Updated SSETI Express Observation Report

SSETI Express LogoNeil Melville-Kenney PA9N has made more sightings of the SSETI Express (XO-53) satellite during a further visit to ESRANGE.

He has updated the SSETI Express Phase E 400-800 THz Downlink Report with his latest observations. This report provides a clear insight into the work carried out during their recent campaign and to methods and equipment used.

It is worthy of note that ten years ago there was only one radio amateur in the launch team and that, since then, four of the other five team members have now obtained their licences.

Read the latest EXPRESS_E_ESA_2015-11-14_-_400-800_THz_Downlink_Report

As the report states, further observations will be much appreciated!

10th anniversary of SSETI Express XO-53 launch
https://amsat-uk.org/2015/10/27/tenth-anniversary-of-xo-53-launch/

Tenth Anniversary of XO-53 Launch

SSETI Express XO-53 streaks across the dark Swedish sky on October 27, 2015. Two images combined, and zoomed. As you can see, they caught a flare. The gap in the middle is when the mirror of the camera was moving in between shots. The two stars marked are the upper two of The Plough.

SSETI Express XO-53 streaks across the dark Swedish sky on October 27, 2015.
Two images combined, and zoomed. As you can see, they caught a flare.
The gap in the middle is when the mirror of the camera was moving in between shots.
The two stars marked are the upper two of The Plough.

The XO-53 (SSETI Express) satellite was launched October 27, 2005 at 06:52 UT on board a Kosmos 3M rocket launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in central Russia.

SSETI Express XO-53

SSETI Express XO-53

SSETI Express was developed by the Education Office of the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the “Student Space Exploration and Technology Initiative”. The satellite measures 60x60x70 cm with a mass of about 50 kg. It was built by university students from a number of teams from all across Europe and assembled at the ESA ESTEC facility in the Netherlands.

AMSAT-UK provided a 3 watt S band transmitter to the project – on the basis that it could be linked to the UHF receiver for operation as a single channel FM voice transponder when all the experiments have been completed. The unit also incorporates its own switch mode power supply and a 38k4 TNC to allow the rapid downlinking of data – especially necessary for the camera experiment.

Shortly after launch SSETI deployed three CubeSats, XI-V, UWE-1 and Ncube-2, developed by university students. After deploying the CubeSats, XO-53’s batteries stopped charging and the spacecraft went silent.

ESRANGE in Arctic Sweden

ESRANGE in Arctic Sweden

On the 10th Anniversary of the SSETI Express Launch a crack squad of geeks, Neil Melville-Kenney PA9N, Graham Shirville G3VZV, Karl Kaas OZ2KK, Sascha Tietz KJ6LIL and Lars Mehnen OE3HWM, headed to the ESRANGE facility in Northern Sweden to attempt to SEE the spacecraft for the first time in a decade.

They successfully captured images of the satellite as it streaked across the dark Swedish sky.

Read the AMSAT-UK SSETI Express Handbook

Read the Story of the birth of the On Board Computer for SSETI Express by Karl Kaas

AMSAT-UK has been given exclusive access to the report on the hunt for SSETI Express. Read the SSETI Express Phase E – 400-800 THz Downlink Report

Further pictures are available on the Facebook page of Neil Melville-Kenney PA9N

Explanation of the SSETI Express XO-53 observed flare in terms of the two images captured on Oct. 27, 2015. Note, the team couldn't use mirror lock-up in combination with the specific remote. Hence the wobble.

Explanation of SSETI Express observed flare in terms of the two images captured Oct. 27, 2015
Note team couldn’t use mirror lock-up in combination with the specific remote, hence wobble

Radio Amateur arrives in Ulan Bator in Fiat Panda (with pick-up truck)

The Uncertainly Principle 1.1 litre Fiat Panda with AMSAT-UK Logo

Neil Melville PA9N and Helen Woolnough arrived in Ulan Bator (Ulaanbaatar), Mongolia on Thurday, August 23. They were towed the last part of the journey by pick-up truck having broken down in Mongolia on Tuesday at 46.05N, 100.51E.

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Radio Amateur Reaches Mongolia in Fiat Panda

The Uncertainly Principle 1.1 litre Fiat Panda with AMSAT-UK Logo

The Uncertainly Principle 1.1 litre Fiat Panda with AMSAT-UK Logo

Despite a small war in Tajikistan Neil Melville PA9N and Helen Woolnough, driving their 9 year old 1.1 litre Fiat Panda, have now made it to Mongolia. On Sunday, August 19 their location was given as 46.37 N, 96.25 E.

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Honeymoon Adventure

The Uncertainly Principle 1.1 litre Fiat Panda with AMSAT-UK Logo

Helen Woolnough and Neil Melville PA9N are setting off on a honeymoon with a difference, and they aim to make a difference by raising money for charity.

They are taking part in the Mongol Rally where participants drive, in no more than six weeks, from the UK to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, using a thoroughly unsuitable car of 1.2 litres or less.

Helen and Neil’s entry is called The Uncertainty Principle. They will be driving a 9 year old 1.1 litre Fiat Panda on their epic journey which starts July 14.

The challenging route will take them through the Gobi desert and over the Pamir Highway (the second highest road in the world). They aim to cover more than 10,000 miles through 19 countries, with no support, no mechanic, and no clue.

They’ll be raising money for the Lotus Children’s Centre Charitable Trust and UNICEF.

Over the years Neil PA9N has given many presentations to the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Guildford, and his first spacecraft project was XO-53.

One AMSAT-UK member who sponsored Neil, asked for the AMSAT-UK Logo, together with the caption which reads “You can have even more FUN in space”, to be displayed on the underside of the bonnet for maximum exposure!

The Uncertainty Principle http://theuncertaintyprinciple.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Uncertainty.Principle.2012

Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncertaintyP

Fundraising: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/theuncertaintyprinciple

Mongol Rally:  http://www.theadventurists.com/the-adventures/mongol-rally

XO-53: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/satInfo.php?satID=20