Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
AMSAT
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
{{short description|Amateur radio satellite organizations}} {{Use American English|date=December 2020}} {{use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox organization | name = Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation | image = AMSAT logo.png | image_border = | size = 100px | caption = | map = | msize = | mcaption = | abbreviation = AMSAT | motto = | formation = 1969 | extinction = | type = [[Nonprofit organization]] | status = | purpose = Designing, building, and operating experimental satellites; promoting space education | headquarters = [[Washington, D.C.]] | location = [[United States]] | region_served = [[North America]] | membership = | language = | leader_title = President | leader_name = Robert Bankston KE4AL | main_organ = Board of Directors | affiliations = | num_staff = | budget = | website = http://www.amsat.org/ | remarks = }} '''AMSAT''' is a name for various [[amateur radio satellite]] organizations worldwide. In particular, it often refers to the '''Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation''', headquartered in [[Washington, D.C.]] AMSAT organizations design, build, arrange launches for, and then operate (command) satellites carrying amateur radio payloads, including the [[OSCAR]] series of satellites. Other informally affiliated national organizations exist, such as AMSAT Germany (AMSAT-DL) and AMSAT Japan (JAMSAT). == History == AMSAT was founded in 1969 in Washington, D.C. to continue the efforts begun by [[OSCAR|Project OSCAR]]. Its first project was to coordinate the launch of [[Australis-OSCAR 5|OSCAR 5]], constructed by students at the [[University of Melbourne]].<ref name="HIST">{{cite web|url=http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/AboutAmsat/amsat_history.php|title=Space Satellites from the World's Garage β The Story of AMSAT |publisher=AMSAT|access-date=December 19, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005160332/http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/AboutAmsat/amsat_history.php|archive-date=October 5, 2006}}</ref> Some design modifications were needed and were made by AMSAT members, and the satellite was successfully launched on 30 January 1970, on a [[NASA]] [[Delta (rocket family)|Thor Delta]] launch vehicle.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Radio Amateur's Satellite Handbook|publisher=The Amateur Radio Relay League|pages=1β13|author=Martin Davidoff, K2UBC|year=2000|isbn=0-87259-658-3}}</ref> AMSAT's next launch was [[AMSAT-OSCAR 6]] (AO-6) on 15 October 1972. AO-6 was AMSAT's first long-life satellite, and was built with participants from Australia and West Germany. Command stations in [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[United Kingdom]], [[Hungary]], [[Morocco]], [[New Zealand]], the [[United States]] and [[West Germany]] controlled the satellite, contributing greatly to its 4.5 years of service.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Radio Amateur's Satellite Handbook|publisher=The Amateur Radio Relay League|pages=1β15β1β16|author=Martin Davidoff, K2UBC|year=2000|isbn=0-87259-658-3}}</ref> Further launches continued to emphasize international cooperation, with [[AMSAT-OSCAR 7]] (AO-7) launching with a new transponder developed and built by Karl Meinzer and AMSAT Germany (AMSAT-DL). AMSAT Japan (JAMSAT) contributed a transponder to [[AMSAT-OSCAR 8]] (AO-8).<ref>{{cite book|title=The Radio Amateur's Satellite Handbook|publisher=The Amateur Radio Relay League|pages=1β16β1β18|author=Martin Davidoff, K2UBC |year=2000|isbn=0-87259-658-3}}</ref> In order to launch its satellites, AMSAT has worked with space agencies and commercial launch contractors to develop new ways to take advantage of unused areas of launch vehicles. In return, AMSAT sometimes can negotiate a reduction or waiver of launch costs. One of the most significant is the Ariane Structure for Auxiliary Payloads (ASAP), developed and manufactured in partnership with the [[European Space Agency]] (ESA) in 1990 for use on its [[Ariane 4]] [[launch vehicle]]. AMSAT was again able to take advantage of unused space with the launch of [[AO-40|AMSAT-OSCAR 40]] (AO-40), occupying unused space on an [[Ariane 5]].