December 2018 – Page 2

Fox-1Cliff was successfully launched on Spaceflight’s SSO-A: SmallSat Express mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 18:34:05 UTC on December 3, 2018. Following deployment, the spacecraft was activated on schedule at 23:54:27 UTC.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Spaceflight SSO-A: SmallSat Express, launches from Space Launch Complex-4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, on Dec. 3, 2018 at 10:34 a.m. PST. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Clayton Wear/Released)

At approximately 00:30 UTC on December 4th, several stations in Brazil, including PS8MT, PT9BM, and PT2AP, reported hearing the voice beacon “Fox-1Cliff Safe Mode,” confirming that the satellite was alive. Just before 00:40 UTC, AMSAT Fox-1 Team Member Burns Fisher, WB1FJ, was the first to submit telemetry to AMSAT servers. Initial telemetry values show the satellite to be in good health.

Thanks to the 29 different stations that contributed telemetry during Fox-1Cliff’s initial orbits. All stations are encouraged to please continue collecting telemetry during the commissioning process and are reminded not to transmit on the uplink frequencies until AMSAT opens the satellite for general use. The commissioning process is expected to take approximately 7-10 days.

Stations receiving telemetry during Fox-1Cliff’s initial orbits

AMSAT purchased a commercial launch for Fox-1Cliff, please consider a donation to “refill the coffers” for GOLF and other future AMSAT missions by making a donation today.

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As part of the preparations for the launch of Fox-1Cliff, AMSAT is making the “Getting Started With Amateur Satellites” book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 186 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite.

Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store at https://www.amsat.org/shop/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out AMSAT’s other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, Arrow antennas, AMSAT shirts, and other swag. Be sure to view your cart before going to checkout. If you add a membership and then go directly to checkout, you’ll never see an option to add your free gift.

Fox-1Cliff launched at 18:34:05 UTC on Monday, December 3, 2018.

The SpaceX press kit for the launch can be found at https://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/ssoa_press_kit.pdf

Remember: your help is needed during the commissioning process. Please see https://www.amsat.org/fox-1cliff-launch-your-help-is-needed/ for details.

The first post-launch Keplerian elements from SpaceX data are as follows:

Fox-1Cliff Post-Launch 1 99995U 18095A 18337.80370529 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 14 2 99995 97.7684 46.9569 0012665 260.4419 20.6997 14.94922885 15

Deployment of Fox-1Cliff is expected to occur at T+4:27, or 23:01:05 UTC. “First Veronica” – the first transmission from Fox-1Cliff – is expected at approximately T+5:27 or 00:01:05 UTC on 4-December-2018.

	Uplink FM (67 Hz CTCSS)	Downlink FM	Comments
Fox-1Cliff	435.300 MHz & 1267.300 MHz*	145.920 MHz	Launch December 3, 2018
* Switchable by command station. Not operational simultaneously.