AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITES for ROCKWELL COLLINS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB By Keith Pugh, W5IU AMSAT Area Coordinator 28 August 2008

BRIEF HISTORY SPUTNIK – 4 OCT. 1957 OSCAR-1 – 12 DEC. 1961 OSCAR III – First Transponder! - 1965 AO-07 – 1974 to 1981 First RS - 1978 AO-10 – First High Alt. Sat (HEO) – 1983 to 1997 W5LFL – First Ham in Space - 1983 U0-11 – Digital Com. Exp. – 1984 to 2008 AO-13 – Second HEO - 1988 to 1996

BRIEF HISTORY (cont.) MICROSATS – 1990 to Present Amateur Radio on MIR – 1988 to 1996 Development of AO-40 – 1990 to 2001 Amateur Radio on ISS (ARISS) – 1998 to Present AO-40 – Third HEO – 2000 to 2004 AO-07 – Resurrection! – 2002 to Present CubeSats - 2003 to Present AO-51 – 2004 - Present VO-52 – 2005 – Present DO-64 – Delfi C3 – 2008 - Present

HEO vs. LEO High Earth Orbit (HEO) Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Modified Molynia or Highly Elliptical Orbit 8 to 12 Hours per Day Contact Time Low Doppler Rate Equipment Investment – Relatively High Geosynchronous – Continuous Coverage – Limited Area Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Low Circular Orbit 10 to 20 Minutes per Pass 4 to 6 Passes per Day (at our Latitude) High Doppler Rate Equipment Investment – Relatively Low Easy Sats!

Satellite Orbits Most Other Amateur Satellites AO-40 LEO and Molniya used for Amateur Satellites Apogee Geosynchronous Polar LEO GPS Perigee Most Other Amateur Satellites

OPERATIONAL SATELLITES Fully Operational AO-07 AO-51 VO-52 GO-32 SO-50 ISS AO-27 FO-29 DO-64 Several CubeSats Partially Operational LO-19 AO-16 IO-26 RS-15 RS-30 All LEOs

AMSAT’s MISSION STATEMENT 2004 AMSAT is a non-profit volunteer organization which designs, builds and operates experimental satellites and promotes space education. We work in partnership with government, industry, educational institutions and fellow amateur radio societies. We encourage technical and scientific innovation, and promote the training and development of skilled satellite and ground system designers and operators. Our Vision is to deploy high earth orbit satellite systems that offer daily coverage by 2009 and continuous coverage by 2012. AMSAT will continue active participation in human space missions and support a stream of LEO satellites developed in cooperation with the educational community and other amateur satellite groups

FULFILLING OUR VISION HEO Development Stream of LEOs Phase IIIE Eagle Geosynchronous Opportunity Stream of LEOs CubeSats SuitSats Human Space Missions ARISS

HEO Development Phase IIIE AMSAT-DL Project Supported by AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-UK, and Others AO-10 and AO-13 Space Frame Takes Advantage of Prior System Development and Qualification Test Bed for German Phase 5A (MARS Orbiter) Program Mechanically Complete Awaiting Completion of IHU (Integrated Housekeeping Computer) AMSAT-NA Development ITAR Problems

HEO Development (cont.) Phase IIIE (cont.) Running out of Funds for Continuation of Marburg Laboratory Must Complete “Bird” and Store until Launch Still Looking for Affordable Launch Opportunity Coupling with Phase 5A May Help but No Decision Yet from German Government Agency AMSAT-NA Working in Conjunction with Other HEO Projects Current Estimates for Launch are at Least an Order of Magnitude too High for the Combined AMSATs of the World Complete AMSAT-DL Pitch available on AMSAT-UK Web, see: http://www.uk.amsat.org/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,252/

P3-E from AMSAT-DL

HEO Development (cont.) Project Eagle Next Generation High Earth Orbit Satellite Intended Orbit: High Eccentricity GTO May become a GEO Rideshare Payload Capabilities U/V and L/S Software Defined Transponders S2/C Advanced Communications Payload (ACP) Robust Support for Emergency Communications Digital Voice, SMS-Like Text, and Data Communications

HEO Development (cont.) Project Eagle (cont.) U/V Linear Software Defined Transponder (SDX). Usable over 75% of the Orbit by an AO-13 or AO-40 Class Ground Station. L/S1 Linear Software Defined Transponders (SDX). Needs an AO-40 Capable Ground Station. A Low Rate Text Message System, like SMS. Operates on U/V-bands Usable over 75% of the Orbit by a Small Ground Terminal.

