PCSat

Amateur radio satellites. For over a third of a century a series of OSCAR satellites have been launched in a variety of configurations and by many nations.

Typical orbit: 1732 x 7330 km, 77.3 deg inclinaton.

• 1961 December 12 - Oscar 1 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC1W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb). Perigee: 245 km (152 mi). Apogee: 474 km (294 mi). Inclination: 81.20 deg. Period: 91.80 min.
  The first Oscar Phase I amateur satellite was launched piggyback with Discover 36. A group of enthusiasts in California formed Project OSCAR and persuaded the United States Air Force to replace ballast on the Agena upper stage with the 4.5 kg OSCAR I package. The satellite was box shaped with a single monopole antenna and battery powered. The 140 mW transmitter onboard discharged its batteries after three weeks. 570 Amateurs in 28 countries reported receiving its simple 'HI-HI' morse code signals on the VHF 2 meter band (144.983 MHz) until January 1, 1962. The speed of the HI-HI message was controlled by a temperature sensor inside the spacecraft. OSCAR I re-entered the atmosphere January 31, 1962 after 312 revolutions. Additional Details: Oscar 1.

• 1962 June 2 - Oscar 2 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC1W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 10 kg (22 lb). Perigee: 188 km (116 mi). Apogee: 339 km (210 mi). Inclination: 74.20 deg. Period: 89.80 min.
  OSCAR II was launched piggyback with a United States Air Force satellite. OSCAR II was very similar to OSCAR I. Differences included (1) changing the surface thermal coatings to achieve a cooler internal spacecraft environment, (2) modifying the sensing system so the satellite temperature could be measured accurately as the batteries decayed, and (3) lowering the transmitter power output to 100 mW to extend the life of the onboard battery. OSCAR II lasted 18 days ceasing operation on June 20, 1962 and re-entered June 21, 1962.

• 1965 March 9 - Oscar 3 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 14 kg (30 lb). Perigee: 876 km (544 mi). Apogee: 900 km (550 mi). Inclination: 70.10 deg. Period: 102.80 min.
  OSCAR III was launched piggyback with seven United States Air Force satellites. Weight 16.3 kg. It was the first amateur satellite to operate from solar power and relay signals from Earth. OSCAR III was the first true amateur satellite relaying voice contacts in the VHF 2 meter band through a 1 W 50 kHz wide linear transponder (146 MHz uplink and 144 MHz downlink). OSCAR III's transponder lasted 18 days. More than 1000 amateurs in 22 countries communicated through the linear transponder. The two beacon transmitters continued operating for several months.

  Note: Designed, built, and tested, a predecssor, OSCAR* was never launched. Similar in design to OSCAR I and II, OSCAR* contained a 250 mW beacon with phase-coherent keying. OSCAR* was never launched as the workers decided to focus their efforts on the first relay satellite -- OSCAR III.

• 1965 December 21 - Oscar 4 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC41. Launch Vehicle: Titan. Mass: 13 kg (28 lb). Perigee: 162 km (100 mi). Apogee: 33,549 km (20,846 mi). Inclination: 26.80 deg. Period: 587.50 min.
  OSCAR IV was launched piggyback with three United States Air Force satellites. The launch vehicle had a partial failure and placed the spacecraft in a low orbit preventing widespread amateur use. Orbit 29120 x 168 km. Inclination 26.8 degrees. Period 587.5 minutes. Weight 18.1 kg. Four monopole antennas. OSCAR IV was built by the TRW Radio Club of Redondo Beach, California. It had a 3 Watt 10 kHz wide linear transponder (144 MHz uplink and 432 MHz downlink). In operation until March 16, 1966. Re-entry April 12, 1976. Total operation 85 days. OSCAR IV provided the first US-Soviet amateur link.

• 1970 January 23 - Oscar 5 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 18 kg (39 lb). Perigee: 1,434 km (891 mi). Apogee: 1,478 km (918 mi). Inclination: 101.80 deg. Period: 115.00 min.
  Australis-OSCAR 5 was launched piggyback with ITOS-1 (TIROS-M weather satellite. Weight 17.7 kg (9 kg of which was battery mass). Box shaped 304 x 431 x 152 mm. 2 meter monopole and 10 meter dipole antennas. It was the first amateur satellite to be remotely controlled. Built by students at The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Battery powered, Australis-OSCAR 5 transmitted telemetry on both 2 meter (144.050 MHz at 50 mW) and 10 meter (29.450 MHz at 250 mW) bands that operated for 23 and 46 days respectively. Passive magnetic attitude stabilization was performed by carrying two bar magnets to align with the Earth's magnetic field in order to provide a favorable antenna footprint. The University of Melbourne compiled tracking reports from hundreds of stations in 27 countries.