<ref name="HIST"/> === IPS === The IPS (Interpreter for Process Structures) programming language was specifically written for the [[RCA 1802]] AMSAT Phase III satellite.<ref>{{cite journal|title=IPS, An Unorthodox High Level Language |author=Karl Meinzer|journal=[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]]|date=January 1979}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=IPS Programming|publisher=AMSAT|year=2002|author1=James Miller, G3RUH|author2=Paul Willmott, VP9MU|author3=Stacey Mills, W4SM|url=http://www.amsat.org/amsat/projects/ips/|access-date=2012-04-21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229195505/http://www.amsat.org/amsat/projects/ips/|archive-date=2012-02-29}}</ref> The IPS [[threaded code]] language, developed for AMSAT Phase III, is the first known use of a high-level language on board a spacecraft.<ref>Jan King "The Third Generation" [http://www.ka9q.net/AMSAT-ORBIT-3.pdf "Orbit" September 1980] p. 15</ref> Another 16-bit IPS implementation was specifically developed to run on the ARM CPU in the IHU-2 on the AMSAT P3D.<ref>Chuck Green; Peter GΓΌlzow; Lyle Johnson; Karl Meinzer; James Miller [https://www.amsat.org/articles/g3ruh/124.html "The Experimental IHU-2 Aboard P3D"] 1999</ref> A 32-bit IPS implementation has been developed for the AMSAT P3E satellite and the AMSAT P5A mission to [[Mars]], which also have ARM CPUs. Emulators for both the classic 16-bit and the 32-bit IPS language and development environment are available for many other systems.<ref>[http://www.amsat-bda.org/IPS_Home.html "IPS Project Home Page"]</ref><ref>[http://www.retrotechnology.com/memship/amsat.html "COSMAC 1802 on AMSATs running IPS"]</ref><ref>[http://www.jrmiller.demon.co.uk/products/ipsbk.html "IPS - High Level Programming of Small Systems"]</ref><ref>[https://amsat-dl.org/en/ips-high-level-programming-of-small-systems-for-the-amsat-space-projects/ "IPS - High Level Programming of Small Systems for the AMSAT space projects"]</ref> == AMSAT organizations worldwide == [[File:KiwiSAT.jpg|thumb|KiwiSAT amateur radio satellite, developed by AMSAT-NZ, in its "clean cabinet" being demonstrated at the 2013 Auckland Technology Convention]] From its first launch, AMSAT projects have had international scope. By 2006, 21 countries had launched an amateur satellite. Many of these countries have their own AMSAT affiliate, some of which are noted below: * AMSAT [[Germany]] (AMSAT-DL, AMSAT Deutschland) has built and managed projects of several amateur radio satellites, notably [[AO-40]]. * AMSAT [[Japan]] (JAMSAT) has contributed to many satellites, in addition to launching its own satellites in cooperation with [[Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency|JAXA]]: the Fuji-OSCAR series. * AMSAT [[India]] (AMSAT-IN) launched its first amateur satellite, [[VUSat-OSCAR 52]] in 2005 aboard an [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] [[PSLV]] launch vehicle from [[Sriharikota]], [[India]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amsatindia.org/hamsat.htm|title=About HAMsat|publisher=AMSAT-IN|access-date=December 19, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208052559/http://www.amsatindia.org/hamsat.htm |archive-date=2006-12-08|url-status=dead}}</ref> * AMSAT [[United Kingdom]] (AMSAT-UK) built [[FUNcube-1|FUNcube AO-73]] with AMSAT-NL, an Amateur CubeSat that was launched as part of a Russian [[Dnepr (rocket)|Dnepr]] payload in November 2013. * AMSAT Italia (AMSAT-I) has built the HAMVIDEO TV transmitter for International Space Station and IO-117 (Italy-Oscar 117) first amateur radio satellite in MEO orbit. * AMSAT-CT is NGO for Education and Development is Portuguese VIP member of AMSAT-DL, funded by Aerospace Observatory in 1998 * AMSAT-CT develop the prototype of the satellite CAMOESat-1 at Oeiras Aerospace Observatory facilities * [[AMSAT-NL]] [[Netherlands]] * AMSAT [[Brazil]] * AMSAT [[Philippines]] (AMSAT-PH), club call sign DX1O, [[Diwata-2]] satellite is designated Philippines-OSCAR 101 (PO-101) and has the amateur call sign DW4TA.