Bangladesh Wants a Ham Radio Payload on Its Next Satellite — And They Need Your Voice

Satellite operation is one of those corners of the hobby that only grows if someone, somewhere, keeps pushing for the payload space to make it happen. Right now, that push is coming from Bangladesh, and they're asking the global ham community to back them up.

As Bangladesh prepares for its second satellite, the Amateur Radio Society of Bangladesh is hoping it won't launch without an amateur radio transponder on board — and they'd like the voices of satellite enthusiasts everywhere added to their own.

Still Early Days, But the Case Is Being Made

Bangladesh Satellite-2 is still in the planning stages, but the radio society has already applied to the Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited for a dedicated amateur radio payload. A petition is now circulating, aimed at underlining just how much weight sits behind the request. If approved, the transponder could support ham radio communication, emergency and disaster communication, and technical education and experimentation — a solid case for a relatively small ask on a satellite that will otherwise be dedicated to Earth observation.

This would be Bangladesh's second satellite launch overall, so getting amateur radio a seat on board would be a genuine milestone for the country's amateur satellite community.

Why the International Petition Matters

The radio society's thinking is straightforward: a petition carrying signatures from hams around the world sends a much stronger signal than a domestic request alone. It's the kind of thing that costs a signature and a couple of minutes, and could make a real difference to whether the next generation of Bangladeshi hams gets a satellite to work through.

If you're active in the satellite side of the hobby — or just believe international amateur radio should keep growing its footprint above our heads — this is a good moment to add your name and spread the word.

Petition - https://s21arsb.com/international-petiton-support

FCC Clears Orbital Mirror Satellite Despite Widespread Objections

The Federal Communications Commission has approved frequency use for a controversial satellite designed to reflect sunlight down onto the night side of the Earth.

Startup company Reflect Orbital has been granted the right to use S-, X- and UHF band frequencies to launch and communicate with its low Earth orbit satellite, Eärendil-1, which is scheduled to fly later this year.

The spacecraft carries a 60-foot reflector and will operate from an orbit of 600 to 650 kilometres. Its beam would be around 5 kilometres wide at ground level, and the company suggests it could be used to keep solar farms generating after sunset, or to light disaster zones where rescue teams are working through the night. Eärendil-1 is intended as the first of a constellation that could eventually number up to 50,000 orbiting mirrors.

Approval was granted on the 9th of July in the face of substantial opposition. The American Astronomical Society raised concerns about light pollution, while environmental groups pointed to the disruption that artificial light at night causes to nocturnal species. Media reports indicate that objections dominated the more than 1,800 public comments the FCC received.

Reflect Orbital has also stated on LinkedIn that it received a $1.2 million Small Business Innovation Research grant from the Department of Defense via the Air Force, which sees potential military applications in on-demand sunlight.