QB50: Ham Radio transponder payloads to launch 2014
It was announced during the QB50 presentation at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium that
two CubeSats, carrying SSB/CW and FM voice transponders should be launched into a 600 km orbit in the first half of 2014
The QB50 project team has announced that on July 19, 2013 they signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AMSAT-UK, AMSAT-Francophone, and AMSAT-NL to enable two amateur radio payloads to fly on two 2-Unit CubeSats in the first half of 2014.
These precursor CubeSats, which have still to be named, will be placed into a conventional 600 km 98o orbit in advance of the main mission. This allows for the testing of key satellite and payload components ahead of the full QB50 mission.