An English language NHK TV news story covers the amateur radio CubeSat FITSAT-1 also known as NIWAKA which launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 21.
Takushi Tanaka JA6AVG and FITSAT
FITSAT-1 has multiple downlinks, CW on 437.250 MHz, AX.25 on 437.445 MHz and a 4 watt high speed data transmitter on 5840 MHz capable of sending a 640 by 480 pixel VGA JPEG image in 6 seconds.
In addition it carries high power LEDs that will be driven with 100W pulses to produce extremely bright flashes. These, it is hoped, will be observable by the unaided eye or with small binoculars. Both the 5840 MHz and optical downlinks have a high power consumption so they may only be activated when in range of the ground station in Japan. It use a neodymium magnet for attitude control.
The CubeSat will remain on the ISS until September when it will be deployed by Japanese astronaut and radio amateur Akihiko Hoshide KE5DNI using the ISS Kibo robot arm.
FITSAT-1 (NIWAKA) is mounted in a JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) with the amateur radio TechEdSat and F-1 CubeSats. In a second deployment pod are WeWish and a scientific 2U CubeSat Raiko. The CubeSats will be deployed into a 400 km orbit and should have a lifetime of 3 or 4 months before re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere and burning up.
In this video NHK interviews Takushi Tanaka JA6AVG and students from the Fukuoka Institute of Technology (FIT) about the project.
In recognition of notable or outstanding contributions made to all space activities, the Sir Arthur Clarke Awards have been presented annually since 2005. In the past the Award Ceremony has been an integral part of the UK Space Conference, but as the Conference is now held every other year, to avoid conflicting with the Farnborough Air Show, it has been decided to go ahead with this year’s “Arthurs” Awards to provide complete continuity. The Award Ceremony will take place at a lunch in the House of Lords in October.
Though primarily designed to reward UK teams and individuals for their achievements over the past year, 2011-2012, the Awards will include International and Lifetime Achievement categories.
FSpace team members Phạm Quang Hưng, Đinh Quốc Trí, Khánh Has, Thu Trong Vu XV9AA, Hong Thai Pham and Dao Thang – picture taken by Nguyễn Trần Hoàng
The amateur radio F-1 CubeSat, built by the FSpace team of young engineers and students at the FPT University, is on its journey to the International Space Station (ISS). It is the first satellite to be built in Vietnam and the project has attracted much TV news coverage.
FSpace F-1 Amateur Radio CubeSat
F-1 carries a low-resolution C328 camera for an earth observation mission. The camera is capable of a maximum resolution of 640 by 480 pixels with 8 bit color. Images will be downloaded when commanded by the FSpace ground station.
There is a 3-axis magnetometer (developed by Angstrom Space Technology Center, Uppsala University, Sweden) and several temperature sensors.
The satellite’s callsign is XV1VN and the communications subsystem is built around two Yaesu VX-3R amateur radio handheld transceivers. One will operate on UHF the other on VHF.
Yaesu VX-3R1 transmits on 437.485 MHz FM, it has no battery so will operate on solar power only. As a result it will only be active when the satellite is in sunlight and when active the output power will vary between 0.1 and 0.3 watts depending on the amount of illumination. The antenna is a half-wave dipole. The FM beacon will send Morse code at 10 words per minute every 30 seconds (configurable). A sample of the beacon can be heard here.
VX-3R2 operates on 145.980 MHz FM and is connected to Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) batteries so will operate in both dark and sunlight. The power output is 1 watt into a half-wave dipole antenna. Using a TinyTrak4 packet radio modem it will send an AFSK 1200 bps AX.25 packet every 60 seconds (configurable).
F-1 was launched along with four other CubeSats in the HTV-3 cargo vessel on an H-IIB rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center, Japan, on July 21 at 02:06 UT and will arrive at the ISS on July 27.
F-1 in the JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD)
It will remain on the ISS until September when it will be deployed by Japanese astronaut and radio amateur Akihiko Hoshide KE5DNI using the ISS Kibo robot arm.
F-1 is mounted in a JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) with the amateur radio TechEdSat and FITSat-1 CubeSats. In a second deployment pod are WeWish and a scientific 2U CubeSat Raiko. The CubeSats will be deployed into a 400 km orbit and should have a lifetime of 3 or 4 months before re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere and burning up.
In this video the team from FPT University sing the song “Vietnam’s orbit”. Artist/singer Trương Quý Hải has supported the F-1 CubeSat project from the beginning and composed the song just a few weeks before the launch. The accompanying music clip was completed just hours before the launch of F1. The team very much appreciated this.
