Satellite IS Transmitting

Perhaps we spoke too soon on the case of the SuitSat, the first-ever satellite made from an old spacesuit. Although initial reports indicated last week the suit-illite had stopped sending its radio signal a short time after it was released into orbit by astronauts aboard the ISS, ham radio operators listening in report the suit is still sending out signals... albeit very faintly.

"Death reports were premature," said Allen Pitts, a spokesman for Connecticut-based ham radio organization American Radio Relay League, to CNN.

Pitts added the signals were "weak, cold and really hard to copy, but alive."

That comes as good news to the thousands of ham radio operators listening in to SuitSat, as well as to schoolchildren throughout the world monitoring the satellite's progress, and competing for various prizes related to the SuitSat.

NASA had reported the spacesuit had stopped transmitting late Friday.

If you would like to join the SuitSat watch, you may track the satellite at the link below and tune your radio to 145.990 MHz to listen for its signal. As the signals are very faint, though, you likely WON'T be hearing SuitSat unless you have a VERY strong antenna.

FMI: www.suitsat.org