AO-40 RUDAK Status
This page contains updates from the RUDAK team about the status of RUDAK on
AO-40.
Information will be posted from time to time as significant events occur.
2001.08.18
WD0E turned down the RUDAK B downlink, and proceeded to load the operating
system and CEDEX logging tasks on RUDAK A. The operating system load
completed, but the CEDEX task didn't quite get loaded before the end of
the RUDAK window on today's pass.
Activity on other recent orbits has primarily involved trying different uplink
receivers and modems on RUDAK.
2001.08.07
Curious what all that testing of SCOPE yielded? The JAMSAT announcement
and first real image from SCOPE are now available in English
here .
on the JAMSAT SCOPE web site.
Our congratulations to the SCOPE team!
2001.08.06
More work with SCOPE.
Listening to RUDAK's 9k6 downlink via the S1 transmitter and associated
antenna at about 2.5 degrees squint and 45k km range was pretty impressive!
2001.08.03
Our attention is on the SCOPE experiment. KB0G, WD0E, and W4SM are working
closely with the JAMSAT team to evaluate the cameras. Progress is good, and
official news about the status of SCOPE should be communicated by JAMSAT soon.
The raw image data needed to evaluate SCOPE takes a long time to transfer from
SCOPE to RUDAK, and then from RUDAK to the ground, even at 9600 baud. Both
the JAMSAT team and the RUDAK team appreciate everyone's patience when we
turn off the transponder passband and beacon to improve our path to RUDAK.
More information on the SCOPE experiment is available from the
JAMSAT SCOPE Site.
2001.07.29
Further testing of RUDAK, initial loading of software to support testing of
the SCOPE camera experiment.
2001.07.26
WD0E and W4SM worked for several hours to determine the nature and extent of
interference between RUDAK and the PSK beacon.
The conclusion is that all the signals that can be put into the S2
transmitter distort each other. The location or cause of the mutual
distortion is not known.
With the PSK beacon turned off, more progress was made with RUDAK than all
previous efforts put together. Loading software progressed at a
better than 95% success rate, concluding with the first fully successful
test of the file system.
Both RUDAK modulators were turned down to zero before the schedule mode
switch at MA 100.
2001.05.02
WD0E successfully loaded the primary housekeeping task on RUDAK-A, which is
now sending telemetry and a pass-through of the IHU downlink. RUDAK-B
software has not been loaded yet.
Telemetry values look normal at first glance.
G3RUH reports good copy of the RUDAK 9k6 downlink.
2001.05.01
RUDAK was powered on again this date. The RUDAK-A downlink from
modulator 1 on 2401.72 was turned on at about 1440 UTC. Initial
software was loaded and executed and a short text message put in the
RUDAK downlink queue. The real-time clock was set. Further software
loading was in progress at LOS from command station WD0E in Colorado.
More software loading and possibly initial telemetry are planned for
tomorrow, along with an initial software load of RUDAK-B. Further
activity will depend on squint angles and visibility.
Please do not attempt to uplink to RUDAK until testing is completed
and it is made available for general operation.
2000.12.12
Following the first motor burn and resulting orbit change, RUDAK and the S2
transmitter have been turned off to conserve power until the orbit,
orientation, and power budget are again suitable for working with RUDAK.
2000.12.10
The RUDAK team in Colorado was unable to copy the S downlink due apparently
to ice on our antennas.
2000.12.09
Shortly after perigee at the beginning of orbit 48, about 12/9/2000 17:45,
the RUDAK experiment on AO-40 was powered up for the first time by the IHU
software under control of the AO-40 command team.
A few minutes later, the RUDAK team successfully raised the level of one of
the 9k6 modulators on RUDAK-A.
It was heard by the command team in Colorado (WD0E and KB0G).
We tested the ability of RUDAK to hear us by adjusting that level to zero
then normal a couple of times.
Commanding was on L band.
The downlink then became too weak and fading to copy due to antenna off
pointing and satellite spin.
RUDAK will continue to have power and we will continue the checkout process
on subsequent orbits during the period when the S2 transmitter is on and
power is available.
Squint angles must be below about 20 degrees to successfully copy bits on
the S2 downlink.
On the next few passes we expect to continue to test both the RUDAK modems and
our ground equipment.
All text is by Bdale Garbee KB0G and Jim White WD0E,
who accept responsibility for any inaccuracies.
Bdale Garbee,
KB0G,