Watch Quỹ đạo Việt Nam – Trương Quý Hải – “Vietnam’s Orbit” by Trương Quý Hải
A video depicting the planned deployment of the F-1 CubeSat, callsign XV1VN, from the ISS can be seen at http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=8446
+ F-1 http://fspace.edu.vn/?page_id=10
On-board camera for earth observation mission
Yaesu VX-3R 1, 437.485 MHz FM downlink:
o Solar cell power only, operates in sunlight only
o Output power: between 0.1W and 0.3W depending on illumination, half-wave dipole antenna
o Morse code beacon (10 chars) using FM CW every 30 seconds, listen here
Yaesu VX-3R 2, 145.980 MHz FM downlink:
o Rechargeable battery, operates in dark and sunlight
o Output power: max 1.0W, half-wave dipole antenna
o AFSK 1200bps, half duplex, one AX.25 packet every 60 seconds
+ FITSat 1 http://www.fit.ac.jp/~tanaka/fitsat.shtml
High-speed data test, high power LED visual tracking
CW Beacon 437.250 MHz,
FM Data 437.445 MHz,
High speed data 5840.00 MHz.
The UAHuntsville Space Hardware Club is a University of Alabama in Huntsville student organization. They conceptualize, design, build, test and fly flight hardware for high altitude balloons, the CubeSat platform, and the CanSat competition.
The aims of their ChargerSat-1 CubeSat are:
– Improve communications for picosatellite operations
– Demonstrate passive nadir axis stabilization for picosatellite attitude control
– Improve solar power collection for picosatellite operations
In this video Angela Yi shows her work on the CubeSat.
European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut of British nationality Tim Peake is encouraging school children to get fit and stay active at the Farnborough International Airshow this week. Budding young astronauts aged 8 to 13 from across the UK are invited to take part in the international challenge Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut – a programme to encourage school students to focus more on fitness and nutrition.
The programme developed by the partners of the International Space Station (ISS) uses astronaut training to teach how good diet and exercise play an important role in human performance in space and on the Earth. The programme is free and the activities can be used by individuals, schools or community groups. The international challenge will start in January 2013.
Tim Peake is taking a short break from his own astronaut training to attend the Airshow and invite schools to participate in the Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut 2013 challenge. At Farnborough Airshow Tim spoke to teachers, students and families about his own astronaut training and challenged them to take part in the astronaut fitness programmes available as part of Mission X.
Tim as well as being a test pilot and ESA astronaut is also a keen runner, skier and scuba diver.
4000 UK students from over 44 British schools have already taken part in the Mission X challenges in 2011 and 2012. Students had the opportunity to take part in live link-ups with the International Space Station and find out about life in space. As well as Tim Peake, Mission X UK has been supported by ESA astronauts Andr Kuipers and Paolo Nespoli, NASA astronaut Piers Sellers and private astronaut Richard Garriott.
Jeremy Curtis, Head of Education at the UK Space Agency noted:
The UK Space Agency is enabling children to access astronaut training and nutrition regimes and learn about the science behind them
“This is a unique opportunity to find out first hand about astronaut training and to find out how you can get involved in Mission X – Train Like An Astronaut. The UK Space Agency is enabling children to access astronaut training and nutrition regimes and learn about the science behind them. The children taking part will also learn about space and could be the space explorers of the future.”
Tim Peake commented:
Spaceflight can be physically demanding and part of my job is to train hard so that I‘m always ready to go into space
“Being fit and healthy is a key requirement for future astronauts. Spaceflight can be physically demanding and part of my job is to train hard so that I‘m always ready to go into space. It’s much easier to exercise on earth than in microgravity! The real mission is to encourage kids today to exercise and eat a healthy diet, and astronaut training exercises are an exciting, fun way to do it.”
People have been flocking from around the world to visit the UK Space Agency in the Space Zone at Farnborough. The latest industry developments and cutting edge technology are on display to demonstrate the work being done to layout the future direction for space. Space is a growing industry with a bright future. One of the ways the Agency nourishes and supports it is by inspiring the next generation of space scientists, engineers and enthusiasts.
The next Mission X challenge will be launching in January 2013 – with the expectation of doubling the intake from 4000 to 8000 students across the UK. To find out more about how your children or school can be involved, register your interest.
Radio amateur Ali Guarneros Luna KJ6TVO features in an SJSU Today article.
She is part of an SJSU student team that worked on the cube satellite TechEdSat, one of five CubeSats being transported to the International Space Station.
Ali was born in Mexico City and now lives in San Jose, California. She received her BS in Aerospace Engineering at San Jose State University in 2010 and completes her MS in Aerospace Engineering from San Jose State University in 2012.
She currently works with the Edison Program, Small Spacecraft Payload and Technologies (SSPT) and SPHERES National Lab at NASA Ames Research Center. Under the Edison Program, Ali works on development of CubeSat projects, including TechEdSat, as the System Engineering, Mission And Ground Operations, and Launch Vehicle Service expert.
Tim Peake is taking a short break from his own astronaut training to attend the Airshow and invite schools to participate in the Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut 2013 challenge. At Farnborough Airshow Tim spoke to teachers, students and families about his own astronaut training and challenged them to take part in the astronaut fitness programmes available as part of Mission X.
AMSAT-UK 
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