Monthly Archives: March 2014

Mar 19 2014

100 CubeSat Constellation to Image the Entire Earth’s Surface Every 24 Hours

Two Planet Labs Dove CubeSats deployed from the ISS February 11, 2014

Two Planet Labs Dove CubeSats deployed from the ISS February 11, 2014

Planet Labs has announced that it has confirmed launches for more than 100 CubeSats over the next 12 months. The satellites are 3U (30x10x10 cm) in size and will launch on rockets from the USA and Russia. This constitutes the largest constellation of satellites manifested in history. These new launches will build on Planet Labs first 28 satellites, Flock 1, which were launched in January.

Close-up of Planet Labs Dove CubeSats leaving NanoRacks deployer February 11, 2014

Close-up of Planet Labs Dove CubeSats leaving NanoRacks deployer February 11, 2014

This constellation will allow Planet Labs to image the whole earth every 24 hours. “We are imaging the planet to save the planet,” said Will Marshall, cofounder of Planet Labs. “Imaging the Earth at this frequency will help us to measure things from deforestation, to improving agricultural yield, to detecting overfishing. Our mission is to create information people need to help life on the planet.”

“Getting 100 satellites on the launch manifest is a major milestone in the new space industry,” said Steve Jurvetson, Managing Director at Draper Fisher Jurvetson and board member of Planet Labs and SpaceX. “The small form factor requires less space on the rocket, allowing for more flexibility for launch configurations. And a constellation of 100 satellites is unprecedented.”

This announcement comes on the heels of a $52 million Series B round of financing for Planet Labs in December led by Yuri Milner. Previous investors in the company include Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), O’Reilly Alpha Tech Ventures (OATV), Capricorn Investment Group, Founders Fund Angel, Data Collective, First Round Capital, and Innovation Endeavors.

NASA has shared the following images of Planet Labs’ record-setting 28 satellites being deployed from the International Space station:
http://www.dropbox.com/s/cf9hd98fd881hut/Flock1Release4.jpg
http://www.dropbox.com/s/q3boh7ltvuwszs1/FloatingDoves%20SolarPanel%20NASA.jpg

Planet Labs http://www.planet.com/

Mar 18 2014

$50SAT designated Morehead-OSCAR-76

Yaesu handheld and $50SAT 1.5U PocketQube

Yaesu handheld and $50SAT 1.5U PocketQube

The $50SAT team have applied for and been designated an OSCAR number for their PocketQube satellite – Morehead-OSCAR-76, or MO-76.

$50SAT is one of the smallest amateur radio satellites ever launched at 5x5x7.5 cm and weighs only 210 grams. Transmitter power is just 100 mW on 437.505 MHz (+/-9 kHz Doppler shift) FM CW/RTTY. It uses the low cost Hope RFM22B single chip radio and PICaxe 40X2 processor.

$50SAT has been a collaborative education project between Professor Bob Twiggs, KE6QMD, Morehead State University and three other radio amateurs, Howie DeFelice, AB2S, Michael Kirkhart, KD8QBA, and Stuart Robinson, GW7HPW.

$50SAT PocketQube Amateur Radio Challenge
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/21/50sat-amateur-radio-challenge/

Further information in the $50SAT Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l3919wtfiywk2gf/-HxyXNsIr8

$50SAT – Eagle2 – Communications – Release Version V1_1.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/50DollarSatCommunicationsV1-1

Hope RFM22B single chip radio http://www.hoperf.com/rf/fsk_module/RFM22B.htm

There is a discussion group for $50SAT http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/50dollarsat/

50DollarSat http://www.50dollarsat.info/

Information on obtaining an OSCAR number for your satellite can be found on the OSCAR Numbers Policy page at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=2478

Mar 18 2014

Cambridge CubeSat company wins Virgin Media Tech award

A CubeSat in SpaceThe Cambridge company 3D Cube Sat was one of the winners of the Virgin Media ‘Three New Things’ Technology Award.

The three winning businesses will each receive a package of mentoring and support, including the chance to meet with Virgin founder Richard Branson to discuss their business plans, networking opportunities and up to £25,000 worth of free business telecoms.

3D Cube Sat says it is “changing the economics of space”. CubeSat structures are the casings for tiny satellites. They currently sell for $2,500, but 3D Cube Sat has created a new space-resistant material that reduces the cost by 75%.

