[amsat-bb] FUNcube-1 Project Update

[Graham Shirville]

Hi All,

Our software team is working feverishly to complete the FUNcube Dashboard 
software that we will be using to decode and display the telemetry that will 
be transmitted from the spacecraft on 145.935 MHz.

Whilst they finish their work here are some provisional pre-launch keps. We 
may well receive an updated set nearer to the day of launch but we expect 
that these should be good enough for the first few hours/days after launch.

Satellite: FUNCUBE-1
Catalog number: 99991
Epoch time:      13325.309563080
Element set:     1
Inclination:      97.7956 deg
RA of node:       38.2570 deg
Eccentricity:    0.0059925
Arg of perigee:   198.5190 deg
Mean anomaly:     336.5388 deg
Mean motion:   14.77841394 rev/day
Decay rate:       0.00000106
Epoch rev:           1

The particular method of deployment used by this Dnepr launch vehicle means 
that the dispersion of all the objects may be somewhat more rapid than we 
are commonly used to, so this may help the experts determine which object is 
which.

FUNcube-1 will initially be transmitting only about 30 mW of output power, 
this is its "Safe Mode", so a steerable yagi will greatly help reception.

When the spacecraft is eventually transmitting data in its normal 
"Educational Mode" the signal is expected to be about 10dB louder.

To stay up-to-date with what has happening with the FUNcube project and, in 
particular, with the FUNcube-1 spacecraft please visit www.funcube.org.uk 
You can register for automatic email notifications of all the updates by 
clicking on the "follow this blog" tab towards the bottom right hand corner 
of the front page.

best 73

Graham
G3VZV