• 1972 October 15 - Oscar 6 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 16 kg (35 lb). Perigee: 1,449 km (900 mi). Apogee: 1,455 km (904 mi). Inclination: 101.70 deg. Period: 114.90 min.
  AMSAT-OSCAR 6 was launched piggyback with ITOS-D (NOAA 2). AO-6 was the first phase 2 satellite (Phase II-A). Weight 16 kg. Box shaped 430 x 300 x 150 mm. Quarter-wave monopole antennas (144 and 435 MHz) and half-wave dipole antenna (29 MHz). Firsts: complex control system using discrete logic; satellite-to-satellite relay communication via AO-7; demonstrated doppler-location of ground station for search and rescue; demonstrated low-cost medical data relay from remote locations. Equipped with solar panels powering NiCd batteries, AO-6 provided 24 V at 3.5 W power to three transponders. It carried a Mode A transponder (100 kHz wide at 1 W) and provided store-and-forward morse and teletype messages (named Codestore) for later transmission. AO-6 lasted 4.5 years until a battery failure ceased operation on June 21, 1977. Subsystems were built in the United States, Australia, and Germany.

• 1974 November 15 - Oscar 7 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 29 kg (63 lb). Perigee: 1,440 km (890 mi). Apogee: 1,459 km (906 mi). Inclination: 101.80 deg. Period: 114.90 min.
  AMSAT-OSCAR 7 was launched piggyback with ITOS-G (NOAA 4) and the Spanish INTASAT. The second phase 2 satellite (Phase II-B). Weight 28.6 kg. Octahedrally shaped 360 mm high and 424 mm in diameter. Circularly polarized canted turnstile VHF/UHF antenna system and HF dipole. Firsts: Satellite-to-satellite relay communication via AO-6; Early demonstrations of low-budget medical data relay and doppler location of ground transmitters for search-and-rescue operations were done using this satellite. AO-7 was fully operational for 6.5 years until a battery failed in mid 1981. However the satellite was still functional in day-side passes when its ever-degrading solar cells could function, and was still responding to amateurs as of August 2006. Additional Details: Oscar 7.

• 1978 March 5 - Oscar 8 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 27 kg (59 lb). Perigee: 894 km (555 mi). Apogee: 903 km (561 mi). Inclination: 99.20 deg. Period: 103.00 min.
  AMSAT-OSCAR 8 was launched piggyback with LandSat 3 (ERTS 3) and PIX. The third phase 2 satellite (Phase II-D). Weight 27.2 kg. Box shaped, 33 cm high, 38 x 38 cm. Circularly polarized VHF canted turnstile, UHF quarter wave monopole, and HF half-wave dipole antenna system. Another cooperative international effort (United States, Canada, Germany and Japan). AO-8 had a similar store-and-forward service as AO-7 and carried Mode A (145.850-900 MHz uplink and 29.400-500 MHz downlink) and Mode J (145.900-146.000 MHz uplink and 435.100 MHz downlink (inverted)) linear transponders and telemetry beacons on 435.095 MHz and 29.402 MHz. AO-8's primary mission was for educational applications and amateur communications. It was in operation for six years until the battery failed on June 24, 1983.

• 1980 May 23 - Amsat Phase 3A - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA1. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. FAILURE: Failure.
  The satellite never obtained orbit. Weight 92.2 kg. Mode B (435 MHz uplink and 145 MHz downlink) transponder and 145 MHz beacon. VHF and UHF helix wide beam antenna.

