[amsat-bb] Re: Fwd: Launch your own satellite for only eight grand

Wed Aug 5 18:26:44 PDT 2009

Please, take a look the world Table of Frequency Allocations.  An  
extract applying to the amateur-satellite service is included as an  
Annex in:  http://www.iaru.org/satellite/sat-freq-coord.html .   (The  
paper is worth reading, too!!)

A more complete overview of the radio regulations is available online  
thanks to the good folks at the International Radio Club in Geneva:  
4U1ITU.  See: http://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/frr.htm .

Happy reading.

Planning and using radio frequencies to maximize use and minimize  
interference is a very complex subject that has been developing for  
more than a century.  There's a lot of substance to know.

All I am suggesting is that the TubeSat folks and their prospective  
customers may need to do some good frequency planning before getting  
to deeply involved.

I hope this helps.

73, art.....
W4ART  Arlington VA

On 5-Aug-2009, at 8:53 PM, Mark Spencer wrote:

>
> The PDF on their web site also mentions at 420 to 480 mhz radio  
> option with a 500 mw output which might be somewhat more usefull  
> (although the voltage requirements of this radio seem different than  
> the sattelite can provide ?)
>
> http://interorbital.com/Downloads/TubeSat%20Sales%20Brochure%20Publish%201.0.pdf
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: W4ART Arthur Feller <afeller at ieee.org>
> To: Mark Thompson <wb9qzb_groups at yahoo.com>
> Cc: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Sent: Wednesday, August 5, 2009 4:43:56 PM
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Fwd: Launch your own satellite for only  
> eight grand
>
> Hi, Mark,
>
> The 902-928 MHz is not available for space stations in any radio
> service.  2400 to 2450 MHz is available to the amateur-satellite
> service.  However, many of the example projects appear unrelated to
> radio or may be commercial in nature, so they may not qualify for the
> amateur-satellite service.
>
> Wi-Fi equipment operates at very low power and relies upon provisions
> in the radio regulations allowing administrations to use frequencies
> for any purpose, provided they don't cause interference to stations
> operating in accordance with the Table of Frequency Allocations.  Low
> power in this band fits the bill very nicely for short range use; not
> for space operations.  Timing issues may also apply.
>
> Some good frequency planning is in order.
>
> 73, art.....
> W4ART  Arlington, VA
>
> On 5-Aug-2009, at 3:52 PM, Mark Thompson wrote:
>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: djmullen tds.net <djmullen at tds.net>
>> To: BARS <bars at cs.wisc.edu>; Joe <joe at dzsp.org>
>> Sent: Tue, Aug 4, 2009 11:46 pm
>> Subject: [BARS] $8000 to launch a satellite?
>>
>>
>> Here's an interesting article from The Register:
>>
>> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/04/tube_sat/
>>
>> Launch your own satellite for only eight grand
>> Prospective world domination candidates apply here
>> By Bill Ray • Get more from this author
>> Posted in Telecoms, 4th August 2009 14:59 GMT
>> Interorbital Systems is offering your own orbiting satellite for
>> only $8,000, including launch, though evil geniuses might balk at
>> the expected 2-week lifespan before a fiery re-entry.
>>
>> The plan is to launch 32 of the diminutive TubeSats into low earth
>> orbit, around 310Km up, using a single Neptune 30 launcher (under
>> development by=2 0Interorbital). The Neptune 30 will time release
>> the TubeSats into orbits that decay within a few weeks, after which
>> they'll burn up re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
>>
>> The cost of each one is $8,000, though you'll have to pay up front
>> to guarantee a launch slot, and put the satellite together yourself
>> from the supplied kit. Stil, at least Interorbital Systems accepts
>> PayPal.
>>
>> Fitting a doomsday machine into the 13.5cm long TubeSat, which is
>> only 8.7cm wide, will challenge plans for world domination, but that
>> will be where the "genius" comes into play.
>>
>> The company suggests you might use your TubeSat for everything from
>> "Earth-from-space video imaging" to "private e-mail" or "On-orbit
>> advertising", though we're not sure what the audience figures would
>> be for the latter. More realistically, buyers might like to bounce
>> amateur radio signals off their own bird, or try experiments within
>> orbital conditions.
>>
>> The radio aboard the TubeSat will operate at 902-928MHz or
>> 2.4-2.4835GHz, the latter being ideal for Wi-Fi, as well as covering
>> the bands allocated for amateur satellite operations - allowing Hams
>> to fly even if pigs can't. Full specifications are available from
>> Interorbital (pdf).
>>
>> Not that professionals will be allowed to buy TubeSats: "The listed
>> price is not valid for military, governmental, or large corporate
>> entities. Members of these organizations should contact Interorbital
>> Systems if interested in purchasing a TubeSat".
>>
>> Interorbital Systems has some form in space operations. It was a
>> competitor in the X-Prize, and has entered Google's Lunar X-Prize to
>> retrieve a bit of the moon. More practically, the company has been
>> testing engines in the Mojave desert, but the TubeSat launches
>> planned for next year will be the first time the company has flown a
>> bird, even a small one. ®
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>
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