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Florida Today is reporting the maiden flight of a new U.S. Air Force booster known as Minotaur - a hybrid combining the first two stages of a decommissioned Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with an Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket - was aborted last Friday night and again on Saturday morning, just moments prior to launch. The rocket contains the JAWSAT Amateur Radio satellite platform.
Officials at the Vandenberg, California launch site halted the first countdown when the auto sequence start command was not received with just two minutes remaining in the countdown. The problem was rectified and the launch team recycled the Minotaur for a second launch attempt just before the close of the three-hour launch window. Again, with just seconds remaining on the countdown clock, a second launch attempt was halted when the Minotaur's onboard batteries dropped below required power levels.
The Minotaur's first mission, planned as a test flight to evaluate the former ICBM's capability as a satellite launch vehicle, will carry Air Force and NASA experiments and several small student-built spacecraft such as Amateur Radio's JAWSAT and OPAL.
Next launch attempt for the Minotaur is set to occur no earlier than January 22nd.
[ANS thanks Florida Today for this information]
As reported in ANS, the JAWSAT launch (with Amateur Radio's newest satellites) was first postponed last December and then again this past weekend. This delayed launch timeframe has allowed ANS to take a more detailed look at each of the new birds. In the last edition ANS explored ARTEMIS, a science payload built in conjunction with Stanford University that will approximate the occurrence and amplitudes of horizontal and vertical lightning. This edition of ANS will look at the ASUSAT-1 satellite.
The ASUSAT satellite is an Arizona State University project built around Amateur Radio packet hardware and a FM voice repeater. ASUSAT-1 will feature a 9600-baud G3RUH type digital communications system. The uplink/downlink architecture follows the standard VHF/UHF band plan. From an operating perspective, any station capable of working the KO-23/KO-25 style satellites should be able to work ASUSAT-1. It is important to note that the satellite will not feature a store-and-forward bulletin board system. Stations that communicate with the satellite following launch should disable all automatic BBS features as the satellite will not respond to those transmissions.
As noted, a FM transponder is also included in ASUSAT-1, similar to AO-27. The main difference is the FM transponder will be CTCSS tone operated.
After launch, ASUSAT-1 will wake up in a power-safe mode. In this mode, it will send status beacons in both text and binary form using the AX.25 protocol. Amateur Radio ground stations having 9600-baud packet radio capabilities should be able to monitor text messages identifying the satellite immediately. In fact, the ASUSAT team would greatly appreciate if the satellite community could help the team by listening for the satellite after launch and recording any received telemetry.
ASUSAT-1's downlink frequency will be 436.700 MHz.
Additional information on the satellite is available at http://www.eas.asu.edu/~nasasg/asusat/asusat.html
A web cast of the launch of JAWSAT (and ASUSAT-1) is available. To register for the web cast, visit http://www.webcastingtv.com/jawsat/
The Vandenberg launch schedule is available at http://mocc.vafb.af.mil/launchsched.asp
[ANS thanks Richard Limebear, G3RWL, for this information]
ANS news in brief this week includes the following:
Mir . RS-12 . RS-13 . RS-15 . AO-10 . AO-27 . FO-20 . FO-29 . KO-23 . KO-25 . UO-11 . AO-16 . DO-17 . WO-18 . LO-19 . UO-22 . IO-26 . TO-31 . GO-32 . SO-33 . PO-34 . SO-35 . UO-36
Uplink 145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB
Uplink 21.210 to 21.250 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.410 to 29.450 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.408 MHz
Robot Uplink 21.129 MHz, Downlink 29.454 MHz
Semi-operational, beacon only.
Uplink 21.260 to 21.300 MHz CW/SSB
Uplink 145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.460 to 29.500 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.504 MHz
Robot Uplink 21.140 MHz, Downlink 29.458 MHz
Operational, in mode-KA with a 10-meter downlink and a 15-meter and 2-meter uplink.
AC5DK's RS-12/13 Satellite Operators Page: http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html
AC5DK's RS-12/13 Satellite Forum: http://www.hotboards.com/powerforum/pwrforum.exe?who=rs1213
Uplink 145.858 to 145.898 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.354 to 29.394 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.352 MHz (intermittent)
SSB meeting frequency 29.380 MHz (unofficial)
Semi-operational, Mode A (2m uplink, 10m downlink)
Dave, WB6LLO, has operating information for both RS-15 and RS-13 on his personal web site. In addition to satellite data, antenna information for mode A operation is also featured. The WB6LLO web site URL is http://home.san.rr.com/doguimont/uploads
Uplink 435.030 to 435.180 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 145.975 to 145.825 MHz CW/USB
Beacon 145.810 MHz (unmodulated carrier)
Semi-operational.
DX continues to be worked (and heard) on AO-10.
Stacey Mills, W4SM, has more information about the satellite at http://www.cstone.net/~w4sm/AO-10.html
[ANS thanks Stacey Mills, W4SM, for his AO-10 status information and web site]
Uplink 145.850 MHz FM
Downlink: 436.792 MHz FM
Operational.
