FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

The BBC report that the Dnepr rocket launching from Yasny in Russia has set a record for the most payloads carried to orbit in a single mission.

They say the converted intercontinental missile released 32 objects in space – mostly small, so called “cubesats”.

Read the BBC story Rocket deploys spacecraft armada at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25035490

Story on NASA Space Flight
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/russian-dnepr-record-breaking-32-satellite-haul/

ADS Advance Magazine
http://adsadvance.co.uk/uk-s-funcube-1-satellite-launches-successfully.html

The Dnepr carrying FUNcube-1 and 18 other satellites carrying amateur radio payloads successfully launched at 07:10:11 UT on Thursday, November 21. Approximately 8 minutes later, FUNcube-1 was deployed from the upper stage of the Dnepr rocket.

FUNcube Team Monitor Launch

About 10 minutes after separation, telemetry was successfully been received, decoded using the Dashboard App, and uploaded to the data warehouse by ZS1LS (at 07:37) and ZS6BMN in South Africa.  There was a huge cheer at Bletchley Park and the FUNcube-1 Project team toasted the successful launch .

All main parameters on FUNcube look nominal; temp, battery voltage, solar panel charging rate, etc and the data received so far is available in the Data Warehouse.  The team are already seeing some superb examples of the data that will be fundamental to the educational aspect of FUNcube – thank you to all stations around the world for your efforts so far.

ZACUBE-1, FUNcube-1 and HiNCube in the deployment pod – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

The first signals from FUNcube-1 were heard in the UK on the first visible pass at 3 degrees above the horizon and Mike Willis, G0MJW, became the first UK station to receive and decode the telemetry from FUNcube-1 – congratulations Mike.

For the first two orbits FUNcube-1 was in Safe mode with the beacon transmitting low power just 30 mW. FUNcube-1 was then commanded into Educational mode which increased the power to 300 mW. This enabled it to be copied on a SSB handheld with whip antenna.

The FUNcube team encourage all stations to continue to receive the telemetry and upload it to the Data Warehouse as we monitor the spacecraft and continue with the early operations tasks.

Satellites on Dnepr launch November 21, 2013 – Image credit Nader Omer ST2NH

These satellites were heard during the morning passes:
• FUNcube-1
• ZACUBE-1
• Delfi-n3xt
• Triton-1
• CubeBug-2
• UWE3 9k6
• HumSat-D

One of the satellites on the launch UniSat-5 will deploy a number of additional satellites. Among them should be the CubeSats PUCP-SAT-1, HumSat-, Icube-1 and the PocketQubes Wren, Eagle-1 (BeakerSat), Eagle-2 ($50Sat), QB-Scout1. PUCP-SAT-1 intends to subsequently release a further satellite Pocket-PUCP.

As well as UniSat-5 and its associated CubeSats and PocketQubes these amateur radio satellites were also on the launch:
HinCube
FUNcube-1
ZAcube-1
First-MOVE
UWE-3
Velox-PII
CubeBug-2
Triton-1
Delfi-n3Xt
GOMX-1

Dnepr Launch Frequency Chart by Mike Rupprecht DK3WN

Frequency list for amateur radio satellite deployments in November
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/13/three-amateur-radio-satellite-deployments-in-november/

Mass Amateur Radio Satellite Launch November 21
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/08/mass-amateur-radio-satellite-launch-november-21/

Download the FUNcube-1 Dashboard App
http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboard/

FUNcube-1 Data Warehouse http://funcube.org.uk/ground-segment/the-data-warehouse/

A live video stream was run from the Bletchley Park station on the BATC website at http://batc.tv/streams/funcube1

The first FUNcube-1 telemetry data

FUNcube-1 Monitoring Station at the NRC Bletchley Park

FUNcube team members spent Wednesday, November 20, setting up and testing the satellite monitoring station at the RSGB National Radio Centre (NRC) in Bletchley Park.

All members of the FUNcube development team (except Gerard Albers, who has had to stay Holland) are now assembled at National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park ready for the launch early tomorrow morning.

We have spent the day adding satellite equipment to the existing excellent demonstration station. As part of our testing, we made a couple of QSOs via VO-52, one with UR3CTB and another with OH5LK. Earlier in the day, we also confirmed that we could receive signals from a low elevation pass of the same satellite. So we are poised for an early start tomorrow morning.

WiMo Satellite Antennas at the NRC Bletchley Park

The launch of FUNcube-1 is planned for Thursday, November 20, at 07:10:11 UT on a Dnepr from Dombarovsky near Yasny in the Russian Federation.

A live video stream from the Bletchley Park station is at http://batc.tv/streams/funcube1

CPUT in South Africa have said there will be live TV coverage of the launch at http://live.cput.ac.za/live.html

Preliminary Keplerian Two-Line Elements (TLEs):
FUNCUBE-1
1 99991U 00000    13325.30956308  .00000106  00000-0  10000-3 0 00010
2 99991 097.7956 038.2570 0059925 198.5190 336.5388 14.77841394000015

Satellite tracking https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/satellite-tracking/

Follow the FUNcube-1 launch day chat on the #funcube1 IRC channel

Follow the Dnepr CubeSat launch day chat on the #cubesat IRC channel

FUNcube-1 Launch Day Mug

FUNcube information sheets:
•  FUNcube Project Information Leaflet
•  FUNcube Educational Outreach Leaflet

FUNcube Handbook v1.3

FUNcube website http://www.funcube.org.uk/

Forum for Question and Answers on FUNcube Satellite and Dashboard App
https://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/

FUNcube Yahoo Group https://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/