Dnepr Cluster Mission Orbit Injection Profile June 19, 2014 – Credit ISC Kosmotras

On Thursday, June 19, 2014 at 19:11:11 UT a Dnepr rocket was launched from Dombarovsky near Yasny in the Russian Federation, 12 of the satellites on-board carried amateur radio payloads.

In total 33 satellites were deployed from the Dnepr on June 19. One of those satellites UniSat-6 carried four smaller satellites, Tigrisat, Lemur 1, ANTELSat and AeroCube 6, which it deployed on June 20. On June 23, AeroCube 6 split into two separate satellites bringing the total of deployed satellites to 38.

Satellites launched June 19, 2012 on the Yasny Dnepr

Among the amateur radio payloads are a SSB/CW linear transponder, FM voice transponder, D-STAR Parrot Repeater, three Packet Radio Digipeaters and APRS.

In the hours immediately after launch signals were reported from POPSAT, QB50p1, QB50p2, UniSat-6, BugSat-1, NanosatC-BR1, Duchifat-1, TabletSat-Aurora and DTUsat-2.

The two QB50 precursor Cubesats on the launch carry amateur radio transponders. They were deployed at 19:32 UT and CW signals from both were received shortly after by Andre Van Deventer ZS2BK in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Brian Best ZS5SB and Leon Steenkamp ZS1HD also reported receiving signals.

The FUNcube team send their thank to the stations in South Africa who received the first signals and also to the ISIS teams both at the launch site and at their HQ in Delft. A job very well done!

Richard Dailey N8UX in Kentucky, USA made use of the Southampton University Wireless Society (SUWS) WebSDR to receive the QB50P2 beacon when the satellite was in range of the UK.

The details of the initial 145 MHz CW transmission format for both QB50p1, and its near twin QB50p2, is at http://www.isispace.nl/HAM/qb50p.html

QB50p1 and QB50p2 – Image Credit ISIS

QB50p1 carries the FUNcube-3 400 mW inverting linear 435/145 MHz transponder provided by AMSAT-NL with support from AMSAT-UK.
• 145.815 MHz BPSK telemetry
• Transponder
– 435.035-435.065 MHz Uplink LSB
– 145.935-145.965 MHz Downlink USB

QB50p2 carries a 435/145 MHz FM transponder and FX25 data transmitter from AMSAT-F.
• 145.880 MHz BPSK telemetry
• 145.840 MHz 9600 bps FSK FX25

It is expected that both these transponder payloads will be activated after the science missions have been completed.

Dnepr Satellite Frequencies June 19, 2014 – Credit Mike Rupprecht DK3WN

QB50 precursor amateur radio operator page http://www.isispace.nl/HAM/qb50p.html

There were 37 satellites and a 2U Mass Dummy on the launch, frequencies at http://r4uab.ru/?p=6393

For a short description of each of the satellites see http://www.zarya.info/Calendar.php#Dnepr

Article about the launch and payloads
http://www.spaceflight101.com/dnepr-launch-updates—2014-cluster-launch.html

Southampton University Wireless Society WebSDR http://websdr.suws.org.uk/

Video of the Dnepr launch on June 19, 2014

QB50p1 and QB50p2 – Image Credit ISIS

The FUNcube team anticipate that the Dnepr launch of the amateur radio FUNcube-3 payload on the QB50p1 CubeSat will take place as previously stated.

This Thursday is the day!

To be precise, lift off is expected to take place from Yasny on June 19, 2014 at 19:11:11 UT and the deployment of the various payloads will take place over the Indian Ocean in a similar fashion to the launch of FUNcube-1 last November.

Dnepr Space Head Module – Image credit Gauss Team

Pre-launch Keplerian elements / Two-Line Elements (TLEs) can be seen below. The details of the initial 145 MHz CW transmission format for both QB50p1, and its near twin QB50p2, is at http://www.isispace.nl/HAM/qb50p.html

QB50p1 carries an inverting linear UV transponder with 400 mW output provided by AMSAT-NL and which is similar to that on FUNcube-1.
• 145.815 MHz BPSK telemetry
• FUNcube inverting 400 mW SSB/CW transponder
– 435.035-435.065 MHz Uplink LSB
– 145.935-145.965 MHz Downlink USB

QB50p2 carries an UV FM transponder and FX25 data transmitter from AMSAT-F. It is expected that these payloads will be activated after the science missions have been completed.
• 145.880 MHz BPSK telemetry
• 145.840 MHz 9600 bps FSK FX25

AMSAT-UK will be monitoring the launch event and watching for signal reports on the #cubesat IRC channel throughout the evening. A web client is available at http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=#cubesat

QB50 precursor amateur radio operator page http://www.isispace.nl/HAM/qb50p.html

There are 37 satellites and a 2U Mass Dummy on the launch, frequencies at http://r4uab.ru/?p=6393

For a short description of each of the satellites see http://www.zarya.info/Calendar.php#Dnepr

Article about the launch and payloads
http://www.spaceflight101.com/dnepr-launch-updates—2014-cluster-launch.html

Preliminary orbital information:

Launch Time:              19:11:11 UT
Separation of Platform A: 19:27:07 UT
Separation of QB50p1:     19:32:07 UT
Separation of QB50p2:     19:32:27 UT
1st pass over Delft/VKI:  20:46:46 UT

QB50p_PRELAUNCHKEPS
1 00362U 00362A   14170.81049769  .00000000  00000-0  10000-4 0     7
2 00362  97.9897  66.2289 0012982 291.8733 244.3145 14.85013404    03

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

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

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