ISS Radio Frequencies

Orbital Focus - International Spaceflight Facts and Figures

Satellite Radio Frequencies

Tyneside, UK
2024 Oct 3
Thursday, Day 277

Curated by:

Robert Christy

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Amateur Radio on the ISS

NASA web page with full details

Radio Transmissions from the International Space Station

Most of the ISS frequencies listed here are active, It ill be obvious which ones are not but they are included in order to complete the record. With patience and knowledge of when the Space Station is above your horizon, they can be picked up by a reasonable receiver and aerial combination.

Russian transmissions are mainly restricted to Europe but the telemetry from Progress and Soyuz is occasionally detectable over other parts of the world during the 2-3 days chase of the ISS after launch. There are occasional communication checks from the ISS with US ground stations using the VHF-1 and VHF-2 channels (143.625 and 130.167 MHz). They are seldom reported.

The STS frequencies at 259.7 MHz and 2217.5 MHz are no longer used with the demise of the Shuttle programme.

A simple dipole, or even the telescopic aerial supplied with a hand-held scanner, may suffice for the frequencies used by Soyuz, the ISS for voice, and the telemetry/tracking frequencies of 166 MHz and 922.763 MHz. A pre-amplifier is recommended for the best results. There are some tips for tracking launches to the ISS in the satellite tracking area of this site. There is a link in the right hand menu.

