Tag Archives: Microsat

Aug 22 2013

Successful Dnepr launch from Yasny – amateur radio satellite launch to follow

Dnepr_rocket_lift-off

A DNEPR Lift-Off

On Thursday, August 22, 2013 at 14:39 UT Korea’s satellite KOMPSAT-5 launched on a Dnepr from Dombarovsky near Yasny. This marked the first flight of the Dnepr launcher since August 2011.

This successful Dnepr launch should clear the way for the launch in November of another Dnepr from Yasny believed to be carrying up to 23 satellites from 13 nations.

Most of the satellites will carry amateur radio payloads and it should be the largest single deployment of amateur radio satellites since the ill-fated Dnepr launch of July 26, 2006. http://www.southgatearc.org/news/july2006/dnepr_failure.htm

The launch had originally been planned for September 2012 but was postponed while the future of the Dnepr launch program was discussed.

ZACUBE-1 ready to be shipped to the Netherlands and from there to Yasny

ZACUBE-1 ready to be shipped to the Netherlands and from there to Yasny

Among the satellites carrying payloads operating in amateur radio bands that may be on the November launch are:
• UniSat-5 microsat which will deploy Eagle-1, Eagle-2, QB-Scout, Wren and PUCP-SAT-1 which it turn should release a further satellite Pocket-PUCP
• Delfi-n3Xt
• Triton-1
• Triton-2
• GOMX-1
• FUNcube-1
• UWE-3
• CubeBug-2
• BRITE-PL1
• Humsat-D
• CPUT ZAcube-1
• HinCube
• BeakerSat
• NEE-02 KRYSAOR (980 MHz)

Mar 17 2013

FCC Guidance On Obtaining Licenses For Small Satellites

Image of a CubeSat in Space

Image of a CubeSat in Space

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Public Notice to provide guidance concerning FCC licensing of spectrum for use by small satellites, including satellites that fall within the categories of pico-satellites, nano-satellites and cubesats.

The advent of such small satellite designs has brought with it dramatically lower launch costs, enabling a larger range of organizations to directly launch satellites. Institutions such as universities and research organizations that previously found it cost prohibitive to launch their own satellite can now participate in the exploration of space. Many of these participants may be unfamiliar with the spectrum licensing, scheduling and other requirements attendant on satellites. This Public Notice seeks to alert affected parties of these requirements and thus aid small satellite operators in the planning necessary for a successful launch operation.

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Sep 15 2012

Videos of CubeSat / Microsat presentations given to the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium

Holiday Inn and RSGB GB4FUN communications module

The videos of the amateur radio CubeSat and Microsat presentations given to the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium 2012 are available to either watch online or download.

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Sep 9 2012

AMSAT-UK Colloquium – Visit to SSTL Kepler Building

SSTL-Kepler-Building

SSTL Kepler Building

The 27th AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium, is open to all. It takes place September 15-16 at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ and will provide an opportunity to visit the satellite facilities in the new Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) Kepler Building.

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Aug 13 2012

High School Satellite Max Valier

Max Valier satellite – Image credit Max Valier Gewerbeoberschule

The Max Valier satellite is a 15 kg amateur radio microsat planned for launch into a 700 km Sun Synchronous Orbit from Plesetsk.

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Jul 16 2012

Ecuador, heading into space

CubeSat NEE-01 Pegasus

A Chinese rocket due to launch in the 2nd quarter of 2013 will carry CubeSat NEE-01 Pegasus from Ecuador.

Ronnie Nader with Elisse Nader and CubeSat

The NEE-01 Pegasus engineering team was led by Cmdr. Ronnie Nader, Ecuador’s first astronaut. The tiny 1U CubeSat (10cm cube) has a large fold-out solar array, a world first, and carries a 902 MHz band 720p HD TV transmitter, another world first for a CubeSat. Also operating in the same band will be a beacon that will send a Morse Code ID, a SSTV image and Ecuador’s national anthem.

The raw aluminum structure of the CubeSat was donated by Professor Bob Twiggs KE6QMD. After launch the 10 by 10 by 10 cm NEE-01 Pegasus will deploy its 75 cm fold-out solar panels, the largest to be flown on a CubeSat.

As part of the educational outreach objectives of the satellite video of the Earth taken by the HD camera will be made available to school students in Ecuador.

The satellite will send two signals that will be received and decoded by the EXA’s HERMES-A ground station in Guayaquil and then uploaded live to the Internet using Facebook and Twitter; the first signal will contain text book questions and the second will contain an image related to the question. If the students are able to answer the question correctly they will be granted access to the video camera on board the spacecraft and will be able to see earth from space as the astronauts see it in their space missions. More advanced students will have access to the pure radio signal so they can try decoding it by themselves.

The satellite featured in the July 15 edition of the El Murcurio newspaper.

Read the El Murcurio newspaper article in Google English http://tinyurl.com/Ecuador-in-Space

NEE-01 Pegasus on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NEE01PEGASO/

IAC2011 Paper http://exa.academia.edu/RonnieNader/Papers/795135/NEE-01_PEGASUS_The_first_Ecuadorian_Satellite

NEE-01 Pegasus will monitor near-earth objects http://www.uk.amsat.org/6932

Italian Microsat to Deploy Six Amateur Radio Satellites http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=7717