Virtual Viewing of Orion Spacecraft Drop Test

Engineers will drop a 14,000-pounds test version of the Orion spacecraft into the Hydro Impact Basin at NASA's Langley Research Center's Landing and Impact Research Facility in Hampton, Virginia at 1:45 p.m. EDT Tuesday 6th April 2021.

The test will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app and the agency’s website, and will livestream on multiple agency social media platforms, including the Facebook channels for Orion and Langley.

Participants include:

  • Debbie Korth, Orion Crew and Service Module manager, NASA’s Johnson Space Center

  • Jacob Putnam, data analyst, NASA’s Langley Research Center

The public may ask questions on social media using #AskNASA.

Media may send questions to Kristyn Damadeo at kristyn.damadeo@nasa.gov.

This series of drop tests began 23rd March 2021 to finalize computer models for loads and structures prior to the Artemis II flight test, NASA’s first mission with crew aboard Orion. Artemis II will carry astronauts around the Moon and back, paving the way to land the first woman and next man on the lunar surface and establish a sustainable presence at the Moon under the Artemis program. The current test series builds on previous tests and uses a configuration of the crew module based on the spacecraft’s final design.

For more information on Orion - http://www.nasa.gov/orion

Ofcom Awards Second Wave of Small-Scale DAB Multiplex Licences

Ofcom has today awarded small-scale DAB radio multiplex licences for four more areas in England and Scotland.

Small-scale DAB is an innovative technology that provides a low-cost way for local commercial, community and specialist music services to take to the digital airwaves.

Following a competitive process, where each applicant was judged against specific criteria, multiplex licences have been awarded for the following areas:

  • Cambridge: licence awarded to Cambridge Digital Radio Limited

  • Inverclyde: licence awarded to UK DAB Networks Limited

  • Sheffield & Rotherham: licence awarded to Shefcast Digital Limited

  • Winchester: licence awarded to UKDAB Networks Limited

Further licence awards for the remaining 16 areas that were advertised in Round One will be announced over the coming weeks. Round Two licence areas in the North West of England and North East Wales will be advertised on 1 June 2021.

Remember AM and CW on ANZAC Day

The traditional AM and CW event organised by Mike 'Banjo' Patterson VK4MIK and the Tablelands Radio Group of Far North Queensland, will take to the air for the 10th year.

This is not a contest but honours those modes used by service personnel in earlier wars.

The concept developed by the Tableland Radio Group basically asks us to consider changing modes on ANZAC Day nets, as an honour and Amateur Radio salute to those who served or are serving.

The annual event involves ex-military sites and related museums plus many stations will be also operating and switching to the old modes during the day.

Northern AM operations will centre around 7125kHz.