<ref>Phillip Keane [https://www.engineering.com/Hardware/ArticleID/19117/The-Philippines-Satellite-Ham-Radio-Service-Is-Now-Live.aspx "The Philippines' Satellite Ham Radio Service Is Now Live"]</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.amsat.org/diwata-2-designated-philippines-oscar-101-po-101/ |title=Diwata-2 Designated Philippines-OSCAR 101 (PO-101)|date=April 11, 2019 |first1=Paul |last1=Stoetzer|access-date=January 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>[https://www.para.org.ph/para-amsat-ph-showcases-satellite-equipment.html "AMSAT-PH showcases Satellite Equipment"]</ref> *AMSAT [[Spain]] ([[AMSAT EA]]), designed and built the radio-amateur satellites GENESIS-L, GENESIS-N, EASAT-2 and HADES, all of them [[PocketQube|pocketQubes.]] *AMSAT New Zealand (AMSAT-ZL) developed kiwiSAT, intended to be New Zealand's first satellite. It designed and built by New Zealand radio amateurs supported by [[Massey University]] (Auckland) and various corporate sponsors.<ref name="herald-2003">{{citation |last1=Collins |first1=Simon |title=KiwiSat joins space race |date=2003-01-17 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kiwisat-joins-space-race/BPAJYBETUBPVR7GMQG2GVAB4IY/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |language=en}}</ref> The project began in 2003, but encountered many delays and setbacks, and was eventually dissolved in 2023.<ref>{{citation |title=A New Zealand Satellite - KiwiSAT |work=www.kiwisat.org.nz |url=https://www.kiwisat.org.nz/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221225941/https://www.kiwisat.org.nz/ |archive-date=21 December 2023 |url-status=live |language=en}}</ref> == Phase system == The AMSAT Phase system describes an amateur satellite based upon its capabilities or mode of operation and roughly parallel the development of amateur satellites. * '''Phase 1''': No [[solar cells]] (battery-powered only), short-lived, technology test-bed. Must be able to [[orbit]] to be classified as a satellite. * '''Phase 2''': Long life using solar cells, communications capabilities, [[Low Earth Orbit]]. * '''Phase 3''': Long life, more powerful communications, telemetry and command systems. Highly elliptical orbit, usually a [[Molniya orbit]]; usually the initial orbit is a [[geostationary transfer orbit]] (GTO), onboard propulsion systems boosting it to its final orbit. Because of the highly elliptical orbit, the satellite remains over an area for long periods of time, allowing amateurs longer contacts through the satellite. * '''Phase 4''': Amateur satellite in [[geostationary orbit]] (GEO). Currently, the only amateur radio transponders in orbit are a secondary mission aboard [[Es'hail 2]], designated as QO-100 by AMSAT on 26 February 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amsat.org/eshail-2-p4a-designated-qatar-oscar-100-qo-100/|title=Es'hail-2/P4A Designated Qatar-OSCAR 100 (QO-100) β AMSAT}}</ref> * '''Phase 5''': Spacecraft capable of lunar or planetary missions. == Satellite names == Most amateur satellites do not receive their sequential OSCAR designation until after they are successfully in orbit, and then only at the request of the launching organization.<ref name="HIST"/> Regardless, amateur satellites will have been named by the organization that constructed it, and that name is frequently prepended to its OSCAR designation, resulting a name such as CubeSat-OSCAR 57. In conversation, names are usually abbreviated as CO-57 or similar. A unique amateur satellite was [[SuitSat]], an obsolete Russian space suit with a transmitter in it, which was launched in 2006 from the [[International Space Station]]. In a twist of fate, "Oscar" was the name given to an obsolete space suit by its young owner in the 1958 novel ''[[Have Space Suit, Will Travel]]'', by [[Robert A Heinlein]]. This book was originally published a year after the launch of the first artificial satellite, [[Sputnik 1]]. == Satellites previously launched by AMSAT == The names of the