Tag Archives: CubeSat

Feb 2 2015

UWE-3: Preliminary continuation of operations

UWE-3 LogoSince the temporary end of UWE-3 operations two months ago we received great support from the HAM community all over the world observing the health state of our satellite. For this reason and this reason alone we can say today UWE-3 is still experiencing a very good health state with fully charge batteries in a safe temperature area. Corticosteroids are hormones that are produced naturally by the adrenal glands. They have many important functions, including control of inflammatory responses. The intake of clenil modulite inhaler contains the active ingredient beclometasone, which is a type of medicine known as a corticosteroid. Beclometasone is a synthetic corticosteroid and is used to decrease inflammation in the lungs. (NB. Corticosteroids are often simply called steroids, but it should be noted that they are very different from another group of steroids, called anabolic steroids, which have gained notoriety because of their abuse by some athletes and body builders.)

Now, UWE-3 will be temporary operated during the next days and weeks, which will presumably also involve, at times, temporary changes of frequency between 437.385000 MHz and 436.395200 MHz.

We would especially appreciate the support of the HAM community during this period and we would like to thank you very much for your helpful support!

Yours sincerely,

UWE-3 Team

UWE-3 was launched with FUNcube-1 on November 21, 2013. Latest UWE-3 News at
http://www7.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/forschung/space_exploration/projects/uwe_3/uwe_3_news/

Jan 31 2015

Successful ELaNa-10 CubeSat launch

Detection of EcoCube by Jan van Gils PE0SAT

Detection of EcoCube by Jan van Gils PE0SAT

On Saturday, January 31 the CubeSats FIREBIRD-2, GRIFEX and ExoCube carrying amateur radio payloads were successfully launched on a Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base

Delta 2 CubeSat Launch January 31, 2015 - Credit ULA

Delta 2 CubeSat Launch January 31, 2015 – Credit ULA

The GEO-CAPE ROIC In-Flight Performance Experiment (GRIFEX) is a 3U CubeSat developed by MXL that will perform engineering assessment of a JPL-developed all digital in-pixel high frame rate Read-Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC).

The GRIFEX team at the University of Michigan received the first reception report of the spacecraft’s 437.485 MHz 9600 bps AX.25 GMSK signal from Jan van Gils PE0SAT in the Netherlands.

FIREBIRD (Focused Investigations of Relativistic Electron Burst Intensity, Range, and Dynamics) is a CubeSat dual satellite mission examining the spatial scale and spatial temporal ambiguity of magnetospheric microbursts. The project is a collaboration between researchers at the University of New Hampshire and Montana State University. Among the radio amateurs involved were Steve Longworth KR1C and David Klumpar KD7MFJ.

In Germany Mike Rupprecht DK3WN received the 19.2k bps GMSK AX.25 signals on 437.405 and 437.230 MHz from the two  FIREBIRD-2 1.5U CubeSats.

CalPoly’s ExoCube (CP-10) transmits on 437.270MHz using 9600 bps AX.25 FSK with “X03” sent in Morse code every 45 seconds. Jan van Gils PE0SAT reports detecting the ExoCube signal after later analysis of his IQ file.

ELaNA_10 CubeSat Frequencies - Credit Mike Rupprecht DK3WN

ELaNA_10 CubeSat Frequencies – Credit Mike Rupprecht DK3WN

GRIFEX
http://exploration.engin.umich.edu/blog/?page_id=2498
https://www.facebook.com/Michigan.Exploration

FIREBIRD-2 http://firebird.unh.edu/

ExoCube http://polysat.calpoly.edu/launched-missions/cp10-exocube/

ELaNa-10 Delta II CubeSat launch
http://cubesat.org/index.php/missions/upcoming-launches/148-elana-10-delta-ii-launch-2015

Jan 28 2015

Abdel M0NPT is the first UK recipient of the 73 on 73 Award

73 on 73 Award #9 - Abdel Mesbah M0NPT

73 on 73 Award #9 – Abdel Mesbah M0NPT

AMSAT-UK congratulates Abdel Mesbah M0NPT on becoming the first UK recipient of the 73 on 73 Award.

Paul Stoetzer N8HM sponsors the award which is issued for making 73 contacts with different stations since September 1, 2014 via the amateur radio satellite AO-73 (FUNcube-1).

