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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Amateur radio experiment with a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on 1 April 2025, 09:20 AM
A unique radio experiment is being planned by the amateur radio club of Technische Universität Berlin (AFuTUB): On 1 April 2025, TU Berlin alumna Rabea Rogge, who will be the first German woman to launch into space, plans to make contact with Earth – directly from a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on orbit. This is a milestone for German space travel. A TU Berlin livestream will broadcast the event directly from the University's radio room.
Pioneering work in space: Rabea Rogge and the Fram2 mission
Rabea Rogge is taking part in the Fram2 mission as the vehicle pilot. Fram2 is scheduled to liftoff on 1 April 2025 (CET) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The crew and Dragon spacecraft will travel to a polar orbit of 90-degree inclination, flying over both polar regions for the first time in the history of space travel. The mission is expected to last nearly four days and will be used for scientific studies of the polar regions and research into new technologies for long-term space flight.
A special radio experiment with TU Berlin
In collaboration with TU Berlin's amateur radio, Berlin-based Rabea Rogge is planning a short radio conversation from space. The conversation is part of the Fram2Ham experiment, which she co-developed to encourage students around the world to take part in scientific communication in space. Also involved as a partner is the international organization Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). When Fram2 flies over Berlin, radio operators from TU Berlin will attempt to establish radio contact via the amateur radio station on the roof of the Main Building in order to facilitate the conversation.
In conversation with Rabea Rogge: Experience the event live on 1 April 2025 at 09:20 AM (German time)
The radio contacts and impressions from the amateur radio station on the roof of the TU Berlin Main Building will be broadcast LIVE on TU Berlin's YouTube channel.
Schedule
The radio contact with Rabea Rogge is currently scheduled for 1 April 2025, starting at 09:28 AM. The livestream will begin at 09:20 AM.
Link to the livestream "Radio Experiment with Rabea Rogge in Space": https://www.youtube.com/live/qaL-D4d5Txg
Note: As the rocket launch may be postponed, you can find up-to-date information on the schedule at this TU Berlin website: https://www.tu.berlin/en/go203083/n68074/
Should the first radio attempt on 1 April 2025 fail, there will be another opportunity to contact Rabea Rogge in space on 3 April, 2025, at 09:40 AM (livestream starts at 09:30 AM).
The radio operators from TU Berlin will comment live on the radio experiments and give an insight into their work and the significance of the conversation. Up-to-date information will be provided in the video description for the livestream video.
For the conversation from orbit, the radio operators have prepared questions, including those from students at TU Berlin, Berlin schoolchildren, and the Governing Mayor of Berlin. The conversation will be in English and, at Rogge's request, will focus on STEM topics, as she wishes to promote science communication during the mission and involve as many people as possible.
Amateur radio: A QSO with a flying space craft
Since only limited transmission power can be used, the challenge is to successfully transmit the signal to Earth under these conditions. Consequently, it is also possible that contact will not be established despite all efforts.
In addition to direct radio contact with TU Berlin, the Fram2Ham experiment will enable students worldwide to receive images of the polar regions.
Rabea Rogge: First German woman in space
Rabea Rogge studied Electrical Engineering at TU Berlin before finishing her studies at ETH Zurich, where she worked on a nanosatellite project and was a member of the amateur radio club. After graduating, she specialized in Arctic robotics. She is currently taking a break from her doctorate on autonomous boats for the Arctic at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim to work on the mission.
Rogge has been preparing intensively for the Fram2 mission for eight months, including sea kayak training in Alaska. In addition to her role as vehicle pilot, she is also responsible for scientific experiments on board.
Accompanying her will be a commemorative medal depicting aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal from the Berlin Museum of Transport and Technology as well as a small replica of the Liberty Bell in the town hall of Schöneberg in Berlin.
Research projects on board
The planned research projects for the mission include the first use of a portable X-ray machine in space for medical imaging, investigations into genetic adaptation to extreme conditions, and cognitive performance studies under space conditions. Rabea Rogge will also investigate light phenomena in the polar regions that resemble auroras.
TU Berlin amateur radio club: Scientific experiments and international cooperation
Founded in 1972, the TU Berlin amateur radio club operates an amateur radio station on the roof of the University's Main Building, which students use to transmit successfully all over the world. The club is also involved in training students. In addition to amateur radio courses, it offers courses on satellite communication and radio astronomy in cooperation with the Chair of Space Technology and the Chair of Radio-Frequency Technologies. International collaborations, such as with the ETH Zurich radio club, are also part of the club's profile. Rabea Rogge first came into contact with the TU Berlin radio operators during an educational radio discussion between students from TU Berlin and ETH Zurich, a partner university in the ENHANCE alliance (https://enhanceuniversity.eu/).
Further information:
• Livestream of the Falcon 9 rocket launch: https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=fram2
• Information on Mission Fram2: https://f2.com/
• Information on AFuTUB from TU Berlin: https://www.dk0tu.de/
• Information on the planned trajectories: https://nextspaceflight.com/
Contact:
Steffi Terp
Spokeswoman
Office of Communication, Events and Alumni
Phone: +49 30 314-23922
Email: pressestelle@tu-berlin.de
Criteria of this press release:
Journalists
Electrical engineering, Physics / astronomy
transregional, national
Miscellaneous scientific news/publications, Research projects
English
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