Columbus Laboratory Credits: ESA / D.Ducros

Columbus antennas to take to the skies

The Columbus module on the International Space Station will soon have antennas for the 144 and 435 MHz Amateur Radio bands in addition to the 1260 and 2400 MHz antennas already installed.

Astronauts will install and deploy the ARISS antennas during the second spacewalk of STS-129 which is slated to launch November 12, 2009. The amateur radio team will monitor the spacewalk activity via a NASA real-time teleconference call.

The new antennas will increase opportunities for the many radio hams who covet making contacts with astronauts and cosmonauts.

Frequencies available for transmission to and from Columbus will be 2 meters, 70 centimeters, L-band and S-band.

Read the full ARRL article by Rosalie White, K1STO, at
http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2009/10/05/11110/?nc=1

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
http://www.rac.ca/ariss/