[amsat-bb] Re: POSAT Status?

[Andrew Glasbrenner]

>From the ANS archives via Google:

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-267.03
AMSAT-UK Chief Discusses PoSAT End-of-Life Issues

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 267.03
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
September 24, 2006
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-267.03

Following the recent kind agreement of Consórcio SAT, the owners of
PoSAT (PO28 or 1993-061D) which was launched on the Ariane V59 from
Kourou on the 26th September 1993, work has been progressing  at SSTL
and the Surrey Space Centre to switch transponder frequencies to the
amateur satellite service to serve as a voice FM transponder for use
by all radio amateurs worldwide.

Unfortunately, recent investigations now indicate that the PoSAT on-
board NiCd batteries are showing the effects of 12 years in orbit and
the approximately 100,000 charge /discharge cycles to which they have
subjected and are no longer holding sufficient charge to operate the
downlinks. This may mean that, sadly after all, it will not be possible
for the satellite to be made available for amateur use.

We fully understand the benefits that PO28 would offer radio amateurs
and work is continuing at Surrey to see if there is any way to revive
this 'old lady'.  AMSAT-UK will provide updates when further informa-
tion becomes available.

Martin Sweeting G3YJO
http://www.uk.amsat.org

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF" <kb1sf at kcbassociates.com>
To: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 12:46 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] POSAT Status?


> Greetings All!
>
> A year or so ago, I had an exchange with one of the senior AMSAT-UK folks 
> about the eventual turnover of POSAT to full Amateur use.  At the time, I 
> believe they were having some (legal) difficulties in getting that to 
> happen.
>
> The latest satellite status bulletin here on AMSAT.ORG lists POSAT as 
> "currently not open for amateur use" but that it "should return to amateur 
> operation in the future."
>
> Does anyone have the latest status on this issue?  I'm not complaining, 
> just asking.
>
> 73,
>
> Keith Baker
> KB1SF / VA3KSF
>
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