusion of the campaign, Discovery Drive is available for pre-order through Crowd Supply at a post-campaign price of $799. KrakenRF h
as indicated a manufacturing timeline of approximately two months, followed
by an additional one to two months for fulfillment and delivery.

Additional information is available at https://www.crowdsupply.com/krakenrf /discovery-drive.

[ANS thanks KrakenRF<https://www.krakenrf.com/> for the above information]

________________________________
The 2026 Coins Are Here! Help Support GOLF-TEE and Fox-Plus.
Annual memberships start at only $120.

[Presidents' Club 2026 Coin]<https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-president s-club/>

Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ ________________________________
Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for April 24, 2026

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. TLE bulletin fi
les 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/<https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-res ources/>.

+ This week there are no additions or deletions to the AMSAT TLE distributi
on.

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the a bove 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.

Scheduled Contacts

+ Recently Completed

University of Bordeaux (IUT de Bordeaux), GEII department, Gradignan, Franc
e, direct via F5KBW
The ISS callsign was scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Sophie Adenot KJ5LTN
The ARISS mentor was F6ICS
Contact was successful: Mon 2026-04-20 08:12:45 UTC
Congratulations to the University of Bordeaux students, Sophie, mentor F6IC
S, and ground station F5KBW!
Watch HamTV and Livestream at http://live.ariss.org/hamtv http://live.ariss .org

Diamond Harbour School, Christchurch, New Zealand, telebridge via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign was scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Jack Hathaway KJ5NIV
The ARISS mentor was VK4KHZ
Contact was successful: Mon 2026-04-20 09:51:10 UTC
Congratulations to the Diamond Harbour School students, Jack, mentor VK4KHZ
, and telebridge IK1SLD!

ASU Preparatory STEM Academy, Mesa, AZ, direct via WB7TJD
The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Chris Williams KJ5GE
The ARISS mentor was K4RGK and KM4YHZ
Contact was successful: Thu 2026-04-23 16:52:04 UTC
Congratulations to the ASU Preparatory STEM Academy students, Chris, and me ntors K4RGK and KM4YHZ!
Watch the Livestream at https://live.ariss.org/

+ Upcoming Contacts

None currently scheduled.

Many times, a school makes a last-minute decision to do a Livestream or run
s 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://l ive.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

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 remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 M
Hz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the m icrophone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air-so keep list ening, as you never know when activity might occur.

Kenwood D710GA in the Zvezda Service Module - Call sign RS0ISS. Please note
we're still in the process of troubleshooting and testing this radio. HamT
V in the Columbus Module is configured for scheduled digital amateur televi sion operations on 2395.00 MHz.

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

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]

________________________________
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 a ppropriate 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+ presentat ions so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences.

Scheduled Events

Dayton Hamvention - May 15 thru May 17, 2026
Greene County Fair and Expo Center
120 Fairground Road
Xenia, OH 45385
https://hamvention.org/

44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting - October 8 thru 1
1, 2026
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218

For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director - AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information]

________________________________
[SDR Gen 2 Ad - 2026]
________________________________
Satellite Shorts from All Over

+ CelesTrak has reminded users that it transitioned to a nonprofit organiza tion five years ago and moved its services to the celestrak.org<https://cel estrak.org/> domain at that time. While requests to the legacy .com domain have been redirected since then, the SSL certificate for the .com site expi
red on April 12, 2026. As a result, software or scripts still pointing to t
he .com domain may now fail or produce security warnings. Users are advised
to update their configurations to use the .org domain to ensure continued access to CelesTrak data services. CelesTrak remains focused on providing f
ree orbital data and tools to the space and satellite community. The organi zation also encourages users to support its mission through voluntary contr ibutions. (ANS thanks CelesTrak<https://celestrak.org/> for the above infor mation)

+ The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded Blue Origin's New Glenn following a launch incident on Sunday from Cape Canaveral. The rocket perfo rmed nominally during ascent but failed to place its payload, AST SpaceMobi le's BlueBird 7 satellite, into the intended orbit. The spacecraft had been
scheduled to deploy about 75 minutes after liftoff into a 286 miles (460 k ilometers) circular orbit at a 49.4 degree inclination following a second u pper stage burn. The FAA classified the event as a "mishap" and has opened
an investigation to determine the root cause and ensure public safety befor
e allowing a return to flight. According to available telemetry, the payloa
d reached only about a 95 miles (153 kilometers) orbit instead of the plann
ed altitude, rendering it unsustainable. Despite the anomaly, Blue Origin s uccessfully landed and recovered the booster for the first time, supporting
future reusability and higher launch cadence. (ANS thanks Engadget.com<htt ps://www.engadget.com/> for the above information)

+ NASA engineers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory commanded Voyager 1 to shut d
own its Low-Energy Charged Particles experiment on April 17 in an effort to
conserve dwindling power and extend the spacecraft's mission. The instrume
nt had operated nearly continuously since launch in 1977, providing valuabl
e measurements of ions, electrons, and cosmic rays in interstellar space be yond the heliosphere. Powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator th
at loses about 4 watts per year, Voyager 1 now faces critically low power m argins after nearly five decades in operation. A recent drop in power durin
g a routine maneuver raised concern that the spacecraft's fault protection system could automatically shut down additional systems, prompting the team
to act preemptively. Two science instruments remain active, continuing to return unique data from a region of space no other spacecraft has reached. Engineers expect the shutdown to provide about a year of additional operati
on as they prepare further power-saving measures, including a planned syste
m reconfiguration later this year. (ANS thanks NASA<https://www.nasa.gov/>
for the above information)

+ SpaceX has completed a full-duration static fire test of its next-generat
ion Starship Version 3 upper stage ahead of the vehicle's first flight. The
test, conducted on April 14, involved firing the engines while the rocket remained secured to the launch pad, demonstrating readiness for upcoming op erations. Starship Flight 12, targeted for early to mid-May, will be the fi
rst launch of the larger and more powerful Version 3 configuration. When fu
lly stacked, the vehicle stands about 408 feet (124.4 meters) tall and feat ures upgraded Raptor engines capable of delivering significantly greater pe rformance. The new variant is designed to carry more than 100 tons to low E arth orbit, a substantial increase over the approximately 35-ton capacity o
f the previous Version 2. NASA is now preparing for its Artemis 3 mission, which will test docking operations in Earth orbit between the Orion spacecr
aft and one or both contracted lunar landers, including Starship and Blue O rigin's Blue Moon. (ANS thanks Space.com<https://www.space.com/> for the ab
ove 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).
* Students enrolled in at least half-time status are eligible for free membership to age 25.
* Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

Contact info [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org> for additional membership inf ormation.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week's ANS Editor,

Mitch Ahrenstorff, AD?HJ
mahrenstorff [at] amsat.org<http://amsat.org>

ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H S treet NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002
AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

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