FUNcube-1, also known as AO-73, is a 1U cubesat (10cm x 10cm x 10cm) built and launched as a collaborative effort between AMSAT-UK, AMSAT-NL, and ISIS-BV. The primary function of the satellite is educational outreach, utilizing onboard experiments, an easy-to-copy 1200 baud BPSK beacon, an innovative SDR receiver (the FUNcube Dongle), and telemetry decoding, archiving, and display program (FUNcube Dashboard). While in eclipse the beacon reduces power, and a 20 kHz U/V transponder is activated.
Frequencies are as follows:
• 145.935 MHz BPSK Telemetry 30mW (eclipse) or 300 mW (illuminated)
• Inverting SSB/CW transponder 300 mW PEP (eclipse)
– 435.150 – 435.130 MHz Uplink
– 145.950 – 145.970 MHz Downlink
Launched November 21st, 2013 on a Dnepr rocket, AO-73 was placed in a 682 x 595 km sun-synchronous orbit, inclined 97.8 degrees.