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AMSAT-DL Executive Vice President Peter Guelzow, DB2OS, has informed AMSAT News Service that the launch of the Phase 3D satellite will now be delayed until mid-November. ANS had earlier reported a possibility of an October 31st launch.
The November launch delay stems from the non-arrival of one of P3D's launch partners and the subsequent launch preparations that this satellite will need to undergo.
DB2OS told ANS that the delayed satellite is due to arrive at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana very shortly and will immediately begin the same style launch preparations that P3D has been undergoing.
Peter also informed ANS that P3D's fueling operations are now complete. The last chemical to be added in the fueling process was NH3, with P3D becoming only the world's second satellite to use ammonia in its fuel, a premiere for spaceport Kourou! Because of the safety considerations involved in handling the chemicals loaded into the satellite (N2O4-dinitrogen tetroxide, NH3-ammonia and MMH-monoethylhydrazine), this was a slow tedious process. "These are not your every-day household chemicals," said team member Chuck Green, N0ADI, "they are very hazardous! However, with proper training and equipment, it can be done safely."
The filling process of each chemical took approximately two days. The first day was used in setting everything up for the fueling operation. Actual fueling was done on the second day.
The first chemical installed was an oxidizer, N2O4. When the preparations were completed, protective clothing worn and all the final connections made to the equipment and tanks -- only then was the fueling process started. The entire operation was carefully monitored by both on-site safety people as well as members of the AMSAT launch team. The room for monitoring the fueling operation is in a building about one quarter of a mile away. There are several TV monitors which can be panned and/or zoomed - enabling the safety officer to closely follow the entire process. There is also an impressive array of vapor detection devices and access controls available to the safety team. During each filling operation, the three people actually doing the work were in constant two way communication with the people in the control room.
Filling the N2O4 tanks in P3D took almost exactly one hour. However, Chuck reported that "the process started early in the morning and final clean-up ended much later that evening, a very long day through most of which was spent wearing rather uncomfortable clothing." Dick Daniels, W4PUJ, was one of the team members fueling P3D.
Phase 3D will be move shortly into the final assembly building at the European Spaceport. From here, the satellite will soon be mated to the Ariane 5 launch vehicle.
The launch team has updated its Internet web site with several new photographs showing the Phase 3D fueling process. See http://www.amsat-dl.org/launch/
Stay tuned to ANS for additional bulletins from AMSAT, the official source for information on the Phase 3D launch.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA for this information and congratulates the launch team on their outstanding work]
The launch of the next mission to the International Space Station has been delayed due to technical problems that developed recently. Shuttle Discovery had been scheduled to launch this week but NASA officials told ANS they have decided to delay liftoff until early next week.
A crucial valve in the shuttle's propulsion system that performed sluggishly during tests and a bolt holding the orbiter to the mammoth external tank has NASA concerned.
Discovery holds two new segments for the International Space Station, a truss and a docking port for future shuttle visits. The 18,000-pound truss contains antennas and motion-control gyroscopes. Discovery's seven member crew will use the shuttle robot arm to attach the truss and docking port to the space station. The astronauts will go out on four back-to-back spacewalks to wire up the pieces.
NASA has until Wednesday to launch Discovery before standing down for an Atlas rocket launch scheduled for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Stay tuned to ANS for more information.
[ANS thanks the ARISS team and Florida Today for this information]
AMSAT-NA President Keith Baker, KB1SF, has informed ANS that he has signed and sent the following document, now before the Federal Communications Commission:
"On July 17, 2000, the American Radio Relay League submitted a petition to the Commission requesting amendment of Section 2.106 of the Commission's Rules, to change the domestic allocation status for the Amateur Service and the Amateur-Satellite Service of the 2400-2402 MHz segment from secondary to primary. The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation commends the ARRL for taking this action, and wishes to express wholehearted support of it.
"In its filing, ARRL very adequately addressed the background of the 2400-2402 MHz segment and, AMSAT believes, made an excellent case for elevating its status for the Amateur Service and the Amateur-Satellite Service. AMSAT is in agreement with everything the ARRL said in that regard and with ARRL's contention that elevating the Amateur Service and Amateur-Satellite allocation status in this band segment from secondary to primary is vital to future use of this important portion of the radio spectrum for amateur satellites.
"The ARRL also did a fine job of highlighting the use of the 2400-2402 MHz segment by present and past Amateur Radio satellites and stressing the future importance of the segment on these satellites. AMSAT wishes to echo what the ARRL has said, and add details regarding the Phase 3D satellite due for launch on an Ariane 5 launch vehicle by early November of this year. Two of Phase 3D's transmitters are in the 2400-2402 MHz segment, as is one of its receivers. It is expected that these particular transmitters and receivers will come into a great deal of use, once the satellite becomes operational.
"The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation urges the Commission to take favorable action on the subject Rule Making at the earliest possible date.
