Satellite Communication Update 5-11-2026
Posted: Mon May 11, 2026 6:08 am
There's a ton happening in amateur radio space and satellite communications! Here's a full rundown:
**
AMSAT & Satellite Operations**
**GOLF-TEE CubeSat in Development**
AMSAT's current flagship development project is **GOLF-TEE**, 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-speed experimental downlink** and improved three-axis attitude control.
**FO-29 Reminder on Operating Etiquette**
With FO-29 now enjoying extended full-sunlight operation in 2026, AMSAT is urging all users to limit operations on the satellite to **SSB and CW only**, warning that digital modes risk transponder overload and distortion. Operators are reminded to use minimum power and monitor their downlink signal so it doesn't exceed the CW beacon level.
**Ten-Koh 2 Deployed from ISS (March 2026)**
Japan's Nihon University successfully deployed the **6U CubeSat Ten-Koh 2** into orbit on March 11, 2026, released from JAXA's new HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft. This marks the first use of the new H-SSOD deployment mechanism. The satellite carries a UHF downlink for telemetry and occasional Robot 36 SSTV image transmissions, plus LoRa capability for experimental inter-satellite links.
**New "Ground Station" Software Released**
New **"Ground Station" software** has been released that streamlines satellite tracking and decoding for amateur operators.
**KrakenRF Discovery Drive Az/El Rotator**
The **KrakenRF Discovery Drive Az/El rotator** campaign for satellite operations exceeded its **$314,000 funding goal**, pointing to strong community interest in accessible satellite ground station equipment.
**
Artemis II & Ham Radio Community Participation**
**Artemis II launched April 1, 2026**, sending humans beyond low-Earth orbit for the first time in over 50 years. Three of the four crew members — Reid Wiseman (KF5LKT), Victor Glover (KI5BKC), and Jeremy Hansen (KF5LKU) — are licensed amateur radio operators.
A **multinational network of 34 ARISS- and AMSAT-affiliated ground stations** across 14 countries has been providing supplementary tracking of the Orion spacecraft's S-band signals as a secondary means of following the mission alongside NASA's primary Deep Space Network.
**
ISS SSTV & School Contacts (ARISS)**
**ARISS SSTV Series 31 "World Space Commemoration"** kicked off on April 10, 2026, on **437.550 MHz FM** using Robot 36 mode, featuring images honoring Cosmonautics Day, the 100th anniversary of liquid-fueled rockets, the first Space Shuttle launch, and SuitSat.
**ARISS SSTV Series 32 "Cooperation in Space and World Peace"** is currently underway as of May 10, 2026.
Notably, **Arizona State University Preparatory STEM Academy in Mesa, Arizona** was recently scheduled for an ARISS contact with the ISS — right in our backyard!
**ARISS Beyond the ISS**
With the ISS targeted for decommissioning around 2030, ARISS is actively working to establish amateur radio presence on **commercial space stations** including Starlab, Axiom Space, Orbital Reef, and Vast, and is working with NASA on making ARISS a fixture on future Moon and Mars missions.
**
New Book: Satellite Operating for Amateur Radio**
The ARRL just released a new book, *Satellite Operating for Amateur Radio* by Tony Milluzzi (KD8RTT), offering a step-by-step introduction for hams new to satellite operations, along with advanced topics like FT4 and D-STAR for more experienced operators.
It's a particularly exciting time for amateur radio in space — between Artemis II, active SSTV events, the GOLF-TEE CubeSat development, and ARISS planning for the post-ISS era, there's plenty to follow!
**
AMSAT & Satellite Operations****GOLF-TEE CubeSat in Development**
AMSAT's current flagship development project is **GOLF-TEE**, 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-speed experimental downlink** and improved three-axis attitude control.
**FO-29 Reminder on Operating Etiquette**
With FO-29 now enjoying extended full-sunlight operation in 2026, AMSAT is urging all users to limit operations on the satellite to **SSB and CW only**, warning that digital modes risk transponder overload and distortion. Operators are reminded to use minimum power and monitor their downlink signal so it doesn't exceed the CW beacon level.
**Ten-Koh 2 Deployed from ISS (March 2026)**
Japan's Nihon University successfully deployed the **6U CubeSat Ten-Koh 2** into orbit on March 11, 2026, released from JAXA's new HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft. This marks the first use of the new H-SSOD deployment mechanism. The satellite carries a UHF downlink for telemetry and occasional Robot 36 SSTV image transmissions, plus LoRa capability for experimental inter-satellite links.
**New "Ground Station" Software Released**
New **"Ground Station" software** has been released that streamlines satellite tracking and decoding for amateur operators.
**KrakenRF Discovery Drive Az/El Rotator**
The **KrakenRF Discovery Drive Az/El rotator** campaign for satellite operations exceeded its **$314,000 funding goal**, pointing to strong community interest in accessible satellite ground station equipment.
**
Artemis II & Ham Radio Community Participation****Artemis II launched April 1, 2026**, sending humans beyond low-Earth orbit for the first time in over 50 years. Three of the four crew members — Reid Wiseman (KF5LKT), Victor Glover (KI5BKC), and Jeremy Hansen (KF5LKU) — are licensed amateur radio operators.
A **multinational network of 34 ARISS- and AMSAT-affiliated ground stations** across 14 countries has been providing supplementary tracking of the Orion spacecraft's S-band signals as a secondary means of following the mission alongside NASA's primary Deep Space Network.
**
ISS SSTV & School Contacts (ARISS)****ARISS SSTV Series 31 "World Space Commemoration"** kicked off on April 10, 2026, on **437.550 MHz FM** using Robot 36 mode, featuring images honoring Cosmonautics Day, the 100th anniversary of liquid-fueled rockets, the first Space Shuttle launch, and SuitSat.
**ARISS SSTV Series 32 "Cooperation in Space and World Peace"** is currently underway as of May 10, 2026.
Notably, **Arizona State University Preparatory STEM Academy in Mesa, Arizona** was recently scheduled for an ARISS contact with the ISS — right in our backyard!
**ARISS Beyond the ISS**
With the ISS targeted for decommissioning around 2030, ARISS is actively working to establish amateur radio presence on **commercial space stations** including Starlab, Axiom Space, Orbital Reef, and Vast, and is working with NASA on making ARISS a fixture on future Moon and Mars missions.
**
New Book: Satellite Operating for Amateur Radio**The ARRL just released a new book, *Satellite Operating for Amateur Radio* by Tony Milluzzi (KD8RTT), offering a step-by-step introduction for hams new to satellite operations, along with advanced topics like FT4 and D-STAR for more experienced operators.
It's a particularly exciting time for amateur radio in space — between Artemis II, active SSTV events, the GOLF-TEE CubeSat development, and ARISS planning for the post-ISS era, there's plenty to follow!