• 1983 June 16 - Oscar 10 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA1. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 70 kg (154 lb). Perigee: 4,007 km (2,489 mi). Apogee: 35,442 km (22,022 mi). Inclination: 27.20 deg. Period: 699.50 min.
  AMSAT Oscar 10, registration no D-R 001. Scientific and communication satellite for the amateur radio service. Frequency plan: Transponder U: 435.1 MHz (uplink), 145.9 MHz (downlink), Bandwidth +/- 75 kHz. Transponder L: 1269.45 MHz (uplink), 436.55 MHz ( downlink), bandwidth +/- 400 kHz. Two beacons adjacent to passband. Launch vehicle Ariane L6. First amateur satellite with onboard propulsion (which did not function entirely correctly, due to collision with launch vehicle after separation - hence the not-quite-Molniya-orbit). Computer control failed December 1986 due to radiation damage to memory. As a result, ground control stations have no control over the spacecraft. However, when the orientation is favourable (with respect to the Earth and Sun), OSCAR 10 continues to provide good Mode B service. If users coorperate, OSCAR 10 may provide many more years of service. Project Management: AMSAT-NA (Jan King, W3GEY) and AMSAT-DL (Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC). Spacecraft sub-systems: Contributed by groups in Canada, Hungary, Japan, United States and West Germany. Spacecraft: Spin Stabilised with Magnetorquers: Power: 50 W solar array, 2 NiCd batteries. Payload: Transponders/Beacons: Mode B: Type: Linear, inverting, 50W; General Beacon: 145.809 MHz (Carrier); Engineering Beacon: 145.987 MHz; Uplink: 435.030-435.180 MHz; Downlink: 145.975-145.825 MHz. Mode L (no longer operational): Type: Linear, inverting, 50W: Beacons: 436.020, 436.040 MHz; Uplink 1269.450 MHz (800 kHz); Downlink 436.550 MHz.

• 1986 August 12 - Oscar 12 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Tanegashima. Launch Complex: N. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 50 kg (110 lb). Perigee: 1,479 km (919 mi). Apogee: 1,497 km (930 mi). Inclination: 50.00 deg. Period: 115.70 min.
  Japanese Amateur Satellite. JAS-1 (Fuji). Amateur satellite communications. Development of amateur satellite technology. Launch vehicle H-I (two-stage) test flight no. 1. Launch time 2045 GMT. Launching organization NASDA. Fuji-OSCAR 12 was launched piggyback with a Japanese experimental geodetic satellite Ajisai (EGS). Weight 50 kg. 26-sided polyhedron, 40 x 40 x 47 cm. FO-12 was the first Japanese amateur satellite developed by the Japan Amateur Radio League (English version) with system design and integration performed at NEC. FO-12 was taken out of service November 5, 1989 because of battery failure.

• 1988 June 15 - Oscar 13 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 150 kg (330 lb). Perigee: 809 km (502 mi). Apogee: 37,995 km (23,608 mi). Inclination: 57.90 deg. Period: 686.60 min.
  AMSAT-OSCAR 13 was launched by the first test flight of the Ariane 4 launcher. Size 600 x 40 x 200 mm. AO-13 was the third in a series of Phase-3 type high-altitude, elliptical orbit amateur communications satellites. It was built by an international team of radio amateurs led by Dr. Karl Meinzer of AMSAT-Germany. It carried four beacon transmitters and four linear transponders. AO-13 also contained a digital communications transponder called RUDAK-1. However attempts to get the experiment operating failed. Operational life span was 8 years. Careful analysis of AO-13's orbit in early 1990 by Victor Kudelka, OE2VKW revealed that resonant perturbations exist which lead the satellite into a negative perigee altitude. The perigee was down to 150 km by August 1996 which drastically increased atmospheric drag on the satellite until it reentered the Earth's atmosphere December 5, 1996.

• 1990 January 22 - Oscar 19 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 12 kg (26 lb). Perigee: 779 km (484 mi). Apogee: 797 km (495 mi). Inclination: 98.60 deg. Period: 100.60 min.
  Carried CCD camera.

• 1990 January 22 - Oscar 18 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 12 kg (26 lb). Perigee: 780 km (480 mi). Apogee: 797 km (495 mi). Inclination: 98.60 deg. Period: 100.60 min.
  Carried Earth imaging camera. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).

• 1990 January 22 - Oscar 16 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 12 kg (26 lb). Perigee: 781 km (485 mi). Apogee: 797 km (495 mi). Inclination: 98.60 deg. Period: 100.60 min.
  Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).

• 1990 January 22 - Oscar 17 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 12 kg (26 lb). Perigee: 780 km (480 mi). Apogee: 796 km (494 mi). Inclination: 98.60 deg. Period: 100.60 min.
  

• 1990 February 7 - Oscar 20 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Tanegashima. Launch Complex: N. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 50 kg (110 lb). Perigee: 912 km (566 mi). Apogee: 1,745 km (1,084 mi). Inclination: 99.00 deg. Period: 112.20 min.
  JAS-1b 'Fuji-2'. Continuation of amateurradio services of JAS-1; extension of amateur radio communications area; advancement of amateur radio technology. Launching organization NASDA. Launch time 0133 UT.