On January 27, 2015 Abdel worked Jean-Marie Lenglet F2IL for his seventy third contact. He submitted his claim to Paul who checked it and sent the award certificate the following day.

Abdel was first licenced as M3IAK in 2003 and received his Intermediate call sign 2E0KAR in 2007 but it wasn’t until June 2013 that he was able to get on-the-air. He got his Full call sign M0NPT on March 11, 2014.

When Abdel first took an interest in satellites Lenny Brown 2E0LFK let him use his station and he had two contacts, with 9A3ST and R1AO, via the FM satellite SO-50.

Abdel then set up his own satellite station which comprises a Yaesu FT-847 with a 5 element horizontal polarised Yagi on 144 MHz, a 6 element vertically polarised Yagi on 430 MHz and a Yaesu G-5500 Azimuth-Elevation rotator. His first SSB contact via AO-73 (FUNcube-1) was with Manuel D. Ruiz Carrasco EA5TT on December 3, 2014.

Congratulations to all these operators who have so far earned the award:

#1 – Wyatt Dirks, AC0RA
#2 – Željko Ulip, 9A2EY
#3 – Bernhard Klink, DG1EA
#4 – Manuel D. Ruiz Carrasco, EA5TT
#5 – Jose Luis Peña Sanchez, EC4TR
#6 – Dariusz Dabek, SP9TTX
#7 – Jorge Gallardo Sanchez, EA4AYW,
#8 – Jari Ahdenkari, OH2FQV
#9 – Abdel Mesbah, M0NPT
#10 – Glenn Miller, AA5PK

Details on how you can earn the 73 on 73 Award are at https://amsat-uk.org/funcube/73-on-73-award/

AO-73 was launched on November 21, 2013 and is the first spacecraft to have a primary mission of educational outreach to schools and the smallest ever satellite to carry a linear (SSB/CW) transponder for radio amateurs.

Jan 26 2015

LightSail-1 launch announced

LightSail-1 with sail deployed - Credit Justin Foley KI6EPH

LightSail-1 with sail deployed – Credit Justin Foley KI6EPH

The first of The Planetary Society’s two LightSail spacecraft will ride to space aboard an Atlas V rocket in May 2015. The mission is a shakedown cruise designed to test out the CubeSat’s critical systems.

The LightSail-1 entry on the IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel status page lists a 9k6 GMSK AX25 amateur radio payload on 437.325 MHz but the LightSail-1 site is quoting 437.435 MHz.

In 2016, the second LightSail spacecraft will piggyback into orbit aboard the first operational flight of SpaceX’s new Falcon Heavy rocket for a full-fledged solar sailing demonstration.

This video about the project features Bill Nye (the Science Guy on PBS TV) as well as Justin Foley KI6EPH, Alex Diaz KJ6KSF and Stephanie Wong.

Watch LightSail – Flight by Light (full version)

IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel Status Page http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/

LightSail – Flight by Light http://sail.planetary.org/

Jan 22 2015

ED-SAT CubeSat Training Kit

Nader Omer ST2NH brings news of the ED-SAT training kit, a Cube Satellite simulator.

It has been developed for inspiring young people at variety of educational levels provide opportunities to discover and apply learning to real-world scenarios.

It aims to provide a unique environment for students at any fields to explore, just to name a few. Science, Electronics, Communication, Programming, Mechanic and Physics.

Watch ED-SAT training kit

Educational Satellite Co Ltd
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Educational-Satellite-co-ltd/233280410183741

Jan 22 2015

Amateur radio satellite talk near Farnham

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

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

This Monday, January 26 there will be a presentation on the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) and SO-50 satellites at the Hog’s Back Amateur Radio Club near Farnham.

Mike Parkin, G0JMI, will give a talk entitled: Amateur Radio Satellites: A General Overview and Understanding of FUNcube-1 (AO-73) and Saudi-Sat 1c (SO-50).

Satellite operation is not quite as daunting as it can at first appear, and Mike will enlighten the audience with some of his experiences, as well as the equipment and techniques used for satellite communication.

Doors open at 7:30 pm for 8:00 pm on Monday, January 26, 2015 at the Crondall Scout Hut, Pankridge Street, Crondall, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 5RQ. As usual the kettle will be on to provide the refreshment.

A map of the meeting place can be found on the Contact Details page at
http://www.hogsback-arc.org.uk/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/Hogsbackarc/