Signing of memorandum of understanding for HAMSAT II – Credit AMSAT India

The Economic Times report Dhruva Space, a two-year-old start-up co-founded by space technologist and ham radio operator Sanjay Nekkanti VU3ISS/AB3OE, sealed a deal with AMSAT India on November 30, 2014 to develop HAMSAT II.

HAMSAT I – VO-52 – was a very popular amateur radio satellite

It will be the successor to HAMSAT VO-52 which went silent on July 11, 2014 due to the failure of the on-board lithium ion batteries. HAMSAT provided a valuable communications resource for the amateur radio community for over 9 years.

Dhruva’s satellites are expected to be launched on ISRO’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Nekkanti said his team is working closely with the space organization for design approvals and testing of the satellite.

The AMSAT India Secretary Nitin Muttin, VU3TYG has released this statement:

We are pleased to announce that AMSAT India and Dhruva Space Pvt. Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on November 30th 2014 to pursue the development of a follow up mission to HAMSAT launched in 2005 on-board the PSLV-C6. HAMSAT II is envisioned to fill the gap created by the recent end of life of HAMSAT and shall continue servicing the societal needs in disaster management, amateur/emergency radio communications and education.

Some of the contemplated payloads for HAMSAT II include:
• U/V Analog FM Transponder
• U/V Linear Transponder, 50 kHz
• APRS Digipeater
• Digitalker

Read The Economic Times article at
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45354501.cms

AMSAT India http://amsatindia.org/

Thanks to Dinesh, AB3DC for the above information.