First CubeSat from Chile

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Last month, Chile launched their first CubeSat from a base in India.

Details

Beacon Frequency : 437.225 MHz
Mode : CW
Speed : 20 wpm
Periodicity : 60 seconds
Message : 00SUCHAI0 + TELEMETRY (variable length)

CW beacon telemetry consists of four different frames with information of main subsystems.

Telemetry

Frequency : 437.225 MHz
Mode : FM (MSK)
Baudrate : 1200 bps

The Chilean CubeSat group would appreciate any reports in the following formats

  1. If you recorded the audio file (for beacon or telemetry)
    Submit an email to spel@ing.uchile.cl with the file using the following subject format
    <Date> - <Time (UTC)> - <Callsign or Name>

    Example
    2017/06/23 - 11:58:26 - CA3SBE
    In the body of the email you can add optional information like your location (Country, City or Latitude and Longitude) and the equipment that you are using to receive the signal.
  2. If you decoded the beacon see links to send reports, Guide to decode beacon etc here http://spel.ing.uchile.cl/suchai.html
    The preliminary TLE file can be found at the following link. We will update this file as soon as the launcher provide us with new information - http://spel.ing.uchile.cl/20170619-suchai.tle

More info and videos (Spanish) - http://ea1uro.com/radio/satchile/

 

Join the New Zealand CubeSAT Race

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AMSAT_ZL has reached a staging point in the development of their satellite project, KiwiSAT.

The exciting KiwiSAT project, to create and launch a New Zealand produced satellite, started several years back.

Right when the work was well advanced but based on the USA standards and criteria. Suddenly the development was back to square one due to political changes, requiring redesign of almost everything.

The KiwiSAT Team met that challenge and has produced a fine unit ready to launch. Then came another set-back. Our critically important Leader of the KiwiSAT Engineering Team, Fred Kennedy ZL1BYP, was struck down and driven to endure many months of medical procedures. This has have left him unable to continue his important work.

AMSAT-ZL is looking both to its members and to the general New Zealand amateur radio population for a coordinator to join the team and lead the project through this final stage.

Needed is a volunteer “Orbit Insertion Team” consisting of a Launch Co-ordinator and as many assistants as he/she requires to undertake the task of securing a launch for KiwiSAT. This new team will also take over Fred Kennedy’s leadership responsibilities. In parallel, the established KiwiSAT engineering team will continue their involvement, giving support along the way.

Much of the new team’s work will be organisational rather than hands-on engineering. Involved is arranging final environmental testing of KiwiSAT, identifying and negotiating a launch, attending the launch and attending to funding for this final phase. Basic planning is complete, we need action.

Other tasks will undoubtedly crop up however it is envisaged that the current team will ensure the preparation of KiwiSAT to full flight status is completed.

KiwiSAT by AMSAT-ZL - http://www.kiwisat.org.nz/

 

First Slovak Spacecraft Launched

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Slovakia has celebrated their first successful Space launch, launching a satellite skCUBE at 5.59am CET on 23rd June 2017.

The payload was on top of an Indian rocket PSLV-C38 launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, making Slovakia the 78th county to build and launch its own satellite, launching 60 years after the first - Sputnik

Satellite launch is the culmination of several years work of the civic association Slovak organisation for space activities (SOSA), several Slovak universities and technology companies, along with State support. The project could also succeed with the support of the state. The aim is primarily to popularise science and technology, and demonstration and test innovative technologies in space conditions. Part of the satellite is several experiments, including experiments VLF (receiver very long radio waves).

“The first time we really enjoyed, but we waited until the final confirmation of our antenna systems, that is really all right. The satellite broadcast signal strength and came first sensor data. Good condition satellites were also confirmed during the next flights. The whole team prevailed enormous joy and relief that we successfully managed to develop and build a satellite that has survived not only challenging conditions to launch rockets into space but also very inhospitable environments in the universe, ”
— Jakub Kapuš, Project Manager

90 minutes after launch, the communications antenna became active and started to capture signals. The first Amateur/Ham Radio contact was made with Dmitrij Paškov from Moscow, ninety minutes before contact was made with a Slovakian station.

Over the following hours and days, the team focused on receiving, processing and interpretation of data from a spacecraft, taken by their own antenna systems, but also by radio amateurs around the world.

Other tests include measurement of satellite rotation and air traffic control.

More information - http://kozmonautika.sk/2017/06/30/prva-slovenska-druzica-zacala-svoju-misiu-a-plni-prve-ulohy/