AO-27 uses a method called Timed Eclipse Power Regulation (TEPR) to regulate the on-board batteries. In simple terms, TEPR times how long the satellite has been in the eclipse (or in the sun) and decides what subsystems to turn on or off. The AO-27 pages on the AMSAT-NA web site include an explanation of AO-27 operations at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html
Chuck, KM4NZ, reset the TEPR states on AO-27 (on December 14).
TEPR 4 is 12 TEPR 5 is 48
[ANS thanks Chuck Wyrick, KM4NZ, and Michael Wyrick, N4USI, for AO-27 information]
Uplink 145.900 to 146.000 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.800 to 435.900 MHz CW/USB
Operational.
FO-20 is in mode JA continuously.
JAS-1b (FO-20) was launched in February 1990 and continues to function quite well.
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK for the FO-20 status reports]
JAS-2 was successfully launched on August 17, 1996, by an H-II launch vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Center.
Mike, KF4FDJ, has put together a very informative document on FO-29, addressing analog, digital and digi-talker modes. To obtain a copy e-mail Mike at kf4fdj@amsat.org
Kazu, JJ1WTK, reports the FO-29 operational schedule (announced by the JARL) is as follows:
| through January 16 | JD1200 Mailbox |
| January 17-31 | JA |
Mineo, JE9PEL, has updated his FO-29 satellite telemetry analysis program. The software will automatically analyze all digital telemetry from the satellite such as current, voltage and temperature. The JE9PEL FO-29/software update is available at http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-29 status reports]
Uplink 145.850, 145.900 MHz FM
Downlink 435.175 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK
Operational.
The satellite has returned to service.
KO-23 ground control stations report to ANS the KO-23 main transmitter has returned to full service and the power budget appears to be fine.
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, for KO-23 status information]
Uplink 145.980 MHz FM
Downlink 436.500 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK
Operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports KO-25 is operational with good data throughput.
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for KO-25 status information]
Uplink 145.900 or 145.975 MHz FM
Downlink 435.120 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK
Operational
Chris Jackson, G7UPN, earlier reported to ANS that there were some problems with UO-22, noting "the satellite has entered a period of permanent sunlight and controllers are trying some attitude maneuvers to cool it down." Currently, UO-22 is in service. Chris tells ANS "it's possible that I may close it again depending on how things heat up over the next few days. We are currently inverting the attitude which I hope will cool down most of the spacecraft."
More information on the satellite is available at http://www.sstl.co.uk
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO for UO-22 status information]
Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 baud PSK
Beacon 2401.500 MHz
Operational.
The operating schedule is unchanged.
ASCII status (210 seconds)
ASCII bulletin (60 seconds)
BINARY SEU (30 seconds)
ASCII TLM (90 seconds)
ASCII WOD (120 seconds)
ASCII bulletin (60 seconds)
BINARY ENG (30 seconds)
The ASCII bulletin is currently a static message, detailing modes and frequencies of all the amateur radio satellites.
More information on OSCAR-11 is available at the following URL:
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/
[ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for OSCAR-11 status information]
Uplink 145.840, 145.860, 145.880, 145.900 MHz 1200 bps Manchester FSK
Downlink 437.125 MHz SSB, 1200 bps RC-BPSK
Currently semi-operational.
No BBS service. The digipeater is active.
Telemetry is as follows:
Time is Sat Jan 01 11:57:23 2000 uptime is 518/22:22:45 RC PSK TX Out 0.659 W +Y Array Temp 4.057 D Coax Rly Stat 1.000 C Coax Rly Stat 255.000 C Total Array C= 0.340 Bat Ch Cur= 0.122 Ifb= 0.013 I+10V= 0.157 TX:017 BCR:87 PWRC:62D BT:3C WC: 0
General information and telemetry samples can be found at http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/lo19.htm
[ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.]
Uplink 145.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 436.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Operational.
ProcMail V2.00G has been released by G7UPN. This software permits the processing of image files from TO-31. It has been posted to the AMSAT-NA FTP site at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/wisp
Many of the high-resolution color images transmitted by TMSAT are compressed using a UoSAT compression format. This format is supported by the VK5HI CCD display program.
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for this report]
Operational. SunSat has been in mode-B using an uplink of 436.291 MHz (+/- Doppler) and a 145.825 MHz downlink.
SunSat was launched February 23, 1999 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. SunSat stands for Stellenbosch University Satellite and takes it name from the South African university whose students constructed the payload.
The SunSat package includes 1200 and 9600 baud digital store-and-forward capability and a voice 'parrot' repeater system that will be used primarily for educational demonstrations. The satellite has two VHF and two UHF transmit-receive systems.
The SunSat command team recently upgraded the diary software. The team has also uploaded the parrot repeater software and early tests were satisfactory. The parrot repeater should be functional near the end of January. According to the team packet radio operation is still some 3 months away.
For more information on SunSat, visit http://sunsat.ee.sun.ac.za
[ANS thanks Garth Milne ZR1AFH, for this information]
Downlink 437.025, 437.400 MHz
UoSAT-12 was successfully launched on April 21, 1999 from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome. UO-36 carries a number of imaging payloads, digital store-and-forward communications and mode L/S transponders.
