Tag Archives: FUNcube

Aug 30 2013

FUNcube-1 Launch Date Announced

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

AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL are delighted to be able to announce that they have been advised that the launch date for FUNcube-1 is now expected to be late November 2013. The date is still subject to final approval by the authorities.

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

The FUNcube project started back in 2009 so it is a great relief that we now have a confirmed date for lift off.

FUNcube-1 will lift off from the Yasny launch base located in the Orenburg Region, Russia on a Dnepr Launch Vehicle that will insert multiple satellites into a 600 km, 97.8º inclination sun-synchronous orbit.

FUNcube-1 is a 1U CubeSat that will provide a signal directly from a satellite in space to the classroom, and can easily be received by schools and colleges. The target audience is students at both primary and secondary levels. The information will be displayed in an attractive format and provide stimulation and encouragement for students to become interested in all STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Maths) subjects in an unique way. In addition the spacecraft is also carrying a 435/145 MHz transponder for radio amateurs to use for communication using SSB or CW.

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

The spacecraft itself has now been completed and the last external panel was finally screwed and glued in place on Friday, August 30 at the facilities of ISIS BV in Delft. FUNcube-1 will be subjected to some final testing and battery charging on Tuesday when it will also be set into its pre-launch configuration. It will then be placed into its ISIPOD on Wednesday ready for transport to the launch site.

Communication subsystem:
• 300 mW Inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW
– Uplink      435.150 – 435.130 MHz
– Downlink  145.950 – 145.970 MHz
• 300 mW BPSK Telemetry  145.935 MHz (30 mW when transponder active)

More information about how to receive the signals from FUNcube-1 will be made available over the forthcoming weeks at the www.funcube.org.uk website.

A recent presentation about the FUNcube project by Graham Shirville G3VZV and Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG can be viewed online at http://www.batc.tv/streams/amsat1311 or downloaded from http://www.batc.tv/vod/Funcube1.flv

A PDF of the slides from that presentation is here FUNcube_Colloquium2013a

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch Rev4 20100609

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

FUNcube information sheets:
•  FUNcube_Project Information_aug2013
•  FUNcube_Educational_Outreach aug2013

FUNcube-1 https://amsat-uk.org/funcube/funcube-cubesat/

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

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

Some of the other satellites that may be on the same Dnepr launch vehicle are listed at https://amsat-uk.org/2013/08/22/dnepr-cubesat-launch/

AMSAT-UK on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396
AMSAT-UK on Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK

Join AMSAT-UK http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/category_9/Join-Amsat-UK.html

Aug 18 2013

Battery Charger for FUNcube-1 Amateur Radio CubeSat

FUNcube-1 charger developed by Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG - Image credit Graham Shirville G3VZV

FUNcube-1 charger developed by Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG – Image credit Graham Shirville G3VZV

The launch date for the amateur radio FUNcube-1 satellite remains on schedule for November this year. Coming up this week, on August 22 at 14:39 UT, is the next DNEPR launch from Dombarovsky near Yasny so we are looking forward to the successful insertion of its KOMPSAT5 payload into orbit as this will give greater confidence for the actual FUNcube-1 launch date. http://www.kosmotras.ru/en/news/127/

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

In the meantime every CubeSat needs to be able to have the capability to charge its on board batteries when already in its POD. Of course this means that we need a suitable battery charger and it needs something quite special so as to be certain that there is no risk of overcharging or other disaster.

The pictures show the charger which was specially designed and constructed by Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG for FUNcube-1. Smartly presented in a blue anodised case, this charger can be set to charge the Li battery to the best voltage for long term storage, approx 7.6 Volts, and can also be used to enable the final pre-launch testing of the spacecraft and its flight software before launch.

FUNcube-1 carries a 435/145 MHz linear transponder for SSB/CW communications and a 145 MHz 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon. Further information at https://amsat-uk.org/funcube/funcube-cubesat/

FUNcube-1 battery charger - Image credit Graham Shirville G3VZV

FUNcube-1 battery charger – Image credit Graham Shirville G3VZV

Jul 18 2013

UKube-1 with Amateur Radio Transponder may launch October

Artists impression of UKube-1 in orbit

Artists impression of UKube-1 in orbit – Credit Clyde Space

BBC News is reporting that the UK Space Agency’s first CubeSat UKube-1, being built by Clyde Space in Glasgow, may launch in late October 2013.

Clyde Space Senior Systems Engineer Steve Greenland will be giving a presentation on UKube-1 to the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium which takes place July 20-21 at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ, UK.

The Colloquium is open to all but for those unable to attend the event all 18 presentations including UKube-1 will be web streamed live on the BATC site at http://batc.tv/ch_live.php?ch=3

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

UKube-1 will carry a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube-2 boards which will provide:
• 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon on 145.915 MHz
• Linear transponder downlink 145.930-145.950 MHz for SSB/CW communications
• Linear transponder uplink 435.080-435.060 MHz

In addition UKube-1 also carries:
• ISIS 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon on 145.840 MHz
• UKSEDS myPocketQub 442 on 437.425-437.525 MHz with 11 mW output using spread spectrum
• 1 watt transmitter on 2401.0 MHz from Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Cape Town, for high data rate mission data downlinking using up to 1 Mbps QPSK or OQPSK modulation

Gunter’s Space Page lists UKube-1 as manifested on a Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M rocket to be launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan.

