AMSAT is a name for amateur radio satellite organizations worldwide, but in particular the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT-NA) with headquarters at Silver Spring, Maryland, near Washington DC (AMSAT-UK = Amsat-United Kingdom) AMSAT organizations design, build, arrange launches for, and then operate (command) satellites carrying amateur radio payloads, including the OSCAR series of satellites. Other informally affiliated national organizations exist, such as AMSAT Germany (AMSAT-DL) and AMSAT Japan (JAMSAT).
Amateur Radio CubeSats TechEdSat, F-1 and FITSAT-1 pass the ISS solar panels
NASA have released photographs of the amateur radio CubeSats TechEdSat, F-1 and FITSAT-1 taken by an Expedition 33 crew member on the International Space Station (ISS).
Radio amateurs around the world have been listening for signals from the four new amateur radio CubeSats that were deployed from the ISS on Thursday, October 4.
The small satellites were transported to the ISS in the HTV-3 (Kounotori 3) cargo vessel that blasted off on an H-IIB rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center on Saturday, July 21 at 0206 UT.
The cargo vessel arrived at the ISS on July 27 and the ISS Canadarm2 robotic arm was used to install the HTV-3 to its docking port on the Earth-facing side of the Harmony module at 1434 UT. The CubeSats were then unloaded by the Expedition 32 crew.
Amateur Radio CubeSats TechEdSat, F-1 and FITSAT-1 CubeSats after deployment from the ISS
The CubeSats were mounted in a JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD). In one pod were TechEdSat, F-1 and FITSAT-1 while in the second pod were WE-WISH and a scientific CubeSat RAIKO.
Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide KE5DNI put the J-SSOD into an airlock, which was depressurised and exposed to the vacuum of space via an automatic door. The Kibo robotic arm was then be used to grapple the J-SSOD in the airlock and move it out away from the station so the satellites could be deployed.
WE-WISH and RAIKO were first to deploy at 1437 followed by TechEdSat, F-1 and FITSAT-1 at 1544 GMT. They could have a life-time of 4 or 5 months before they burn-up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Amateur Radio CubeSats TechEdSat, F-1 and FITSAT-1 orbit the Earth
ISS CubeSat Frequency Chart – Image Credit Mike Rupprecht DK3WN
437.250 MHz 437.445 MHz 437.465 MHz 437.485MHz
CW) 1k2 AFSK) CW. 1k2 AFSK CW
-->We-Wish.CW
FITSat-1, built by students at the Fukuoka Institute of Technology, has several downlinks a CW beacon on 437.250 MHz, 1200 bps AX.25 packet radio on 437.445 MHz and a high-speed (115.2 kbps) data transmitter on 5840.0 MHz. Additionally there is an optical communications experiment comprising a bank of high power LEDs that will be driven with 200W pulses to produce extremely bright flashes that may be visible to the unaided eye of observers on Earth.
F-1 was built by the FSpace team of young engineers and students at the FPT University in Vietnam. The satellite’s callsign is XV1VN and the communications subsystem is built around two Yaesu VX-3R amateur radio handheld transceivers. One will transmit 1200 bps packet radio every 30 seconds on 145.980 MHz while in darkness. The other will operate only in sunlight sending a 20 second FM transmission of a CW tone on 437.485 MHz followed by a 60 second gap.
TechEdSat, built by students at the San Jose State University, carries a 1200 bps packet radio transmitter on 437.465 MHz.
WE-WISH, from the Meisei Amateur Radio Club, has an infrared camera for environmental studies. The 320 by 256 pixels images of the Earth’s surface will be transmitted in approx 110 secs using SSTV. The callsign is JQ1ZIJ and the 100mW downlink on 437.505 MHz can operate in CW (A1A), AX.25 1200 bps packet radio (F2D) or SSTV (F3F). Reports indicate the frequency may be 9 kHz high at 437.514 MHz.
 |
WE-WISH SSTV Image
received by JE1CVL
|
It should be possible to receive the Cubesats on up to 6 passes each day. Due to the effects of Doppler shift the 437 MHz downlink frequencies will vary by +/- 10 kHz during an 8 minute pass.
Previous deployments of amateur radio satellites have only been possible when astronauts have performed an Extravehicular Activity (EVA). The Kibo robot arm and the J-SSOD could enable a larger number of satellite deployments in the future.
Further information on the amateur radio CubeSats can be found at http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=10119
WE-WISH and RAIKO CubeSats after deployment from the ISS
Tracking the CubeSats
Initially the CubeSats will be in virtually the same orbit as the International Space Station (ISS) and the latest ISS Keplerian Two Line Elements can be used to determine their position. See the ISS Fan Club real-time tracking at http://www.issfanclub.com/
Keplerian Two Line Elements (TLEs / KEPS) for new satellites launched in past 30 days are at
http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt
Free Satellite tracking software
• SimpleSat Look Down http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=8217
• Gpredict http://gpredict.oz9aec.net/
• Orbitron http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=9051
Amateur Radio CubeSats TechEdSat, F-1 FITSAT-1 and ISS solar panels
Amateur Radio Cubesats TechEdSat, F-1 and FITSAT-1 in orbit
The JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) attached to the robotic arm of the Japanese Experimental Module (Kibo)