"Respectfully submitted,
"Keith Baker KB1SF"
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for this information]
ANS news in brief this week includes the following:
ISS . Mir . RS-12 . RS-13 . RS-15 . AO-10 . AO-27 . UO-14 . 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 to be released
Downlink to be released
ARISS initial station launched September 2000 aboard shuttle Atlantis
Status: Non-operational
The ARISS initial station gear is now temporarily stowed aboard the Functional Cargo Block module of ISS. The initial station will use an existing antenna that will be adapted to support 2-meter FM voice and packet. The ARISS equipment will get a more-permanent home aboard the Service Module in 2001, along with VHF and UHF antennas. Plans call for amateur TV, both slow scan and fast scan ATV, a digipeater and relay stations.
Planning for the deployment and use of the ham system aboard ISS has been an international effort coordinated by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The effort began in 1996 with the formation of the Amateur Radio International Space Station organization. ARISS is made up of delegates from major national amateur radio organizations, including AMSAT.
More information about the project can be found on the ARISS web site at http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov
[ANS thanks the ARISS team for this information]
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 29.458 MHz
Robot Uplink 145.840 MHz, Downlink 29.504 MHz
Launched February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher
Operational, in mode-KA with a 10-meter downlink and a 15-meter and 2-meter uplink.
More information about RS-12 and RS-13 can be found on AC5DK's RS-12/13 Satellite Operators Page: http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html
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)
Launched December 26, 1994 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
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)
Launched June 16, 1983 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Semi-operational.
DX continues to be worked (and heard) on AO-10. Mike, N1JEZ, worked Javier, EB8AYA, in the Canary Islands with 5x5 signals.
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
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Operational
Will, N3ZLL, reports working CU6/DL7VTX from the Azores recently on AO-27.
Periodically, AO-27's analog repeater will be turned off for a few days at a time to enable ground controllers to gather Whole Orbital Data (WOD), to verify the health of the satellite.
An AO-27 question-and-answer page is available on the AMSAT-NA web site: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/intro/ao27faq.html.
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 an 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 TEPR AO-27 operations at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html
The current TEPR settings are:
TEPR 4: 36
TEPR 5: 72
[ANS thanks AMRAD for AO-27 information]
Uplink 145.975 MHz FM
Downlink 435.070 MHz FM
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Operational.
Tim, KG8OC, has updated the Michigan AMSAT Information site to include UO-14 information, see http://www.qsl.net/kg8oc
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN / ZL2TPO, for UO-14 information]
Uplink 436.291 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 145.825 MHz CW/LSB
Launched February 23, 1999 by a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base
in California
Operational.
Johann, ZR1CBC, reports SO-35 will be in its parrot repeater mode for voice passes during the UN World Space Week, October 4-10th. In this mode SunSat continuously cycles through a 10 second recording and playback period.
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 in addition to Mode J operation. The satellite has two VHF and two UHF transmit-receive systems.
For more information on SunSat, visit http://sunsat.ee.sun.ac.za
A summary of the active modes and frequency allocations for SunSat is available at http://esl.ee.sun.ac.za/~lochner/sunsat/modes.html
[ANS thanks Garth Milne ZR1AFH, for this information]
Uplink 145.900 to 146.000 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.800 to 435.900 MHz CW/USB
Launched February 7, 1990 by an H1 launcher from the Tanegashima Space Center in
Japan
Operational.
FO-20 is in mode JA continuously.
Several satellite operators have reported problems with FO-20's transponder. Mike, N1JEZ, told ANS that he believes the loss of signal is a combination of two factors. First, battery age and an increase in FM traffic due to operators unaware of the band plan. Mike reports he routinely hears FM signals on the transponder.
Tak, JA2PKI, reported the FO-20 control station operators now believe that the UVC (Under Voltage Controller) now is regulating the transponder. The UVC monitors battery voltage and tries to protect the batteries from over discharge. Tak notes that FO-20, launched in 1990, is now over 10 years old.
Tony, AB2CJ, reports solid copy from FO-20 on a recent pass.
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK for the FO-20 status reports]
The JARL FO-29 command station has announced the following operation schedule of FO-29:
| Oct 7 - Nov 5 | Digi-talker (except mode JA every Wednesday) |
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
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 to be released
Downlink 437.075 MHz
Launched September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks underway
SaudiSat-1A will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.
Uplink to be released
Downlink 436.775 MHz
Launched September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks underway
SaudiSat-1B will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.
Uplink to be released
Downlink to be released
Launched September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks underway
TiungSat-1 is Malaysia's first micro-satellite and in addition to commercial land and weather imaging payloads will offer FM and FSK amateur radio communication. Chris Jackson, G7UPN, reports TiungSat-1 transmitted "excellent telemetry showing that the spacecraft was in good health." Currently the spacecraft is transmitting VLSI telemetry which is not generally decodable without special hardware. G7UPN reports that "as soon as the flight software is running I'll release the telemetry configuration file."
TiungSat-1, named after the mynah bird of Malaysia, was developed as a collaborative effort between the Malaysian government and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
For more information on TiungSat-1, see http://www.yellowpages.com.my/tiungsat/tiung_main.htm
Uplink 145.980 MHz FM
Downlink 436.500 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal KO-25 operation. Current downlink efficiency is in the 60% range with moderate traffic.
