Tag Archives: CubeSat

May 25 2014

2014 FUNcube missions – May Update

UKube-1 ready for launch

UKube-1 ready for launch

The FUNcube team have received confirmation that UKube-1, which is hosting the FUNcube-2 payload, is now scheduled for a Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M launch from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on Saturday, June 28 with the following day as a back-up.  The launch time has been quoted as 15:58:28 UT with separation some 9253 seconds later.

The team still understand that, immediately after deployment and activation, UKube-1 will commence transmitting a CW beacon and that this will be later followed by an AX25, 1200 bps BPSK beacon. Both beacons will be on 145.840 MHz. The FUNcube-2 payload, with its telemetry downlink for educational outreach, is expected to be tested later.

FUNcube-3 is the transponder only payload on the QB50 precursor CubeSat “QB50P1″. This mission is now scheduled to launch on June 19 on a Dnepr launch vehicle from Dombarovsky near Yasny. The launch time has been quoted as 19:11:11 UT but this has not yet been confirmed.  The initial beacon signals, from the main transceiver, are also expected to be AX.25, 1200 bps BPSK packets on 145.815 MHz.

Again more information will be provided as soon as it becomes available!

QB50p1 and QB50p2 - Image Credit ISIS

QB50p1 and QB50p2 – Image Credit ISIS

UKube-1 communications subsystem:
• 145.840 MHz Telemetry, CW, 1k2 BPSK
• 2401.0 MHz S Band Downlink
• 437.425-437.525 MHz UKSEDS myPocketQub Downlink
• 145.915 MHz FUNcube beacon
• FUNcube 400 mW inverting SSB/CW transponder
– 435.080-435.060 MHz Uplink LSB
– 145.930-145.950 MHz Downlink USB

QB50p1 communications subsystem:
• 145.815 MHz 1200 bps BPSK telemetry
• FUNcube inverting 400 mW SSB/CW transponder
– 435.035-435.065 MHz Uplink LSB
– 145.935-145.965 MHz Downlink USB

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

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

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

May 20 2014

New launch date for UKube-1

UKube-1 ready for launch

UKube-1 ready for launch

The CubeSat UKube-1 will be launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on a Russian Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M rocket which has Meteor-M 2 as the primary payload. The new planned launch date for UKube-1 is July 8, 2014 with separation +9253 s Greenwich inertial (-1859.49, -3817.49, -5581.72) km (912.1, 6027.9, -4426.4) m.s-1 (TBC).

UKube-1 carries a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards (FUNcube-2) providing a 435/145 MHz linear transponder and educational telemetry beacon.

Description of UKube-1 from Clyde Space:

UKube-1 is a 3U CubeSat has been designed and manufactured by Clyde Space at their high-tech facility on the West of Scotland Science Park in Glasgow. This CubeSat is one of the most advanced of its kind, the complexity of the spacecraft highlighted by the nature of the 6 independent, advanced payloads being flown by the mission. The UKube-1 mission is the pilot for a collaborative, national CubeSat programme bringing together UK industry and academia to fly educational packages, test new technologies and carry out new space research quickly and efficiently.

Payloads on UKube-1 include: the first GPS device aimed at measuring plasmaspheric space weather; a camera that will take images of the Earth, and test the effect of radiation on space hardware, using a new generation of imaging sensor; an experiment to demonstrate the feasibility of using cosmic radiation to improve the security of communications satellites and to flight test lower cost electronic systems; an advanced mission interface computer to enable serious number crunching on tiny spacecraft; a high rate S-Band transmitter and patch antenna; an outreach payload that allows school children to interact with the spacecraft.

UKube-1 communications subsystem:
• Telemetry downlink 145.840 MHz
• FUNcube subsystem beacon 145.915 MHz
• 400 mW inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW
– 435.080 -435.060 MHz Uplink
– 145.930 -145.950 MHz Downlink
• 2401.0 MHz S Band Downlink
• 437.425-437.525 MHz UKSEDS myPocketQub Downlink

The satellites on the Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M launch are: Meteor-M 2, SkySat 2, TechDemoSat 1 (TDS 1), AISSat 2, Baumanets 2 [pulled from launch manifest], Relek, DX 1, Venta 1 [pulled from launch manifest], UKube 1.

Clyde Space http://www.clyde-space.com/

May 18 2014

LituanicaSAT-1 Telemetry Reports Requested

LituanicaSAT-1 Camera and FM Voice Transponder

LituanicaSAT-1 Camera and FM Voice Transponder

The LituanicaSAT-1 team ask for your support in tracking the satellite and reporting telemetry.

Dear radio amateurs,

For some unknown reason the satellite has rebooted several times during long term transponder test and due to that the transponder has been shut down automatically. Satellite is operating currently on high energy consumption mode as the attempt to reconfigure modes during the pass over our ground station today was unsuccessful. We therefore would like to ask for your support in tracking the satellite and reporting telemetry. If battery voltage drops below 7.2 V, the satellite will enter safe power mode and as a result you should only hear the CW FM beacon on 437.275 MHz and no packets.

Thank You in advance for your support.

73,
Laurynas LY1LM, LY5N

Please submit your reports to ly5n@qrz.lt

LituanicaSAT-1 FrequenciesFrequency are approximately 435.1755 MHz (+/- 10 kHz Doppler shift) for the downlink and 145.950 MHz for the uplink with 67 Hz CTCSS.

