AMSAT-UK

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New ham radio equipment for ISS

Posted: 03 Oct 2017 12:12 PM PDT
https://amsat-uk.org/2017/10/03/new-...pment-for-iss/

ARISS 25 watt JVC-Kenwood D710GA at Hamvention 2017 Credit John Brier
KG4AKV

The ARISS website reports on progress towards flying new amateur radio
equipment to the International Space Station.

On behalf of the ARISS International team, I am proud to announce that on
Friday September 29th the ARISS team submitted the InterOperable Radio
System (IORS) Safety Data Package to NASA for review!Â* Our next step in
this process is the Safety Review, which is planned for November 2.

Submitting this was a phenomenal accomplishment!! Â*Particularly since the
entire Safety Data Package was developed exclusively by our ARISS
volunteerssomething we have never done before.Â* Prior to this submittal,
all safety packagesfrom Owen Garriott’s in the early 1980s to todaywere
developed with contractors from NASA, ESA or Energia.Â* And might I say at
substantial expense.Â* I am pleased that the ARISS team did it ourselves!
International Space Station Image Credit NASA

Why is this important?Â* Two reasons:

1) This is a very major IORS milestone. We cannot get to orbit without
successfully completing the safety review process and getting our hardware
certified for flight.

2) Developing the safety package exclusively with volunteers is an
innovative and gutsy approach to keep costs down and get the hardware flown
sooner.Â* Otherwise we probably would have to slip launch 1-2 years while we
acquired additional funding to get this done.

NASA Human Spaceflight Safety Certification is a four-step processPhase 0,
Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3.Â* The material we submitted covers the first
three of the four phases.Â* As part of Phases 0, 1 and 2, we need to make
sure NASA understands our design.Â* And we need to show NASA that we
understand all the potential hazards that our hardware systems could
introduce to ISS and how we have mitigated (or prevented) these hazards.Â*
One example is to demonstrate to NASA that our IORS was designed with
electrical wiring and circuit breakers that possess adequate features and
sufficient margin to prevent an electrical shock or fire on-board the ISS.Â*
Critically important stuff!Â* The final phase (Phase 3) will be complete
when we have completed all testing and NASA inspection of our flight
hardware and NASA deems it flight worthy.Â* At that point the IORS will be
flight certificated and we can fly!Â* Currently we are looking to March-May
2018 for flight readiness.

For those not following ARISS hardware development very closely, we are
developing the IORS to replace most of the on-board radio hardware. It is
called “interoperable� because it is being designed to be operated anywhere
on ISS.Â* But specifically, it will be used in the two areas with ISS Ham
legacy antennas: the Columbus Module and the Russian Service Module.
Interoperability allows us to leverage existing ISS power cables, it can be
moved between modules in the event of on-orbit failures, and it supports
common training and operations.



The IORS is the most complex in-cabin hardware system we have ever
designed, built, tested and flown as a volunteer team. We will remove the 3
watt Ericsson handheld radio system, initially certified for flight in
1999, and the Packet moduleboth of which have recently had issues—and
install a brand-new, specially modified 25 watt JVC Kenwood D710GA radio to
enable a multitude of new or improved capabilities on ISS, including voice
repeater and better APRS operations.Â* A key development is the
Multi-Voltage Power Supply (MVPS), which interfaces with multiple electric
outlet connection types on ISS and provides a multitude of power output
capabilities for our current and future ARISS operations and amateur radio
experimentation.Â* It will also allow our Ham Video system to have a
dedicated power outlet, eliminating the outlet sharing we have now, which
shuts down Ham Video at times.

This effort would not be possible without the dedication and persistence of
our IORS development team of volunteers.Â* They have been working tirelessly
behind the scenes to provide an outstanding amateur radio experience for
all.Â* Our IORS development team includes: Lou McFadin, W5DID, our Chief
Engineer; Kerry Banke, N6IZW, the MVPS lead designer; Bob Davis, KF4KSS,
the MVPS Mechanical enclosure designer; Ed Krome, K9EK, supporting IORS
thermal control and cabin noise dissipation; Dave Taylor, W8AAS, our JVC
Kenwood D-710 development liaison; Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, our APRS and D-710
operations expert; Shin Aota, JL1IBD, and Phil Parton, N4DRO for all their
phenomenal support from JVC Kenwood; Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO, our operations
lead; and our safety package team—Ken Ernandes, N2WWD, and Gordon Scannell,
KD8COJ.Â* Kudos to all on a fantastic effort!

Designing, building and testing the IORS is a huge undertaking and *very*
expensive. Â*We need to build ten (10!) units to support flight hardware,
flight spares, testing, and training across the international
team. Â*Hardware parts, development tools, fabrication, testing, and
expenses to certify the IORS are expected to cost approximately $150,000.Â*
And the hard part (i.e. most expensive part) is just now starting.Â* So
please consider making a donation to ARISS to take our hardware system from
dream to reality.Â* You can donate to ARISS directly through the AMSAT web
site at:Â* http://www.ariss.org/donate.html.Â* ALL donations go directly to
ARISS.

Thank you for all your support to inspire, engage and educate our youth to
consider wireless communications and amateur radio, and to pursue STEAM
careers through our exciting human space exploration and amateur radio
endeavor!

Ad Astra!Â* To the Stars!

Sincerely,

Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO

ARISS International Chair and ISS Ham Radio Principal Investigator

Source http://ariss.org/