==>SUITSAT-2 TO HAVE AMATEUR RADIO TRANSPONDERS

Plans to launch a second "SuitSat" spacesuit-turned-satellite were the
subject of discussions and presentations at the recent AMSAT Space Symposium
and Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) International
Delegates' meeting near San Francisco. Despite a weaker-than-anticipated
2-meter signal, SuitSat-1 -- a surplus Russian Orlan spacesuit fitted with
an Amateur Radio transmitter -- sparked the imagination of students and the
general public and turned into a public relations bonanza for Amateur Radio.
ARISS now hopes to capitalize on the concept by building an even better
SuitSat that will include ham radio transponders.

"The whole science fiction aspect" of SuitSat-1 made it attractive, ARISS
International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, told the AMSAT Space Symposium
in October. "From our perspective it was a tremendous success." Bauer said
the experience gained through SuitSat-1 "will provide the stepping stone to
get to the next level." The next-generation SuitSat also will re-use another
surplus Orlan spacesuit.

The ISS Expedition 12 crew of Bill McArthur, KC5ACR -- who was the AMSAT
Space Symposium's banquet speaker -- and Valery Tokarev released SuitSat-1
into orbit. SuitSat-1 transmitted its voice message -- "This is SuitSat-1
RS0RS!" -- in several languages plus telemetry and an SSTV image on an
eight-minute cycle as it orbited Earth. The unusual spacecraft's radio
signal was heard around the globe, although only the best-equipped Earth
stations could copy it. Designated by AMSAT as AO-54, SuitSat-1 remained in
operation for more than two weeks. It re-entered Earth's atmosphere
September 7.

Lou McFadin, W5DID, who headed the SuitSat-1 hardware team, told the AMSAT
Space Symposium that SuitSat-2 will incorporate some features his team
didn't have the chance to accomplish the first time around. For starters,
the second SuitSat will have an onboard Amateur Radio transponder using
digital signal processing (DSP) techniques. McFadin says the team is looking
at SuitSat-2 as a test bed for the hardware that AMSAT plans to launch on
its Phase 3E "Eagle Project" satellite, which will employ software defined
radio (SDR) technology.

"With DSP, we can do more than one thing at once," he said. Among them are
an SSB Mode U/V transponder, an FM crossband transponder, a CW ID that
offers a contest for listeners to copy as many of the call signs as
possible, a digipeater and four slow-scan TV (SSTV) cameras. Other
experiments are yet to be determined. Solar panels -- something SuitSat-1
did not have -- will energize the hardware and recharge SuitSat-2's
batteries.

An ISS crew could launch SuitSat-2 during a spacewalk as early as next fall.
It could have an operational lifetime of six months or longer.

"We're going to have so much fun with this," McFadin predicted, adding that
one goal of SuitSat-2 will be to attract newcomers to Amateur Radio.

THE above copied from QRZ ARRL letter Vol.25 No.45 11/10/2006