The tiny satellite is just 10x10x10 cm with a mass of 1.090 kg yet it has a VGA camera and a 145/435 MHz FM voice transponder, designed and built by Lithuanian radio amateurs.

The prototype of the FM repeater has been operating in the home of its designer Žilvinas Batisa LY3H in Elektrėnai, Lithuania. Further information at http://ly3h.epalete.com/?p=303

FM transponder operating techniques http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=44412

LituanicaSAT-1 CubeSat https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/27/lituanicasat-1-cubesat/

May 16 2014

LituanicaSAT-1 FM Transponder Active All Weekend

LituanicaSAT-1 Camera and FM Voice Transponder

LituanicaSAT-1 Camera and FM Voice Transponder

The LituanicaSAT-1 team have announced the FM transponder should be active during the weekend of May 17-18, 2014.

Dear radio amateurs,

I would like to notify that a long term testing of LituanicaSAT-1 FM transponder is planned for this weekend starting from May 17, 04:30 UT. The transponder will remain active for the whole weekend provided that battery voltage does not reach unsafe levels. As always your reports are very welcome. Please send them and any questions you may have to ly5n@qrz.lt.

73,
Laurynas Maciulis
LY1LM, LY5N

LituanicaSAT-1 FrequenciesFrequency are approximately 435.1755 MHz (+/- 10 kHz Doppler shift) for the downlink and 145.950 MHz for the uplink with 67 Hz CTCSS.

The tiny satellite is just 10x10x10 cm with a mass of 1.090 kg yet it has a VGA camera and a 145/435 MHz FM voice transponder, designed and built by Lithuanian radio amateurs.

The prototype of the FM repeater has been operating in the home of its designer Žilvinas Batisa LY3H in Elektrėnai, Lithuania. Further information at http://ly3h.epalete.com/?p=303

FM transponder operating techniques http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=44412

LituanicaSAT-1 CubeSat https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/27/lituanicasat-1-cubesat/

May 15 2014

BBC: ‘Pocket spacecrafts’ to become a reality

Pocket Spacecraft

Pocket Spacecraft

On Thursday, May 15, the BBC Radio 4 Today show featured an item on the recently launched 437 MHz Sprite satellites and the new Pocket Spacecraft being developed by a UK radio amateur.

KickSat Sprite satellites deployed - Image by Ben Bishop VK2FBRB

KickSat Sprite satellites deployed – Image by Ben Bishop VK2FBRB

The tiny Sprite satellites, measuring 3x3cm and just a few millimetres thick, contain a 437 MHz transmitter, solar cell, sensor and antenna. The CubeSat KickSat-1 carrying 104 Sprites was successfully launched on April 18, however, a suspected radiation glitch meant they could not be deployed before the CubeSat burnt up on re-entry on May 14.

UK radio amateur Michael Johnson M0MJJ has developed Pocket Spacecraft known as ‘Scouts’. A ‘Scout’ is a wafer thin disk with flexible electronics, smaller than a CD, containing a transceiver, antenna and solar cells. It is hoped to carry them in a CubeSat which would deploy them in Lunar orbit. It is understood that frequencies in the 435 MHz and 2400 MHz bands may be used.

Listen to the BBC Radio 4 clip ‘Pocket spacecrafts’ to become a reality in which BBC Click’s Spencer Kelly discusses the development of pocket spacecrafts http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01z4q22

It is expected that Pocket Spacecraft will feature in the BBC TV technology show ‘Click’ due to be released online on Saturday, May 17 at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m9ry

KickSat-1 launch https://amsat-uk.org/2014/04/18/successful-launch-of-kicksat-carrying-104-sprite-satellites/

British Interplanetary Society: Sprite Technical Summary
http://www.bis-space.com/2013/03/09/9301/kicksat-technical-summary

UK radio amateur plans Lunar Pocket Spacecraft https://amsat-uk.org/2013/08/26/uk-radio-hams-lunar-cubesat-to-go-ahead/

Pocket Spacecraft http://pocketspacecraft.com/

437 MHz Sprite

437 MHz Sprite

May 14 2014

LituanicaSAT-1 Update May 14, 2014

LituanicaSAT-1 Camera and FM Voice Transponder

LituanicaSAT-1 Camera and FM Voice Transponder

The LituanicaSAT-1 team have provided a further update on their CubeSat which was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on February 28.

LituanicaSAT-1 FrequenciesDear radio amateurs,

As most of you have already noticed, since May 12 the satellite has been set up to nominal operational mode permanently with noticeable 9k6 baud packet telemetry on 437.544 MHz every 30s. However  next day on May 13 a telemetry report from W7KKE has shown that a latchup has been detected on 3.3 V1 EPS channel.

This channel is providing power for CW FM beacon and photo camera. Furthermore following reports from W7KKE and LU4EOU have shown that an OBC reset had occurred on Tuesday, 13 May 2014, 16:27 UT and on 14 May 2014, 01:47 UT (9 h 20 min since first reset).

The reason for these resets and latchup are still unknown but currently all systems are working properly. Due to that we prefer to leave the satellite in safe mode during passes outside the range of our ground station in Vilnius.

Best Regards,
LituanicaSAT-1 team

LituanicaSAT-1 https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/27/lituanicasat-1-cubesat/

W7KKE 05131451Z pass