[amsat-bb] Re:13 Amateur Satellites to Launch in June

["W.J. Ubbels" <w.j.ubbels@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

with the current discussion on the BB about CubeSats / amateur 
satellites I thought I might as well give you an update on the progress 
of the Delfi-C3 satellite:
Delfi-C3 is based on a three-unit CubeSat, its primary mission objective 
will be (besides being an educational one) technology demonstration of 
three novel payloads, furthermore it will include a mode U-V linear 
transponder, (40kHz , 400mW PEP). I have to say that it will become 
quite a challenge to fit the transponder in the relatively small volume, 
but I am confident that we'll manage to do so.
Telemetry decoding software will be made available to participating 
amateur radio operators and universities which will allow them to decode 
and display (near-) real time telemetry. Since Delfi-C3 will have a 1200 
Baud AX.25 BPSK downlink, we aim to include the possibility of using the 
soundcard to decode the telemetry, instead of having the need for a 
separate hardware PSK modem.
Furthermore, the software will allow for a data upload to the central 
Delfi-C3 ground station via the Internet for data processing. The 
Delfi-C3 team would like to invite all interested radio amateurs to 
receive, decode and forward telemetry data to the Delfi-C3 ground station.

Note that the satellite will be in telemetry mode for the first three 
months of the mission, after which it will be switched to transponder mode.
The project was initiated in November 2004, at the moment the first 
hardware is being produced, mostly breadboard models of the various 
subsystems, which will then be integrated to a complete breadboard model 
of the satellite which will be tested thoroughly before flight hardware 
production commences. We aim for a launch in 2007.
We are planning to attend the AMSAT-UK colloquium this year where we'll 
give a presentation on the progress of the project.

You can find more information on Delfi-C3 at our website:
http://www.delfic3.nl

With regard to the upcoming CubeSat launch on June 28th, we are going to 
try to track most of these satellites with our operational ground station.
With so many initiatives for building CubeSats let's hope we can get a 
great ground station network of amateurs and universities around the 
world going!

ok, back to satellite building now!

73,

Wouter Jan Ubbels PE4WJ


-- 
W.J. Ubbels MSc.
Delfi-C3 project manager electronic systems and communications
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering
Delft University of Technology
room 8.19
Kluyverweg 1
2629 HS Delft
+31 (0)15-2784615
w.j.ubbels@delfic3.nl
w.j.ubbels@lr.tudelft.nl
www.delfic3.nl
----
Sent via amsat-bb@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
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