New Satellites

Free Digital Copy of “Getting Started with Amateur Satellites” Now Available for New or Renewing Members

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The University of Washington’s HuskySat-1 CubeSat is scheduled to be deployed from the Cygnus NG-12 spacecraft at 22:30 UTC today. HuskySat-1 carries an AMSAT VHF/UHF linear transponder that will be made available for amateur use following its primary mission to test a pulsed plasma thruster and experimental K band (24 GHz) communications system.

While the satellite completes it’s scientific mission, check out the best resource for learning how to work through linear transponder satellites (and other types of amateur satellites). For a limited time, AMSAT is making the “Getting Started With Amateur Satellites” book available 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 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.

 

CAMSAT CAS-6 Satellite to Launch December 20th

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CAMSAT’s CAS-6 satellite is scheduled to launch at 03:21 UTC on December 20, 2019. CAS-6 is a payload on the technology test satellite Tianqin-1, which will launch on a CZ-4B launch vehicle from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The primary payload on this launch is the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS-4A).

CAS-6 will be launched to a sun-synchronous orbit at 629 km with an inclination of 97.89 degrees. The satellite carries a 20 kHz wide U/v linear transponder with an uplink of 435.270 MHz –  435.290 MHz and a downlink of 145.915 MHz – 145.935 MHz. The satellite also carries a CW telemetry beacon at 145.910 MHz and a 4k8 GMSK telemetry downlink at 145.890 MHz.

Telemetry downlink specifications and further technical information can be found in the following documents:

 

 

CAS-6 / Tianqin-1
CAS-6 / Tianqin-1
CAMSAT News Release for CAS-6 Satellie CAS-6 CW Telemetry Encoding Format CAS-6 Satellites Digital Telemetry Description

SMOG-P and ATL-1 Designated Magyar-OSCAR 105 (MO-105) and Magyar-OSCAR 106 (MO-106)

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On December 6, 2019, the Technical University of Budapest SMOG-P and ATL-1 PocketQubes were launched on an Electron launch vehicle from the Mahia Launch Complex in New Zealand. SMOG-P and ATL-1 were developed as part of the university curriculum and operated in cooperation with the HA5MRC Technical University amateur radio club. The satellites carry spectrum monitoring payloads and are currently active.

At the request of the Technical University of Budapest, AMSAT hereby designates SMOG-P as Magyar-OSCAR 105 (MO-105), and ATL-1 as Magyar-OSCAR 106 (MO-106). We congratulate the owners and operators, thank them for their contribution to the amateur satellite community, and wish them a long mission and continued success on this and future projects.

73,
Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number Administrator

SMOG-P
MO-105 (SMOG-P)
ATL-1
MO-106 (ATL-1)

BRICSAT2 and PSAT2 Designated Navy-OSCAR 103 (NO-103) and Navy-OSCAR 104 (NO-104)

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On June 25, 2019, the United States Naval Academy PSAT2 and BRICSAT2 cubesats were launched on a Falcon Heavy launch vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. PSAT2 and BRICSAT2 were developed by Naval Academy students in the USNA Satellite Lab and operated in cooperation with the USNA Amateur Radio Club. PSAT2 carries a PSK31 transponder, digipeater, SSTV-downlinked camera images, and a DTMF to voice/APRS system. BRICSAT2 carries a digipeater and thruster experiment. Both satellites are currently active.

At the request of the Naval Academy Amateur Radio Club, AMSAT hereby designates BRICSAT2 as Navy-OSCAR 103 (NO-103), and PSAT2 as Navy-OSCAR 104 (NO-104). We congratulate the owners and operators, thank them for their contribution to the amateur satellite community, and wish them a long mission and continued success on this and future projects.

73,

Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number Administrator

NO-103 (BRICSAT2)
NO-104 (PSAT2)