[aprssig] ISS

[Steve Dimse]

If you hadn't heard the 17 year old packet system has been flaky since summer. Sometimes the scheduled power-down/power-up that is part of docking and eva prep will bring it back. This is the longest outage though, with at least one docking, and at some point I expect ARISS will leave it powered down. I haven't heard anything specific on this outage.

The replacement system has passed the first stages of flight qualification, but the hardest parts are ahead, late spring is the expected time for qualification, then it must be manifested, flown, and installed. It may well be fall until that hardware is operational.

There was some talk of configuring the D-710 that is used now for voice contacts, but that is intensive of astronaut time and was considered a long-shot.


Steve K4HG


> On Dec 29, 2017, at 10:16 AM, John <k4ag at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 
> What has happened with the digi on the ISS, did I miss a message? 
> It looks like it's been off the air for 23 days
>