[amsat-bb] Re: 9 Cubesats selected for free ESA ride to space

[Bill Ress]

Graham,

I agree!!

Sure they aren't HEO linear transponders (or even LEO transponders) but 
they all will advance the state of the satellite art and will introduce 
a new group of students to Amateur radio even if it's indirectly to get 
radio spectrum. So we will all win!

D-Star, deploying satellite panels, etc.are experiments we can learn 
from and apply to any future Amateur satellite. So again, we will all win!

While lack of IARU coordination by some agencies/countries is a pet 
peeve of mine too, I'm sure folks over there will make them very aware 
of the coordination process. I believe all the countries mentioned are 
participants in the IARU. So enough said on that subject.

The fact that ESA is providing a "free" launch opportunity to nine new 
satellites, be they university or whatever, is a positive step forward, 
and is to be highly commended. I don't believe an opportunity like that 
has ever been extended by any other launch agency.

As a member of AMSAT-NA, I would like to see our organization formally 
congratulate them on their successful selection and offer our technical 
support if needed/asked. If we can't build satellite hardware this year, 
we can at least offer consulting support and guidance to their hardware 
projects.

Regards...Bill - N6GHz


Graham Shirville wrote:
> Hi Tom,
>
> These cubesat projects are very very new...many have been developed only in 
> the last 2 or 3 months and therefore it is not surprising that only one 
> third of them have yet sent in any documentation regarding frequency 
> co-ordination to the IARU panel.
>
> In fact, in addition to Swisscube and Goliat,  the Robusta project is shown 
> on the co-ordination website as "in progress".
>
> We do not know which of the others will be using frequencies in the amateur 
> satellite service but rest assured that all the teams have already been 
> briefed on their responsibilities in relation to their possible use of "our" 
> service and have been offered all possible support  and advice (including 
> Jan's fb link budget spreadsheet).
>
> May I also make a plea that the concept of "them" and "us" is seriously 
> outdated in respect of the members of the cubesat teams. There are many 
> examples of students who already have obtained their amateur licences and 
> many who are currently taking the courses in their respective countries. I 
> firmly believe that anything that enables/encourages "young" people to get 
> their tickets is a good "thing" and that if a proportion of them end up as 
> amateurs working in the space industry over the next decades then probably 
> it is a very very good "thing"
>
> Whether or not the satellites  carry a transponder is another subject, but 
> if the cubesat programme gives today's amateurs the opportunity to help 
> create an amateur friendly space industry for the next generation then it 
> has my support!
>
> best 73
>
> Graham G3VZV
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tom Clark, K3IO" <k3io at verizon.net>
> To: "AMSAT BB" <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
> Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2008 11:29 PM
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: 9 Cubesats selected for free ESA ride to space
>
>
> Of the satellites listed (according to the list posted at
> http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/finished.asp), the following satellites
> have been coordinated with IARU for use of the amateur satellite spectrum:
>
>     * Swisscube: Space Center, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Laus
>     * Goliat: University of Bucharest
>     * UWE-2 (but not yet UWE-3): University of Wuerzburg
>
> Unisat3 from Rome was launched with AO-51, however the UniCubesat is not
> listed with the IARU.
>
> It appears that the IARU Coordination group knows nothing about the
> other satellites listed in the press release. But then, it also appears
> that the recent Russian RS-30 "Jubilee" was apparently
> unknown/uncoordinated.
>
> If any of you are in contact with any of these groups, please stress to
> them the need for coordination with the rest of the amateur
> radio/amateur satellite community. Information of the coordination
> process, along with some recommendations (including a very useful link
> budget spreadsheet from Jan King W3GEY/VK4GEY) can be found at
> http://www.iaru.org/satellite/.
>
> 73, Tom
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