Virgin Media –  ‘Three New Things’ Award
http://startups.co.uk/virgin-media-announces-three-new-things-to-shape-face-of-technology/

Mar 18 2014

FUNcube-1 Continuous Transponder Test

Final gluing of FUNcube-1 bolt by Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG – Image credit Gerard Aalbers

Final gluing of FUNcube-1 bolt by Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG – Image credit Gerard Aalbers

On March 22, the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) CubeSat will be commanded into continuous transponder mode for one or two orbits so we can assess the effect of lower power being radiated by the sat on the battery temperature. We expect the satellite to be put into full time transponder mode (aka amateur mode) during the first morning pass on Saturday, March 22 over the UK, at approximately 0930 UT.

We are aware that the on/off timings for the transponder are not now ideal, due to seasonal changes. In the coming months the situation will get worse such that in June the transponder will only be available for very short periods in the Northern Hemisphere.

FUNcube-1 Launch Monitoring Station at the NRC Bletchley Park

FUNcube-1 Launch Monitoring Station at the NRC Bletchley Park

We are therefore planning to alter the schedule such that the transponder is on continuously at weekends after approx 1900 UT on Fridays, to Sunday evening. This will give radio amateurs a greater opportunity to use the transponder. Unfortunately there is no way of automating this schedule, so its maintenance will rely on the availability of command stations.

Before implementing this schedule, it is necessary that we characterise the effect of maintaining transponder mode for long periods of time. We expect that the space craft will be slightly colder than when transmitting at full power, as the heat generated inside the spacecraft by the PA will be less.

FUNcube-1 (AO-73) - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 (AO-73) – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

We are concerned that this lowering of the temperature may bring the battery temp lower than is advisable. Its specification is that it should not be charged if its temperature is below -5 degrees, or some damage might be done to the battery. Currently the minimum temperature we see that the battery reaches is approximately -2 degrees.

If you notice that the transponder is open on March 22, please feel free to use it.

Please note that we have learnt from experience that commanding the sat is not an exact science, and that not all commands sent are received by the satellite, probably due to interference. We will announce on AMSAT-BB and on the FUNcube web site the progress of our tests. We would be very grateful if as many listening stations as possible receive the telemetry (TLM) using the Dashboard software and forward it to the Data Warehouse on Saturday, March 22. Thank you.

73 Jim, G3WGM

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

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

FUNcube Forum http://forum.funcube.org.uk/

Mar 17 2014

WRAPS Antenna Rotor System Introduction

WRAPS Portable Satellite Antenna Rotator System - Copyright ARRL

WRAPS Portable Satellite Antenna Rotator System – Copyright ARRL

In the first of four videos, Mark Spencer, WA8SME, explains the operation of the amateur radio WRAPS antenna rotor system.

The WRAPS system points a lightweight antenna towards a passing amateur radio satellite (or weather or other satellite), facilitating the capture of telemetry or participation in conversations via satellite.

The remaining three WRAPS videos demonstrate the operation of WRAPS to capture telemetry from the FUNcube satellite using the SatPC32 software and the FUNcube Dashboard.

Watch WRAPS Antenna Rotor System Introduction Video 1

Watch WRAPS Setup for a Pass Video 2

WRAPS FUNCube Pass Video 3

WRAPS FUNCube Telemetry Overview Video 4

Thanks to the ARRL and WA8SME a PDF of the QST article on the WRAPS antenna rotor system can be downloaded from
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/12/12/wraps-a-portable-satellite-antenna-rotator-system/

Other satellite videos are available on the AMSAT-NA YouTube channel at
http://www.youtube.com/user/AMSATNA/videos

Mar 17 2014

HamTV received on 2395 MHz

Tetsurou Satou JA0CAW reports receiving the blank test Digital TV transmission from the HamTV equipment on the International Space Station (ISS) on its new frequency of 2395 MHz. He was using a 65cm dish antenna with a low noise amplifier (LNA) and down-convertor.

Watch a short video of reception at an elevation of 76 degrees on March 17, 2014 at 0139 UT

Read the HamTV overview by Gaston Bertels ON4WF http://tinyurl.com/HamTVoverview

Front panel of the HamTV transmitter

Front panel of the HamTV transmitter

Join the ISS HamTV Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HamTV

Webstream of the TV transmissions http://batc.tv/ch_live.php?ch=4

ARISS-EU HamTV Bulletins http://www.ariss-eu.org/

HamTV on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Hamtvproject