[amsat-bb] EO-79 Update

[Wouter Weggelaar]

Hi All,

With this message I would like to inform you of the status and plans for
QB50p1 - EO-79.
Earlier testing campaigns indicate that the AMSAT-UK/AMSAT-NL transponder
on board of this spacecraft is in good health. We have activated the
transponder on various occasions for testing purposes.

At the moment we believe the power system is capable of sustaining
transponder operations indefinitely. ISIS (the satellite designer and
operator) still needs to write and apply a software patch that would keep
the transponder running. The current logic in the satellite will switch off
the transponder if a reset occurs of the On Board Computer or power system.

Efforts are being made to allow usage of the transponder in the mean time
and also allow select command stations to take the satellite out of safe
mode if it does reset.
ISIS will continue to monitor all telemetry and the satellites health.

The precursor satellites have gathered valuable data about the sensor
payloads, and the lessons learnt are being implemented in the flight units
for the QB50 main mission.

We will still have to wait until procedures are in place and the activation
is cleared by the operator and owners of the satellite, but we are nearly
ready for the activation of another transponder!

Transponder activations will be announced on this BB.

On behalf of AMSAT-NL and the ISIS operations team I would like to thank
the community for supporting our mission and thank you for your patience.

73s,

Wouter Weggelaar
PA3WEG
AMSAT-NL