AMSAT-UK

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Pratham student satellite

Posted: 07 Sep 2016 12:19 PM PDT
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/09/07/prat...ent-satellite/

SolidWorks rendering of the Pratham satellite Credit IIT Bombay

The satellite Pratham built by students at the Indian Institute of
Technology Bombay is expected to launch on the Indian PSLV-C35 mission
currently planned for September 26, 2016.

Pratham, a 300x300x300mm satellite with a mass of 10 kg, aims to measure
total electron count in a 800 km altitude Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

Aayush Yadav of the Pratham team writes:

We, students of IIT Bombay, are glad to inform you that our project,
Pratham, is ready and expected to launch with PSLV-C35 in the last week of
September. We would be really happy ifÂ* you all joined us in receiving our
satellites beacon, details given below:

35 WPM CW Beacon on 145.980 MHz

1200 bps FSK Beacon on 437.455 MHz (To be switched on over France and India
only)

We will update the information as soon as TLEs will be available.

Kind Regards.

Team Pratham

Further information at http://www.aero.iitb.ac.in/pratham/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/iitb.student.satellite/

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5 GHz to 10 GHz Lunar Transponder Mission

Posted: 07 Sep 2016 11:38 AM PDT
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/09/07/5-gh...onder-mission/


AMSAT-NA plans 5 GHz to 10 GHz transponders on a spacecraft expected to
launchÂ*in September 2018 into a Lunar orbit.

Heimdallr is aÂ*3 axis stabilized 6U CubeSat with a mass of approximately 8
kg. It will have a Cold Gas Thruster for inertia dump and a star tracker
for navigation. Deployable, gimbled solar panels will produce up to 100
watts of DC power, electric propulsion will be used to achieve lunar orbit.

There will be a combination of omni and directional patch antennas on one
side of spacecraft.

The first part of mission is to provide Telemetry, Tracking, and Command
(TT&C) to obtain lunar orbit. The second part is to perform the data
downlink experiment while the final part is to provide a two way
regenerative repeater and analog repeater in lunar orbit for lifetime of
satellite.

Proposing these downlinks:

• Omni transponder: 10.451 GHz +/- 0.5 MHz

• Directional transponder: 10.4575 GHz. +/- 3.5 MHz

• Analog transponder: 10.4665 GHz. +/- 2.0 MHz

For the first part of the mission (TT&C) using 300 bps BPSK 1/2 rate
viterbi Ranging 1.5 Mbps BPSK DSSS. For theÂ* second part of mission 4.5
Mbps QPSK ½ rate DVB-S2. For the final part of mission 25 kbps BPSK 1/5
rate DVB-S2.

Proposing these Uplinks

• Omni transponder: 5.651 GHz +/- 0.5 MHz

• Directional transponder: 5.6575 GHz. +/- 3.5 MHz

• Analog transponder: 5.665 GHz. +/- 2 MHz

A link budget is available at

https://drive.google.com/folderview?...U0&usp=sharing

It is anticipated that a 1 or 2 metre dish will be required using the AMSAT
designed ground station equipment.

Source IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Status pages
http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/

Heimdallr satellite 5 Teams Share First Round of NASA CubeSat Prizes
http://spacenews.com/5-teams-share-f...ubesat-prizes/



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Video of Portable Satellite Operation Talk

Posted: 07 Sep 2016 02:00 AM PDT
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/09/07/vide...peration-talk/

Peter Goodhall 2E0SQL with portable satellite antennas

Peter Goodhall 2E0SQL, well known for satellite operating from remote
Scottish Islands and the Channel Islands, gave a presentation titled
Satellite Operations in the Field to the 2016 AMSAT-UK International Space
Colloquium.

The talk explores experience gained from 5 years of satellite operations
from Scottish Islands (Isle of Arran, Mull & Lewis) and the Channel Islands
(Guernsey), looking at equipment from using simple handheld equipment to
fully automated stations, techniques and issues experienced along the way.

Thanks to volunteers from the British Amateur Television Club (BATC) the
presentation has been made available on YouTube.
Watch Satellite Operations in the Field by Peter Goodhall 2E0SQL



AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium Videos Now Available
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/08/03/spac...oquium-videos/

The book – Getting Started with Amateur Satellites – is now available from
the AMSAT-UK shop at http://shop.amsat-uk.org/

A popular antenna for satellite working is the Elk 2m/70cms Log Periodic
available in the AMSAT-UK shop at
http://shop.amsat-uk.org/ELK_2m70cms..._15628555.aspx