• 1993 May 12 - Oscar 29 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 154 kg (339 lb). Perigee: 17,469 km (10,854 mi). Apogee: 36,582 km (22,730 mi). Inclination: 5.30 deg. Period: 1,012.60 min.
  Operated by Radio Amateur Club de LeSpace.

• 1993 September 26 - Eyesat 1 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 12 kg (26 lb). Perigee: 790 km (490 mi). Apogee: 803 km (498 mi). Inclination: 98.70 deg. Period: 100.80 min.
  Experimental Interferometric Microsatellite built by Interferometrics Inc, of Chantilly, Virginia. The satellite was also equipped with amateur radio equipment, constructed by AMRAD, a non-profit organization of radio amateurs, to conduct digital satellite communications experiments. The Amrad-Oscar-27 payload was an 'FM Repeater', consisting of a crystal controlled FM receiver operation at 145.850 MHz and a crystal controlled FM transmitter operating at approximately 436.795 MHz. Output power of the transmitter was normally 0.5 watts. Because of the satellite's limited power budget the amateur transmitter was on for only part of the daylight portion of each orbit. As of September 1998, the satellite passed its five year design goal.

• 1993 September 26 - ITAMsat - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 50 kg (110 lb). Perigee: 789 km (490 mi). Apogee: 802 km (498 mi). Inclination: 98.70 deg. Period: 100.80 min.
  ITAMsat was built by AMSAT-ITALY. Its mission was to store and forward amateur radio messages.

• 1995 March 28 - Oscar 29 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC158. Launch Vehicle: Topol. FAILURE: Fell in Sea of Okhotsk.
  UNAMSAT was an AMSAT Microsat class amateur radio satellite built by UNAM, the Autonomous University of Mexico.

• 1996 September 5 - Oscar 30 - Program: Oscar. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Perigee: 966 km (600 mi). Apogee: 1,010 km (620 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.90 min.
  

• 1999 April 2 - Sputnik-99 - Program: OSCAR. Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Perigee: 400 km (240 mi). Apogee: 400 km (240 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg.
  Subscale amateur radio model of Sputnik 1. Reentered July 29.

• 2000 November 16 - AMSAT-Oscar-40 - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA3. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5. Mass: 4,758 kg (10,489 lb). Perigee: 1,167 km (725 mi). Apogee: 58,650 km (36,440 mi). Inclination: 7.50 deg. Period: 1,146.50 min.
  The long-delayed Phase 3D amateur radio satellite, built by AMSAT-DL (Germany), was renamed AMSAT-Oscar-40 (AO-40) once launched. It carried an MBB S400 liquid engine (the backup engine for the Galileo Jupiter probe) and a variety of amateur radio payloads in L, S, C, X, V, U and K bands, as well as an ammonia arcjet thruster and a laser communications experiment. The satellite was the largest amateur satellite orbited to date and the first to feature deployable solar panels. Mass was 397 kg dry. The PAS 1R, STRV 1c/1d, and AMSAT Phase 3D satellites were placed in orbit on a single Ariane launch. At 0149 GMT the SBS cylindrical adapter which connected PAS-1R to AMSAT was jettisoned; 50 seconds later AMSAT separated from the EPS upper stage. Thereafter the spacecraft could not be contacted. Finally telemetry was received from after two weeks of silence, confirming that the satellite was still functioning.

• 2001 September 30 - PCSat - Launch Site: Kodiak. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Athena. Mass: 67 kg (147 lb). Perigee: 794 km (493 mi). Apogee: 794 km (493 mi). Inclination: 67.00 deg.
  PCSat (Prototype Communications SATellite) was to act as a relay for UHF/VHF amateur radio transmissions. It was built by the midshipmen at the US Naval Academy. It was to augment the existing worldwide Amateur Radio Automatic Position Reporting System; mass was around 10 kg.

• 2002 May 4 - Idefix - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Mass: 12 kg (26 lb). Perigee: 789 km (490 mi). Apogee: 809 km (502 mi). Inclination: 98.70 deg. Period: 100.90 min.
  The Idefix amateur radio payload consisted of two small 6 kg boxes attached to the Ariane third stage. The payload was operated by AMSAT-F, the French branch of the amateur radio organization. (The first French satellite was nicknamed Asterix after the famous comic book character; Idefix was Asterix and Obelix's pet dog.)