This BATC video shows the P3E satellite announcement made on July 25 at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Guildford.

Drew KO4MA and Peter DB2OS were happy to be able to announce a cooperation between AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-DL and Virginia Tech to try and get Phase-3E launched!

Watch AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA announce a potential Phase-3E launch opportunity

Virginia Tech has approached the US Government to fly the Phase 3-E space frame into High Earth Orbit (HEO) in order to support scientific payloads as well as serve as an amateur radio satellite.  During the AMSAT-DL Annual Meeting on July 4, 2015, the AMSAT-DL membership approved the concept, agreeing to allow the Phase 3-E space frame that is currently stored in Germany to be shipped to Virginia Tech in the USA for further construction, testing and preparation for eventual launch to HEO should the US Government formally agree to fund such a mission.

Should the project move forward, AMSAT-NA will apply for frequency coordination from the IARU Satellite Advisor and satellite licensing from the FCC as the satellite’s initial operator.

Video streaming and production by the BATC (http://batc.tv)

The next AMSAT Phase 3 satellite – Arianespace visit in Marburg (P3-E with flight antennas, but dummy solar panels)

The P3E-satellite continues the successful series of AO-10, AO-13 and AO-40. It will again support communications from continent to continent.

Amateur Radio Satellite AO-40

The downlink frequencies are in the bands at 145 and 2400 MHz, the uplinks at 435 and 1268 MHz. Thus it can be used by all radio amateurs who were previously active on the earlier Phase-3 satellites. Additionally P3E provides possibilities for experimentation using uplinks at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz as well as downlinks at 10,5, 24 and 47 GHz.

P3E http://www.p3e-satellite.org/?lang=en_EN

AMSAT-DL on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amsat.deutschland