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

If the launch does go ahead as planned in late October then the FUNcube-2 boards will be in orbit before the FUNcube-1 satellite which may launch in November, 2013 on a Dnepr rocket from Dombarovsky near Yasny.

FUNcube-1 will be using these frequencies:
• 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon on 145.935 MHz
• Linear transponder downlink 145.950-145.970 MHz for SSB/CW communications
• Linear transponder uplink 435.150-435.130 MHz

There will be a presentation on FUNcube-1 at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium which will be streamed live to the web. The presentation schedule is here.

Read the BBC News story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-23319103

Watch UK Space Agency video – UKube-1 CubeSat payload animation

On Friday, October 19, 2012 after some final testing and characterisation checks completed at the facilities of ISIS BV in Delft, AMSAT-UK handed over the set of three PCBs that form the FUNcube-2 subsystem on the UKube-1 spacecraft to Clyde Space Ltd in Glasgow. Clyde Space are leading the development and assembly of this CubeSat project for the UK Space Agency.

Steve Greenland of Clyde Space receives the AMSAT-UK FUNcube-2 boards that will be incorporated into UKube-1

Steve Greenland of Clyde Space receives the AMSAT-UK FUNcube-2 boards that will be incorporated into UKube-1

The PCBs were taken to Glasgow in a Pelicase by Graham Shirville G3VZV who handed them to Steve Greenland Senior Systems Engineer at Clyde Space.

The three PCB’s comprise:
• CCT Board – Command, control and telemetry, interfaces via I2C with the antenna deployment system and the main OBC (On-Board Computer).
• RF Board – Command receiver, telemetry transmitter and linear transponder of the FUNcube satellite educational payload also includes telemetry sensors.
• PA Board – 400 mW VHF amplifier and sensors.

The telemetry transmitter provided by AMSAT-UK will be available for educational outreach to school students around the world.

UKube-1 on display at UK Space Conference in Glasgow

UKube-1 on display at UK Space Conference in Glasgow

Jun 10 2013

Video – Amateur Radio FUNcube Satellites by Howard G6LVB

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

AMSAT-UK representative Howard Long, G6LVB, in his presentation at the AMSAT Forum at the 2013 Dayton Hamvention describes recent activities at AMSAT-UK.

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 and UKube-1 (which carries the FUNcube-2 boards) both have dual STEM education and ham radio missions, including SSB/CW linear transponders. Howard also touches on the FUNcube ground station for schools using the FUNcube Dongle Software Defined Radio (SDR) and preliminary plans for other satellites.

It is expected that FUNcube-1 wil be launched around November 2013 on a Dnepr rocket from from Dombarovsky near Yasny. UKube-1 with the FUNcube-2 boards currently plans to launch in the 3rd quarter of 2013 from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz-2.

Watch FUNcube Satellites, by Howard G6LVB – 2013 Dayton Hamvention

FUNcube Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FUNcube

FUNcube Dongle LF/MF/HF/VHF/UHF SDR http://www.FUNcubeDongle.com/

Apr 9 2013

Amateur Radio FUNcube Project – Your advice requested

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

As part of the FUNcube project we now need to urgently decide which is going to be the best type of antenna to propose for use at schools and colleges to receive the 145MHz downlink signals from both FUNcube-1 and FUNcube-2 on UKube after launch.

Both spacecraft will be transmitting approx 300mW of BPSK 1k2 telemetry with FEC – FC-1 will be using a dipole antenna and will have passive magnetic attitude control. FC-2 on UKube will use a single monopole antenna and the spacecraft is intended to have active attitude control. This is primarily to ensure that the deployed solar panels are illuminated and that the face with the S band patch is usually earth pointing.

We believe that the resultant signal should be easily usable using an omnidirectional antenna but the questions is which would be the best type to use. Obviously ease of construction, cost, robustness and safety in a school environment will also be important factors as well as  suitable “gain” and circularity from horizon to horizon. We envisage that some operations may be from fixed installations with the antennas mounted permanently but some will be temporary – perhaps hand held or bolted to a step ladder or similar.

We know there are many AMSAT members around the globe with great experience in this field and, we suspect, with some strongly held views. So please let us have some constructive input about which type is likely to be best for this purpose – your comments, ideas and lessons learnt will be very valuable for us.

Thanks in advance for your support

73 Graham G3VZV – for the FUNcube Project team
Email: g3vzv at amsat.org

Apr 1 2013

Amateur Radio Satellite at 15th European Interparliamentary Space Conference

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 – Image credit PA3WEG

The European Interparliamentary Space Conference (EISC) workshop on small, micro, nano and CubeSat missions took place on March 25 in Redu, Belgium.

AMSAT Belgium and the UBA took advantage of the opportunity to demonstrate the engineering model of the AMSAT-UK FUNcube-1 satellite along with the FUNcube Dongle SDR for telemetry decoding.

Jan Poppeliers ON7UX has released this video of the event which also covers the European Student Earth Orbiter ESEO satellite, ALMASat-1, and the QB50 project:

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