LituanicaSAT-1 Camera and FM Voice Transponder

Laurynas Maciulis LY1LM provides this update on the Lithuanian CubeSat LituanicaSAT-1 which was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on February 28, 2014.

LituanicaSAT-1

Thanks to numerous beacon reports from W7KKE and DK3WN we established that periodic brown outs of our satellite that started to appear early last week are most probably caused by EPS falling to critical mode after battery voltage falls down to 6.5 V. This is most probably associated to some technical problem of solar panels, consequently generating less power than we planned. The satellite returns to safe mode when battery charges again to 7.2 V. This is indicated by appearance of the strong FM beacon signal at 437.275 MHz.

We are trying to turn off the beacon temporarily to charge battery to nominal level and resume nominal operations. During today’s 05:00 UTC pass over Lithuania we seem to have succeeded in switching off the beacon so You might not hear it for some time. If everything goes according to plan, system should resume to nominal mode when 7.4 V battery voltage is reached. You will notice that when You can hear periodic 9k6 FSK packets at 437.550 MHz.

LituanicaSAT-1 Stack

Your further reports will be very appreciated.

We still have strong hopes to turn on the FM transponder when things get better, for all you guys to try it.

73!
Laurynas Maciulis LY1LM
LituanicaSAT-1 systems engineer

The tiny satellite is just 10x10x10 cm with a mass of 1.090 kg yet it has a VGA camera and a 145/435 MHz FM voice transponder, designed and built by Lithuanian radio amateurs.

The prototype of the FM repeater has been operating in the home of its designer Žilvinas Batisa LY3H in Elektrėnai, Lithuania. Further information at
http://ly3h.epalete.com/?p=303

The communications payload comprises:
• FM Morse Code Beacon 437.275 MHz LY5N
• FM Voice Repeater 145.950 MHz uplink (PL 67 Hz CTCSS) 435.180 MHz downlink
• AX.25 Packet Radio 145.850 MHz uplink 437.550 MHz downlink 9600 baud FSK, FM

Links
• Submit reports at http://www.kosmonautai.lt/en/data-submission/
• Web Google English http://tinyurl.com/KosmonautaiLituanicaSAT-1
• Wiki Google English http://tinyurl.com/WikiLituanicaSAT-1
• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Lituanicasat1