Columbus Laboratory Credits: ESA / D.Ducros

Columbus module antennas ready for flight

Rosalie White, K1STO reported on the ARISS Columbus module antenna work via a feature story on the ARRL website.

She described Lou McFadin's W5DID,
work on getting the antenna shipment from Europe cleared through customs and delivered to the Kennedy Space Center.

Lou showed the astronauts the best ways for them to safely unpack and assemble the antennas and associated cables once they and the hardware reach the ISS. They reviewed how to maneuver and install the antennas during the second spacewalk of the STS-129 scheduled for mid-November.

These new antennas will increase opportunities for radio hams to make contacts with astronauts and cosmonauts.
Frequencies available for transmission to and from Columbus will be 2 meters, 70 centimeters, L-band and S-band.

To start, the two Ericcson radios (2 meters and 70 centimeters) that are already on the ISS (but seldom used) will be moved and installed in Columbus. Lou McFadin reported that the antennas are now loaded in the Shuttle and waiting for the November launch.

Lou also developed a cable that will allow the astronauts to power the Ericsson radio from a computer power brick and get a station up and operating quickly.

ARISS website
Amsat website