Mar 30 2013

DynaCube to explore the South Atlantic Anomaly

DynaCube Project Team leaders (L-R) Rick Botha, Jean-Paul Appel, Esabe Brink, Yoshlyn Naidoo ZS6YOG, Motheo Motlhabane, Yolandi Young - Image Credit Denel Dynamics

DynaCube Project Team leaders (L-R) Rick Botha, Jean-Paul Appel, Esabe Brink, Yoshlyn Naidoo ZS6YOG, Motheo Motlhabane, Yolandi Young – Image credit Denel Dynamics

The Southern African Amateur Radio Satellite Association (SA AMSAT) report that after launch DynaCube, a one-unit CubeSat being constructed by Interns at the Denel Dynamics Engineering Academy, will be exploring the South Atlantic Anomaly during orbits over the area.

It is hoped the Cubesat will launch in late 2013 or 2104. SA AMSAT say the cost of a launch for this 1U CubeSat could be as high as 1,300,000 Rand (£92,000 or $140,000).

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Mar 29 2013

Ground Station Survey

STRaND-1 Ground Station AntennasAs we have done in the past, we are surveying the community for ground station capabilities.  The goal is to estimate how much capacity the community has and our ability to support a variety of missions.

The survey is located online at:  http://gs.engin.umich.edu/gs_survey/

Some of our initial results are published there from a few years ago.   If you have a ground station, we would love to hear from you!

Thanks for your help.

–Jamie, KF6RFX
—
James W. Cutler, Assistant Professor
University of Michigan
Department of Aerospace Engineering
1320 Beal Avenue
3013 FXB Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2140
Ph: 734-615-7238
Fax: 734-763-0578
http://www.umich.edu/~jwcutler/

Mar 28 2013

New Version of STRaND-1 Telemetry Decoder

The STRaND-1 build and test phase took just 3 months

Mike Rupprecht DK3WN has released a new version of the STRaND-1 telemetry decoder that incorporates the recent telemetry changes from the STRaND team.

Download Version 1.50 [27.03.2013] BETA from http://tinyurl.com/SatSoftwareDK3WN/

STRaND-1 https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/strand-1/

STRaND-1 telemetry https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/strand-1/strand-1-telemetry/

STRaND-1 videos https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/strand-1/strand-1-videos/

Mar 27 2013

New STRaND-1 telemetry spreadsheet and DK3WN magnetic field vector analysis

STRaND-1_20130326_magThe STRaND-1 team have released a new version of the Excel Spreadsheet for the STRaND-1 Telemetry which is now updated with switch details.

Dr Susan Jason working on STRaND-1

Dr Susan Jason working on STRaND-1

Download the new spreadsheet from https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/strand-1/strand-1-telemetry/

Mike Rupprecht DK3WN has been working on new software which compares the magnetometer values sent by STRaND-1 in comparison to the NOAA World Magnetic Mode (WMM2010). Further information at http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=31826

Surrey Space Centre report that the STRAND-1 satellite is healthy and in the coming weeks they hope to be able to switch-on the Google Nexus One smartphone carried by the CubeSat.

STRaND-1 page https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/strand-1/

Mar 25 2013

NOAA-19 received with FCD

Roland (py4zbz) recently posted within the FUNcube & FUNcube Dongle Yahoo group – http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/funcube/ his received  NOAA-19 image using the AMSAT-UK FUNcube dongle

03251705_NOAA19

py4zbz NOAA-19 iamge

For more information or to order a FUNcube Dongle visit http://www.funcubedongle.com/

Join AMSAT-UK today here-https://amsat-uk.org/2012/10/03/join-amsat-uk/

Mar 25 2013

Dnepr Launch Animation Video

A Dnepr launch

A Dnepr launch

The Dnepr rocket is a converted ICBM used for launching satellites into orbit, operated by launch service provider ISC Kosmotras. The first launch, on April 21, 1999, successfully placed UoSAT-12, a 350 kg demonstration mini-satellite, into a 650 km circular Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

It is based on the R-36MUTTH ICBM designed by the Yuzhnoe Design Bureau in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. Its control system was developed and produced by the JSC “Khartron”, Kharkiv. The Dnepr is a three-stage rocket using storable hypergolic liquid propellants. The launch vehicles used for satellite launches are withdrawn from service with the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces and stored for commercial use. A group of 150 ICBMs can be converted for use and are available until 2020. The Dnepr can be launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan and a newly created Cosmodrome at the Dombarovsky launch base, near Yasny, in the Orenburg region of Russia.

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