satellites below are sorted in [[chronological]] order by launch date, ascending. The status column denotes the current operational status of the satellite. <span style="color:green;"> '''Green'''</span> signifies that the satellite is currently operational, <span style="color:#f88017;">'''orange'''</span> indicates that the satellite is partially operational or failing. <span style="color:red;"> '''Red'''</span> indicates that the satellite is non operational and <span style="color:black;"> '''black'''</span> indicates that the satellite has re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. The ''country'' listing denotes the country that constructed the satellite and not the launching country. {|class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Name (a.k.a.) ! Status ! Launched ! Country |- | [[AMSAT-OSCAR 6]] (OSCAR 6, AO-6, AO-C, P2A) | style="background-color: red; color: white;"| Non-Operational | 15 October 1972 | United States |- | [[AMSAT-OSCAR 7]] (OSCAR 7, AO-7, AO-B, P2B) | style="background-color: darkorange; color: white;"| Semi-Operational | 15 November 1974 | United States |- | [[AMSAT-OSCAR 8]] (OSCAR 8, AO-8, AO-D, P2D) | style="background-color: red; color: white;"| Non-Operational | 5 March 1978 | United States / Canada / Germany / Japan |- | [[AMSAT-OSCAR 10]] (Phase 3B, AO-10, P3B) | style="background-color: red; color: white;"| Non-Operational | 16 June 1983 | United States / Germany |- | [[AMSAT-OSCAR 13]] (Phase 3C, AO-13, P3C) | style="background-color: black; color: white;"| Decayed | 15 June 1988 | Germany |- | [[AMSAT-OSCAR 16]] (Pacsat, AO-16, Microsat-1) | style="background-color: darkorange; color: white;"| Semi-Operational | 22 January 1990 | United States |- | [[OSCAR 40|AMSAT-OSCAR 40]] (AO-40, Phase 3D, P3D) | style="background-color: red; color: white;"| Non-Operational | 16 November 2000 | United States / Germany |- | [[AMSAT-OSCAR 51]] (Echo, AO-51) | style="background-color: red; color: white;"|Non-Operational | 28 June 2004 | United States |- | [[Fox-1A|AMSAT-OSCAR 85]] (Fox-1A, AO-85) | style="background-color: red; color: white;"|Non-Operational | 8 October 2015 | United States |- | [[Fox-1B|AMSAT-OSCAR 91]] (Fox-1B, RadFxSat, AO-91) | style="background-color: darkorange; color: white;"|Semi-Operational | 18 November 2017 | United States |- | [[Fox-1D|AMSAT-OSCAR 92]] (Fox-1D, AO-92) | style="background-color: darkorange; color: white;"|Semi-Operational | 12 January 2018 | United States |- | [[Fox-1Cliff|AMSAT-OSCAR 95]] (Fox-1Cliff, AO-95) | style="background-color: darkorange; color: white;"|Beacon Only | 4 December 2018 | United States |- | [[Fox-1E|RadFxSat-2]] (Fox-1E) | style="background-color: darkorange; color: white;"|Semi-Operational | 17 January 2021 | United States |} == Current projects == AMSAT built a series of five 1U [[CubeSat]]s to carry university experiments, including a camera, and mode U/V FM repeaters. The first two of these satellites, Fox-1A, and Fox-1B, were launched on 8 October 2015 and 18 November 2017 respectively and are currently operational and available for use.<ref>{{cite web|title=AO-85 (Fox-1A) {{!}} AMSAT|url=http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=4690|website=amsat.org |access-date=2016-05-24}}</ref> Fox-1D (AO-92) was launched on 12 January 2018 on the [[PSLV-C40]] mission from [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre]] in [[Sriharikota]], [[India]]. Fox-1Cliff was launched from [[Vandenberg Air Force Base]] aboard the [[SpaceX]] [[Falcon 9|Falcon-9]] [[SHERPA (space tug)|SSO-A]] rocket on 3 December 2018. These four Fox satellites contain FM transponders with uplink on the 70 cm band and downlink on the 2 metre band.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FoxOperatingGuide_May2015_Hi.pdf|title=AMSAT Fox Operating Guide|date=2015|access-date=2015-10-04 |publisher=AMSAT}}</ref> RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E, a variation of the Fox-1 series, carrying a mode V/U linear transponder has been accepted for a launch by the NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative.<ref>{{cite web|title=RadFxSat-2 (Fox-1E) Selected for Participation in NASA's CSLI|url=http://www.amsat.org/?p=5019|publisher=AMSAT|access-date=24 May 2016}}</ref> Fox-1E was launched into orbit aboard a Virgin Orbit LauncherOne vehicle on 17 January 2021. Although the beacon has not been heard, the linear transponder is at least partially functioning with a low level downlink signal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RadFxSat-2 Identified, Testing Continues β AMSAT|url=https://www.amsat.org/radfxsat-2-identified-testing-continues/|access-date=2021-02-05|language=en-US}}</ref> AMSAT is currently developing the GOLF series of CubeSats with the first satellite in the series, GOLF-TEE, expected to launch in 2022. The GOLF series is designed to test technologies for future [[high Earth orbit]] (HEO) missions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Greater Orbit, Larger Footprint: An Introduction to the AMSAT GOLF Program β AMSAT|url=https://www.amsat.org/greater-orbit-larger-footprint-an-introduction-to-the-amsat-golf-program/|access-date=2021-02-05|language=en-US}}</ref> AMSAT also offers a communications platform for university CubeSats. The AMSAT Linear Transponder Module (LTM) includes a VHF/UHF telemetry beacon, command receiver, and linear transponder. The first LTM flew on HuskySat-OSCAR 107 in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AMSAT β The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation|url=https://www.amsat.org/|access-date=2021-02-05|language=en-US}}</ref> In July 2020, AMSAT and the University of Maine announced that an LTM would be provided for the University of Maine's MESAT1 CubeSat, Maine's first small satellite.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AMSAT Partners with UMaine's WiSe-Net Lab to Develop Maine's First Small Satellite β AMSAT|url=https://www.amsat.org/amsat-partners-with-umaines-wise-net-lab-to-develop-maines-first-small-satellite/|access-date=2021-02-05|language=en-US}}</ref> Additionally, AMSAT supports amateur radio on human spaceflight missions as a supporting partner of Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). This partnership includes support for future missions on the [[Lunar Gateway]]. AMSAT also supports STEM education and has developed a CubeSat Simulator as part of these efforts.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The CubeSat Simulator Project Page|url=http://cubesatsim.org/|access-date=2021-02-05|website=cubesatsim.org}}</ref> == Currently operating missions == AMSAT operates the [[AO-7]] and [[AO-91]] satellites, which are open for general amateur use. The [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] [[FalconSAT-3]] was turned over to AMSAT for amateur radio use in late September 2017. AO-95 was launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 SSO-A mission on 4 December 2018 and was later determined to have poor to no RF reception capability, thus preventing commissioning and putting its FM transponder mission into indefinite suspension.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fox-1Cliff/AO-95 Commissioning Status|date=December 9, 2018 |first1=Paul |last1=Stoetzer|url=https://www.amsat.org/fox-1cliff-ao-95-commissioning-status/|publisher=AMSAT|access-date=January 15, 2023}}</ref> == References == {{Portal|Spaceflight}} {{Reflist|2}} == External links == * [http://www.amsat.org AMSAT] β North America * [https://amsat-uk.org/ AMSAT-UK] β United Kingdom * [https://amsat-dl.org/ AMSAT-DL] - Germany * [http://amsat.it/ AMSAT-I] - Italy [[Category:1969 establishments in Maryland]] [[Category:Amateur radio organizations]] [[Category:Organizations established in 1969]]
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)
Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page
(
help
)
:
Template:Citation
(
edit
)
Template:Cite book
(
edit
)
Template:Cite journal
(
edit
)
Template:Cite news
(
edit
)
Template:Cite web
(
edit
)
Template:Infobox organization
(
edit
)
Template:Portal
(
edit
)
Template:Reflist
(
edit
)
Template:Short description
(
edit
)
Template:Use American English
(
edit
)
Template:Use dmy dates
(
edit
)