Freq (MHz)	Satellite	Transmission	Notes
121.500	Soyuz TM (7K-STM)	Morse code 'AN' recovery beacon and direction finding for recovery teams	Mir & ISS Crew ferry: Space station missions, three crew seats, 1986-2004 - NOTE: this is an international distress frequency
121.500	Soyuz TMA	Morse code 'AN' recovery beacon and direction finding for recovery teams	ISS Crew ferry: Enlarged crew space, updated control systems, three crew seats, 2002-2012- NOTE: this is an international distress frequency
121.500	Soyuz TMA-M	Morse code 'AN' recovery beacon and direction finding for recovery teams	ISS Crew ferry: Digital control system, three crew seats, from 2011 - NOTE: this is an international distress frequency
121.750	Soyuz TM (7K-STM)	30 kHz deviation FM voice	Mir & ISS Crew ferry: Space station missions, three crew seats, 1986-2002
121.750	Soyuz TMA	30 kHz deviation FM voice	ISS Crew ferry: Enlarged crew space, updated control systems, three crew seats, 2002-2012
121.750	Soyuz TMA-M	30 kHz deviation FM voice	ISS Crew ferry: Digital control system, three crew seats, from 2011
130.167	ISS 1998-067A 25544	Medium bandwidth FM voice	Space station: VHF-2 channel for Russian segment, used as an alternative to VHF-1 (143.625 MHz) during Shuttle/ISS on-orbit operations
130.167	ISS 1998-067A 25544	Ranging pulses	Space station: Used by TORU remote control docking system on the Russian segment, usually tested 1-2 days before a Progress docking is due, the Progress return path is at 121.750 MHz
143.625	ISS 1998-067A 25544	Medium bandwidth FM voice	Space station: Russian segment VHF-1 channel for communication with Moscow, also used to relay Mission Control to the Shuttle during docking. Used as part of the ISS Early Communications System over the USA working with the Wallops Facility and White Sands and still used there occasionally but mainly in test mode. Sven Grahn detected it carrying packet data transmissions during Expedition 1.
145.800	ISS 1998-067A 25544	Amateur Radio downlink frequency	Space station: Amateur radio downlink from US segment - see NASA's ARISS Page
145.825	ISS 1998-067A 25544	Amateur Radio downlink frequency	Space station: Amateur radio downlink from US segment - see NASA's ARISS Page
145.919	Kedr 1998-067CK 37772	CW - morse code telemetry	Amateur radio satellite released during Russian EVA from ISS 2011 Aug 3, still operating at the time of re-entry: Only transmitted at this frequency when 145.950 MHz was being used for BPSK-1000 digital telemetry transmission
145.939	Kedr 1998-067CK 37772	CW - morse code telemetry	Amateur radio satellite released during Russian EVA from ISS 2011 Aug 3, still operating at the time of re-entry: Only used when the digital telemetry sytem switched to backup BPSK-400 mode
145.950	Kedr 1998-067CK 37772	Automatic switching between several transmission modes including BPSK telemetry	Amateur radio satellite released during Russian EVA from ISS 2011 Aug 3, still operating at the time of re-entry: Ceased to operate on re-entry 2012 Jan 4
145.990	Suitsat 2005-035C 28933	NFM - extremely weak	Amateur radio experiment - life expired Orlan spacesuit equipped with a radio transmitter and released from ISS during a crew EVA: Voice recording + SSTV image - the low power was due to a failed amplifier - Released from ISS 2006 Feb 3 and battery exhausted 2006 Feb 18
166.000	Progress M (7K-TGM)	Telemetry transmission PCM-FM, sidebands ±128 kHz	Mir and ISS supplies ferry: 1998-2011
166.000	Progress M1 (7K-TGM)	Telemetry transmission PCM-FM, sidebands ±128 kHz	Mir & ISS supplies ferry: Uprated propellant capacity, 2000-2004
166.000	Progress M-SO	Telemetry transmission PCM-FM, sidebands ±128 kHz	ISS module delivery: 2001 & 2009
166.000	Progress M-M	Telemetry transmission PCM-FM, sidebands ±128 kHz	ISS supplies ferry: 2008-
166.000	Soyuz TM (7K-STM)	Telemetry transmission PCM-FM, sidebands ±128 kHz	Mir & ISS Crew ferry: Space station missions, three crew seats, 1986-2005
166.000	Soyuz TMA	Telemetry transmission PCM-FM, sidebands ±128 kHz	ISS Crew ferry: Enlarged crew space, updated control systems, three crew seats, 2002-2012
166.000	Soyuz TMA-M	Telemetry transmission PCM-FM, sidebands ±128 kHz	ISS Crew ferry: Digital control system, three crew seats, from 2011
259.700	STS	AM voice	ISS Crew/payload transport: Detected over Europe occasionally prior to Shuttle re-entry from ISS operations, and with voice during the orbital injection phase from Kennedy SC to Europe - also transmitted at 2217.500 MHz, 1981-2011
628.000	ISS 1998-067A 25544	FM telemetry - sidebands at +/- 128 kHz	Space station: Transmission from the Zvezda module. Transmits on command from within Russia, several times per day - usually in parallel with 630 MHz - Similar transmission format to Soyuz/Progress at 166 MHz but with lower power - part of the BITS telemetry system.
630.000	ISS 1998-067A 25544	FM telemetry - sidebands at +/- 128 kHz	Space station: Transmission from the Zvezda module. Transmits on command from within Russia, several times per day - usually in parallel with 628 MHz - Similar transmission format to Soyuz/Progress at 166 MHz but with lower power - part of the BITS telemetry system.
632.000	ISS 1998-067A 25544	FM telemetry - sidebands at +/- 128 kHz	Space station: Transmission from the Zarya module. Transmissions originally reported by Sven Grahn when Zarya first reached orbit - Similar transmission format to Soyuz/Progress at 166 MHz but with lower power - part of the BITS telemetry system and probably no longer in use
633.909	ISS 1998-067A 25544	FM telemetry - sidebands at +/- 128 kHz	Space station: Transmission from the Zarya module. The central frequency is 91 kHz lower than what might be regarded as the norm for this type of transmission. Transmissions originally reported by Sven Grahn when Zarya first reached orbit - similar transmission format to Soyuz/Progress at 166 MHz but with lower power - part of the BITS telemetry system. Transmissions are infrequent.
922.763	Progress M (7K-TGM)	CW carrier.	Mir and ISS supplies ferry: Part of the REGUL command and control system - there may be other elements of signals on sidebands around this frequency. 1998-2011
922.763	Progress M1 (7K-TGM)	CW carrier.	Mir & ISS supplies ferry: Part of the REGUL command and control system - there may be other elements of signals on sidebands around this frequency. Uprated propellant capacity, 2000-2004
922.763	Progress M-SO	CW carrier.	ISS module delivery: Part of the REGUL command and control system - there may be other elements of signals on sidebands around this frequency. Version flown to deliver ISS components 2001 & 2009
922.763	Progress M-M	CW carrier.	ISS supplies ferry: Part of the REGUL command and control system - there may be other elements of signals on sidebands around this frequency. 2008-
922.763	Soyuz TM (7K-STM)	CW carreir	Mir & ISS Crew ferry: Part of the REGUL command and control system - there may be other elements of signals on sidebands around this frequency. Space station missions, three crew seats, 1986-2003
922.763	Soyuz TMA	CW carrier	ISS Crew ferry: Part of the REGUL command and control system - there may be other elements of signals on sidebands around this frequency. Enlarged crew space, updated control systems, three crew seats, 2002-2012
922.763	Soyuz TMA-M	CW carrier.	ISS Crew ferry: Part of the REGUL command and control system - there may be other elements of signals on sidebands around this frequency. Digital control system, three crew seats, from 2011
2217.500 SGLS 4	STS	CW carrier plus side bands carrying data	ISS Crew/payload transport: Integrated voice and data on SGLS Channel 4 - transmitter operates almost continuously while the payload bay doors are open, also transmitted at 259.7 MHz, 1981-2011
2270.000	Chibis-M 2011-062C 38051		Lightning studies satellite: Frequency information provided by Sven Grahn