[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
Launched July 17, 1991 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Operational
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal UO-22 operation. Heavy traffic with a high volume of SatGate/Gateway operation.
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
Launched March 1, 1994 by a Delta-Thor rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in
California
Operational.
OSCAR-11 celebrated its sixteenth birthday on March 1, 2000.
During the period 15-August to 16-September 2000 good signals have been received from the 145 MHz beacon. The battery voltage observed during daylight passes has continued to increase. The internal temperatures have increased by 2.6C during the month. This rise in temperature is expected to continue until the end of the year as the solar eclipse times become shorter.
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 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
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Semi-operational.
The CW beacon is sending eight telemetry channels and one status channel. No BBS service is available. The digipeater is not active.
Mineo, JE9PEL, has recorded LO-19 CW and PSK telemetry and placed the information on his Internet homepage site at http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/
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 145.900, 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.
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Semi-operational.
Russ, WJ9F, reported the S-band transmitter is off. The VHF uplink and the UHF PSK transmitter are operational (TX power at 1.5 watts). The digipeater command is on.
A WOD collection of satellite graphics (dated 02/26/2000) can be found at http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu
[ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.]
Uplink 145.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 436.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Launched July 10, 1998 by a Zenit rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal TO-31 operation. Moderate traffic with a large number of photo files.
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]
Uplink 145.960 MHz, 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 437.025, 437.400 MHz, 9600 baud FSK
Launched April 21, 1999 by a Russian launcher from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Unknown (unofficially in full sunlight illumination)
UO-36 carries a number of imaging payloads, digital store-and-forward communications and mode L/S transponders.
NASA has demonstrated on UO-36 the ability to use standard Internet protocols to communicate with an orbiting spacecraft (just like any node on the Internet). NASA has been developing this project by working with the commercial payload aboard UoSAT-12.
The BBS is open, although uploading and downloading may be disabled at times.
The VK5HI viewer shareware for UO-36 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
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Semi-operational.
Digipeater function is on, open to APRS use.
[ANS thanks ITAMSAT Project Manager Alberto E. Zagni, I2KBD, for this information]
Uplink 145.850, 145.900 MHz FM
Downlink 435.175 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK
Launched August 10, 1992 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Non-operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports that KO-23's downlink transmitter was operational on October 5th, but has since returned to the transmitter off state. The downlink transmitter is operating at unpredictable intervals.
KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, reports (from the KO-23 control team) that part of the problem with non-operation has been the power budget aboard the satellite.
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, for KO-23 status information]
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
Launched February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher
Non-operational. No operation in 2000 has been observed.
Downlink 435.225 MHz, HDLC telemetry
Launched July 10, 1998 by a Russian Zenit rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Non-operational.
Efforts were reported to be underway to bring GO-32 on line, however no additional information has been received by ANS (the last report was dated November 1999).
Last reported, the satellite does transmit a 9600-baud burst every 30 seconds (the GO-32 beacon sends one short telemetry status transmission of 44 bytes) and, upon request, the complete telemetry buffer. The program to the access the satellite can be downloaded from the homepage.
The TechSat team has a home page about TechSat: http://www.technion.ac.il/pub/projects/techsat/asher/techsatmain.html
Uplink/downlink frequencies have never been released.
Launched October 30, 1998 by the Shuttle Discovery
Status: unknown
The satellite is not currently available for general uplink transmissions.
PanSat was developed by the Naval Postgraduate School. At the time of launch, PanSat spread-spectrum digital transponders were promised to be available to amateur radio operators along with software to utilize this technology. To date, this has not happened.
For more information, visit the official PANSAT web site at:
http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/
PanSat was 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]
145.985 MHz simplex FM voice and SSTV (Robot 36 mode)
Launched February 18, 1986
Unmanned.
MIR SAFEX II 70-cm Repeater
Uplink 435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 141.3 Hz
Downlink 437.950 MHz FM
Not operational. No operation in 1999 or 2000 has been observed.
MIR SAFEX II 70-cm QSO Mode
Uplink 435.725 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 151.4 Hz
Downlink 437.925 MHz FM
Not operational. No operation in 1999 or 2000 has been observed.
Currently, there is no human habitation aboard the station and the amateur radio equipment has been turned off. Several news agencies have reported that Mir in now on 'autopilot'.
Stay tuned to ANS for further details.
Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK
Beacon 2401.220 MHz
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
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
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Non-operational.
WO-18 was last 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
Launched October 24, 1998 by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida
Non-operational.
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions and image and transponder recovery efforts have been unsuccessful.
SEDSAT-1 signifies Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (satellite number one).
SedSat-1 has downlinked months worth of telemetry data on the performance of its electrical power system parameters. The Nickel Metal Hydride batteries on the spacecraft were experimental and experienced some abuse due to a power negative situation. This information has provided NASA with useful information. With the exception of the imaging system and the use of the transponders, SedSat-1 has been judged a success.
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.
