[amsat-bb] FUNcube a UK Linear Transponder Satellite

[David Johnson]

Hi,

AMSAT-UK has announced a new amateur satellite project – FUNcube – that
features a 435 to 145 MHz Linear Transponder for SSB/CW operation. The
project has received major initial funding from the Radio Communications
Foundation (RCF) and is expected be developed in collaboration with
ISIS-Innovative Solutions in Space BV.

FUNcube is an educational single cubesat project with the goal of
enthusing and educating young people about radio, space, physics and
electronics.

It will support the educational Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths
(STEM) initiatives and provide an additional resource for the GB4FUN
Mobile Communications Centre.

The target audience consists of primary and secondary school pupils and
FUNcube will feature a 145 MHz telemetry beacon that will provide a
strong signal for the pupils to receive.

It is planned to develop a simple receiver board that can be connected
to the USB port of a laptop to display telemetry in an interesting way.

The satellite will contain a materials science experiment, from which
the school students can receive telemetry data which they can compare to
the results they obtained from similar reference experiments in the
classroom.

FUNcube is the first cubesat designed to benefit this group and is
expected to be the first UK cubesat to reach space.

More details can be found at:

http://www.uk.amsat.org/content/view/696/68/

73
Dave, G4DPZ
AMSAT-UK 1267
AMSAT-NA LM-1260