HEO Development (cont.) Project Eagle (cont.) Advanced Communications Payload (ACP). Uses Advanced Signal Processing and RF Techniques. Voice Comm using a Single 60cm Dish. High Rate Data Comm, such as Streaming Video, using a 2m Dish. AMSAT will make available an Affordable Ground Segment for the ACP System. Known as Namaste Currently on Hold Mechanical Design well underway

HEO Development (cont.) Geosynchronous Opportunity Integrate Project Eagle Payloads into Commercial Geosynchronous Space Frame Share Real Estate Share Environmental Control Share Power System Share Cost – Expensive Potential for Fund Raising based on Emergency Communications Asset and Educational Value Second Round of Communications with Potential Satellite Provider Underway Would Require Three “Birds” for Worldwide Coverage

Stream of LEOs CubeSats - Many SuitSats University Efforts - Worldwide AMSAT Mentoring Educational Funding Need More Focus to Benefit Amateur Radio – Like Delfi C3 SuitSats SuitSat 1 – History Hand Launched from ISS Had RF Problem Achieved Most Goals Re Entered Atmosphere in About Six Months Best Amateur Radio Publicity Ever!

Stream of LEOs (cont.) SuitSats (cont.) KiwiSat SumbandilaSat SuitSat 2 – In Development Now! New Power Source – Should Last for Life of Satellite Software Defined Transponder Capability Scientific Experiments Easy to Hear Launch in 2009 KiwiSat New Zealand’s First Satellite Proceeding to Plan SumbandilaSat AMSAT-SA’s (South Africa’s) Next Satellite

Human Space Missions ARISS - Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (See Separate Presentation) Educational Outreach – School Contacts – Proud History International Cooperation – Development & Operations Still Developing New Capabilities S and L Band Antennas for Columbia Module – In Place Radios for Columbia Module – In Development General Contacts with Astronauts – Depends on Astronaut Repeater Capability Must Develop Autonomous Capabilities – Workload Relief SuitSats are By Products Everyone Should Try to Witness an ARISS Contact In Person to Get the Full Impact!

THE NEW AMSAT Most of these Realities are not Really New, There is no more Free Launch Volunteers require Different Management Techniques Hams are Cheap AMSAT Members are Getting Older “Techies” have different goals than “Operators” Seldom are Critics Contributors Don’t be Part of the Problem, be Part of the Solution Most of these Realities are not Really New, but must be Re-Visited Periodically

Support AMSAT with your THE NEW AMSAT (cont.) AMSAT Leadership Meeting – 8-10 Aug 2008 Attended by Officers, Current BOD, and New BOD Addressed Near Term Goals Re-Visited AMSAT’s Vision in light of Current Realities AMSAT BOD Meeting – 23-24 Oct 2008 Open Meeting – Attend and Hear for Yourself Precedes AMSAT Space Symposium AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting Atlanta, GA, 24-26 Oct 2008 Papers, Fun, Prizes, and Social Event Register Now Support AMSAT with your Time, Talent, and Money

World Wide Web Resources http://www.amsat.org http://www.amsat-dl.org http://www.tapr.org http://www.arrl.org http://www.uk.amsat.org Links Available to Related Web Sites

How can you participate? Personal and Club Donations to the EAGLE Project and EAGLE Launch Fund are Encouraged Support AMSAT-DL’s P3-E Project Join the Fun on the “Birds”! Join AMSAT today

Questions?