A DNEPR Lift-Off

Triton-1 and Triton-2 are expected to launch in late 2012 on a DNEPR from Yasny together with UKube-1, Delfi n3Xt, Trio-Cinema 1 & 2 and other spacecraft using frequencies in the amateur satellite service.

They are 3U Cubesats and each carries a radio science mission that aims to test an experimental advanced AIS (Automatic Identification System) receiver.

Telemetry decoding software will be made available which will allow radio amateur operators to listen to periodic downlink broadcasts containing housekeeping telemetry, payload telemetry as well as received AIS messages.

Triton-1 telemetry downlinks will be 9k6 RC-BPSK on VHF(145MHz). It includes two similar secondary amateur radio payloads, being two single channel mode U/V (435-145MHz) FM to DSB transponders. The following downlink frequencies have been coordinated for Triton-1: Main Downlink 145.815MHz & Backup Downlink 145.860MHz. Possibly (power budget permitting), both transponders may be switched on at the same time.

Triton-2 telemetry downlinks will be 9k6 RC-BPSK on VHF(145MHz) and 38k4 RC-BPSK on S Band (2400MHz). The satellite includes two secondary amateur radio payloads:

– A single channel mode U/V (435-145MHz) FM to DSB transponder.
– A single channel mode U/S (435-2400MHz) FM to FM transponder.

The following downlink frequencies have been coordinated for Triton-2: Main Downlink 145.860MHz & Backup Downlink 145.815MHz. The S-band downlink will be 2408.00MHz. Possibly (power budget permitting), both payloads may be switched on at the same time.

Mission duration
Science mission: 3 Months
Amateur radio mission: as long as possible after the science mission finishes.

AIS – E-Navigation http://www.efficiensea.org/files/conferenceproceedings.pdf

ISIS PowerPoint slides http://www.space-lt.eu/failai/Prezentacijos/Abe%20Bonnema_Developing%20and%20Launching%20CubeSat%20Missions.pdf

IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination