SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS003
ARLS003 ARISS Celebrating Successful Launch Carrying Interoperable
Radio System to ISS

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QST de W1AW  
Space Bulletin 003  ARLS003
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington, CT  March 10, 2020
To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS003
ARLS003 ARISS Celebrating Successful Launch Carrying Interoperable
Radio System to ISS

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is
celebrating the successful launch and docking of the SpaceX-20
commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station
(ISS). One payload on the flight is the ARISS Interoperable Radio
System (IORS), which ARISS calls "the foundational element of the
ARISS next-generation radio system" on the space station. Amateur
radio has been an integral component of ISS missions since 2000. The
Dragon cargo capsule docked successfully with the space station on
March 9. ARISS-US Delegate for ARRL Rosalie White, K1STO, said
hundreds of ARRL members contributed to make the IORS project
happen, and ARISS is celebrating the 4-year-long IORS project.

"ARISS is truly grateful to ARRL and AMSAT for their co-sponsorship
and support of ARISS since day one," White said. "ARISS greatly
appreciates the hundreds of ham radio operators who have stood by
ARISS, sending financial support and encouragement. A robust ham
station is on its way to replace the broken radio on the ISS, and
tens of thousands of hams will enjoy strong ARISS packet and ARISS
SSTV signals as a result. In addition, thousands of students will
discover and use ham radio to talk with a ham-astronaut. We hope to
see the trend continue where more ARISS teachers and local clubs set
up school ham clubs." The new system includes a higher-power radio,
an enhanced voice repeater, updated digital packet radio (APRS), and
slow-scan television (SSTV) capabilities for both the US and Russian
space station segments.

White called the March 7 launch, "beautiful, flawless." ARRL
President Rick Roderick, K5UR, told ARISS that he had his fingers
crossed for a successful launch.

According to NASA Mission Control, it will take the three ISS crew
members up to a month to unload and stow the 4,300 pounds of cargo
on board the Dragon capsule, and the IORS is not a priority. The
actual ham equipment will be installed in the ISS Columbus module.
Another IORS unit is in line to be launched and installed in the
Russian segment of the ISS later this year.

The IORS consists of a custom-modified JVCKenwood TM-D710GA
transceiver, a multi-voltage power supply, and interconnecting
cables. The ARISS hardware team will assemble four flight units -
and 10 IORS units in all — to support onboard flight operations,
training, operations planning, and hardware testing.

ARISS-International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, said earlier this
year that future upgrades and enhancements to the next-generation
system are in various stages of design and development. These
include a repaired Ham Video system - currently planned for launch
in mid-to-late 2020, an L-band (uplink) repeater, a microwave "Ham
Communicator," and Lunar Gateway prototype experiment.
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