This past week, Frank Bauer KA3HDO ARISS-USA Executive Director and ARISS International Chair passed this along to the ARISS volunteers:
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Gaston Bertels, ON4WF (SK). Gaston died today, December 3, 2024, from cancer. He was 97.
Gaston was recently given the title “Elder Statesman” by the ARISS International team. This honor was given because of his monumental role in the formation and operation of the ARISS team. He wrote our ARISS Terms of Reference and participated in numerous discussions, over the years, on how to run a cohesive, results-oriented international team. His in-depth knowledge of amateur radio rules and regulations, particularly his knowledge of licensing and 3rd party traffic, enabled ARISS to develop an operations plan that could support human spaceflight amateur radio operations across the world. His knowledge of radio telecommunications was respected in Europe and elsewhere, allowing him to give presentations on amateur radio in space to members of the European Parliament. His personality radiated an inviting aura to all. He has been a friend, a leader, and an inspiration to all of us.
Gaston began his journey in human spaceflight amateur radio by guiding a group of engaging students in a radio contact at a Belgian Space Camp during the 1992 STS-45 Space Shuttle mission. This contact was with Belgium’s first Astronaut, Dirk Frimout ON1AFD. Gaston coordinated the radio contact preparations and operated the radio station during the contact. Gaston was instrumental in convincing ESA to install L/S band antennas on the Columbus module, prior to launch, to support future operations in Columbus. He worked with Professor Pawel Kabacik from the Wroclaw University to design, build and certify the antennas and led a fundraising campaign to pay for the development, test and certification. With HamTV as the first hardware “customer” of these antennas, Gaston led the HTT, the HamTV Technical Team meetings to prepare the HamTV ground stations for operations and to coordinate the on-board HamTV operations. The L/S antennas have also been employed for two flight experiments: MarconISSta with TU Berlin and the upcoming NAVCOM experiment for ASI/Qascom.
Gaston will be sorely missed. But the light of his legacy shines in all of us that he has touched—inside and outside of ARISS.
Ad Astra Gaston! (To the Stars, Gaston!)
[Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, ARISS International Chair]