The satellite is not currently available for general uplink transmissions.
S-band high speed downlink commissioning continues at rates between 128kb/s and 1Mb/s. The S-band downlink frequency has not been announced.
UO-36 has been transmitting 9600-baud FSK telemetry framed in a VLSI format using a downlink frequency of 437.400 MHz. Chris, G7UPN, reports UO-36 is also (at times) testing on 437.025 MHz at a baud rate of 38,400 (38k4). Currently, this downlink is switched on over Europe. Due to the limited power on UO-36, it is not possible to have this downlink on permanently over all areas.
Presently the BBS is still closed.
The VK5HI TMSAT viewer software is available on the AMSAT-NA web site at ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/display/ccddsp97-119.zip
Further information on UO-36 is available from: http://www.sstl.co.uk/
[ANS thanks Chris G7UPN/ZL2TPO, and the University of Surrey, for this information]
Uplink 145.875, 145.900, 145.925, 145.950 MHz FM
Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK
Semi-operational.
Digipeater function is on.
IO-26 was launched on September 26, 1993.
Alberto, I2KBD, reports IO-26 has been opened to APRS use.
[ANS thanks ITAMSAT Project Manager Alberto E. Zagni, I2KBD, for this information]
Downlink 435.225 MHz, HDLC telemetry
Updated status. Shlomo, 4X1AS, tells ANS that efforts are underway to bring GO-32 on line. According to Dr. Fred Ortenberg of the Asher Space Research Institute in Haifa, "the TechSat control team is about to finish its Amateur Radio BBS package tests. The next stage is to add beacon messages about the satellite's housekeeping status."
Stay tuned to ANS for further information.
The TechSat-1B micro-satellite was successfully launched from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 10, 1998.
Last reported, the satellite does not have a continuous beacon, but does transmit a 9600-baud burst every 30 seconds (for about 3 seconds in length), currently on 435.225 MHz.
The TechSat team has constructed a home page about TechSat. To view the site, point your web browser to:
http://techsat.internet-zahav.net/
Uplink/downlink frequencies have not been established.
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions.
PANSAT, developed by the Naval Postgraduate School, was launched from the shuttle Discovery. PANSAT spread-spectrum digital transponders will be available to amateur radio operators in the near future along with software to utilize this technology.
Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, PANSAT Project Manager recommends 'The ARRL Spread Spectrum Sourcebook' as a good place to start in understanding the spread-spectrum scheme.
For more information, visit the official PANSAT web site at:
http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/
PanSat is the featured cover article in the July/August 1999 issue of the AMSAT-NA Journal (written by KD6DRA and N7HPR).
[ANS thanks Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, for this information]
Uplink 145.900, 145.920, 145.940, 145.860 MHz FM, 1200 bps Manchester
FSK
Downlink 437.0513 MHz SSB, 1200 bps RC-BPSK 1200 Baud PSK
Beacon 2401.1428 MHz.
Non-operational.
Russ Platt, WJ9F, of the AO-16 Command Team tells ANS "it appears that after 1900 plus days of operating -- AO-16 suffered a problem that returned it to safe mode." WJ9F has been able to turn the 70-cm transmitter back on. AO-16 is in MBL (Microsat Boot Loader) mode and ground teams are checking the on-board memory to find the cause of this problem. Stay tuned to ANS for further updates.
General information and telemetry WOD files can be found at http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu
A complete collection of WOD graphics corresponding to the year of 1998 can be found at http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/wod1998.zip
[ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.]
Ham radio activity aboard the Mir space station came to a close on August 28, 1999 as the crew returned to Earth, leaving the station unmanned. Mir is in a stable orbit with only essential systems running. All amateur radio activities have ceased. Currently, the station is being prepared for re-entry sometime in the first quarter of 2000. However, the final fate of the space station has not been formally announced. Stay tuned to ANS for further developments.
Current Amateur Radio equipment aboard Mir includes:
Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK
Beacon 2401.220 MHz
Non-operational.
DOVE stopped transmitting in March 1998. The 145.825 MHz and 2401.220 MHz downlinks are off the air and the satellite has not responded to ground station control.
No additional information is available at this time.
Downlink 437.104 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK AX.25
Non-operational.
WO-18 is reported to be in MBL mode after a software crash.
No additional information is available at this time.
Downlink 437.910 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions. Recovery efforts have
been unsuccessful.
Mineo, JE9PEL, reports he has again received minimal telemetry from the satellite recently, dated October 22nd.
SEDSAT-1, signifying Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Satellite number one, was successfully launched and placed in orbit on Saturday, October 24, 1998.
For more information on SedSat-1 visit the satellite web site at http://www.seds.org/sedsat
No additional information is available at this time.
ANS would like to thank Mike Seguin, N1JEZ, ANS principal satellite investigator, for helping provide current satellite information for ANS.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to the ANS Editors at ans-editor@amsat.org, or to ANS Editor Dan James, NN0DJ, at nn0dj@amsat.org.
This week's AMSAT News Service bulletins were edited by AMSAT News Service Editor Dan James, NN0DJ.
